Detournement and Culture Jamming for Jesus!

Who knew Jesus was an Adbuster?
Originally uploaded by mediageek.

If Christianity paved the way for Colonialism and TV paved the way for the globalization of Consumerism, then what if we combine all of these techniques and re-appropriate corporate logos and images, put the newly-created art onto t-shirts, and send out the message!

Oh, it's already been done?

Super Marie

super-marie.jpg
Originally uploaded by imazine.

This image is an example of what might be called a "detournement", a type of art, stylized by the founders of Situationist International. These types of images create a contrast between pop iconography, advertising images, media concepts, and the "realities" that exist in the world. They portray the absurdities that often pop up when you consider the meaning of the message that advertising and public relations sends, in the face of what is happening around us.

Another term that is similar to detournement is "culture jamming", a style of activism that employs a similar method.