The Art of the Serial Killer: Mass Murderabilia

Jewish groups around the globe were offended that a recent lot of undated architectural sketches done by none other than Mr. Nasty Nazi himself, Adolph Hitler, were to be sold at a Montreal, Canada auction house late last month. It’s a documented fact Hitler was not only an accomplished and prolific artist creating between 2000-3000 works throughout his lifetime but he was also famously denied by Vienna’s Art School and told to pursue architecture (quite possibly what dropped his noodle over the edge of the bowl). Indeed his structural designs are very well rendered but ironically enough the man couldn’t draw a German Sheppard to save his life (which it thankfully didn’t – he took his own life in 1945). It must be understood that Hitler’s not the only maniac to have his artwork hanging on the walls of the weird.

If you’re feeling curious for killer accoutrements, take a stroll over to Low Brow Art World and feast upon a piss poor portrait of Charles Manson as depicted by John Wayne Gacy’s brush ($800.00 USD), marvel at an astoundingly hideous crayon/pen/fingerprint creation by Manson himself ($700.00 USD) or even procure a satanic scribble by Richard Ramirez. I guess you need to ask yourself, if you saw this painting of Michael Jackson at a yard sale would you buy it? What if you were told that it may have been painted by notorious serial killer Ted Bundy, would that sweeten the deal? As an investment it may make sense, but as far as art (or fart) is concerned, you could find better wall filler in a bathroom stall. Not known for their interest in others (beyond killing them), most serial killer artwork appears to be self portraiture (especially Gacy’s as Pogo the Clown) or self serving in some way shape or form which is probably why they do it.

Interest in serial killers is at a fever pitch (at one point you could purchase a Jeffery Dahmer action figure, autographed court transcripts, victim autopsy reports and even Death Row trading cards) in North America. The appetite for the macabre is one that is both fascinating and disquieting, not that I’m any better as a fan of fright flicks, but Freddy Krueger isn’t really making kiddie kabobs up there on screen. Signed 8x10’s, pen and ink drawings on toilet paper, killer confessions on compact disc - it’s all used to bolster the insatiable hunger some have for the other side of the bars – hell, even pregnant wife snuffing psychopath Scott Peterson is receiving countless marriage proposals (what's wrong with you death wish dames?).

Is it a fine line between expression and exploitation? Do some believe that this is art or is it simply all the more exceptional since killing hands held the brush?

iPod played "Death in Vegas - Aisha" while posting