the failure of Catholic kitsch …

… it’s no secret I love Catholic kitsch. But this, I don’t like. Sure it’s campy and colorful. Bright, almost retablo is style. The kitsch factor is there for sure. But, no. It’s does not sit well with me.

Coming from someone who coveted this piece of art. I know, it seems so contradictory. I suppose if super hereos were real during the time of Christ he would evangelize them and tell them to use their powers for good. I doubt the Blessed Virgin Mary would hang ten; however.

Sure, we have all kinds of historical depictions of The Madonna wearing period dress and doing rather mundane things like hanging laundry and sweeping the floors. Not every depiction of Mary need be majestic and royal. While I think of Her as the Queen of Heaven, I still find comfort in the fact that She did joyfully the same very real things I do begrudgingly… like sweep the floors and washing laundry.

This fails at endearing kitsch, and I can judge these accordingly having a Doctorate in Shitty Art.

Our Lady of Guadelupe is the patroness of the unborn and Mexico. An image dear to many Catholics. Her message is of life. Here, in this piece of fail, that message is turned around to “Save the Ocean”. I wonder if the artist was intentionally trying to say that the earth is more important to save than life. Maybe not.

Maybe Mark Patterson, being a gringo in California, saw Our Lady every where and didn’t understand the meaning behind the miraculous self portrait given to us on the tilma of St. Juan Diego. I tend to think that’s all. No purposeful sinister motives intended. Just stupidity dressed up as wit.

I’ve said it before, where lack of understanding and talent meet, shitty art is born.