Lutheran Surrealism

A Second helping of Lutheran Surrealism

Last year, I was surfing the web and stumbled on this blog, http://lutheransurrealism.blogspot.com By this college professor who's into surrealist poetry and philosophy who became a Lutheran. His mind bending writing inspired me to PhotoShop a few of the great Surrealist paintings (that weren't totally lewd). Just in time for Reformation (October 31) Scary, huh? You can see last year's images at http://malloryprayer.blogspot.com/2007_10_01_archive.html

But now...This year I decided to revisit the theme of Lutheran Surrealism, so here is a whole new batch of weirdness- A second helping of surrealist pot-luck Lutheran hot-dish! I've added several new Lutheran surrealist works to this gallery, just in time for Reformation!

Martin Luther as Mexican muralist David Alfaro Siqueiros. (works for dia de los Muertos too).

C.F.W. Walther with Dali's mustache.

Phillip Melancthon can't sleep, based on one of Salvador Dali's more famous works.

Photo of Luther as surrealist Rene Magritte. No special meaning, just kinda weird and cool.

Frau Katie, little deer- obviously based on the Frida Kahlo painting

Indestructible Liturgy, based on Man Ray's "Indestructible Object." I guess while I love the traditional liturgies, I don't have any hang ups about contemporary worship like some Lutherans, but nor do I think we should throw the baby out with the bath water either. Once upon a time what Luther and Bach did was counter-cultural and iconoclastic.

The Holy Spirit upon Erasmus, based on some renaissance painting and one by Rene Magritte.

It's the Great Pumpkin, Karl Barth.

Robert L. Short in his book 'The Gospel According to Peanuts' pointed out that "Charlie Brown" may have been a cleverly devised literary device for cartoonist Charles Schultz to inject the ideas of the great twentieth century theologian "Karl (Charles) Barth (Brown)."

Since he was one of my heroes, I always secretly hoped that since he was from Minnesota, Schultz was Lutheran, but I think actually he may have belonged to the Church of Christ or something like that.

So what if Schultz wasn't a surrealist! Reformation and Halloween are the same day, so I'm allowed to take a little license. I always felt that Linus was more like Kierkegaard, but Barth's hair is kind of crazy like Linus's is in this picture. Really, Dietrich Bonhoeffer's face and head look more like Charlie Brown, but how can you satirize someone who eas martyred by the NAZI's, I mean, come on, some things are sacred.

Posting the 95 theses

No Surrealist exhibition would be complete without something by Dutch mathematician Maurits Cornelis Escher! I'd like to think God gave Brother Martin a helping hand, don't you?

Lutheran Surrealism en Español

My wife and I taught most of the 1990's at Los Angeles Lutheran Jr/Sr High School. As you might imagine, most Angelenos don't celebrate Reformation or Halloween, they fiesta on Día de los Muertos.

So, I thought I was done, but in honor of all those Latino-Lutherans out there, I thought I'd give you "Frida Kahlo's self portrait with C.F.W.Walther" (as opposed to Trotsky).

Now I don't know if the WELS and ELCA Lutherans will know who he is, but he came over to St. Louis in the 1840s and helped start the Lutheran Church Miserable-Sinners (LC-MS).

Re: Continuing the Surrealist Lutheran theme

Okay, last one. I call this, "Melanchthon descending a staircase."
You can decide for yourself if you think he's nude.

Keep being Lutheran,
Keep being Surreal!

Happy Reformation Day

Surrealist Lutheran

I would never compare Luther to the Marquis de Sade, however, his girth did lend it self to Man Ray's painting.

Continuing the Surrealist Lutheran theme

This one is based Giorgio de Chirico's "love song"
I call it "Bach song."

Happy Reformation Day Eve

Hi,

I'm Ted, I'm a high school Art teacher and recovering Lutheran Youth Fellowship counselor. Concordia, Seward, class of '93.

I found your blog, Lutheran Surrealism (http://lutheransurrealism.blogspot.com) intriguing. It's inspired me to Lutheran-ize some paintings in PhotoShop.
Attached you'll find "Persistence of Liturgy." Feel free to use them if you like, or ignore them if you prefer.

Keep writing and pissing people off, Kierkegaard would be proud of you!

Happy Reformation Day Eve

Okay, so if you don't get it, you need to research irony, surrealism, dada, Rene Magritte, pipes, and Octoberfest.

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Pirate Prayers at:
http://malloryprayer.blogspot.com

Ted's cartoons, artworks, photos, and commentary at:
http://tmal.multiply.com

"The gospel is meant to comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable." ~Garrison Keillor