American Jesus – Original Oil Painting

Description

American Jesus (Original Oil Painting)

After the Election Collection

by Kellie Snider

11×14 Oil on Canvas Panel

American Jesus

Part of the After the Election Collection

American Jesus is a striking and provocative painting that lays bare the tension between faith, nationalism, and power. It depicts a woman in traditional Mexican clothing at a well, struggling to maintain access to water. Her hands grip a clay jug, but she is not alone in this moment. A man, draped in a red, white, and blue robe and wearing a thorny crown reminiscent of Jesus, has tied a rope around the jug and is pulling it away from her. Water spills from the vessel, cascading into the well, a symbol of loss, waste, and denied survival.

The well itself is more than a source of water—it is a symbol of access and exclusion. Its stone surface is engraved with the letters “USA,” and a row of small American flags lines its rim, turning what should be a universal source of sustenance into a contested resource. The imagery is unmistakable: the promise of opportunity and provision exists, but not for everyone. The woman’s struggle is not simply for water—it is for survival, for dignity, for the right to exist within a system designed to deny her access.

The man pulling the jug away embodies a deep contradiction. His robe’s patriotic colors suggest he represents a force of nationalism, and yet his crown of thorns aligns him with the image of Christ. But this is not the Christ of compassion, healing, and generosity. This is American Jesus—a figure who wields faith not as a source of love and mercy, but as a tool of control and exclusion. Rather than offering water to the thirsty, he takes it away. Rather than providing relief, he enforces struggle. His actions reflect the policies and ideologies that turn borders into barriers and frame suffering as necessary for the protection of national identity.

The painting is a reflection of the political climate in which it was created, a time when far-right policies sought to limit the rights and opportunities of immigrants and refugees, particularly those coming from the southern border. It exposes the hypocrisy of those who claim to follow Christian values while actively working to deny the most fundamental human needs to the poor and desperate. It asks the viewer to confront uncomfortable questions: Who benefits from this version of Jesus? Who is being denied, and why? How has faith been manipulated to justify cruelty rather than compassion?

Rendered with bold contrasts and striking details, American Jesus captures a moment of tension and injustice that resonates far beyond the canvas. The spilled water, the taut rope, the well’s American branding—all of these elements come together to form a powerful narrative of exclusion and resistance. The painting is not just an image; it is a statement. It challenges, it provokes, and it refuses to be ignored.

As part of the After the Election Collection, American Jesus stands as an urgent commentary on the intersection of politics, religion, and human rights. It demands reflection and dialogue, urging viewers to reconsider the role of faith and nationalism in shaping policies that determine who is given access to the most basic necessities—and who is denied.

Kellie Snider is a contemporary American artist whose work challenges social and political norms with bold, thought-provoking imagery. Rooted in storytelling, her paintings explore themes of justice, identity, and power, often confronting issues like inequality, systemic oppression, and the distortion of faith in modern America. With a background in behavior analysis, she brings a keen observational eye to her work, capturing the nuances of human and animal interactions. Her art invites conversation and reflection, urging viewers to engage beyond aesthetics. Through dynamic compositions and rich symbolism, Snider creates work that resonates with those seeking truth, change, and authenticity.