MessiahWatch

"More than a presidential portrait," writes artist D'Antuono on a website touting the painting, "'The Truth' is a politically, religiously and socially-charged statement on our nation's current political climate and deep partisan divide that is sure to create a dialogue."

Like others in the news who have depicted Obama in Christ-like imagery, D'Antuono insists he isn't claiming the man is Messiah, but only inviting "individual interpretations."

What do you all think? What kind of dialogue does something like this invite? Helpful? Or just weird and creepy?

Comments

[Tyler]

For me, this is just weird and creepy.

[B.D.]

While I tend to align with feeling that it's weird and creepy. I could see as an artist the intent to make people think about the attitudes that our country has toward the man. And in that regard comparisons to messiah aren't totally uncalled for, though it's still weird.

[Eric Costa]

If art is meant to communicate something, it seems this piece is communicating that our country is divided by this President (whether it's Obama's doing or not).

[gregory]

has the crucifixion been such a dominate message of the other portraits? makes me wonder where the crown of thorns comes in.

[Ryan K.]

Idolatry. Plain and simple I think many Americans feel like the American Dream they were promised has been pulled out from under them. The can't get good affordable health insurance for their family, their homes are on the brink of foreclosure, and good jobs are scarce. As a nation many are looking for a functional savior to rescue them from a life that is less than the American Dream.

[mary]

I like Obama-but still is pretty creepy-

[Robin]

not crazy about some of what he has done...that's not the point. The pic is simply creepy!

[Jen W]

I think it's an interesting piece. I suspect the artist might've done this just to kick up hits to his site, but I could be wrong.

I think the dialogue this would stir up is a good one - it hits on all the major griefs and issues surrounding the man and the state of the country, maybe gets some things out in the open that have been festering.

I do find Obama's pose in the painting amusing. It reminds me of the ads that compared him to Paris Hilton where he's *snap* *snap* fab-ulous!, or some showman in Vegas. And what's with that coy smile on his face?

A decent painting, though. Too - engineered, but certainly will stir stuff up, all the same. I like it a heck of a lot better than Son of Promise, Child of Hope.

[www.google.com/accounts/o8/id?id=AItOawnpQgG3nxDyCvtUQPcfJeEp1ohitgoRu48]

Creepy & Weird.