If you live in the same hemisphere that I do, you've undoubtedly noticed that it's nearing Christmas. (The stores have been stocking holiday items since July -- they don't let you forget.) Whether you celebrate it as a religious or secular holiday (or not at all), you probably already know that Christmas is named after somebody.
Just so we're clear, this isn't him:
I'm not sure who this is, but I've read the Bible, and I don't recall any mention of Jesus wearing a mop of wilted lettuce as a hat, or having measles, or wearing Adam Lambert-quantities of eyeliner. And while we're counting offenses, let's mention the color scheme: I don't think "lily of the valleys" was referring to his skin color. Nor was there a plethora of ginger-headed Jews running around in the first century, as far as I know. Adding to the insult is the fact that this torso-less head is perched on an iridescent-glazed pedestal that is finished much more nicely than anything above it, as if the whole bust is no different than a souvenir piggy-bank head of Thomas Jefferson from the gift shop at Monticello.*
I know, I know; that's supposed to be a crown of thorns and blood. But thorns aren't green and leafy; and even if they were, the punctures are nowhere near them -- there's even one down on his cheekbone. It's not an unrecognizable representation; it's just bad. Really, really bad. This piece is supposed to represent anguish and suffering -- the passion of the Christ -- but it looks more like someone tried to craft Jesus as a cute anime character with a silly hat.
Admittedly, this is a particular hot button with me. Bad devotional art (of any variety, or any religion for that matter) has always offended me more than bad generic art. Anyone making art (/music/literature/etc.) to express their beliefs should be pouring all their effort into their creation; if this is meant to be a symbol of devotion, honoring what is most important to you personally, TRY HARDER. I mean, not every religious work has to be on par with the Sistine Chapel or the Mosque of Córdoba -- but if it's representing what you believe is responsible for your eternal soul, you should at least be able to look at it without flinching.
And I'm equally offended by bad mass-produced commercial devotional merchandise (like the above example), because the fact that it exists means consumers bought it, just because of its religious nature, with little or no consideration for the quality (or accuracy, or intent) of the work. Just because something is religious does not automatically grant it artistic merit, any more than a book shelved in the Romance section of the bookstore must have intrinsically good story structure. In fact, I'd argue that "religious" works (by which I mean things relating to or inspired by a belief system, since I think the word religion can be very misleading) should be held to a higher standard of quality than secular works.
I liken it to those engraved name souvenirs you see in tourist traps and gas stations. Most of them are pretty ugly or trashy -- how many people would really pay $5.99 for a plastic cutout of a flip-flop with a magnet hot-glued to the back? But when someone sees their grandchild's name, they say, "How cute! Let's buy one of these for little Sarah! It has her name on it."
But really, they don't mean it's cute. Sarah may be cute, but the magnet is still ugly -- only now it's ugly with Sarah's name on it. Frankly, if I'm going to own something with my name on it, I'd rather it be something nice that I enjoy looking at -- not a plastic flip-flop. The considerate thought (gift-giving) is there, but it falls short of full consideration (taste or functionality of the gift).
Merchandising to religious groups works much the same way. A company can produce something mediocre at the lowest price possible, because they know they can sell it to people of that group without putting in the extra effort to make it good, simply because it's "spiritual" or "religious" or "devotional" or whatever they want to call it this week. That's how we end up with Ginger Jesus up there, and the Last Supper Canister Set (referenced in my first post), and creepy concrete Buddha garden statues, and chintzy pot-metal necklaces of pagan symbols at the discount store. Anyone who believes strongly enough in their chosen system to use/wear/read/meditate/decorate with images from it has the right to demand that what they buy is not insulting to their God and/or beliefs! But often, unfortunately, they don't.
TL;DR: If you're making something on a subject you truly care about, make it good. If you're buying merchandise related to something you care about, make sure it's good. Don't settle for trash just because they slapped your particular label on it.
Whew. Okay, done ranting for the week. (Until something else pushes a button.)
* Which, by the way, I would also find kind of demeaning -- though at least Jefferson has the topical connection of a coin with his head on it. Which you could... put inside his head. "Yo, dawg, I heard you liked nickels, so I put a bank in your Jefferson so you can put Jefferson's head in Jefferson's head." Nope; doesn't quite work. Maybe a heads/tails pun? Or maybe I should quit while I'm... ahead.
*rimshot*
*crickets*
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