HUNTSVILLE, Ala — Huntsville is home to many things, one of them being the giant 'Cosmic Christ' mosaic that faces Governers Drive.
This mosaic has also coined the name 'Eggbeater Jesus' because the bottom portion of Jesus' body resembles a whisk!
But the church that this art piece sits on, the First Baptist Church of Huntsville, embraces the colloquially coined name.
"It has amazed me over the years that I have been in this church, the number of people in the community when we go out and do things that talk about how much this mosaic has affected their lives. They take graduation pictures, they take wedding pictures, they see it... It's on Wikipedia. We embrace the 'Eggbeater Jesus'," volunteer with the First Baptist Church Huntsville, Dian Poole, said.
A mosaicist from Italy was hired nearly a decade ago to revamp this already popular piece of art.
"Seven years ago, we were selected for replacing and for remaking the old mosaic that after some years were ruined, were falling down many times," said Emanuele Barsanti, owner, and artist of Barsanti Marble Bronze Mosaic.
Although this revamping of the mosaic was set in place 7 years ago, so was the design of this piece. Church members felt that keeping that same image was important.
"We knew or felt like- the church all agreed, that we could not change the design. So as you drive by the design is gonna look entirely the same, because people say what are you finishing it? Well, that's what we're celebrating. We finished the last panel, we finished Jesus's face," said Poole.
Not only is the art piece more stable, and capable of withstanding wear and tear, this version of the mosaic is much brighter.
"And also the glass that we make exactly the same colors are more brilliant, more vibrant than the original ones," said Barsanti.
Already considered a staple in the Huntsville community, Eggbeater Jesus is here to stay.
"We have been assured by our Italian mosaicist that this will be here till the end," said Poole.