Mohammed Jesus – print collage

Reinhard Gassner used poster motifs to make a print that relates to the chaos of war in former Yugoslavia. The subjects, sketched directly as an illustration on offset panels, were printed over each other so often that the aesthetic of a ‘bold misprint’ was created. Instead of the titles of theatre pieces the two names ‘Mohammed’ and ‘Jesus’ are placed together like the first name and surname of one and the same person; well-known icons of creeds with imperial aspirations are named. The war and evil lies essentially in the belief that only one prophet can be the true one. The conflict is visualised typographically through the use of the Cyrillic and Latin alphabets.