Denton Peter McCabe
  • Projects
    • CKRx (2019)
    • Head Worship (2018)
  • BIO / CV

HEAD WORSHIP


Head Worship is the title given to a body of work inspired by the religious chaos of global cultural history and the title is taken directly from the accusations of head worship leveled at the Knights Templar of the Baphomet idol, under the rule of Philip IV. The name Baphomet is believed by historians to be a distortion of the name Muhammed by Anselm of Ribemont. This perversion of language is key to understanding William S. Burroughs' assertion that the "word is now a virus".
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Semiotics as systematized meta-narrative, provides a framework for the disruption of the viral contagion of the word. In this body of work, various signs, signifiers, and mythologies are deliberately distorted, obscured, and otherwise rendered meaningless as an act of personal protest against the system of oppression established by all meta-narratives intent on enforcing morals and codes of interpersonal conduct. This short-circuiting of conventional modes of interlocution occurs as a body of canvases, video art, sound art, and classical compositions housed under the title Head Worship. 

Work from Head Worship was included in group shows at The Atlantic Center for the Arts, The OGA in Rome, and the Millepiani Exhibition Space. The sound art is available for streaming on all major platforms. 

Special thanks to Robin Meiksins and Emily Mehigh for their performances on the recording,
Lee Sillery and Joe Tessone for their stellar work as recording engineers,
and to Cixian Liu for her meaningful contributions to countless philosophical discussions that occurred during the creation of the canvases and video. 



Untitled canvases. Acrylic, spray paint, and oil stick. 
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Score excerpt from The Axis of Succession.
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© COPYRIGHT 2020. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
  • Projects
    • CKRx (2019)
    • Head Worship (2018)
  • BIO / CV