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A CONTROVERSIAL ARTWORK that depicts Jesus Christ on a cross in a cup of urine will be displayed at an exhibition in Derry.
The photograph by US artist Andres Serrano is called Piss Christ and has been the subject of repeated controversy since it was first shown in 1987.
The 60×40 inch photograph was created after the crucifix was plunged into a glass of what Serrano says was his own urine.
The photograph will be displayed as part of the Torture exhibition at the Void Gallery which will also feature images depicting the Hooded Men who were tortured and interned during the Northern Ireland Troubles.
The new images for the exhibit were created by Serrano using more than 40 models who were subjected to a variety of interrogation techniques.
His Piss Christ photograph led to a congressional debate in the US in 1989 when politicians debated the merits of arts funding and artistic freedom.
The exhibition at the Void Gallery is the first time Serrano has put on a solo exhibition in Ireland.
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Always the soft target. I’d love to see a Piss Muhammed, see how that one goes down.
One of Muhammad would be racist, Islamophobic and bigoted. This one of another guy from the Middle East is edgy and challenging.
I’m not remotely religious, but surely the fact that Christians are less sensitive than Muslims and don’t resort to hysteria whenever their messiah is mocked should be a source of pride for them. Mormons didn’t get overtly offended at the Book of Mormon musical, in fact they used it to their advantage and advertised their religion at the show, maybe Christians should learn from that instead of babbling on about Mohammed.
A more unusual one would be Islamists attacking this because Jesus is a prophet in Islam yet christians don’t.
Christians don’t have time to get hysterical over things like this. All their hysteria is kept for things homosexuality and abortion.
@fiachra29: How do you know any of the commenters you refer to are Christians?
Perhaps the followers of Islam could learn to be as tolerant as Christians instead of issuing a fatwa to kill anyone who asks questions of Mohammad’s(peace be upon him) actions :P
As an agnostic pragmatist I reckon youse should all ignore the cup of piss and go live the short life we all have on this spinning rock in space.
Crazy thing fiachra is that jesus is a prophet in Islam too. It’s a perfect example of why their outrage and mindless hysteria is all cow poo.
Piss be upon him.
I don’t know for certain if any of the commenters are Christian Al, but seeing as they’re somewhat annoyed at this depiction of Jesus it would be logical to assume that a sizeable amount of them are Christian.
As for Muslims learning to be more tolerant, that would be great but it’s just not going to happen anytime soon the vast majority of Islamic countries are democratic wastelands. However as crude as this depiction is maybe Muslims can learn from this, if Christians don’t get offended at these depictions of their religion maybe Muslims might learn how to take a joke or two, maybe they might learn a bit more tolerance.
@James Odin: It’s a matter of art and freedom of expression. A work of art does not injure or pose a threat to anyone, so why not just ignore it if you don’t like it?
After all, the various religions of the world feel free to bombard us with their views and some even force others to accept them. Why can’t we who do not subscribe to their doctrines – and indeed even find them ridiculous – express our amusement in works of art, literature and even comments to the Journal?
To be honest, I don’t get the point of the Piss Jesus sculpture, but then others probably do. If a few Holy Joes and Holy Marys, many of whom wouldn’t be found dead in an art gallery, want to get their knickers in a twist over a work of art that makes fun of a figure who may not even have existed, so be it. The same goes for the Islamic nutters who riot and burn buildings because of a book that they probably couldn’t even read.
Sorry I couldn’t find a Piss Mohammed picture, but maybe this will do: http://iranpoliticsclub.net/cartoons/mohammed/images/Mohammed%20creating%20Quran_jpg.jpg
@James Odin:
one obvious difference is that Christians do not have a rule that bans the creation and use of Christ’s image.
I don’t understand why that is so difficult to understand.
Why would anyone want to see a cup of someone elses urine
How much is this worth because I need to give up my job!
Love to see him try that with Allah or Mohammed. Should be banned
Or imagine if it was a Menorahin a tank of urine, you’d probably end up in prison.
This is not art it is designed to cause offence
No artistic merit at all Just shows the artists sectarian hatred of Jesus
Will of course give him great kudos in the artistic community
James Odin one possibly exists & the only reason you won’t see it is because western media is too scared of the repercussions of showing it. The so called media were too afraid to show the Muhammed cartons because they feared reprisals.
I find a depiction of a human being tortured on a cross to be offensive but it’s everywhere in this country but I choose to ignore it.
We have all become too easily offended in this day and age. We are too quick to let it be known we are offended. Just get on with your own life and don’t worry about these things. As long as we can strive to be more accepting of different tastes and opinions and just look beyond them.
@NO 2 FF/FG/LAB: well said.
@stopit: Christians do have rules and not many follow them entirely……that said, Christians don’t face the death penalty for breaking church rules, a few ‘Hail Marys’, an ‘Our Father or maybe even a ‘Glory be’ and away you go clean into the world…..no lopping off hands, heads and other body bits like Islam.
I’m pretty shocked by the amount of people comparing us to how the Muslims would react as if it’s a bad thing that we allow these sorts of displays.
We should be PROUD of the fact that we don’t allow silly pictures like these to get on our nerves. It’s exactly this liberal attitude that makes the West a much nicer and more prosperous place to live than the Middle East.
To those suggesting it should be banned, you are backwards fools who belong in a Middle Eastern theocracy
Yeah like Muslims are living the whole homosexuality thing aren’t they
@James Odin:@James Odin: what does this mohammed chap look like anyway..
Al Ca what you just said proves you known nothing about Christianity.Hail Mary???? Where did you get that rubbish from.I suggest you to go and do proper homework Catholics are not Christians and Christians are not Catholics but you as mr knowing everything should know it shouldn’t you?
@James Odin:
Christians will not react violently to this provocation, because they are better than that.
Muslims themselves know, deep down, that there is something seriously wrong with Islam, and this causes them to have a major ‘chip on their shoulder’,
So, they become violent at the drop of a hat when someone knocks off that ‘chip’ by simply telling the historically correct truth about Muhammad, Islam etc…
Muhammad murdered, raped and looted his way across the Middle-East, and yet they are religiously required to follow his example in all things ( insan al khemi.)
The resulting collective cognitive dissonance leads to mass instability in Islamic countries and unrest, violence and hate wherever they form significant communities in Western countries.
@Rein White: Christians are those who believe in Jesus Christ as the Son of God and encompass many sects. Catholics are a sect of Christianity led by the pope in Rome and following the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church.
So Rein…yes, they are indeed Christian.
http://catholicbridge.com/catholic/are_catholics_christian.php
@fiachra29: What and lose a perfectly good excuse for slaughtering infidels? , not in a million years, too much to be gained in the quest to spread sharia. No word on this matter from The Council of Ireland in Clonskeagh, after-all it breaks the blasphemy law they hold so dear and which we are not allowed to challenge in our own country thanks to Enda Kenny’s lack of b@llls. Still we can have younger Presidents now instead.
Al Ca you being foolish,don’t send me links to prove you are right.Im Christian proudly and we Christians do not worship Hail Mary,we don’t pray to her as you claimed.Bible is clear who we should worship and Christians follow bible not pope
And because Aligator Salamander threatened to use the full rigour of our own blasphemy laws against anyone who did reproduce them, aside from this others would have beheaded you where they found you and they will find you.
@Rein White: Seriously….I just gave you the standard definition of a Christian from the dictionary and you disagree….lol.
I speak of ‘Hail Mary’s’ from my own experience of a Christian sect as a young child….the Catholic religion.
So…just stop, your getting embarrassing now, with you hate of the Catholic church.
BTW, I don’t believe in God….I grew up.
A new meaning for piss artist.
I’m offended. .need to cut someone’s head off ..oh wait…
@Steven Cee: I am offended that someone could put a value on this rubbish and that people are gullible enough to want to see it.
@chris Kirk. So because you’re offended, nobody else should see it. Grow up.
Just went to comment the same thing.Allah in piss would be revoked immediately
Imagine a guerrilla artist putting up an image of mohammed in that gallery made out of the piss of women and various minorities. Someone could take a pic of it and maybe it would go viral across social media. I wouldn’t possibly encourage it though of course…
@Conor Daly: I’m imagining Bishop Brennan storming this “art” exhibition with a massive cloak
His piss is a worrying colour should probably get that checked
Ha ha! Love it! Must check it out when it’s on display here.
I’d be more worried about the “artists” health with piss that colour.
Like a pint of carling. Hack of it
Why the fùçk would you even do that.
@John: to piss people off… i’ll get my coat
John it’s called “art” so almost any sh(te goes, so long as it mocks “western values” the chattering classes will lap it up (and pay a fortune for any old tat like that)
@Bill Madden: In my opinion it actually perfectly epitomises Western values. Free speech and religious freedom. All ideas open to criticism.
A stark contrast to the Middle East where images like this would cause primitive rage-filled burning of embassies and calls for beheadings.
@Carl Nolan: Its not an attack on Christ. Its an attack on the commercialisation of Christianity.
Easy target ..it’ll only be the bearded hip waaankers who will go to this rubbish anyway
@simon: I’d say this would totally put them off their fosters… I mean “craft beer”
He needs to drink more water.
Isn’t it amazing how the Catholic/Protestant followers didn’t go so nuts as to storm this lad’s studio and massacre everyone in it unlike the a$$holes who forced their way into the Charlie Hebdo offices and assassinated many?
@Miriam: There are Christians that beat up people for not believing the same shit they do, Then they brag about it and get cheered for it online. That’s for not being like them, Not for insulting them. And this is not me saying leave the muslims alone, They are all equally deluded and idiotic.
The Christian religions have a long history of murder and torture for blasphemy. Just because they changed doesn’t excuse the same mentality existed when they had more control. Now the Christians religions just choose their battles depending on the country. You don’t hear them going on about the evils of contraception here yet they do in Africa. A continent that has a major AIDs problem where it would save lives.
@Miriam: Well they sent him death threats and have destroyed copies of the photo so they’re not really a whole lot better.
@Eucrid @Rob Cahill and @ Kal Ipers The difference between France and the African countries that are more radical than “christians” here is that France is a modern society and has moved on from the Middle Ages, so a country like France should not have to endure such despicable acts of violence and cowardice. People from all walks of life receive death threats all the time, so I wouldn’t be taking his or the destruction of a photograph too seriously. My point is that religion is nuts and the sooner people realise it, the better.
@Miriam McAviney: “so a country like France should not have to endure such despicable acts of violence and cowardice”
They should be used to it at this stage, Look up the Huguenots and see what the good auld Catholics got up to with them.
Miriam> Did you ever question why countries are “stuck” in the middle ages? If you are going to talk about despicable acts, sending and unmanned craft to destroy buildings with civilians and no risk to yourself is up there. Drone strikes should be outlawed and classed as a war crime.
@Kal Ipers: spot on Kal. Every country that moves towards womens rights, secularism, etc in the Middle East gets bombed back to the middle ages by the West.
That’s my point, France (and the like) has moved on from the Middle Ages when the Christians were ransacking places left, right and centre in the name of religion – it’s no longer happening. People who act violently in the name of religion are living in Middle Ages……that is all I’m saying. This shit shouldn’t be happening in this day and age..
What if… Muhammad?
@George Brown: Not likely, he married a 9 year old and preached in favor of killing non believers, he was edgy bro
@Myk_Oval_Balls_nRyt: Actually, he married a 7-year-old, but he didn’t rape her until she was 9.
Mary was only 13 and basically like an alter boy in a church when she miraculously became pregnant. The church elders then convinced an elderly widow to marry her so she wouldn’t be killed. Catholic Church like to brush over that too
Can’t wait to see Piss Muhammad in a cup
He must have one sad empty degenerate life. If this was done against anyone but Christians it would be classed as a hate crime. Typical degenerate left double standards. Cultural marxism at its finest.
I’ve a feeling liveline will get in a twist over this one
Cowardly controversial I’d call it. If he wanted to make a real name for himself pick on Mohammad- he could die for his art and be immortalised.
@Permo Dermo: Hmm, maybe he doesn’t want to be killed by primitive lunatics?
It’s shock(I need attention) art. It works along the same lines as sensationalistic journalism.
There is an Arab gentleman living near us. He still has some problems with English pronunciation and I am always amused when he tells me that Islam is a “relishon of piss” —
This is and was hugely at the time one of the most controversial art pieces ever, so you know, not like there was no reaction.
@Cha Cahill: but what if it was Muhammed. Then maybe there would have been death threats made towards Serrano or people might have tried to ruin his art because they hated it and didn’t understand it. Those good ‘ol Christians would never do that though right?
Why are comments closed for the story about a boy gang raped in a Greek migrant camp?
@Ian O Connell: probably something to do with maybe DOB?
Nonsense the religion of peace would never resort to such acts!
The exhibition is about torture and crucifixion is right up there among methods employed but why anyone would choose to immerse a crucifix in their own urine is, well, beyond strange but then I wonder too at the people who will attend the exhibition, why would anyone go to view the torture and suffering of another human being,paying homage to man’s inhumanity to man.
@Honeybee: BDSM fans – but all in name of culture
@Austin Rock: I think though Austin, that people who engage in BDSM do so willingly, I hardly think the victims of torture are in the same category, makes you wonder all the same.
So this is what they call art these days? OOOOKKKKK.
How is pissing in a cup with Jesus in it art? Christ. I wonder will any pissed of christian attack the exhibition…
Apart from the content the headline is most misleading – this is a British exhibition not Irish as it’s in Derry.
Give me a nice painting to look at any day ! the art world is certainly ” diverse/ bat shit crazy”.
It is a well known fact that Andres Serrano maybe too Mean to . . . . Pee, and there is a strong suspicion that this liquid immersed Crusifix is enjoying it’s Barry’s or Lyons tea.
“Sure, didn’t the Lord himself pause for a nice cup of tea before giving himself up for the world.”
How appropriate… The VOID gallery..!!! Look up ta definition of void!!!
Void gallery. In nursing void means to pass urine
it’s not a patch on sh()t satan
Thats taking the piss to a new low!
Very controversial ZZZZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzz
This kind of reminds me of the local politician speaking at the opening of an arts festival in, I think, County Cavan twenty or thirty years ago. He said: “Art is like a laxative. It can be bitter or it can be sweet, but it must always be moving…”
Piss Jesus is certainly a work of art that fulfills this criterion: the usual suspects with no sense of the ridiculous must be crapping themselves.
That is what the KKK say about their marches Anyone who takes offence is just being ridiculous
They have a right to offend people
@John003: No sensible person could possibly be offended by inbred redneck racists prancing around in white robes and conical hats, making idiots of themselves and giving everyone a good laugh. It’s the other stuff they do that I find offensive.
That man clearly needs to drink more water.
Muhammad in feces. What could possibly go wrong!
If his urine is that colour he’s got hydration issues!
But…but…but we have blasphemy laws! I want someone beheaded for this!
I’d like to see him turn that into wine.
It’s the fools that go to see a piss artist that puts money in their pockets.
Say I urinated into a glass and put a Muslim effigy in to it and put it on display.. I would be a racist and suffering from xenophobia… and possibly get charged for it’ the wotld is gone politically correct crazy leaning one side only…. it should not be allowed.. it’s offensive to Christian’s….
@Jay Murphy:@Jay Murphy: No it’s not. Christians dont have as one of its religious tenants not to create images of Jesus. So, it’s not even close to being the same thing although it may appear to be to folks who
@Jay Murphy:@Jay Murphy: No it’s not. Christians dont have as one of its religious tenants not to create images of Jesus. So, it’s not even close to being the same thing although it may appear to be.
Looks like the artist is sponsored by berocca
The Void Gallery….. In nursing void means to pass urine!!!
This guy takes the piss….
The whole point of the work, is that Christian icons have become so cheapened and commercialised, that an artist can now place one in a jar of piss, which equals omgs, blasphemy, etc etc for people to realise this. Stop jumping to silly conclusions.
Feckin’ hell I thought that was Enda Kenny in the torture pic there for a second
That is not art, it is controversy to be noticed like a crying baby?
Is it Lyons pee or Barry’s pee or even Barry Lyons pee lol.
Depictions of Irishmen being tortured is not art.
Easy target as he knows no one will protest about it
have your say