While serving in the Navy during the Vietnam Era it was apparent to me that we had to stop the madness or perish. After my service I felt called to make a statement about the horror of war and a plea for peace. The message had to be bold, evocative and have a powerful visual impact. People needed to see Jesus deliver His wake up message for peace, on TV. In 1970 I co produced and portrayed Jesus in the 30 second television public service announcement that I wrote, titled "aWARness" (a play on awareness). This was a non-profit endeavor sponsored by Rev. Benjamin Horton of the Catholic Negro American Missions Board. It was the first time Jesus appears in the flesh on TV walking in contemplation and presenting an engaging message for peace. Portraying Jesus on TV was a soul searching experience especially at that time of war when His presence was needed most. The message is as relevant today as when it first aired 50 years ago. Since then my passion has turned to sculpture and my first piece was a larger then life size portrait sculpture of the suffering messiah titled "Earth Endangered Species". (Shown in photo of entrant, above)
The film explores how evil fuels the fire of civil unrest, escalating it to a global war among nations, which ultimately causes the annihilation of the human race. Jesus is seen contemplating the devil's scheme and at the end He stands high on a mountain, a mighty power against the dark world and a beacon for hope, light, love and peace. A visual reminder that faith in Him is the only answer to sin and salvation. After the final chilling image of the atomic bomb exploding the narrator reads this profound wake up message: "Is This What He Had In Mind At The Beginning".
Victor Gonzalez: Co Producer, director, 16 mm camera operator and editor.
Vincent Loscalzo: Make up artist and costume designer.
I speed sculpt a 225 lb. monumental clay portrait bust of Jesus in 15 minutes choreographed to contemporary Christian music. My performance is titled "Passion in Clay" and I perform at various Christian venues throughout the U.S. Kindly visit passioninclay.com to watch a 2 minute presentation of my performance. You can contact me by email peterrubino@gmail.com or from the site to discuss pricing and booking information. Also on the site you'll find a small collectible and affordable table top sculpture of Jesus, available for purchase. Thank you.
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