Extract from the San(t)s Sebastians tee shirt design

San(t)s Sebastians

Warning – images contain nudity.

Saint Sebastian (d.288ad) was a Milanese who joined the army to assist martyrs and rose to become a captain of the Praetorian Guards under Diocletian – whilst staying in the closet as a Christian.

Andy Sans Sebastians
Andy Sans Sebastians – © But I Like It Photography, 2015. All Rights Reserved.

He converted a number of people to Christianity, including the son of the local prefect (who became St Tiburtius) and a mute who gained her voice after her conversion. He was later exposed as a Christian and taken to a field and ‘shot until he as full of arrows as an urchin’

Brian Sans Sebastians
Brian Sans Sebastians – © But I Like It Photography, 2015. All Rights Reserved.

Irene of Rome went to recover his body for burial and instead found him to be alive – she took him home and nursed him to health. Sebastian later took himself to a staircase and harangued Emporer Diocletions

Carl Sans Sebastians
Carl Sans Sebastians – © But I Like It Photography, 2015. All Rights Reserved.

Following this he was taken away and beaten with cudgels and his body thrown into the sewer. His body was collected by Lucina who had it conveyed to the catacombs.

Johann Sans Sebastians
Johann Sans Sebastians – © But I Like It Photography, 2015. All Rights Reserved.

Post-canonisation his image is said to be a defence against the plague, and is a patron of Soldiers, athletes and holy death

Eric Sans Sebastians
Eric Sans Sebastians – © But I Like It Photography, 2015. All Rights Reserved.

Sebastian has been portrayed in many ways – often an idealised, athletic youth – and I wanted to represent this many faces in this Sans Sebastians project.

Paul Sans Sebastians
Paul Sans Sebastians – © But I Like It Photography, 2015. All Rights Reserved.

This was produced to be part of the third ‘Cock Au Soleil (nsfw)’ zine project, which itself was presented at New York Art Book Fair 2015 at MOMA PS1. A huge thanks to the models and scribblers who contributed to the images produced and to Arthur Dumping for commissioning it.

The San(t)s Sebastians zine atop the 'Cock au Soleil' Vol.3 Tote Bag.
The San(t)s Sebastians zine atop the ‘Cock au Soleil’ Vol.3 Tote Bag. The theme for the edition was St Sebastian/ Trésor.

A limited number of copies of San(t)s Sebastians are available. Email me for more information.

Illustration credits: Claudio Parentela, Ronald Kibble, Morticia, Paul Cowie, Rob Robinson, Dean Ashton, Bari Goddard, Richard Lacey-Evans, Dario Fucci, Hugo Qaherabear. Johann Sans Sebastian photo by Carl Kierman.

 

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