Posted on 04/18/2011 8:27:59 AM PDT by markomalley
Paris - A group of Christian fundamentalists armed with hammers and screwdrivers destroyed two artworks in an exhibition in the southern French city of Avignon at the weekend, one of which depicted a crucifix immersed in urine, French media reported Monday.
The attack on the photographs of US artist Andres Serrano, which were being shown as part the I Believe in Miracles exhibition of contemporary art followed calls by the local Catholic archbishop for the 'Piss Christ' photograph to be taken down.
The photograph, taken by Serrano in 1987, shows a plastic crucifix wallowing in a glass of the artist's urine. The Christ figure appears to glow in the image, which caused a scandal when it was first exhibited in 1989 and which has since toured the world.
Civitas, a lobby group which says it aims to 're-Christianize France,' called the piece 'sacrilege vis-a-vis God and Catholics' and launched a petition for it to be removed from the exhibition at the residence housing the Yvon Lambert collection.
On Saturday a group of around 500 people shouting Christian slogans demonstrated outside the building, Liberation reported.
The following day four youths wearing sunglasses entered the building and surrounded two security guards stationed in front of the artwork, while others began hacking at it and another of Serrano's photographs, showing a nun meditating.
Culture Minister Frederic Mitterand denounced the incident as an 'attack on the freedom of creation.'
While 'recognizing that the (Piss Christ) artwork could shock certain audiences,' Mitterand said 'any act of violence, destruction and intolerance is unacceptable.'
The attack is not the first involving the artwork. A copy of Piss Christ was vandalized at the National Gallery of Victoria in the Australian city of Melbourne in 1997, during a Serrano retrospective.
The Melbourne gallery later cancelled the show.
Eric Mezil, the director of the Lambert collection, said he would leave the shattered artworks hanging so that the public could 'appreciate the barbarity committed by extremists.'
LOL! Perfect. I love it when people can throw the academic Left’s BS back in their face.
The Civitas Institute is affiliated with the SSPX (Society of St. Pius X), so yes indeed they are traditional Catholics.
Well, you teed the ball up and I can't resist:
How do you tell which is which?
That's PROFILING!
Here is the French website translated to English:
I like this news. About time.
Funnny how all these European countries with their “hate crimes” legislation apply rules differently, to different citizens.
Imagine a government-sponsored “Piss Mohammed” picture with Little Mo in the toilet.
Or just imagine this: 17 Afghans would still be alive if only Newsweek magazine had put that fictional Koran-in-the-Toilet story in its ARTS section. < /sarc >
On a related note, I have heard that, in France, more people attend SSPX Masses than all other Masses. Does anyone have links to the stats about that or know them off the top of their head?
All "hate crimes" legislation is just a stalking horse for attacking (in this order):
The work of “art” was a picture of the crucifix in a jar of urine - the actual object itself was not on display and was AFAIK no longer in existence soon after the photo was taken.
Well.. I guess I need another federal Grant to do an
in depth study
lol
I have heard that there are more French Catholics attending the Traditional Latin Mass than the New (post-Vatican II) Mass. The SSPX is the largest traditionalist group in France, but there are others such as the FSSP (Fraternal Society of St. Peter). The SSPX has good relations with Pope Benedict but is at odds with many of the liberal French bishops.
Further, the notion that the proper function of artistic expression is to shock, disorient, and deconstruct rather than to ennoble, explain and elevate is a product not of artistic aspiration, but of political theory.
I am not a great fan of anyone destroying anyone else's personal property for any reason (aside from what occurs during war waged against an aggressor). But in this instance, it is at least arguable that the object in question contains little or no intrinsic value, and further constitutes the expression of nothing more than "fighting words" - an intentional insult with no deeper meaning or purpose than what is obvious to an objective viewer.
Good job, I say, and way to show Christian restraint. If it had been "P*** Mohammed", jihad whack jobs would have beheaded everyone, burned the joint to the ground, and built a mosque over it.
:)
The so-called “intellectual elites” praise Serrano’s work and call it “art,” and then everyone wonders why a troubled young man can stand in front of a small crowd at a coffee shop in Bend Oregon for Open Mic Night and stab himself to death while the audience cheers the “performance art.” Only too late did they realize that they were actually witnessing a suicide. “Intellectualism” is in a very sad state, indeed.
Good.
I’m not an SSPXer nor an expert on their relationship with the Church at the moment, but I have to admit, when I saw this headline, my first thought was that it was SSPXers who did this.
Just wait until they are arrested and charged for some crime against the arts...
That "right" does not extend to artists who defy political correctness. The supposed new standards are a employed solely for the attack upon traditional Western values.
But I thought Catholicism excluded any kind of "fundamentalism" at all. After all, "fundamentalists" are Catholics' favorite punching bag.
Obviously a bunch of Southern Baptists are sullying true chr*stianity's good, tolerant, relativist name!
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