Project from 2008.
Exhibited at Griesbadgalerie Ulm, winter 2013/14

Header graphic
Invitation for the exhibition at Griesbadgalerie Ulm.

In the south of Germany, the Jesus image traditionally was a common household item. Lately, these pictures are sold off at flea markets and on ebay. In 2007/08, I ventured out to buy fifty such images, to install them in my 20m² apartment I had in Stuttgart at the time. I then lived with the installation for fifty days. Just to see what it would do to an agnostic like myself.

The exhibition is revisiting the project from a new angle.

Photo of my small apartment in Stuttgart, left without Jesus, right after the hanging of Jesus. (Camera installation Deniz Saylan)

During the fifty days of the original project, I would research the different motives and invite guests to talk about how religious they are, how many Jesus image where in their homes when they grew up and how many there are now. I attempted to read the bible but gave up when it got illogical. Like, on page one. It totally scared the pizza delivery guy.

“The Power of Religion” uses a cassette tape set published by Jehova’s Witnesses, including an audio piece that plays all five tapes simultaneously, highlighting the mentioning of the name “Jesus”.

My collection included paintings (acrylic, oil, guache), drawings, prints, objects, publications and media. The image below is a close up of a tiny picture that hung in a small chapel, right behind the candles.

Jesus image altered by decades of exposure to candles, wax and smoke.
Jesus image altered by decades of exposure to candles, wax and smoke.

A small publication (German) is still available in small numbers.
Preview available here: PDF (4MB).