Offensive Deity Art

[Jack]

The offensive deity statues thread brought to mind all the terrible deity artwork I've seen over the years, so I thought I'd ask what your favorite egregious examples were.

Just recently on the Pagans of Color blog, someone linked to this amazing example of a whitewashed Erzulie Dantor, and whitewashed depictions of deities of color end up getting called out there pretty regularly.

In the realm of sexist art, Freya seems to get the worst of it amongst the Norse gods; I often see her drawn to look like a Frank Frazetta painting, because of course she's going to ride into battle topless, or perhaps in a chainmail bikini...

[Lokabrenna]

The offensive deity statues thread brought to mind all the terrible deity artwork I've seen over the years, so I thought I'd ask what your favorite egregious examples were.

Just recently on the Pagans of Color blog, someone linked to this amazing example of a whitewashed Erzulie Dantor, and whitewashed depictions of deities of color end up getting called out there pretty regularly.

In the realm of sexist art, Freya seems to get the worst of it amongst the Norse gods; I often see her drawn to look like a Frank Frazetta painting, because of course she's going to ride into battle topless, or perhaps in a chainmail bikini...

Off the top of my head, there's the Goddesses of the New Light card deck, affectionately known as the "airbrushed goddesses" deck. Gaia, oddly enough, is dark skinned, but Sarasvati as a strawberry blonde, WTF???

This isn't really of a particular deity, but there's a Sensual Goddess Tarot (NSFW) that is supposed to be a "celebration of the power of the feminine aspect"....

....and then you discover that it's really just a bunch of T&A. The kings especially make me rage. Yes, you're really celebrating the power of women when you put them in subservient positions while the men lounge on fancy chairs. That old guy on the Ten of Pentacles sure must be prosperous if he's able to afford his own nubile slave gi--I mean servant--to serve him fruit on a platter.

/sarcasm

Have a look at the gallery, if you dare. (NSFW)

Oh, and their justification for all the nudity? "It's historically accurate to depict nude goddesses! Look at all these statues! IT'S TOTALLY LEGIT!" And, of course, it's billed as the best deck EVAH!

[Cabal]

The offensive deity statues thread brought to mind all the terrible deity artwork I've seen over the years, so I thought I'd ask what your favorite egregious examples were.

Just recently on the Pagans of Color blog, someone linked to this amazing example of a whitewashed Erzulie Dantor, and whitewashed depictions of deities of color end up getting called out there pretty regularly.

In the realm of sexist art, Freya seems to get the worst of it amongst the Norse gods; I often see her drawn to look like a Frank Frazetta painting, because of course she's going to ride into battle topless, or perhaps in a chainmail bikini...

I always found this picture of the Welsh God of Agriculture Amaethon a bit over the top and strange. http://www.middian.net/Galerie3/slides/Boris%20Vallejo%20-%20Amaethon.html

[Fausta]

Have a look at the gallery, if you dare. (NSFW)

OK, a tarot deck that double-serves as masturbation material for fans of fake boobs and overdone photoshop. 'cause that's what makes wom.... goddesses sensual.   :p

[Fireof9]

OK, a tarot deck that double-serves as masturbation material for fans of fake boobs and overdone photoshop. 'cause that's what makes wom.... goddesses sensual.   :p

 
To be fair, some people can't afford both a Penthouse and a tarot deck - times is tough everywhere!

What I find irritating is this. If you google any God or Goddess and go to images, you will end up with the same pictures half the time. I have seen some pictures be Odin, Thor, Kernunnos, and Zeus. Same applies to Goddesses.

[Shine]

I always found this picture of the Welsh God of Agriculture Amaethon a bit over the top and strange. http://www.middian.net/Galerie3/slides/Boris%20Vallejo%20-%20Amaethon.html

 
It's. . . actually fairly well done, but yes, very strange. 0____0 This Amaethon would make an interesting Atlas, I think.

All the offensive deity art I've found has been pornographic in nature. Bast and Anpu are reaaaaally unfortunate in this aspect. >___< Especially Anpu, omgoddess.

[Jack]

All the offensive deity art I've found has been pornographic in nature. Bast and Anpu are reaaaaally unfortunate in this aspect. >___< Especially Anpu, omgoddess.

 
I dunno why so many people seem determine to turn goddesses into Barbie dolls.

Well, okay, I can guess, but how many people are THAT desperate for fap material?

[Jack]

This isn't really of a particular deity, but there's a Sensual Goddess Tarot (NSFW) that is supposed to be a "celebration of the power of the feminine aspect"....

....and then you discover that it's really just a bunch of T&A. The kings especially make me rage. Yes, you're really celebrating the power of women when you put them in subservient positions while the men lounge on fancy chairs. That old guy on the Ten of Pentacles sure must be prosperous if he's able to afford his own nubile slave gi--I mean servant--to serve him fruit on a platter.

/sarcasm

Have a look at the gallery, if you dare. (NSFW)

Oh, and their justification for all the nudity? "It's historically accurate to depict nude goddesses! Look at all these statues! IT'S TOTALLY LEGIT!" And, of course, it's billed as the best deck EVAH!

 
That's pretty impressive in the "why are you even bothering" category. XD I mean, I've seen better porn for free on the internet.

At least these aren't designed to be specific goddesses, unlike strawberry-blonde Sarasvati up there.

[Tana]

The artwork of this is not bad at all.
And The Black Madonna is a card I use for years now, as an altar picture for my Lady.
(Also the artist of that one, is not the one that's named on the card's cover. I guess it was a collect and match oracle set.)

But I agree that the white washing is not acceptable at all. Kybele blond, Persephone blond, Demeter blond.... Obviously goddesses need to be blond.

Have a look at the gallery, if you dare. (NSFW)

This is horrible, all the way through.
That's not sensual, that's just cheap porn.

[Tana]

I always found this picture of the Welsh God of Agriculture Amaethon a bit over the top and strange. http://www.middian.net/Galerie3/slides/Boris%20Vallejo%20-%20Amaethon.html

That's typical Vallejo. He takes real life models and ... optimizes them a bit.

[Shine]

I dunno why so many people seem determine to turn goddesses into Barbie dolls.

Well, okay, I can guess, but how many people are THAT desperate for fap material?

 
Many people are that desperate for fap material. Especially furries. Bast and Anpu are prime furry fap material, it seems. (Not all furries are like this, of course. Thank goodness. ) I mean, I understand that not everybody sees deities as, y'know, actual-for-realsies beings. But for those of us who do, seeing the porn is a bit. . . awkward.

[Lokabrenna]

In the realm of sexist art, Freya seems to get the worst of it amongst the Norse gods; I often see her drawn to look like a Frank Frazetta painting, because of course she's going to ride into battle topless, or perhaps in a chainmail bikini...

 
You mean like all of these? (NSFW, obviously)

Okay, I have a bit of a confession, but this image (NSFW, again) despite showing the goddess nude, being more than a bit kinky, and with the kind of evil dwarves that populated my childhood nightmares, still managed to strike a chord with me. Maybe I just mistook arousal for a spiritual epiphany, but it was such a strange feeling.

Not that I'm against nudity, but there's nudity like this (still NSFW) and then there's the "pin up goddess".

Surprisingly, no one seems to have taken advantage of Freyr being constantly depicted with an erection.

[Jack]

I mean, I understand that not everybody sees deities as, y'know, actual-for-realsies beings. But for those of us who do, seeing the porn is a bit. . . awkward.

 
Every time I come across something that's straight-up offensive, I have to remind myself that I think Jesus on a Dinosaur is funny, so I have to let it slide.

But some of them I just don't understand.

Like a series of pictures of high-ranking Nazi Reinhard Heydrich finding redeption by taking on the roles of various Slavic goddesses. There's more than a dozen of them. They're really well-executed from an artistic skill POV, but... I just don't even know.

[Tana]

You mean like all of these? (NSFW, obviously)

Oh, I didn't know she was the goddess of fake boobs... learn something new everyday. :eek:

[Jack]

You mean like all of these? (NSFW, obviously)

 
I'm not clicking through because I'm at work but that sounds like it's the gallery I had in mind when I started this thread.

I'm not opposed to sensuality in my deity art, especially when that's appropriate for the deity. XD But sometimes it's a bit much.