kitschreligion

I am an Print Designer and a Art and Design teacher at a secondary school in the UK. It's a joy to teach a subject I'm passionate about, especially when the little blighters actually listen and learn something. I love going to art exhibitions and I'm always trying to expand my knowledge. Here's a little bit about the concept behind Kitsch Religion and my work:

Inspired by retro design and fashion I tend to incorporate that into much of my art & design. I enjoy the process of taking old imagery and giving it a contemporary twist.

The name Kitsch Religion arose when I was studying Textiles Print at uni and created a collection inspired by Christian iconography. I am fascinated how some imagery can hold so much meaning or significance, such as pictures on holy cards of the Virgin Mary. Sometimes these icons have been made with cheap plastic but are used to shrine loved ones. I think there's an irony that some items are considered meaningful and yet have been mass produced and are not good quality.

This links to fashion, changing fads and consumables, and our desire to buy things to secure an identity. I like to wonder why we are all drawn to different styles and why our tastes are considered good or bad, which can be dependent on our culture or where we grew up.

Something is considered 'kitsch' when it is bad taste but that is what makes it interesting. Once upon a time it may have been a desired object it but is now out of taste. It might be tacky, gaudy or over-the-top design. It could be it holds an element of nostalgia, which makes it desirable again after a time when it's been considered unfashionable.

What is nostalgic to us can be appealing and I'm often inspired by a bygone era. I love finding unusual images or illustrations that have been used to appeal to masses. Such as advertising, old magazines or propoganda. Some of my designs incorporate imagery from 1920's Shanghai adverts of beautiful Chinese illustrative pin-ups selling perfume and cigarettes.

I enjoy sourcing images, collating and collaging them to juxtapose new images. The greeting cards I sell on Etsy are mostly adapted from old sewing pattern illustrations, which I think are very charming.