Double Portraits

Based on religious sticker stamps, which the artist bought in the church shop of the ‘Monastery of the Magnificat of the Mother of God’ in Quebec, Tom Bogaert created portraits of contemporary icons. For example, scribbling on a stamp of Mary – the mother of Jesus - resulted in a spitting image of Osama Bin Laden. Seated at a lemonade stand, Bogaert invited bystanders to witness the stamp transformations and gave the public the opportunity to buy the original stickers and new icons for 25 cents each. The performances led to interesting commotion and lively discussions.

When people bought four stickers, they received a unique collector’s sheet for free. As of yet, Bogaert has sold 256 stickers.

This piece was selected for several performance festivals including the 2005 Dumbo Arts Festival in Brooklyn and the 2006 Gilded Pony Performance Festival in Troy, NY.