God Being Killed By Theists And Atheists by Mark Sheeky

G425A God Being Killed By Theists And Atheists
Oil on panel
May 2012 to Dec 2018, Size 300x450mm

Detail from God Being Killed By Theists And Atheists by Mark Sheeky Detail from God Being Killed By Theists And Atheists by Mark Sheeky Detail from God Being Killed By Theists And Atheists by Mark Sheeky Detail from God Being Killed By Theists And Atheists by Mark Sheeky

About this painting
Painted for a competition with the theme of religious violence, I originally thought that an attack on atheism would be the ultimate violent act. This idea was inspired by a story about forsaking religion and then becoming devout.

On the left is religion, with Catholic references including the portrait of Pope Innocent X. On the right are monkeys, representing atheism, struggling in convoluted thought. Monoliths of a monkey and a bishop face each other across the chessboard. Both in unresolvable conflict.

God dies in the sky, dripping blood down and across the scene. His heart pierced by the flying whirling crucifixes, up, down, and all directions.

In the centre is a separate crucifix, in peace on the horizon. A distant symbol of Jesus, oblivious to the worries of the chess players, yet ever present. Yet this religious symbol can also also be a gravestone. Not devout peace, but an atheist death. Thus the painting shows both devout religious peace and atheist contentment at the same time, depending on viewpoint.

Technical details
In 2018, I spent many months constructing a new sculpted frame to accompany this work, using wood and epoxy clay and gilding it with aluminium leaf and gold dust. The frame echoes many elements of the painting, the combat of the crucifix and death. This was a rare example of mine where the gold was left bright and shiny. This adds a glorious ultra-lustrous factor echoing Judaic-Catholic holy items, and stops the many sculptural elements in the frame overpowering the details in the painting,

God Being Killed By Theists And Atheists (Original)
Price on application.

God Being Killed By Theists And Atheists (Signed Limited Edition Reproduction, Of 100)
Price: £125.00
Email contact@marksheeky.com if you would like a print.