Loitering youth

The gangs and their God

The gangs and their God

Pictured above is a skull recently found among the rubbish at a youth gang hangout. It was made entirely out of cigarette butts. To what purpose?! The girls in this particular street gang wear rosaries around their necks, and some of the boys have a Christ, ringed with a crown of thorns, etched on their arms. Do these images tell about the religious upbringing and beliefs of the youngsters? Maybe, but the youths simply seem to seek a spiritual comfort which is not being provided by people around them. They have a more complex take on religion that doesn't translate into church attendance. There's a deep, dark hole inside of them. They hope that these Christian symbols will give them protection. The skull symbolizes Christ's victory over death, and that this world is not our permanent home. Some of the youngsters claim to have seen this other world, or even have visited it in one of their drug highs.

 

Pencils on paper, 21 x 21 cm, 2024. Available.