06/04/2026
"Infidel" focuses on the unauthorized intrusion into the social sphere by tens of thousands of religious propaganda signs, predominantly Christ–centric, posted on US highways, overpasses, and telephone poles. Erhan Us defines these metal and plastic placards not merely as expressions of faith, but as ideological attempts to seize public space; gears in a larger propaganda machine that normalizes religious authority through constant repetition.
The works in the exhibition were made possible through the direct interventions of the Atheist Street Pirates, a civil and secular counter–offensive initiative founded in 2021 under the umbrella of Atheists United in Los Angeles. By removing over 6,000 of these signs from public streets and donating hundreds to the artist, the group provided the raw material to transform propaganda into a contemporary art project.
Featuring the original signs alongside their manipulated counterparts, the installations challenge viewers to move back and forth along the axis of belief and disbelief, questioning what is real. The exhibition prompts critical inquiries: Who shapes our public spaces? Which messages are permitted to occupy them, and who do these spaces truly belong to?
The artist summarizes the core philosophy of the project in his exhibition text: "These remnants are no longer tools of propaganda. They are now evidence. They are the physical traces, torn from public spaces, of how those guided by religion view themselves as superior to the rest of society. For if spaces belong to whichever ideology screams the loudest, the demagogues and manipulators will always win."
Join us Sunday, June 7th at 5pm for a unique art exhibit reception hosted by Atheists United member (and internationally renowned artist) Erhan Us.