Painting: Mary and Mohammed

The original title of this painting is"Mary and Mohammed, Paris, La Gaule." You would think that "Mary and Mohammed" has a religious connotation. If that were the case, you could argue that it's an incendiary one - both Mary and Mohammed being sacrosanct figures in their respective religions. The idea of Mary breastfeeding Mohammed then seems outrageous. You'd be wrong. The painting is inspired by a friend of mine. Mary and I went to the same middle school and grew up in the same city, Aubergenville, 30 miles west of Paris. She's since married a Muslim. Their first-born child is Mohammed. In a sense, the painting can be perceived as a nod to France having become a melting pot. The country has the largest population of Muslims in Europe - and of Jews in the world outside Israel and the United States. A melting pot or a place of conflict, where integration and social cohesion seem elusive. Or, perhaps, Mary and Mohammed are not anchored in reality, but fictional. The artwork celebrates t