As with the Whitley Strieber book I reviewed, this film adaptation includes art-history references. However, the film uses paintings and sculptures that differ from those described in the book. (Communion (1989 film), 1989) For example, the film doesn’t include Budd Hopkins or mention his art. (Art History in ‘Communion: A True Story’ by Whitley Strieber, 2018) Instead, the film shows African art sculptures in the psychiatrist’s office, where Strieber visits and recounts his alien abduction. (Communion (1989 film), 1989) Looking at the African art standing figures featured (which share a similarity to Tabwa sculptures), with their slender bodies and stylized eyes, plus a giant painting depicting a simplified white figure that looks as though it’s falling, and a sculpture of a suited man with the facial expression of a Sumerian Votive offering, I thought, “Isn’t this the artistic equivalent of leading the witness?” Or is it just an ethically questionable way of influencing a patient? (Amin, 2019) (Tabwa Statue, n.d.)
Bizarrely, during a group therapy session in the same office, there’s what seems to be a Dada-style parody of Pablo Picasso’s portrait of Gertrude Stein. (Harris & Zucker, 2012) (Portrait of Gertrude Stein, n.d.) If you watch the YouTube video I embedded at the top of this post, it appears at 1:20:33. I know they probably picked it because the manipulated face resembles an alien, but to me, it reads as a spoof similar to Marcel Duchamp’s L.H.O.O.Q. If you look closely at the title above the portrait, you can see the word “rude,” though paint-covered letters clearly precede it, implying the name “Gertrude”. (“Portrait of Gertrude Stein” n.d.) (Communion (1989) — VHS Heaven, 2023) If you know who made this work, please let me know in the comments.
Furthermore, does anyone know who made the paintings seen in the Streiber household? They’re very similar to Giorgio de Chirico‘s style. (Chirico and Domínquez n.d.) (Haddad et al., 2022) (Bertelli et al., 2017) (Giorgio de Chirico, 2024) (Haddad et al., 2022) I also think they own a parody of Katsushika Hokusai’s Great Wave print. (“Communion (1989) – VHS Heaven” 2026) (Communion (1989 film), 1989) Finally, does anyone know about the bird (Eagle?) sculpture seen during the credits? (Communion (1989 film), 1989)
The movie’s finale (according to the film credits) takes place at the Whitney Museum of American Art. There, Whitley Streiber talks with his wife, Anne, in front of a Jackson Pollock painting (Number 27), while she stands in front of a Lee Krasner painting (The Seasons). A married couple talks in front of paintings by another married couple. Before that, we see other contemporary art-era paintings and sculptures by Pop Artist Ed Ruscha, Jasper Johns, Willem de Kooning (Woman and Bicycle), and Alexander Calder. (Harris et al., 2000)
References (Courtesy of Grammarly)
“Tabwa Statue.” African Arts Gallery. https://www.african-arts-gallery.com/african-art/african-Statues/Tabwa-Statue/26913. Accessed October 16, 2026
“Portrait of Gertrude Stein.” https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/488221
Harris, Ed, Marcia G. Harden, and Val Kilmer. “Pollock (2000).” The New York Times, December 21, 2000. https://www.nytimes.com/2000/12/22/movies/pollock-2000.html (Broken Link)
“Communion (1989 film).” New Line Cinema, September 28, 1989. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Communion_(1989_film)
“Art History in ‘Communion: A True Story’ by Whitley Strieber.” Art History Ramblings. 2018. https://arthistoryramblings.com/2018/05/08/art-history-in-communion-a-true-story-by-whitley-streiber/ Accessed October 16, 2026
“Communion (1989 film).” The New York Times, November 9, 1989. https://www.nytimes.com/1989/11/10/movies/communion-1989.html (Broken Link)
Amin, Osama S.. “Votive Statue of Male Worshiper, Tell Asmar Hoard.” World History Encyclopedia. 2019. https://www.worldhistory.org/image/10786/votive-statue-of-male-worshiper-tell-asmar-hoard/ Accessed October 16, 2026
Harris, Beth, and Steven Zucker. “Pablo Picasso, Portrait of Gertrude Stein.” Smarthistory. 2012. https://smarthistory.org/picasso-portrait-of-gertrude-stein/ Accessed October 16, 2026
Haddad, Abed, Corina E. Rogge, Ana Martins, and Desirae Dijkema. “Foundations of a great metaphysical style: unraveling Giorgio de Chirico’s early palette.” npj Heritage Science 10 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-00685-7. (Broken Link, so here’s a link to the actual article) Accessed October 16, 2026
“Communion (1989 film).” The New York Times, November 9, 1989. https://www.nytimes.com/1989/11/10/movies/communion.html
“Communion (1989 film).” Los Angeles Times, November 9, 1989. https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1989-11-10-ca-1-story.html
“Communion (1989) — VHS Heaven.” VHS Heaven. 2023. https://vhs-heaven.com/1989/communion/ Accessed October 16, 2026
Bertelli, S., G. Zini, and P. Lenisa. “Fisica e Metafisica? The Science at the time of de Chirico and Carrà.” arXiv:1711.04857 (2017). https://doi.org/10.48550/arXiv.1711.04857 Accessed October 16, 2026
“Portrait of Gertrude Stein.” TheHistoryOfArt.org. https://www.thehistoryofart.org/pablo-picasso/portrait-of-gertrude-stein/ Accessed October 16, 2026
Chirico, Giorgio d., and Óscar Domínquez. “Metaphysical Interior.” https://www.clevelandart.org/art/1981.51
