Watch

Louisiana Artist Modernizes Sacred Art

Creator:
Published:
January 12, 2024
September 21, 2020
Watch how Louisiana-based artist Jacob Zumo modernizes sacred art.

Baton Rouge-based artist Jacob Zumo is breaking down barriers with his art. Because of his innovative approach to portrait painting, he has attracted a diverse audience. For him, it's about making traditional art more accessible to the modern world — without losing the meaning central to it.

"I'm still learning my faith [and] using this opportunity to become closer to God through my art."

Video Transcript

Meet Jacob Zumo: innovative painter

(We see a selection of some of Jacob’s paintings of celebrities)

Jacob Zumo: Ended up doing a painting for a rapper in Baton Rouge named Kevin Gates, um, just to kind of meet him and jog his brain, and we ended up talking for like 30 minutes to an hour, and it was funny, it was like a trickle effect after that. It was Drake a week later, Snoop Dogg a week later.

(Pictures of Jacob standing with Drake and Snoop Dogg and the paintings he made of them.)

(Jacob sitting in front of some of his paintings.)

So I kind of found my market there, but it came to the point where like, I have an opportunity here to really bring something to the table with the reach that we're getting. And, you know, I've always — not struggled with my faith, but — had trouble just digging deep. And really my art at this point is almost like my spiritual direction and my apostolate, like how am I diving myself deeper into my peers and myself into the sacred?

(We see some of Jacob’s paintings with religious images)

So I did a year in Italy, um, at the only sacred art school in the world, the Sacred Art School of Firenze. For me, what I saw when I went in there, like great technical painting, but what are we pushing and really how do we modernize sacred art without changing that Renaissance style, without changing that Renaissance realism?

(Famous Renaissance paintings and statues)

When I got back, I had done a piece in Italy of a Black Saint Sebastian, and it was for, you know, I'm in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and we have, you know, a lot of Black folks here, and you know, you might go in a Catholic church and all you see are white icons. And we have Black saints, but what can I do to modernize sacred art? And that's what I keep coming back to. So it's like, can I change icons to a different race to bring, you know, the Black folk here and have them feel okay?

(Jacob’s painting: a Black Saint Sebastian is tied to a tree with wounds on his body.)

With the times right now it's like, whoa! What is this story? Instead of like it being an icon where you automatically know it is like a sacred piece. So, you know, this is already an intriguing painting — like, you know, well let me tell you the real story, let me tell you something about a saint.

(More of Jacob’s paintings with religious images such as the Last Supper and Our Lady of Guadalupe)

You know, really starting that conversation and not so much making sacred art cool but making it okay. I'm still learning my faith, you know, using this opportunity to become closer to God through my art, and likewise, yeah for it to translate out.

My Instagram is @artbyjzumo and my website is jzumo.com.

Creators:
Grotto
Published:
January 12, 2024
September 21, 2020
On a related note...
Percussionist Makes Music Using Nature's Instruments

Percussionist Makes Music Using Nature's Instruments

Grotto

St. Vincent de Paul Spotify Playlist | #GrottoMusic

St. Vincent de Paul Spotify Playlist | #GrottoMusic

Grotto

8 Reasons You Should Give Swing Dancing a Try

8 Reasons You Should Give Swing Dancing a Try

Megan Toal

What is Ableism?

What is Ableism?

Jessica Ping-Wild

Welcome to the Neighborhood: Near North Side

Welcome to the Neighborhood: Near North Side

Jennon Bell Hoffmann

"The Near North Side is a heady mix of high-end luxury, energetic nightlife, and scene-making restaurants."

Reconnecting with Nature Through an Alpaca Farm

Reconnecting with Nature Through an Alpaca Farm

Grotto

What It Takes to Be a Great Mentor

What It Takes to Be a Great Mentor

Grotto

7 Recipes for Meal Trains with Any Dietary Restriction

7 Recipes for Meal Trains with Any Dietary Restriction

Maria Walley

St. Joseph of Cupertino Spotify Playlist | #GrottoMusic

St. Joseph of Cupertino Spotify Playlist | #GrottoMusic

Grotto

How Parenthood Awakened My Sense of Wonder

How Parenthood Awakened My Sense of Wonder

Erin Ramsey-Tooher

‘Why Not Live in Reckless Wonder?’ 3 Poems Bundled Around Beauty

‘Why Not Live in Reckless Wonder?’ 3 Poems Bundled Around Beauty

Grotto

Joy That Refuses To Be Eclipsed

Joy That Refuses To Be Eclipsed

Alli Bobzien

8 Ways We Can Join the Fight to Help the Earth

8 Ways We Can Join the Fight to Help the Earth

Lauren Fritz

The Commencement Address We Can’t Stop Thinking About

The Commencement Address We Can’t Stop Thinking About

Mike Jordan Laskey

Learning to Love My Body Through Exercise

Learning to Love My Body Through Exercise

Genevieve Lyons

What 'Dune' Teaches Us About Scarcity and Social Equity

What 'Dune' Teaches Us About Scarcity and Social Equity

Hanna Van Elk

Caring for the Elderly in Kenya

Caring for the Elderly in Kenya

Grotto

How Do You Heal From Medical Trauma?

How Do You Heal From Medical Trauma?

Patrick Cruitt

Beyond Mentorship: Why Having a Hero Will Change Your Mindset

Beyond Mentorship: Why Having a Hero Will Change Your Mindset

Emily Mae Mentock

What Dealing With Death on a Daily Basis Has Taught Me

What Dealing With Death on a Daily Basis Has Taught Me

Alexandria Wellman

newsletter

We’d love to be pals.

Sign up for our newsletter, and we’ll meet you in your inbox each week.