Thanks to our friends over at the Art of Storytelling for putting me onto to this interesting piece by UK artist Paul Baines. The guy is irreverent and unafraid to push the boundaries of the status quo. This piece is titled ‘Black Christ’ and according to Baines, “{it} deals with the rise of the political icon as celebrity in modern history…the hopes and fears of an inauspicious geopolitical geoculture; reared on fear and controlled by social fragmentation, re-engaging with the ancient practices of organised religion and its symbolic ceremonies to enshrine all positions of power, be they political, economic, or mere celebrity.”

I’m always interested to see the spin people put on Obama artwork and I have to say that this is one my favorites. It’s risque but purposeful. I take ‘Black Christ’ as a commentary on both religion and the almost unquestioning support President Obama has received over the past year. Historically, people have thrown their collective faith in the idea of Christ as savior and now, by canonizing Obama, we’ve done the same. I love the man as our president and I think he’s done a swell job thus far. I’m just saying that sometimes people get caught up in this notion of being saved by a greater being and its hogwash. We can make him a martyr all we want but at the end of the day if he doesn’t fulfill the promises he made then hope is lost on a façade. I’m not a religious person because I find it to be vague and unsubstantiated. But what Obama has done, and will continue to do, is much more tangible. Progress for progress sake is meaningless. Let’s make this world a better place.

‘Black Christ’ is availble as either a print ($10.00) or printed canvas ($50.00) on his website.

A couple more prints by Baines after the jump…

The Brangelia is absolutely hilarious.

The Madonna.

Reigning Men.