The Anti-Holy Art of Jesse Peper

Jesse Peper's iconic artworks can't be described as unholy. Rather, anti-holy is much more fitting for Peper's colorful mutations of traditional religious styles and symbolism. Each piece is definitely an antithesis of its Medieval Christian origins, but still exudes a certain kind of holiness. That rare breed of uplifting sacredness known all too well to the admirer of the weird. However, to try to lock down Peper's career in one word is far too limited. The same goes for pinpointing warped religiosity as a starting point for his art. As the artist makes clear in his own bio, his influences are many:

I encourage the freedom of personal interpretation but some of my influences come from surrealism, the Tarot, various literature of interest, anthropomorphic or totemic cultural creations of many kinds, archaic or current systems of belief and blasphemy, Renaissance, European classical iconic motif's & alchemical processes. Also, the balance of the beautiful and the grotesque, attraction and repulsion, use of symbolism organic or man-made, cycles and the transient nature of reality.

Jesse Peper's paintings are like something from reality that's seeped into a dream, suffered some unspeakable spell, and then bled out again. Incredible religious transformations like his "Madonna and Child" aside (top), nightmare beings constantly haunt the artist's canvasses. One of these tentacled terrors can be seen in Peper's "The Lurker at the Threshold) (above). The title and content of this particular piece also reveals another influence on Peper: H.P. Lovecraft. Like most great captors of dark fantasy these days, Peper has been touched by the medusa-like tendrils of the Providence Gentleman.


It must be said that some of Peper's best work originates in his blending of the two themes. Mixing anti-holy symbolism with deranged beings yields potent results, like Peper's "Fleshing (Conjuration)." The trappings of forbidden ritual and the materialization of something horrible unite in bizarre elegance here. Truly, his unique dark surrealism shines.

Jesse Peper is another weird artist who deserves a brighter spotlight for his incredible work. To date, the Denver artist has seen his work on several albums and film covers. Let's hope a broader audience is reached. If the yellowed pages of Grim Reviews can be of any assistance, then it will have continued rightly on its mission.

-Grim Blogger