Time and weather are often unkind to outdoor pieces of art. Especially large-scale installations, such as the “Cosmic Christ” mosaic that adorns the First Baptist Church on Governor’s Drive in Huntsville.

Over the years, this eye-catching work of art had been deteriorating piece by piece. It was not uncommon for churchgoers to find little bits of tile lying in the grass on any given day.

In 2017, it was decided that the son of God needed an upgrade. After several patient years of restoration, the members of First Baptist and the local community will come together to commemorate its long-awaited completion.

First Baptist will host a community-wide celebration the first Saturday in June. This event will feature local artisans and crafters, food, face painting and inflatables for the kids, along with tours of the church sanctuary. On Sunday, the mosaic dedication will take place during the morning worship service.

The mosaic, affectionately known to locals as “Eggbeater Jesus,” was created to represent a scripture referring to “a cosmic Christ” and depicts Jesus Christ surrounded by the cosmos.

The mosaic, which has an “Age of Aquarius” vibe, though typical of the early ‘70s, was surprisingly contemporary for the Deep South. However, Huntsville with its reputation as the Rocket City and attracting a science and technology workforce from all over the world, helped to make Cosmic Christ an iconic landmark for nearly 50 years.

The mosaic was designed and fabricated by stained glass artist Gordon William Smith. It was first conceptualized by Smith in 1966, then completed seven years later in 1973. The dedication for the finished piece took place in early 1974.

To create the mosaic, each tile was painstakingly cut and hand painted by artisans at the studio. Then, the tiles were brought to Huntsville and carefully applied by Smith, by using his fingers or tweezers.

The Cosmic Christ also has the distinction of being one of the largest mosaics in the United States. Standing nearly 50 feet high and 154 feet wide, it was originally composed of more than 1.4 million pieces of Italian tile no larger than a thumbnail.

The restored mosaic, constructed by Italian artisans has more than 4.3 million blown glass tiles and nearly 1,000 colors.

The material used in the restoration is smalt, a type of glass produced in Italy. Smalt has the advantages of the glass colors being more vibrant and most importantly, significantly more durable.

The Cosmic Christ mosaic restoration represents a part of the bigger picture as Huntsville continues to blossom as a cultural mecca. With the addition of exciting new development along with aesthetically pleasing murals throughout the downtown area, the newly renovated “Eggbeater Jesus” mosaic bridges Huntsville’s colorful past with its exciting future.

Cosmic Christ Mosaic Restoration Festival and Dedication Community Celebration

Saturday, June 4th

11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

Dedication Ceremony

Sunday, June 5th

10:30 a.m. (as part of the regular worship service)

First Baptist Church Huntsville is located at 600 Governors Drive in Huntsville.

Images provided by Lori Conners, the Huntsville Business Journal.