Jesus is my homeboy
August 6th, 2008
Jesus is my homeboy is a new art exhibit from David LaChapelle. The art places Jesus in a modern setting, with a very urban feel. How do you see this? Does it offend you, and if so why? Do you see this as mocking Christ, or showing Him in a modern light? Any way around it though, this art will make you think.
Warning: David LaChapelle’s work is graphic, you have been warned. Men do not go to this site if you are alone!!!!!!
Thanks CMS Lab for the link.
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I couldn’t get to the website, so I can’t comment on the graphic nature of his work, but based on the three above - I get this kind of guilty-pleasure feeling in my stomach.
The art is great. I love the tone of the photos. No doubt, he’s a talented individual. What bothers me is the distant, impartial look on “Jesus’” face. He’s staring off into the distance, doing that Catholic thing with his hands. It’s a bad representation of Him, and I think it especially bugs me -because- the art is so good.
It’s like LaChapelle (and I don’t know if this was really his intention) started to make Jesus more relevant and approachable … but doesn’t actually believe Him to be.
I love this art.
I think it’s technically mocking, though. It doesn’t seem sincere, it seems to say “that Jesus, how irrelevant he is, how silly!”
Although I would like to think they’re trying to put Jesus in a modern context and making him relevant, I think they’re making light, er at least making fun of the silly renessaince art he was in - still, I like the art, it’s really cool! I wish it were actually exalting Jesus or making him relevant.
Hmmm….maybe it is. Lots of people respect Jesus.
thanks for the post. I’ve actually been doing some thinking lately about whether or not Jesus and I would even cross paths if he were here in the flesh today. Sadly, I don’t think I’d bump into him as often as I’d like.
I’m actually going to be speaking on the subject this Sunday at church and was wondering if you had access to a high res version of LaChapelle’s work that could be shown on a large screen.
I don’t have any hi-res art, sorry. Let me know how it is received though.
Interesting work. I love the idea of contextualizing Jesus in art. That intent seems right on. In fact, that was the whole method of the incarnation.
What seems like a missed opportunity in this art series though is that Jesus looks totally *out* of context. He isn’t dressed like everyone else, and certainly doesn’t look like he’s engaged with those he’s with (or like Lex says, is “staring off in the distance”). In his day, his clothing was consistent with his culture. He was one of the people. In fact, that’s one of the things that made him so scandalous, that he looked like and hung out regular (and irregular) folks.
Likewise, I’d think Jesus would be shown here in clothing relevant to the setting, culture and people he’s with. To me, that would depict an accessible, relevant Jesus, which is exactly what he is.
In these works, Jesus looks almost completely disengaged and out of context.
I like the way Jesus still looks like the painting Jesus we’ve all seen before. It makes him stand out more, but I understand the concern about him being distant or not engaged in the surrounding and enviornment. It’s almost like we’ve created this Jesus and want him to be and stay this way, even though the world around us has changed. The thing about Jesus was that he met the world around him where they were, do we as Christians and representatives of Christ today do the same thing? or are we holding onto our idea of Christ as portrayed in our minds or imaginations.
Some thoughts, but I like the look and style of the work.