Jonathan Meese’s self-portraits regurgitate the artist’s
own image through appropriated symbols of provocative cultural
significance. Designing himself as a quasi-messianic figure,
Meese resurrects all manner of anathema to develop his own
satirical theology: a kind of conscious cleansing through
a whole-hearted embracing of horror. Through his many reinventions,
Meese replicates the omni-potent barrage of celebrity image
manufacturing to style himself as a cult figure, both symptom
and cure of a corrupted belief system. In Sankt Opiumeese,
Meese is both wangateur and satanic glam rocker: voodoo spin-doctored
as pop, demonology transferred from ancient lore to futuristic
trend.