Named after the same song by David Bowie. I made this piece as a protest against all organized religion. The knights templar are symbolic for an enterprise started vigorously but ended to no avail and at high cost. Even though the knights templar got rich, the crusades and eventually the nights themselves came to a halt. The woman is a crusified witness. In general religions hate women when they show a free mindset and especially in the nude.

I went through quite some hardships with regard to the chainmail I put myself in. My original thought was to depict it in an impressionistic way but the first result was some kind of knitted sweater. Turned out I had to forge ring for ring inclusive core and cast shadows in order to get the exact impression. The linen templar shirt I did thread for thread using cremzer white because of its thready qualities. It almost was a failed crusade for me.

Oil on wood panel (57 x 62 cm)

Artist: Corné Akkers