Traditional Dark Demon of Christmas bound in chains by Christianity

Traditional Dark Demon of Christmas 

bound in chains by Christianity

Folk art, primitive art, outsider art - it all seems to me be reflective of usually ordinary people simply wishing to express their own creativity without the bounds, constraints or rules of conventional art or art establishments. Kuriology Art is Folk, Primitive & Outsider, creations made for the joy of being creative. 

I have always had a mild fascination with mythology & mythical beasts primarily from Greek & Roman mythologies.   Greek Satyr & their Roman counterparts,fauns, have always appealed.  Pan (or Celtic Cernunnos like horned deities) cloven hoofed, horned & a little on the dark side.  Depicted as Devils by abrahamic  dogmas & religions  that always felt to me on a bit of a power trip by those in positions of authority to try to sub verse & sub due older pagan religions & belief systems.   I have always had a problem with the bible ever since I learned as quite a young man it is just a book compiled by the Council of Nicea, a committee under Roman Emperor Constantine. The misery & pain inflicted upon humanity by dogmatic fanatics of this & other such books. Plus, we all know as fact that the camel was a badly designed horse drawn up by a committee, as was the Kangaroo, actually a mouse drawn up by another committee.

It is only in quite recent years I have learned of 'Krampus', a traditional Christmas Demon in primarily Germanic countries in Northern Europe.  Seemingly a hangover from deeper older faiths, subdued by Christianity.  Subdued to the point where the demon now wears chains.

This Christmas demon is however a modern social workers nightmare.  Where as Santa rewards children (& some adults) for good behavior over the year - Krampus is the opposite.  This dark beast with an enlarged tongue, horns coven hooves, runs around abducting naughty children either in a sack or in a woven basket.  Physical violence is part of the tradition by beating the children by spanking or with birch cane or canes, or even in some extreme depictions with a whip? 

Clearly the threat of being put on Santa's naughty list is not enough of a deterrence for 'some' kids - to the point where they are threatened with abduction & torture to behave....interesting!

In recent years 'Krampus' has been undergoing what some may call 'Disneyfication'.  He is being made 'cute', cuddly & simply a little misunderstood.  Personally, I prefer the depiction of a demon that frightens the crap out of people.

Just saying 

*Oh, the folk art Krampus in the slideshow is available at auction on ebay.co.uk