Excavating The Temple Of The New Gods Analysis

David Wojnarowicz, an active social artist in the 1980’s and 1990’s explored the theme of suppressed cultures and the impact of society through his collaged works influenced by both pop art and the street art of the early 1980’s. Excavating the Temple of the New Gods utilizes the combination of mediums and symbolic representations to show the belittlement of native cultures caused by a corrupt catholic religion. Through the use of repetitive symbols in his groups of “history” works, Wojnarowicz compels the viewer to take a closer look into what we accept as true. Excavating the Temple of the New Gods through provocative imagery represents Wojnarowicz’s growing interest in the changes through time and the destruction of history because of the dominant population. Raised in a world of chaos and abuse, David Wojnarowicz came to distrust organized society and the religion shoved down his throat. At an early age, Wojnarowicz saw the horrors of the world, raised by an abusive father and an absent mother he became weary of societal structures. In starting in 1985, he began a new phase of works of which he referred to as “history paintings”. These new works combined found materials such as maps and supermarket bags …show more content…
With a deeper look into the work, the theme of belittlement of culture becomes increasingly evident. Though the work did require a great deal of research into meanings to be fully taken in. As a representative piece showing the progression of David Wojnarowicz’s work and evolutionary though process the piece is well placed in the world of art history. As Wojnarowicz utilizes the same themes and images through out his later works, the “history painting” stands as a great representation of the artist’s beliefs. In the attempt to belittle the Church, Wojnarowicz superbly but subtlety combines materials to show the flaws of the