Father forgive me for what I am about to do... yet another story that I have to admit getting from the FOXNews website... Amen
Some call it art. Other call it blasphemy. A new piece of art showing Senator Barack Obama as Jesus Christ is now on display at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. - FoxNews Chicago 4/2/2007
I don't think this story has had quite enough time yet to piss anyone off (did ya catch my subtle reference to the "Piss Christ" artwork from a few years back? Yeah, I am that kinda person). I feel the work is pretty dead-on for contemporary issues, simply because the country is putting a lot of pressure on one man to act as savior. I personally like Obama. When you think about your options being the regular batch of career politicians such as: Hilary, Edwards or McCain... Obama and his "newness" to the Senate look pretty sensible.
Now I realize that there will be plenty of middle-America knee-jerk reactions to anything that comes out of an art school... or someone recreating the image of Christ as a politician... or recreating the image of Christ as a black politician... or recreating the image of Christ as a black politician endorsed by Oprah. But c'mon people open your eyes and see the work for what it is: caricature.
Caricature of the idealized man. Caricature of the "we need a savior" mentality. Caricature of the expectations being placed on this lowly politician by the media machine. Caricature (mixed with a tad bit of celebration) of the fact that the artist created this work of a "religious figure" and he doesn't have to fear for his life. Life in this world has such potential for beauty, no one should have to fear retribution for living outside the socially-accepted religious norm, censorship is only good for the censors... try to cut the head off that idea. - DN
1 comment:
Now this I can respect. I don't see it as trying to piss people off (which I usually see as a waste of art materials) but rather a playful joke about Obama. I completely agree, even if I don't hold Obama in as high regard as you do (I will most likely vote for him, though, if Gulianni does not get the GOP candidacy) As a republican, I thought it would be funnier to actually see gulianni's face on it simply because he is the last hope of the republicans, while Obama has much larger chance due to the renewed trust in the Democrats, but overall yes I do enjoy the statue.
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