Controversial Artwork Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Controversial Artwork - Essay Example Chris Ofili’s Holy Virgin Mary caught national attention in 1999 when it was exhibited at the Brooklyn Museum of Art because it portrayed a queer image of a woman incorporating sexually explicit cutouts covered with elephant dung (http://www.your3dsource.com). The title and the artwork itself, enraged the roman Catholic church and political figures who have high regard of the virgin Mary so that the exhibit was put to a halt and petitions were made between the officials and museum, with the latter winning its rights for its opening as well as its funding. With the images included in the picture of a woman who cannot be acceptable as the Virgin Mary, it is considered defamation in the eyes of the religious people. The word ‘holy’ refers to one who is pure and clean, yet the painting mockingly portrayed its subject who was claimed as holy in its title, by surrounding it with things that symbolized filth like the elephant dung and images of buttocks. Art is indeed an expression of one’s self and expressing one’s self is a right to respect however, those who claim this right should also consider the rights of those whom they hurt because of their

Paul is an Artist of International Fame Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 7

Paul is an Artist of International Fame - Essay Example He will be with us in Houston, for two days. The conference venue is at Richmond.† On the conclusion of the first day of the seminar, at my insistence, Paul uncle gives a brief introduction about his art. â€Å"The sponsoring UNO agency has made all the arrangements for my boarding and lodging. I dislike the ambiance of staying in a 5 Star hotel. I eat simple home food. I live with my three children and we have an ancestral house in a two-acre plot in the suburbs of Port-au-Prince.† â€Å"My children are married, and we live as a joint family. My two sons are not interested in this vocation and the eldest one takes a limited interest in this art which is full of intricacies.† But in general, Paul gives lots of information on the copper-art and the present condition of art in Haiti. â€Å"Many traditional art-forms of Haiti are dying a slow death with no appreciation of genuine art and lack-luster approach of the Government authorities. Materialistic civilization has impacted life in all the segments of life. People have lost love for art. By pursuing this as art as a vocation, it is difficult to eke out a living†¦.my children are right perhaps to pursue alternative careers, where there is money. My second son has already migrated to Australia. † I visit him after 5 years. His house is on a hillock in the distant suburbs of Haiti. He has problems in recognizing me but with the mention of â€Å"Houston,† he embraces me. We speak a lot about Haiti art and his copper plates and pitchers in particular. He shows some of his centuries-old family collections of pitchers. When I tell him that â€Å"Traditional Art of Haiti† is one of the subjects that I teach at the college level, he is greatly fascinated.