Jesus on a Unicorn: The Making of the Apocalypse Exhibition Poster

Contents:

• The Impossible Apocalypse: How Can We Avoid Catastrophe
• What Can a Neural Network Do?
• The Origin of the Superhero Image of Jesus: Blasphemy or Not?

In the summer of 2023, an exhibition with the striking title "Apocalypse" was held in the Brusnitsyn cultural quarter in St. Petersburg. This exhibition was organized by the art group "Grain", a Christian creative collective that arose at the Lutheran Annenkirche Church. For over five years, the group has been creating immersive installations in religious and social contexts.

Kristina Shilova and Petr Baburin, members of the Zerno art group, shared their thoughts on how their visual concepts emerged, which open a new perspective on the enduring values ​​of the Bible.

Designer and a theologian who is part of the art group "Grain". Has been involved in graphic design since 2006.

Marketing specialist for the Zerno art group.

The Impossible Apocalypse: How We Can Avoid a Catastrophe

This is the first time the art group has decided to implement such a large-scale project. not within the familiar walls of the Annenkirche, but at a new site – in the cultural cluster of St. Petersburg. The exhibition's theme is one of the most complex and disturbing biblical narratives—the events of the last book of the Bible, known as the Revelation of John the Divine, or simply the Apocalypse, which tells of the end of the world.

The task was to develop a poster for an exhibition dedicated to the theme of the end of the world, while avoiding any frightening or repulsive elements. The exhibition's central idea is that the apocalypse, according to Christian belief, is a joyful event symbolizing the end of earthly life, full of sin, and opening the way to eternal life in the Kingdom of Heaven with God. It was also important to move away from the traditional church style and demonstrate that this is a modern event aimed at the widest possible audience.

Kristina Shilova

We came to the conclusion that there was no point in inventing anything, since the Bible already describes what the end of the world will look like.

It was decided to adapt the literal images presented in the text and present them in a modern key, adding references to characters and antagonists familiar from the world of pop culture.

Pyotr Baburin

What a neural network can do

At first, we planned to engage an artist to create the characters. However, to our disappointment, the artist we approached refused to cooperate at the very last moment. As a result, we had to look for alternative solutions to quickly develop a complex poster.

When a new tool, Midjourney, appeared on the horizon in the summer of 2023, I had the idea to try it. It's worth noting that at that time, the use of artificial intelligence in design was just beginning to gain popularity, and Midjourney was just getting started.

Despite common misconceptions, a neural network cannot instantly generate any image upon request. This is largely determined by the availability of suitable examples online, as well as the ability of artificial intelligence to identify relevant associations and connections between elements.

For example, we encountered difficulties creating an image of a unicorn, as high-quality illustrations of this mythical creature are insufficient. As a result, we had to first develop an image of the unicorn's head, then separately depict Jesus on a horse, and then combine these two elements.

Today, a year and a half later, neural networks have become an integral part of both design and marketing, and it's hard to imagine how these departments would function without them. Despite this, mastering Midjourney still requires considerable effort, as it requires an understanding of its commands and the specifics of its use. It is possible that in the near future we will see the emergence of a new profession - "Midjourney operator" 🙂

Designer Petr Baburin, who works in the Annenkirche, learned to use Midjourney in just three days and designed a poster for the exhibition.

When a viewer looks at this poster, they conjure up images of a fantasy world filled with fierce battles, unpredictable plot twists, and the inevitable triumph of good in the end. There is some truth to this, but this is not "Game of Thrones" or "The Lord of the Rings." This is a story about the Bible.

Every element presented on the poster is carefully thought out, and the poster itself, in our opinion, is an independent work of art. Later, we will explain why it looks exactly this way and why it does not contain any offense to religious feelings.

Kristina Shilova

The Origin of the Superhero Image of Jesus: Blasphemy or Not?

The image of Jesus, who triumphs on a white horse, is borrowed from the nineteenth chapter of the Book of Revelation.

I watched as the sky opened, and behold, a white horse appeared before me, with a Rider on it. His name is "Faithful and True," and He judges with righteousness and wages battles. His eyes blaze like fire, and on His head are many crowns, among which is a name known only to Him. His robe was stained with blood, and He was given the name "the Word of God." He was followed by the heavenly armies, also on white horses, clad in the finest, purest, white linen. In the mouth of the Horseman was a sharp sword, destined to punish the nations. He would rule them with an iron staff. In the winepress He crushes the grapes, gathering the wine of the severe vengeance of God Almighty.

On the hem of His garment is written a name: King of kings, Lord of lords.

Revelation 19:11–16

"Grain" is not the first work to visualize these lines from Revelation; A similar image can be found in traditional church art.

We have somewhat deviated from the exact visualization of the text: our Jesus holds a sword in his hand, and does not speak it out of his mouth; there are not many different crowns on his head, and his eyes do not flash like fire, and his garment is not stained with blood.

Petr Baburin

The image of Christ's second coming as the Victor is of great significance to all believers: Jesus triumphs over evil by sacrificing his Blood, and his Word is like a sharp sword. However, this sword does not take life; on the contrary, it helps us distinguish between good and evil.

"For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and bones, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart."

Hebrews 4:12 states that "the word of God is living and active, sharper than any sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and bones, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart."

The unicorn, the pelican, and the phoenix are iconic images associated with Jesus Christ. They are mentioned in the hymn "Unicornis Captivatur", where in each of its verses Jesus is paralleled with one of these animals.

The unicorn is a strange and majestic creature, extremely rare.

According to medieval myths, the pelican feeds its young with its own blood.

The phoenix is ​​a creature that rises from the ashes, triumphing over death.

An ecclesiastical tapestry called Hortus Conclusus, made in 1480, is made of wool, silk, and gold and silver threads, decorated with intricate designs. It depicts Mary holding a unicorn by the horn, Adam piercing it, and Eve collecting its blood in a cup. Adam also says the words, "He was wounded for our transgressions" (Isaiah 53:5). Thus, the unicorn in this composition symbolizes Jesus.

In addition, the unicorn represents the most majestic form of a horse, since its horn personifies strength and power.

Refer to the Orthodox encyclopedia "Azbuka faith" to discover the meaning of the word "horn" in biblical metaphors.

Therefore, the unicorn represents an advanced interpretation of the horse, suitable for the era of the second coming.

Satan is represented under the hooves of Jesus' horse, holding the sword not by the hilt, but by the base of the blade, in a fighting stance. This gesture symbolizes the passing of the sword of the vanquished to the victor, which clearly reflects the final triumphant victory of Jesus over the forces of evil, as described in Revelation.

Of course, Babylon in the Bible represents is not only a historical site, but also the embodiment of human pride and violence. In addition, one of the sections of the exhibition is also dedicated to this place.

The final sections of the Book of Revelation describe the New Jerusalem, which is called heavenly not because of its location in the heavens, but because life in this city arranged in full accordance with the will of God. For the author of Revelation, it is crucial that the true Kingdom of God be established on Earth, and that it will be inhabited not by disembodied souls, but by people who will be resurrected in new and transformed bodies, and not simply dwelling in a heavenly palace in the clouds.

The Book of Revelation is full of sevens. Seven angels, seven trumpets, seven bowls of wrath, seven lampstands, seven seals, and seven signs.

Each of the seven angels is merely mentioned as having "blown its trumpet," but there are no details about how exactly this occurred. The human imagination might conjure up a picture of a terrifying battle trumpet warning of impending danger. And indeed, after each of the seven trumpet blasts, something devastating occurs.

If we understand God's mercy and analyze the overall design of the Book of Revelation, we will notice that the terrible events described there resemble the process of renovating a house. At first, everything looks worse—dust and dirt appear, some things are dismantled and removed—but ultimately, we are able to enjoy a renewed space with a modern renovation. Similarly, in the end times: for evil, these events will turn into a catastrophe, while for everyone else, they will become a source of joy.

Repair work is always perceived more easily to the sounds of high-quality jazz.

Pyotr Baburin

The final element we'll examine is the maiden soaring on wings. This symbol has many theological interpretations, the most common of which is that of the Christian church during the time of persecution. Furthermore, this image can be seen as allusions to the Virgin Mary, the twelve apostles, and other biblical stories.

A great sign appeared in the sky: a woman clothed in the rays of the sun; the moon was at her feet, and on her head was a crown of twelve stars. She was pregnant and suffering the pains of childbirth. At the same time, another sign appeared in the heavens: a huge red dragon with seven heads and ten horns, and on its heads were seven crowns. Its tail swept a third of the stars from the sky and cast them to the earth. This dragon stood before the woman preparing to give birth, devouring her newborn. She gave birth to a son who was destined to rule all nations with an iron rod; the child was caught up to God and onto His throne. The woman withdrew into the desert, where God had prepared a place for her, where she could receive food for one thousand two hundred and sixty days.

A battle broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels fought the dragon, while the dragon and his companions confronted them. However, they were unable to gain the victory, and there was no longer room for them in the heavenly realms. The great dragon, the ancient serpent known as the devil and Satan, who deceives the entire universe, was cast down to the earth, and his angels were cast down with him.

Revelation 12:1–9

The poster and its components were transformed into the official branding of the exhibition, which served as the basis for the development of the landing page, tickets, information signs inside the exhibition space, and many other materials.

We observed a variety of reactions throughout the exhibition, and we will not deny that it did indeed generate a lot of controversy. However, it appears that we have achieved our key goal—to awaken people’s interest in the Christian faith.

We hope that they will be inspired to open the Bible and carefully examine what it contains.

Kristina Shilova

The exhibition, entitled “Apocalypse,” will be on display in St. Petersburg until March 9, 2025.

“Because the word of God is active and full of life, it is sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the very depths of soul and spirit, dividing the joints and marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.”

Hebrews 4:12 speaks of the power of God’s word. It is described as living and active, penetrating to the depths of soul and spirit, and discerning the intentions and thoughts of the heart. The Word of God is not just text, but a powerful tool that can touch the most intimate aspects of human life.

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