Posted on 06/02/2015 10:33:11 AM PDT by Citizen Zed
One of the most controversial art works of the 1990s is going up for auction, and it could be yours – elephant dung and all – for around $2.3 million.
“The Holy Virgin Mary,” a 1996 painting by British artist Chris Ofili, created a firestorm of controversy when it was exhibited at the Brooklyn Museum of Art in 1999. The painting depicts a black Madonna figure baring one breast, which is made from lacquered elephant dung and surrounded by butterfly-like formations of female genitalia (a play on the term putti, a type of cherub depicted in religious art).
Many Catholics – in particular Rudolph Giuliani, who was mayor of New York at the time – objected to the painting. Giuliani even attempted to withdraw the $7 million grant the city had given the museum, but the museum’s management successfully sued, citing free speech rights.
The painting’s current owner, Australian pro gambler David Walsh, will sell it at a June 30 auction at Christie’s in London. And in case you’re doubtful that anyone would pay that much for a poop painting, the New York Times reports that one bidder has already guaranteed Christie’s a minimum price.
Liberals paying millions for poop. Big shock. /s
I guess I'm not an art aficionado.
How about a pig poop Mohammad?
"Free speech rights" to use taxpayer funds in violation of the establishment clause of the Constitution (cannot establish OR oppose a religious faith using government money).
We need to see some beheadings
Just have a pig dung painting of Mo-HAM-mad as a show of unilateral acceptance.
Can this artist be hired to do the official portrait of the poo poo president?
no but i certainly could be...... and Id do the work GRATIS!!!
The Poo Poo President..is right!
1. The title “The Holy Virgin Mary” indicates his hatred for Catholics, since he feels that “The Holy Virgin Mary” should be covered in dung.
2. The fact that anyone would pay 1 cent for this shows that the world is insane.
3. This is about “free speech rights” but drawings used as an excuse by savages to murder are “hate speech”.
4. The world is insane.
I remember the original controversy. Liberals were very upset that someone would try to profane a religious figure like that. They said it was a crime against tolerance and multiculturalism for an artist to mock Christianity and they denounced the artist for being an anti-Catholic bigot. One prominent Democrat even proclaimed, “There is no future for those who mock the Virgin Mary.” Oh, wait...
The article claims that the court wrongly determined it to be a “free speech” issue that the city HAD to fund this anti-Catholic/anti-Christian art.
Funny how during that same periods the courts said that taxpayer money could NOT be used to fund pro-Christian artworks.
The wee-wee piece was likewise taxpayer funded.
Something the AntiChristianLiberalsUnion ignored.
Of course. It is not a violation of anyone’s rights to force Christians to subsidize blasphemous “art” - that is what the First Amendment is all about! But these same progressives get very indignant whenever anyone says anything against Islam.
Must be a lot of filthy rich sickos out there.
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