“(Warren) Jeffs, 50, considered a prophet by his estimated 10,000 followers (The Church of the Latter Day Saints, FLDS), was jailed on warrants accusing him of sexual assault and other misconduct on minors in Arizona, and as an accomplice to rape in Utah.” 30 Aug. 2006.

‘What goes on in that place is nothing less than sexual slavery’ says Flora Jessop, the daughter of a polygamist (a member of FLDS) who as a teenager rejected her upbringing. ‘At 16, after I rebelled, I was given an alternative: a forced marriage or the mental asylum’, she claims ‘The local police and judges were in cahoots with the church’.

This series of work 'Malice in Wonderland' engages with the aspect of religious groups in the American Mid West Bible-belt that have elements of sexual subversion at the core of the leader’s authoritative ruling. Many sexual abuse cases over the world have been taken up against those who work under the ‘cover’ of the ‘church’, making out the abuse is in the direct service of God.

John Taylor, one of the Mormon Church’s earliest leaders - still the FLDS focal personage – married at least 33 women. ‘The youngest of these wives was just 14 when Joseph explained to her that God had commanded that she marry him or face eternal damnation’.

My work engages with the viewer in depicting young women as the enticement for men to be ‘drawn’ to God and works to highlight the hypocrisy of many religions in the way they treat young women/girls as sexual trade; or sanction sexual and human abuse by thwarting the law to bring these people to justice. Examples of this are readily seen across the world from various sects and denominations.

The text in the paintings is from quotes found on Churches and road signs across America. The churches seen depicted are also taken from across America showing the cross influence of colonial foundations of state religions.

The series 'Malice in Wonderland' hopes to bring to the forefront that it is not ultimately about religion, love or worship in the service of God, it is about the power they can excerpt over individuals and masses; and at times the sexual abuse they can get away with.

Source of quotes www.channel4.com/news/specialreports & www.apologeticsindex.org

Artist's note:
The recurring vinyl letters is all of these pieces are the main thing of note. Perhaps obviously, they are there to not only invoke an image of roadside hoardings and signage outside so many places worship in the bible belt and back woods of small town steeped in following precisely the teachings in the Old Testament. They are also there to drive home a message - depicted in a plain font, they are meant as an instruction or almost an order. They are there to be read and believed without question. They require a total unbending, unquestioning faith. As words requiring obedience however they are at odds with the sexualised images. If you do not question the words they you will be convinced that the actions by the clerics are not open to question either. Rather by blindly allowing abuse - one will be closer to thine god than thee.