Jesus Is My Homeboy: Last Supper
David LaChapelle’s Jesus Is My Homeboy: Last Supper reimagines Leonardo da Vinci’s iconic 1490s masterpiece through a contemporary pop-culture lens. The work is bold, irreverent, and deeply intentional. LaChapelle has described his aim as rescuing Christ’s teachings from fundamentalists, placing them instead in the context of the streets and the everyday.
In the photograph, Jesus is depicted as a traditional figure in red and blue robes, a direct reference to da Vinci’s original composition. But the apostles surrounding him are different races, dressed in urban hip-hop clothing. They are, as LaChapelle describes them, a “group of misfits with common beliefs.”
The Renaissance postures are preserved, but the lighting and styling draw from pop culture, fashion photography, and street aesthetics. The result is a work that bridges centuries, asking viewers to reconsider who belongs at the table and whose stories are told in art.
LaChapelle’s work challenges the boundaries between sacred and profane, high art and popular culture. Jesus Is My Homeboy: Last Supper is a reminder that the most powerful art often comes from the most unexpected places.
Explore LaChapelle’s work at Moco Museum Barcelona.
