If you squint at this, you might see it as a one-image synopsis for Superman Returns:
Snark aside, Rich Johnston has posted up a provocative image from the New Museum’s Younger Than Jesus exhibit, which puts together art from 25 international artists under the age of 33. There’s now a book of the work out on Amazon.com with an expanded list of 500 artists. And no, neither Batman nor Chuck Norris is breaking this one up.
Considering Superman and Jesus have been almost as closely linked lately — with All-Star Superman and Superman Returns being the chief examples — as the character was with Moses all these years, it’s interesting to see DC’s flagship hero in such a politically-charged image.
Perhaps it’s no different than Alex Ross’ picture of a superheroic Barack Obama — but whether you think it’s powerfully subversive or think of it purely as shock schlock, it’s nice to see that the Last Son of Krypton still hits hard, even in the real world.
August 20th, 2009 at 11:38 am
That’s SICK!!!
Sidebar: I wonder if the artist will have photo showing show Superman kissing the Prophet Muhammed. Probably not since he’d risk losing his head at the hands of a Islamic terrorist.
So much for artistic courage.
August 20th, 2009 at 11:39 am
I can’t help by love this image juxtaposed as it is on the Blog@ page with the Supergod image below. We’re gonna get some letters…!
August 20th, 2009 at 11:54 am
Sidebar: I wonder if the artist will have photo showing show Superman kissing the Prophet Muhammed. Probably not since he’d risk losing his head at the hands of a Islamic terrorist.
So much for artistic courage.
Yes, if an artist doesn’t create a similar image that some dude in the comments section of a blog thinks he should create, that artist is most definitely a coward.
August 20th, 2009 at 2:01 pm
I don’t know, it seems like anything Christian mixed with homosexuality and/or pop iconography is sort of lazy shorthand to induce outrage. Not that such content can’t be effective, but it isn’t really pushing any creative or narrative boundaries. Maybe it’s a nice affirmation to the gay community?
I’m seeing this from a midwestern perspective, where anything provocative in this manner is seen as waving a stick with dog poo on it in the face of conservatives, which does no favors for the creative or gay communities even when it is well-intentioned. Ideally, there is a more constructive and stimulating dialog happening in the gallery displaying this.
August 20th, 2009 at 2:26 pm
Ho-Hum. Is this the best you’ve got, Anti-Christian bigots? Old hat.
August 20th, 2009 at 4:01 pm
They couldn’t have used a buffer Superman?
August 20th, 2009 at 5:22 pm
I think it’s great in so much that it will make people think
August 20th, 2009 at 11:14 pm
So this isn’t the script to Superman Returns 2: Guess Who’s Back?
August 21st, 2009 at 6:07 am
“Weedy guy in a Superman t-shirt kissing hippie” would have been a more transgressive title.
August 21st, 2009 at 8:05 am
That has got to be the least passionate kiss (gay or straight) that I have ever seen.
August 22nd, 2009 at 6:38 am
Yawn, how “cutting-edge” … call me when Mohammed makes an appearance.
Oh wait, Mohammed won’t be making an appearance? The artist only goes after easy targets like Christians whom he knows won’t scream for his blood?
Like I said, yawn.
August 23rd, 2009 at 9:28 am
That image is “shocking” and “groundbreaking” for people who think “Two and Half Men” is actually “funny”.
Tired, cliched, lame, insipid, boring…
November 10th, 2009 at 3:15 am
“easy targets like Christians whom he knows won’t scream for his blood?”
There is SO much wrong with this statement.
Yeah, it’s not like people are ever killed by Christians for not following the killers interpretation of Christian law.
It’s not like I can walk into a Christian church and hear preachers talking about how _______ should be ‘Struck Down” because of something they think is anti-Christian.
The real difference is violence by Christians is not blamed on Christianity, it’s blamed on the person being violent.
(And IMO, that’s the RIGHT CALL.
Every religion has things that can be used to promote violence.
If some whackjob actually uses it to promote violence, the whackjob should be blamed, not the religion.)