Frog Jesus

The thumbnail for this blog post is a photo of Fred the Frog Rings the Bell a sculpture by Martin Kippenberger that currently resides in the Tate Modern.

It makes me wonder if people would’ve worshipped Jesus if he was a frog. Or, if, perhaps, I use commas too often in my writing. What I mean to say is that the crucifix could perhaps have meaning beyond Jesus, and I may be making a hasty connection between a crucified frog and Jesus.

But that is what makes art fun. It can be taken out of it’s cultural context. As an observer, or, even, critic, I don’t have any obligation to respect the circumstances of its creation. It is the artist’s and the curator’s job to convey this meaning to me.

That’s how I like to think about the American flag. Aesthetically, it’s quite bland. So, I turn my head away whenever I see it.

Why would I want to look at something ugly? This way, I will never have to deal with what it represents, with what it says about me.

No, I’ll keep my eyes on Fred the Frog and his crucified form. His suffering tantalizes me. His pained expression enthralls me.

Nobody has ever died for him. You don’t have the right to die for me: for a flag: a frog.