LibGuides: Visual Arts: Art and religion

Andres Serrano

This photograph entitled 'Piss Christ' by Andres Serrano has been described as unethical by Christian lobby groups.

Andres Serrano
Serrano's artwork 'Piss Christ' was vandalised whilst on display at the National Gallery of Victoria.
Andres Serrano's controversial 'Piss Christ' goes on exhibition in New York
An interesting aspect of this article is the argument by a Christian Lobby Group. This argument is that Muslims are getting special treatment by having artworks they think are insulting taken down, whereas Christians must put up with insulting images.
Intimidation reigns
This article is scathing of the National Gallery of Victoria's response to the vandals attacking the Piss Christ photo. It also puts this attack in the context of a long running anti-Serrano campaign.

Chris Offli

The following links refer to artists that have created art which Christians have found offensive.

The Holy Virgin Mary by Chris Offli depicts a black woman surround by small pornographic images and is constructed with paper, oil paint, glitter, resin and elephant dung.

Chris Offli : the Holy Virgin Mary
Damien Frost chronicles art crimes; where people have gone to galleries and vandalised artworks they find offensive.
Smear campaign: Giuliani, the Holy Virgin Mary and the critical study of whiteness
This is a chapter from the book: 'Colored White : transcending the racial past' by David Roediger. Roediger asks: was it the use of animal dung on an image of Madonna that was so upsetting, or the fact that Madonna had been portrayed as a black woman?

Cosimo Cavollaro

Chocolate Jesus
View this controversial work by Cavallaro, and listen to his commentary on the piece simultaneously.
CNN interview
Cavallaro defends his artwork against the Catholic League director who wanted to close his exhibition.
Religious expression : lessons from the Chocolate Jesus controversy
This article by James Lileks looks at the argument that Cavollaro's work is blasphemous. He makes the interesting point that such controversies remind us that art does matter.
Choc full 'o anger
An article from the New York Daily news that summarizes the cancelling of Cavollaro's exhibition that featured the Sweet Jesus sculpture.