The Child Heroic

by Jennifer LaCasse

24"x48" • Acrylic and vellum on canvas $$600

My body of work entitled That Old Time Religion explores the topics of memory and trauma as they relate to religious abuse. I address these topics from the perspective of personal experience while bearing in mind their broader cultural context. My images relate to personal memories as well as the nature of traumatic memory in general. I also reference traditional Biblical symbolism and iconography. The inclusion of such images places my work in the context of religious art. However, unlike traditional Biblical art, which was commissioned by and honored the church, my paintings are intended to incite critical thought on the subject of organized religion and its potential for harm. My process involves layering and dripping paint and creating subjects that dissolve and reappear. I incorporate aspects of collage into my paintings; both by adding layers of vellum to the canvas and by painting objects that overlap and intersect with one another. In this work it is not only the subject of my memories but also the process of remembering that has inspired me. I am intrigued by the way the mind may edit, misattribute, or poetically idealize memories each time they are recalled. I seek to create a dream-like space where both memory and religion are called into question.