Churchtanks...looks like Warhammer 40k!!

Cease your heresy

Religion and war have always been mixing and closely related throughout history. Missouri-born artist Kris Kuksi took notice of this connection, repeating itself throughout history, and decided to unveil it in his Churchtanks sculpture series. By creating the juxtaposition between the classical world and the modern war gear, Kuksi transforms churches into tanks, blending the two structures smoothly and seamlessly

Like much of his body of work, Kuksi's pieces in this collection critique organized religion and comment on morality by combining the faith-based architecture with military force.

The constructions are meticulously crafted, boasting the utmost detail in both the Baroque-inspired houses of worship and the modern industrial design of the combat vehicles.

Through this visual juxtaposition, the sculptor is able to start a conversation. Kuksi's biography on his website states: “Kris feels that in the world today much of mankind is oftentimes frivolous and fragile, being driven primarily by greed and materialism. He hopes that his art exposes the fallacies of Man, unveiling a new level of awareness to the viewer.”

The caterpillar tracks and the hull are two basic components of a military tank, and they are present, but, in place of a full turret (which is normally transported by the hull) Kuksi has placed a church edifice. 

BURN THE HERIT...oh sorry...got carried away

Indeed, the edifice of the church sports the main gun of the tank, which seems to emanate from a central narthex door of the church.

What does a Kuksi churchtank mean? 

One interpretation could be that the hull and gun represent our aggressive, animal nature: what Schopenhauer called our Wille zum Leben (a will to live and compete).  The church edifice might then represent our higher nature, a “spiritual” nature, which can either temper or release the aggression beneath it. 

The main gun or cannon seems to be at the crux of this vehicle – the one element shared by the hull and church-turret.  One could say we are all little church tanks treading our way through the world each day.  

Will his work bring about the Age of Strife? I doubt it, but it’s kinda neat to see the grim dark outside of tabletop gaming for once