Piss Christ: Difference between revisions

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|location=Santa Barbara, California, USA
|location=Santa Barbara, California, USA
|description_of_content=Serrano's photograph presents an image of a crucifix submerged in urine—which the artist claimed was his own.
|description_of_content=Serrano's photograph presents an image of a crucifix submerged in urine—which the artist claimed was his own.
|description_of_incident=The Santa Barbara Unified School District (SBUSD) attracted controversy for including "Immersion (Piss Christ)" in the curriculum of one of its high school a "Theory of Knowledge" courses in SBUSD's Dos Pueblos High School. A Catholic law firm, The Thomas More Society, sent the school district a letter on May 9, 2023, demanding the work be removed and claiming it was "illegal" and "bigotry."  
|description_of_incident=The Santa Barbara Unified School District (SBUSD) attracted controversy for including Andres Serrano's "Immersion (Piss Christ)" in the curriculum of one of its high school "Theory of Knowledge" courses at Dos Pueblos High School. A Catholic law firm, The Thomas More Society, sent the school district a letter on May 9, 2023, demanding the work be removed from the course, claiming it was "illegal" and "bigotry."  


"The 'Piss Christ' image is hate-speech which is intended to, and which actually does, cause devout Catholics to feel directly harassed and targeted," the letter read. "The image is meant to provoke a reaction, it is meant to be harassing. In that sense, it may be “art,” but teaching it is no different than asking students to personally step on a crucifix so that the class can then have a discussion about how engaging in blasphemy made them feel."
"The 'Piss Christ' image is hate-speech which is intended to, and which actually does, cause devout Catholics to feel directly harassed and targeted," the letter read. "The image is meant to provoke a reaction, it is meant to be harassing. In that sense, it may be “art,” but teaching it is no different than asking students to personally step on a crucifix so that the class can then have a discussion about how engaging in blasphemy made them feel."
   
   
|description_of_result=Attorneys from the Thomas More Society announced on June 7, 2023 that the school district promised the firm "Piss Christ" would no longer be used in the "Theory of Knowledge" course moving forwards.
|description_of_result=Attorneys from the Thomas More Society announced their victory on June 7, 2023, sharing that the school district promised them "Piss Christ" would no longer be used in the "Theory of Knowledge" course moving forwards.
|source=https://abc3340.com/news/nation-world/piss-christ-removed-from-california-school-curriculum-following-outrage-santa-barbara-unified-district-dos-pueblos-high-thomas-more-society-andres-serrano
|source=https://abc3340.com/news/nation-world/piss-christ-removed-from-california-school-curriculum-following-outrage-santa-barbara-unified-district-dos-pueblos-high-thomas-more-society-andres-serrano
}}
}}

Revision as of 21:22, 12 July 2023

Piss Christ by Serrano Andres (1987).jpg

Artist: Andres Serrano

Year: 1997

Date of Action: October 12, 1997

Region:

Location: Victoria, Australia

Subject: Religion

Medium: Photography

Confronting Bodies: John Allen Haywood, Two unnamed teenagers, Dr. Timothy Potts

Description of Artwork: The photograph is a part of a series exploring fluids, such as blood, milk, urine and semen. The photo itself is an image of a plastic crucifix inside a jar of yellow liquid, which the artist said to be his own urine.

The Incident: The National Gallery of Victoria planned to exhibit a print of the photograph as a part of an exhibition. On the first day of its opening weekend, the photograph was kicked by a 51-year-old man named John Allen Haywood, who went on to receive one month of jail time. His attack only partially damaged the frame, however, and the exhibition was set to continue when the next day, two teenagers, aged 16 and 18, staged one attack on a photo of a Ku Klux Klan member on an opposite wall, which sufficiently distracted the guards while the other destroyed the piece.

Results of Incident: Shortly afterward, the exhibit was shut down by the museum art director Dr. Timothy Potts, who cited "the safety of the gallery and its staff."

Source:
http://www.artcrimes.net/piss-christ





Artist: Andres Serrano

Year: 2011

Date of Action: April 17, 2011

Region: Europe

Location: Avignon, France

Subject: Religion

Medium: Photography

Confronting Bodies: An Unnamed Vandal

Description of Artwork: The photograph is a part of a series exploring fluids, such as blood, milk, urine and semen. The photo itself is an image of a plastic crucifix inside a jar of yellow liquid, which the artist said to be his own urine.

The Incident: An Avignon museum sought to display a print of the photograph as a part of an exhibition called "I Believe in Miracles." After an 800-person protest earlier that day by conservative Christians outside of the museum, an assailant attacked the photograph with a hammer and either a pick-axe or a screwdriver, effectively destroying the work.

Results of Incident: The museum continued the exhibition and displayed the damaged work.

Source:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/apr/18/andres-serrano-piss-christ-destroyed-christian-protesters





Artist: Andres Serrano

Year: 2023

Date of Action: May 9, 2023

Region: North America

Location: Santa Barbara, California, USA

Subject: Religion

Medium: Photography

Confronting Bodies: The Thomas More Society

Description of Artwork: Serrano's photograph presents an image of a crucifix submerged in urine—which the artist claimed was his own.

The Incident: The Santa Barbara Unified School District (SBUSD) attracted controversy for including Andres Serrano's "Immersion (Piss Christ)" in the curriculum of one of its high school "Theory of Knowledge" courses at Dos Pueblos High School. A Catholic law firm, The Thomas More Society, sent the school district a letter on May 9, 2023, demanding the work be removed from the course, claiming it was "illegal" and "bigotry."

"The 'Piss Christ' image is hate-speech which is intended to, and which actually does, cause devout Catholics to feel directly harassed and targeted," the letter read. "The image is meant to provoke a reaction, it is meant to be harassing. In that sense, it may be “art,” but teaching it is no different than asking students to personally step on a crucifix so that the class can then have a discussion about how engaging in blasphemy made them feel."

Results of Incident: Attorneys from the Thomas More Society announced their victory on June 7, 2023, sharing that the school district promised them "Piss Christ" would no longer be used in the "Theory of Knowledge" course moving forwards.

Source:
https://abc3340.com/news/nation-world/piss-christ-removed-from-california-school-curriculum-following-outrage-santa-barbara-unified-district-dos-pueblos-high-thomas-more-society-andres-serrano