Angry French religious extremist idjits have destroyed a print of artist Andre Serrano’s “Piss Christ”. From The Guardian:
Piss Christ is part of a series by Serrano showing religious objects submerged in fluid such as blood and milk. It was being shown in an exhibition to mark 10 years of the art dealer Yvon Lambert’s personal collection in his 18th-century mansion. Last week the gallery complained of “extremist harassment” by Christians who wanted the image banned. The archbishop of Vaucluse, Jean-Pierre Cattenoz, called the work “odious” and said he wanted “this trash” taken off the gallery walls. Saturday’s street protest against the work gained the support of the far-right National Front, which has recently done well in local elections.
So we have fascists on one side and art on the other. I think I’ll stand with the art, thanks. On the bright side:
The culture minister, Frédéric Mitterrand, condemned the vandalism as an attack on the fundamental freedoms of creation and expression. A police complaint has been filed by the gallery and the guards.
I have a hard time imagining a culture minister in Canada sticking up for controversial art. The important thing is, art isn’t all about craft–the best art is an expression of ideas. Here we have a work about a symbol of an alleged saviour whose mythology is bound in blood and flesh and physical humanity, and people are saying it must be banned? Pshaw.
