Serrano Piss Christ
1238 Words5 Pages
The art world during the 1980s was very artistically diverse and aesthetic contention was primarily eminent. Many artists stretched the comfort zone of themselves and their viewers. Creating controversial artwork during this time was not only eminent it was very popular. Many of these artists experimented with different mediums, including blood, urine, and other bodily fluids. One of the most famous artists using unusual mediums like these is Andres Serrano. Serrano is known for creating pieces of work that are beautiful, but created in an unusual way and test the public mind. One of Serrano’s most controversial pieces of work is Piss Christ. This piece of work is controversial for both political and religious issues. In an article by Richard Meyer entitled “The Jesse Helms Theory Of Art”, Meyer says that Jesse Helms felt offended at the fact that Serrano was given, and awarded, federal funding for his controversial artwork, like Piss Christ. On the more religious side, in the article ‘Of Art and Blasphemy’, Anthony Fisher and Hayden Ramsay analyze whether or not blasphemous art should be publicly displayed. And in particular they look into the religious and blasphemous aspects of Serrano’s piece Piss Christ, and how it challenges the religious body. I disagree with Anthony Fisher, Hayden Ramsay, and Jesse Helms, and argue that while you are entitled to your own opinion, those opinions should stay your own and you can’t speak for everyone.