I think Sharlet is engaging in the common misuse of the term "fundamentalist" as it applies to Christians. He seems to be using it synonymously with "evangelical," when in fact fundamentalists and evangelicals are often at odds with each other.

The one thing fundamentalists and evangelicals have in common, though, is that they both believe their faith should be the primary factor guiding their lives. For secular observers, this is probably the most stark aspect separating both F's and E's from Christians who more or less live like everyone else.

Just when I thought I'd lost the capacity to be shocked by a painting. Actually, paintingS. Then along came Ron DiCianni. His work literally left me speechless.

I wanted to hear an opinion from someone born and raised in the midwest, so I just showed Sharlet's Gallery of DiCianni to my wife. She took one look and said, "Yecch. That is really weird. Creepy."

I think she hit the nail right on the head.

When I think of kitsch, I think of overblown sentimentality that's unintentionally funny. But for some reason I'm not finding Ron's stuff funny. But I can appreciate the potential that's there. I predict that someday soon someone like Jeff Koons will rise to the challenge and artistically plumb the depths of his oeuvre.

For religious art I prefer Norman Rockwell.