The artwork entitled “A Dog Named Jesus” is a creation by artist Mark Ryden, dated 1997. It is recognized as a part of Lowbrow Art, an underground visual art movement that emerged in the Los Angeles area in the late 1970s. Ryden’s work within this movement is notable for its figurative style and was a contribution to his series “The Meat Show.” This piece encapsulates the distinctive elements and ethos of Lowbrow Art through its blend of cultural irony and pop surrealism.
The artwork presents a somewhat surrealist landscape in which a large-eyed girl stands balancing on one foot, her arms wide open as if in a state of play or innocence. She is dressed in a classic red and white outfit, which gives her a doll-like appearance, and she wears black Mary Jane shoes. Alongside her is a dog with notable patches around its eyes and an earnest expression. The dog stands next to a small doghouse with a sign bearing the words “Fido,” contrasting with the artwork’s title, and the scene includes elements such as a bone, a human skull, and a piece of raw meat on a pedestal labeled “Jesus.” The backdrop is pastoral, hinting at an innocence at odds with the foreground imagery. The deliberate juxtaposition of these elements provokes contemplation regarding themes of childhood, faith, innocence, and mortality.