Madonna from Maryland 
 17” x 16” x 3.25” – 2001

Positioned in a wooden “IN” box are a blue-glazed ceramic Madonna face, a darkened car mirror, a test tube filled with red coral tree seeds, and a row of wrought iron cut nails pounded into a board.  Hanging below is a car license tag from Maryland. 

Meaning: 

From Northern Renaissance Art History:
Many believed that God impregnated Mary through her ear (hearing the Word plants the seed), and thus many Renaissance artists depicted Mary turning her head aside when hearing from the Angel Gabriel that she would bear the Christ Child.  The nails in the board represent Christ’s crucifixion.  The red coral tree seeds in the phallic-shaped test tube represent the seed of the Word.  The mirror represents a darkened image of Everyman.

Madonna from Maryland