Black Panther artist’s portray of jazz legend John Coltrane catches eye of Spike Lee

Sitting within the window of the Artfunk gallery on Jackson Avenue in San Francisco is a portray of jazz legend John Coltrane. Whereas most individuals strolling by will see the picture of an ideal musician, Archbishop Franzo King sees one thing extra divine.

“After I see this portray, I see God,” mentioned King.

He and his spouse, Reverend Mom Marina King, based the Saint John Coltrane Church in 1969. The church based mostly on the music of Coltrane and his iconic album A Love Supreme, that’s performed in 4 elements: Half 1: Acknowledgement, Half 2: Decision, Half 3: Pursuance, Half 4: “Psalm.

“I am thanking God for that uncompromising revolutionary that we all know to be Jesus, the Christ of God, the uncompromising revolutionary that spoke to energy by means of man,” mentioned King whereas preaching to his Sunday congregation.

As we speak, companies for the Coltrane Church are held each Sunday contained in the Magic Theater in Fort Mason. For greater than 5 many years, the church has moved from location to location all through town, however they’re hoping to discover a everlasting residence.

“This church has been like a gypsy motion,” mentioned King. “We wish to discover a residence, as a result of if you’re going to depart one thing to a technology, you bought to a minimum of have someplace to sit down, someplace to face, someplace to be.”

That was when longtime San Francisco artist and photographer Peter Shaw got here up with an thought, by taking the unique portray of John Coltrane and turning it right into a fundraiser for the Church and their Coltrane Arts Basis.

“Now we have lately made a restricted version of 20, with 4 artist proofs of this unique Coltrane work,” mentioned Shaw.

It was sufficient to get the eye of movie director Spike Lee, who paid Shaw and the Kings a go to whereas on a visit to San Francisco.

“So Spike got here by and noticed it,” mentioned King. “And Spike Lee wished to purchase the unique, and we mentioned, ‘No, we’re not promoting it.'”

The unique piece of artwork was painted in 1972 by Emory Douglas, who was the Minister of Tradition and Revolutionary Artist for the Black Panther Get together. It was gifted to the St. John Coltrane Church by Douglas and Black Panther Get together co-founder and chairman Huey P. Newton.

“It took us from one other degree having it being painted by Emory Douglas, who it he vanguard artist of this time on this decade,” mentioned King. “His artwork was actually, as I knew it, it was about revolution and alter.”

A change they hope will turn out to be the manifestation of a portray right into a everlasting residence by means of the sound and picture of A Love Supreme.

At the moment, the twenty restricted editions of John Coltrane print are on the market, with Spike Lee the primary individual to commit to purchasing a duplicate. Anybody focused on shopping for a limited-edition print can contact Peter Shaw through e mail at PeterShawArt@iCloud.com.