The Tainted Trinity

Name: Tainted Trinity
Medium: Acrylic on canvas.
size: 48"x 30" (or 12"x 30", 24"x 30", 12"x 30")
Hi! Today I'd like to share with you guys a piece of art (or three pieces, as it is a triptych type of painting) I created. It took me a good 5 months to finish this massive piece of artwork, and it's a bit hard to let it go and move on to other pieces.

Here is an explanation and a few thoughts about the Tainted Trinity:
I started this piece around August as part of a series explaining rape culture. This particular piece attempts to take a look at how the worship of virginity leads to the condemnation and degradation of females. The first piece on the left utilizes the imagery of the immaculate heart of Mary to convey the message of how destructive the concept of purity is. Typically, the heart of Mary is shown with a ring of yellow roses around it, and I wanted to explain, through this painting, how the concept of virginity led to women being ashamed of themselves and their sexual choices. The thorns from the roses of Mary's heart cut into women-kind, creating an image that women are nothing but sex objects.
The second piece (in the middle) attempts to discuss and analyze the discouragement females receive in the pursuit of knowledge. In the Christian creation myth, when Eve pursues knowledge by plucking the apple from the forbidden tree, she leads the downfall of all mankind. If she was wiser and less petty, like Adam, they, as well as their children, would be able to live in paradise. Thus, the idea that women are less than men is borne. Similarly, when women try to obtain higher positions in society, they are heavily discouraged and insulted, because it is not their place to want more knowledge and opportunities. Women who attempt to elevate themselves intellectually are seen as selfish and pushy, as their natural place is a nurturer, not a leader.
The third piece on the right tells the simplest message. The idea of virginity leads to the crucifixion of women, as women who "sleep around" and are not as pure as Virgin Mary are considered as sinners, and thus deserve to be burned and crucified.
All in all, this painting was a great experience for me, and I hope I can post more of my artwork in the future. Tell me what you think about it!

Categories: art, Christianity, my art