Analysis of the artwork Murder by Jared French in the context of Christianity, Masculinity and Homosexuality

Abstract

This paper aims to explore the dilemma society imposed on the queer community by analyzing the artwork Murder by Jared French and exploring the connection between Christianity, homosexuality, and masculinity. Murder is one of the paintings displayed in The Young and Evil, a collection of artworks created by artists during 1930-the 1940s. The analysis is based on a review of relative materials and literature. The purpose of the review is to give an insight into the dilemma that queer community faced in the context of the era, thereby promoting people with queer identities to pursue equal rights and opportunities. This essay provided an in-depth overview of the art piece Murder. It concluded that this painting could be interpreted in two ways: The newborn, homoerotic Jesus murdered the Jesus that had been re-masculinized from the 1920s, and the subordinated masculinity murdered the hegemonic masculinity. This essay therefore suggests that while Murder exemplified the pursuit of renaissance techniques and homoeroticism other artists displayed in the exhibition, the artwork also encouraged the queer community to embrace their identity and not be confined by the restrictions from authorities.