While this might not be everyone’s cup of creative tea, I thought it was pretty clever. Brazilian artist, Ana Smile, has created a bit of controversy with her company Santa Blasphemy, which creates plaster religious statues painted in the form of pop-culture icons such as Batman, Frida Kahlo, Catwoman, Captain Hopper, The Joker, and Minnie Mouse. (Quick note: her Facebook page is in Portuguese but there are still some really great pictures of her work there.)
Reportedly, angry emails from offended Catholics have been sent petitioning the local government to do something about the “blasphemous” paint jobs, but the government has not attempted to intervene. Since then, the artist has been bombarded with outraged Facebook and Instagram messages.
Because I don’t speak Portuguese, I can only guess Ana uses some sort of clay, along with craft paints and a really good sealer, to create her works. Personally, I’m not Catholic, so what she does with her statues doesn’t affect me, but I have to admit, I like these and wouldn’t mind one to mix in with my painted KISS gnomes.
