Are you Zombie Invasion Prepared (ZIP)?

Written by Team Editor Conner Lopez
Yeah I know its a cliche now to talk about the zombie apocalypse (ZA). Though its like everyone who knew about Green Day before they were famous. I was talking about this first. Maybe not pre george romero first, but for damn long time.

Five years ago and before Zombieland was even a zygote (zombiegote?) I consulted on a ZIP powerpoint presentation that was given in a real life classroom setting. I watched Evil Dead before I was a teenager, was Ash for halloween before anyone really knew who he was, and have The Zombie Survival Guide by Max Brooks encased in glass on my wall. So theres the cliff notes on my zombie pedigree.

What does ZIP have to do with art?

1. Nothing.

2. How dare you, not so fast.

3. We will get to that in a minute.

First let me assure anyone still reading this that the ZA is a matter or when and not if. As i've said a thousand times (a thousand with zero hyperbole) these Mayans are optimists with their 2012 stuff.

No way we are lasting that long.

ZA is imminent and the signs are everywhere. I'm not talking about empirical evidence here. Its more of a gut feeling combined with the paranoia that's comes from sleep deprivation and too many monster energy drinks. Also, I think i have actually seen a real life zombie in town. Ive even taken pictures.

So on to business. How can I justify an article about the ZA on an art blog? There is clear historical evidence of this event depicted in art through the ages.

How about right in front of our faces in one of the most famous pieces of art in history.

In The Garden Of Earthly Delights by Hieronymus Bosch, I see zombies everywhere.

In the center panel of the triptych surround the reddish tepee like shape, for example. Clearly a group of zombies, and painting was created in the 1500s.

How about Gustave Dore and Dantes inferno? The Divine Comedy has its shares of zombies. This depiction by Dore was drawn in the mid 1800s.

I mean, im just saying.

Once again I have to reference The Scream by Edvard Munch (yes I have a mild obsession with the image and the symbolism, but far more im far more obsessed with ZIP, which I would classify as a severe obsession). Not for the figure in The Scream, who is only a secondary suspect for being a zombie, nor for the shadowy figures behind him. Its what can't be seen in the Scream. Who, or what is the figure looking at? We can only infer his eyes are so sharply focused on a pack of unwieldy zombies.

Currently, zombies permeate our culture as they have become almost trendy in pop culture, movies, books, and video games. In the world of art however, they have always been around. They might not have always been known by the name "zombie," but the concept of the brain eating undead monster has been around for hundreds of years.

Are they coming in huge droves to attack any day?

No way to tell for sure, but im not taking any chances.

Just in case, Ill be stockpiling cans of tuna.