'Piss Christ' photo to be shown at ICA

It's not often that people equate Jesus Christ and urine. But that's just what contemporary artist Andres Serrano did, in one of his most controversial works, entitled "Piss Christ". A mixed reaction is expected when Serrano appears Nov. 11 at the University's Institute of Contemporary Art to open a new exhibit dedicated to his career. The ICA calls Serrano "one of the most challenging and important artists today," but members of the Roman Catholic community feel the exhibit is troublesome. "Piss Christ" is a color photograph depicting a crucifix submerged in Serrano's urine. It is one of a series of Serrano's photographs that deal with religion and various body fluids -- including blood, urine, semen and milk. According to ICA Public Relations Coordinator Wendy Steinberg, the photograph is "very very beautiful -- actually kind of reverent." "If you didn't see the title, you probably wouldn't think much of it," she said. "You see the crucifix, but you might just think it's in this yellow murky background." But Newman Council President and College senior Jeremy Chiappetta said he takes offense at Serrano's work. "By submerging [the crucifix] in urine, he is defacing it, he is demeaning it," Chiappetta said last night. "He is taking away the value of the core of our religion and making a mockery of it." Still, Steinberg maintains that this is not Serrano's purpose. "It's absolutely not to offend or really even necessarily to provoke, but to incite an intellectual dialogue," she said. "He's dealing with racism, religion, physical and serial aspects of our bodies and putting them into a format that they usually aren't seen in." Other subjects that Serrano deals with in his more than 50 works include homeless people, members of the Ku Klux Klan and unidentified corpses. In 1989, Serrano's work came under fire nationally when Senator Jesse Helms (R-N.C.) criticized the National Endowment for the Arts for publicly funding Serrano's art. Chiappetta said he is disturbed that the artwork is being shown in a University-owned museum. "I would question whether the University would sanction an exhibit which would abash or debase the lesbian community or the gay community or the black community," he said. "They certainly wouldn't show an exhibit of a piss swastika on this campus." But Steinberg maintains that ICA is "not trying to provoke any kind of controversy" by displaying the exhibit. "We believe in free speech and we don't believe in censorship," she said. "We are putting the work out and people are welcome to come see it or not see it -- we absolutely stand by the fact that we are putting the work up and letting other people decide." Steinberg added, though, that the ICA will post a sign outside of the museum "to alert people that there may be some imagery that could be upsetting to them." The Serrano exhibit, which is the first display of his entire works in the United States, will run from November 12 until January 15. Admission is free to PENNcard holders.

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