Painted pine with 22K gold leaf dome on a turn table, 2023

The Chapel of Saint Basil designed by Architect Philip Johnson is an exquisite, mixed-media sculpture that reimagines the architectural beauty of a sacred chapel through the medium of painted pine and gilded elegance. Standing as a visual testament to both spiritual devotion and artistic craftsmanship, this sculpture embodies the classical beauty of Eastern Orthodox architecture, with a dynamic twist that invites contemplation and interaction. Crafted from painted pine, the chapel takes on an almost ethereal, delicate form. The warm, earthy texture of the wood contrasts beautifully with the opulent touches of 22K gold leaf, which adorns the chapel's most iconic feature: the dome.

At the center of the sculpture, a dramatic dome rises, its curves sculpted with great precision and covered entirely in radiant 22K gold leaf. The dome gleams with a divine luminosity, capturing and reflecting light from every angle. The gilded surface of the dome is applied in such a way that it seems to shimmer with an inner radiance, evoking the spiritual transcendence that the chapel represents. The gold leaf is delicately brushed, with hints of texture that evoke the hand of the artisan, suggesting the divine hand at work in the creation of this sacred space. This sculpture is mounted to a turntable, allowing it to move in any direction. 

Cardinale finishes the composition with a drawer on the front of the piece. Upon opening, Cardinale’s wife PJ, of over 50 years, composes a mix-media collage paying homage to the church.

Original building location: Houston, Texas, 1997

• 15.5" (39.37cm) height

• 13" (33.02cm) width

• 16.5" (41.91cm) depth

• Pedestal 36.5"x 21"x 14.5" (can be sold without pedestal)

• One of a kind