Artist Statement
Why religion-obsessed art in 2017? Because in an era when Trump hijacked the white evangelical vote mimicking the bitter radicalization of some Muslims, religion is not just relevant—it is deadly. It must be examined and, if necessary, knowledgeably attacked and subverted, resisted, obstructed, destroyed and replaced. Thus my paintings of late—and this book—are my personal effort to do my bit in what amounts to a war of ideas.
As we struggle to make sense of the outbreaks of political irrationalism in North America à la Trump and the resurgent European nationalists, and the devaluation of art and culture we risk missing the real message: when calculations of the good life leave out timeless essentials, they don’t work for long. Committed to seeing the individual self as a rational actor, we fail to see that we are deeply unstable and unpredictable spiritual entities.
My art 5 Paintings series expresses both my background of spiritual irrationality and at the same time my more recent and highly skeptical view of religion and all certainty addicts be they believers or atheists.
I embrace this paradox in these paintings not as a compromise but as a truer description of the actual human condition than declaring beliefs. This is personal. In these paintings I depict the Trinity as three old teddy bears. I depict Trump’s credit card as the harbinger of a tsunami of meaningless glitter overwhelming art. In other words I’m commenting on the irrationality of all religious beliefs.
I’m also trying to unashamedly paint what seems beautiful to me in the most detailed and craft-centric use of oil paint I’ve ever attempted. The titles may be my quirky answer to fundamentalist Christo-fascist absurdities, but the paintings are in deadly and (I hope) beautiful earnest. They may be absurdist and symbolist works drawing on my childhood experiences as referenced by my including my old teddy bears, but they are in the tradition of Hieronymus Bosch.
Bosch was a priest who dared to paint horrifying truths about the nature of spiritual struggle and damnation. My grandchildren are mesmerized by my Bosch art books. We encounter his hybrid creatures, his nightmarish scenarios, his religious and moral framework, and his pictorial versions of contemporary proverbs and idioms. Bosch would have understood why I began painting wooden Pinocchio dolls falling from the sky after Lying Trump’s election. Social, political, and religious symbolism was also his thing.
When the spiritual, paradoxical prime directive is thwarted, we lash out and do so (most ironically) by destroying what little true spirituality remains. We are constantly shaped and reshaped in our interplay with shifting social and cultural conditions.
I’m doing my bit to react to and fight the Trumpian/Ayn Randian greed religion we’re deluged with as trivial entertainments and silly religion bereft of craft and beauty drives us mad. We have become those who believe absurdities and commit atrocities.
–Frank Schaeffer June 11, 2017
On the Day the World Ended God Inexplicably Only Raptured All the Pinocchio Dolls to Heaven along with Many Pink Cyclamens but Left behind All the Christians
Click on each image to expand, and each video to learn about the painting.
Oil paint on canvas, 30 x 30, © 2017
Not for sale at this time. On reserve for a show. Please email Frank at frankaschaeffer@aol.com with any question about purchasing this painting at (or following) the show.
When the Manna Ran out God Inexplicably Began Dropping Cyclamens, Old Teddy Bears and Champagne on the People of Israel and Unintentionally Killed Moses with a Good Bottle of California Chandon
Oil paint on canvas, 30 x 30, © 2017
Not for sale at this time. On reserve for a show. Please email Frank at frankaschaeffer@aol.com with any question about purchasing this painting at (or following) the show.
On Inauguration Day 2017 God Tried to Punish Donald Trump by Showering Him with French Carbon Steel Knives, Pinocchio Dolls, Assorted Rubber Ducks and Pink Cyclamens but Inexplicably in a Fit of Gross Divine Incompetence Missed Trump by Miles and Crippled an American Evangelical Tourist Visiting the Wailing Wall in Israel as She Posed for a Picture
Oil paint on canvas, 30 x 30, © 2017
Not for sale at this time. On reserve for a show. Please email Frank at frankaschaeffer@aol.com with any question about purchasing this painting at (or following) the show.
The Holy Trinity—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—Reveal themselves to be Three Old Teddy Bears and Bring a Rubber Stamp with Them to Replace the Bible about Which They Now Have Doubts. They Also Bring Champagne, Rubber Ducks, and a Shower of Cyclamens
Oil paint on canvas, 48 x 48, © 2017
Not for sale at this time. On reserve for a show. Please email Frank at frankaschaeffer@aol.com with any question about purchasing this painting at (or following) the show.
THE TRUMP PROSPERITY GOSPEL: Two Evangelical Family Values Lying Pinocchio Sons of Bitches Invade My Studio and Vandalize My Art Supplies, My Pink Cyclamens and My Childhood Teddy Bears with Gold Paint by magically Using Donald Trump’s American Express Card, a Martini Glass and a Poisoned Pear to unleash Chaos and Sleeplessness into My Life
Oil paint on canvas, 30 x 30, © 2017
Not for sale at this time. On reserve for a show. Please email Frank at frankaschaeffer@aol.com with any question about purchasing this painting at (or following) the show.
5 Comments. Leave new
Art and Resistance in the age of Trump . Or alternatively Resisting the Age of Trump with Art . Either way tis the only way to fly these days . And should Pruit start getting his way perhaps tis time for Hayduke to reemerge .
FYI; The inauguration day sequence reminds me of an old Catholic joke ;
Two priests .. one older one younger go duck hunting . After an hour or so in the boat a flock of ducks fly overhead with the elder priest rising up emptying his double barrel shotgun missing both shots after which he exclaims … ” Damn ” . The younger priest mortified reprimands the older saying ” Father shouldn’t we be setting a better example ? ” .. with the elder apologizing for his language . About a half an hour latter another flock of ducks flies by with once again the elder priest emptying his gun missing both shots and again yelling .. ” Damn ! ” with again the younger priest reprimanding the elder whereupon the elder in a moment of contrition says ” May God strike me down if I do that again ” . After floating around for an hour or so another a flock of ducks flies by with once again the elder priest standing up in the boat emptying his gun and again missing both shots exclaiming … ” Damn ” … When suddenly the skies grow dark … an ominous sound of Divine thunder is heard in the distance … and out of the largest cloud comes a lightning bolt the size of which never seen by man hurtling towards the boat … hitting ……the younger priest .. whereupon a booming voice is heard from the heavens ….. ” Damn ! “
LOLOLOLOLOL!!!!!
Too fantastic to describe! Thanks for these videos. I love them and the explanations—How will you EVER follow this?”
To so elegantly illustrate the madness of evangelical fantasy and treason while at the same time promoting the importance—the NECESSITY–of beauth, possibly the only thing to arrive intact to inform the world and its people of the Truly Divine—that is a talent that soars above the filth we are assaulted with each day.
Thank you so much.
Hi May, thank you for the note… you made my day! F
I enjoyed reading and listening your views on your art etc.. I am also an artist and also as anti trump as you are. I have seen a number of artists using art to let out their frustrations.
You have a completely different background from me though so it is interesting to hear how you made such a change from your upbringing. I was brought up Catholic but not the type of Catholic that you describe. I have seen mostly anti trump Catholic views from the church. I grew up with a questioning mind so never seemed to take everything literally. I am also half Jewish but not raised Jewish. I would say the majority of the Jews are anti trump because it also goes against their principles to follow his ideas. You mentioned how you were brought up so authoritarian whereas the Jewish culture and the religion is based on discussion even during the services. You question and discuss the bible passage so it is different from just being preached at. I am 66 by the way. I enjoy learning about various religions. I don’t follow one but I do seem to like learning about the Jewish religion as that is half of my background. I went to a nun’s school but we were also taught to discuss ideas. So, I am beginning to understand with your help how the traditional evangelicals could fall for trump’s constant lies..
While reading your beautiful painting’s title “ON THE DAY THE WORLD ENDED GOD INEXPLICABLY ONLY RAPTURED ALL THE PINOCCHIO DOLLS TO HEAVEN ALONG WITH MANY PINK CYCLAMENS BUT LEFT BEHIND ALL THE CHRISTIANS,” you added, “which would be a happy thought if there is a Heaven not to find any Evangelicals there.”
So IF there is a Heaven, Frank . . . and there are no “Evangelicals” there. . . where the Hell’s your Mom?
Be careful what you wish for, Pal.