In September 2011, in honor of Pope Benedict XVI’s visit to Freiburg, Germany, political artist Jan Sosein Carl seized the opportunity to add his own distinctive voice to the public discourse, creatively challenging the day’s visitors to think more critically about separation of church and state. Also known as the Bundeskünstler, (a pun on the German word “Bundeskanzler”, or “federal chancellor”, and the word for artist, “Künstler”), Jan Sosein Carl located a spot on Freiburg’s City Hall plaza, then sat on the ground with a simple sign and a few pens. To those who passed by, he offered to sketch small, line-drawn caricatures onto common baking wafers — ones that most, at a quick glance, might mistake for communion wafers. However, his particular wafers were clearly store-bought and had not been blessed by a priest, formally precluding their possession of religious significance — a fact which he emphasized, both verbally and through visible signage. As onlookers curiously inquired and made requests for the free drawings, the artist engaged them in conversation, both serious and humorous, and subtly encouraged a challenging of cultural and political norms. In this way, the artist’s performance highlighted the tensions involved in distinguishing sacred object from common artifact — tacitly questioning the legitimacy of what may be considered “reverent” versus “irreverent”. This video follows the artist and his performance on that day, September 24, 2011, and attempts to capture the flavor of this cultural moment. (My advance apologies for the poor sound quality.)

Transcript:

00:33 — Jan Sosein Carl: Hello. Woman: Could I have one? JSC: Of course. Big, small, medium — what is your preference? Woman: (speaking off to the side) A small one. JSC: (repeats) A small one. A quite small one. JSC: Would you like a portrait of yourself? I could also draw the Pope. Woman: The Pope. JSC: Good, then we’ll do the Pope. JSC: Very fine. I’m going to draw the Pope with a shopping bag.

01:15 — JSC: By the way, just so we don’t misunderstand each other, the term “host” on this sign here (pointing toward the ground) is intended as a parody. I would never ever draw on sacred pieces of bread.

01:32 — JSC: (handing woman his artist card) So you know from whom this comes… Woman: Thank you. JSC: My name is Jan. I am the Bundeskünstler of this republic. (Ed. note: “Bundeskünstler” is an invented term, which translated literally means “federal artist”; however, the artist’s adoption of it is also a satiric pun on the word “Bundeskanzler”, or “Federal Chancellor”, a position currently held by Chancellor Angela Merkel.)

01:45 — Another woman: (voice in background, reading aloud the sign on the ground) “Your portrait on a communion wafer.” JSC: (speaking to the woman) Would you perhaps also like to have a portrait from me? Woman: What does it cost? JSC: (Hesitating) Well now you are falling into capitalistic thinking. Woman: Oh? JSC: I am doing this as a generous Christian.

02:09 — JSC: (greeting a group of boys) So, guys…! One of the boys: Why do you draw on your knee like that? JSC: Because my knee is equipped with a very concentrated intellect. Boy: (skeptical) Okay… JSC: (laughing) No, it’s just very comfortable! That’s all. But I could tell you some really good stories! Group of boys: (laughing) One of the boys: Could you maybe draw an altar boy? JSC: Well, now you have to help me… What do altar boys look like? One of the boys: Umm, well, like us, but they wear a skirt. (laughing) Another of the boys: They are of different heights, and… JSC: Yes, of course, but that’s the same with all people. There are short altar boys and tall altar boys. Another of the boys: (while watching the drawing of an altar boy) Since when do altar boys have hair? JSC: Altar boys have hair. Of course altar boys have hair!

03:10 — JSC: Is it permitted to draw an altar boy with a halo? Majority of boys respond: No, no. One of the boys: Yes. (group laughing)

03:20 — Another of the boys: Oh, and then they wear one of those belt things. JSC: Oh yeah, sometimes altar boys have a belt. One of the boys: Exactly, a type of belt. JSC: And what about a tiara? One of the boys: No idea… One of the boys: May one request a special design? JSC: Yes, of course. Another of the boys: And then you have to do another one after that. (laughing)

03:40 — Adult speaking in the background: What led you to do something like this? JSC: I am an artist.

03:45 — The adult supervisor of the altar boys arrives running, and speaks in a sharp tone: So, all of you, come back here. We are leaving — right now. One of the boys: (reaching out to request the drawing be given to him) Okay. JSC: (objecting) But I’m not done… Adult supervisor: Yeah, well, unfortunately, we need to move on. Very unfortunately.

03:58 — JSC: (speaking to the boy who is waiting for his drawing) You can’t just allow yourself get rushed like that, huh? Boy: Okay. JSC: (handing the boy the finished drawing) There you go! Boy: Thank you. JSC: Bye!