Nora S. Reyes

Photographic Research

Photography: Basic

Instructor: Julie Ledet

Fall 2013

Piss Christ

Andres Serrano

Andres Serrano is a very controversial artist. He stages photographs that usually leave people talking about them and questioning whether or not what he does is art. This particular photograph is of a man posing as Christ on a crucifix. The controversy arises when people read the title. The title is a reference to the medium he used. He put the wooden model of Christ in a clear jar of urine and photographed it.

Andres Serrano’s Piss Christ evokes the same kind of popular religiosity Andy Warhol paid homage to in his Last Supper series, another artistic highlight of the 80s, and just as Warhol was a sincere Catholic, Serrano created a vivid and intense baroque image of the passion.

The suffering of Christ is seen through a glass, darkly  or in this case shines through yellow urine, glowing uncannily within the stinking detritus of the body.

There's something in this powerful work of art for everyone. Atheists can savor its insult, Christians can meditate on the victory of the spirit in the humiliation of the flesh. Meanwhile, the easily provoked will never fail to have their anger aroused by a work of art that is spoiling for a fight.

I believe that Piss Christ it’s a controversial artwork, because for decades the Christ image has been used for devotion in all the world, and Serrano’s piece does the opposite to devotion or respect. The first time I saw this piece I thought  the yellow and red tones were colored lens but after I read it was artist urine, my perspective change. I believe the materials Serrano used have more power than the picture as itself. The controversy it is more about the crucifix inside the artist urine, than the composition or color in the overall picture.  

The fact is that this work continues to draw controversy on both sides of the political, social and religious aisles unfortunately overshadows the artist's intention, which is to engage the viewer on both a visual and intellectual level.