The artwork “Self-Portrait Looking at The Last Supper” by Marisol Escobar, created in 1984, is a significant work belonging to the Neo-Dada art movement, rendered in the genre of sculpture. This piece intricately weaves together the elements of self-portraiture and historical religious narrative.
The artwork portrays a three-dimensional reinterpretation of Leonardo da Vinci’s “The Last Supper,” with the table and figures skillfully crafted to evoke the iconic scene. The figures around the table are presented in a stylistically fragmented fashion, indicative of the Neo-Dada approach to art-making, which often involves playful yet poignant assemblies of objects and images. At the forefront of the scene stands a solitary figure, representing the artist herself, engaging with this historical tableau from an observer’s standpoint. This inclusion of a self-portrait emphasizes the artist’s connection to both the history of art and the act of artistic creation.
Through this sculptural assembly, Escobar explores themes of identity, legacy, and the continuity of artistic dialogue across time. The work is notable for its complex layering of meanings and its ability to communicate with viewers on multiple levels, from the historical to the personal.
