Next in my Religious Rhythm art series is artist Matt Bernico (@the_intermezzo) and his concept Glitch Christ.
Matt personally studies media and philosophy academically so he approaches art on that level. He explains:
“To invent the cross, that is the technology of political execution, is to invent the Christ event. The accident is a curious event. It is an unexpected emergence: it is a messy differend. What remains after the political execution? A spirit that one cannot kill. Aesthetically, we might call this differend a glitch.
The glitch is the accidental appearance of unexpected artifacts. The glitch in an image manifests as discolored pixels and a distorted image. The glitch in audio may manifest as static. Though, what is the glitch of oppression or of an execution? What artifacts might emerge? What ghosts may linger? The American folk song Joe Hill says, “What they can never kill went on to organize.” There’s a residue that remains from oppression. Something that cannot be accounted for, a remainder, an accident or a glitch.
Following the Christian trajectory, this glitch can be located in Christ. The cross is a peculiar method of execution, because like Christ, it is the interface of horizontal and vertical vectors. The intersection of the wooden planks is also the intersection of divinity and humanity. Crucifixion is the event and out of this event emerges the glitch. Something goes wrong in the crucifixion of Jesus.”
I was deeply moved by Matt’s concept and medium. He asks us to consider the image of the cross through the means of glitches, faults in the system that suspend ordinary results highlighted by the presence of failure. Was the cross of Christ such a glitch? Thus, Matt asks us to consider ”what can be gleaned from the glitch-Christ? Aesthetically and practically, the glitch is transgressive: a celebration of the artifacts that emerge from the accident. Can we repeat the glitch-Christ? Is there a practice that yields the manifestation of these artifacts?” The Cross begs us to consider these questions.
Needless to say, I’m looking forward to future Glitch Christ pieces from Matt! *Excerpts copied with permission from Flux of Thought
