Original artwork description:

A short while before making this artwork I decided I wanted some insight into religions so I visited different places of worship during their usual worship time as a fly on the wall experience. I originally planned on visiting a Christian church, an Islam mosque and a Buddhist temple. Unfortunately this is a more exclusive activity than I thought and couldn’t figure out the Buddhist schedule.

I visited an Anglican church and an Islam mosque and took part in their services. Ironically I went in expecting what the media portrayed, being in a western society we are convinced that muslims are dangerous and people of Christ are welcoming. Now flip that perspective to imagine what I experienced. I sat in the Anglican Church biting my tongue listening to the bible being recited on how they laid waste and destroyed the other beliefs scrolls (I personally hate burning literature) then praised blindly believing that God will save you. I asked, “Don’t you think you need to solve your own problems for God to open up opportunities instead of just prey?”. They preached that you are always right as well. I left feeling somewhat violated as if they’re raising narcs in that particular church.

I then visited Islam and joined in with the prayers, this time they preached getting your act together, fasting is approaching and you need to be prepared, they preached contacting your loved ones and checking in. A fantastic 30m pep talk anyone could do with. The people were welcoming and I left feeling like the media wrongly portrays Muslims… or perhaps the individual journalists are prejudice.

But one thing was true with both experiences. Their God/ Allah is the one true God/ Allah. Yours is wrong and they are both worshiping the right way. So this artwork is the two religions talking to each other debating who’s right. The Anglican has a severed arm from their preaching and the Muslim is put off by their actions.

This artwork is one of my hand-stretched ones, sold with hooks ready to hang and a certificate of authenticity.

Materials used:

Water soluble oils

Tags:

#man #fighting #church #perspective #table #raised #religion #god #blonde #blood #anglican #muslim #arm #argument #severed