David Bowie

This oil painting ‘Loving the Alien (2011) (Sold)’ is named Named after a song by David Bowie. Never did I hear a more potent protest against all organized religions than his’. Why did it affect me such a lot? That’s part of my atheist upbringing shaping my world view. Spiritual people would say you pick out your parents before bith. Certainly that’s what I feel to be true in my case. Being on this planets for decades now I see the horrendous consequences of religious practices. One might say the catholic church caused more casualties than World War II. Everone who begs to differ is insane in the membrane. Christianity doesn’t kill as many compared to what it did during the middle ages. However, there are other religions that took pole position in this respect. One day people will conclude religion to be as lethal as smoking.

Knights Templar

Now that I made this vigorous statement let me explain my contributions to David’s song. At the bottom of the painting you see a group of knights templar. They are symbolic for an enterprise started vigorously but ended to no avail and at high cost. Even though they initially got rich the crusades and eventually the knights themselves came to a halt. The woman is a crucified witness. In general religions hate women when they show a free mindset and especially in the nude. Hence, my endeavours to paint and draw them as much as I can. However, sometimes I feel like the wise man pointing is finger to the moon.

Chainmail

With regard to the chain mail I put myself in I went through quite some hardships. 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 turned out to become a failed crusade for me.

Oil on wood panel (57 x 62 cm)

Artist: Corné Akkers