Lacrosse Stigmata I

Lacrosse Stigmata I conflates the cultures of organized sports and organized  religion. The piece is impaled through the mouth with a lacrosse stick, evoking the wounds of Christ during his crucifixion.

During my time playing lacrosse, I was taught to be a leader on the field, to be  tough, aggressive, and to ignore pain. Over the years, I broke both wrists, sustained  a grade two concussion, and experienced whiplash, gathering wounds of my own.  When these injuries occurred, coaches would often tell me I was fine and should  just “get back to playing,” “suck it up,” or “rub some dirt on it.” This unquestioning  expectation to ignore my pain for the sake of the team often reminded me of the  unquestioning obedience demanded in the Christian spaces I grew up in.

In the Church I was told that, as a man, I should “lead the family,” “be a protector,”  “take things on faith,” and never question the Bible. This piece merges the  emotional, spiritual, intellectual, and physical pressures imposed by both  organized sports and organized religion, each prescribing a specific way of existing  in the world as a young man. The lacrosse coach mirrored the church pastor, and  the lacrosse team mirrored the congregation.

The work also references BOB body punching bags and crash test dummies to  capture the visceral moment of being hit, pierced, or concussed. Warren imagines  the figure letting out a grunt - a raw UGH.