GUEST COLUMN: "Challenge vs. Insult - Piss Christ and the University

and Jeremy Chiappetta On November 11 the University's Institute of Contemporary Art will open an exhibit of the works of Andres Serrano, "a series of ... photographs that deal with religion and various bodily fluids -- including blood, urine, semen and milk" ("'Piss Christ' photo to be shown at ICA" DP, 26 October 1994). For example, Piss Christ, perhaps the most well-known of Serrano's pieces, features a crucifix immersed in a jar of urine. Wendy Steinberg, the ICA's Public Relations Coordinator, has called this photograph "very, very beautiful -- actually kind of reverent" and contends that the exhibit is "absolutely not [intended] to offend or even necessarily to provoke, but to incite an intellectual dialogue". Representations of the crucified Christ are certainly common in Western art. Initially invoked by Christianity's detractors to denigrate the new religion, the figure was eventually adopted by the Christians themselves, who turned an expression of hate into a symbol of faith. Portrayals of Christ on the cross have varied widely, from the triumphant Savior of the eighth-century frescoes in the church of S. Maria Antica in Rome, to the suffering Jesus of El Greco, to the White Crucifixion of Marc Chagall, which juxtaposes the death of Christ (dressed in Jewish garb) with the persecution of the Jews. For the most part, the impetus behind these works is faith in the redemptive power of Christ's death and resurrection, and the desire to glorify that event and encourage reflection on its nature. Art is part of the theological discourse of the Roman Catholic tradition -- as the Catholic understanding of the crucifixion deepens, representations of Christ crucified change accordingly. The centrality of Christ's death to the Catholic faith is reflected in the crucifixion's prominent position in liturgical art. Since 1570, for example, every Catholic church has been required to display a crucifix near the altar. Thus Serrano's work offends many Catholics, who see the Piss Christ as sacrilegious, trivializing and insulting not only the symbol, but also the reality of God's love for humanity. Behind this reaction lies a devotional tradition of fifteen centuries' standing, a tradition central to this community's identity. Yet as heirs to the scholars who founded the university system, many Catholics also value intellectual inquiry and debate, even when it explores painful issues. According to the nineteenth-century theologian John Henry Newman, a university should be "an assemblage of learned men, zealous for their own sciences, and rivals of each other ... brought, by familiar intercourse and for the sake of intellectual peace, to adjust together the claims and relations of their respective subjects of investigation". In this instance, it is extremely disappointing that the University has not taken steps to address the anguish experienced by many students, faculty, and staff when confronted with Serrano's works. These people feel that by sponsoring the exhibit, the University has turned on them, joined Serrano in spitting upon their faith. It is difficult to understand why the administration, whose response to the appearance of swastikas in the Grad Towers -- an incident for which they bore no responsibility -- was swift, decisive, and supportive, has not shown similar respect for sensibilities outraged by an exhibit which was brought here with University approval. Surely the ICA could not have been unaware of the reaction the Piss Christ would produce. We have, after all, been down this path before. Four years ago, when Serrano was invited to speak as part of the Graduate School of Fine Arts Student Lecture series, various members of the Penn community expressed sentiments ranging from discomfort to anger with the content of his works, as the editorial page of The Daily Pennsylvanian of that time attests. In her inaugural address, President Judith Rodin advocated freedom of expression, uncompromising integrity, and mutual respect as the fundamental principles leading the Penn community into the twenty-first century. "These principles must guide us, unify us and safeguard our community," she stated. "Upholding them is our common responsibility. Any threatened breach of these protective barriers must be rebuffed. There will be no higher priority for this university's leadership". Less than a month after President Rodin spoke these words, however, her administration has disappointed a large portion of the University community by failing to respond constructively to its concerns. If the University of Pennsylvania is truly committed to creating an environment in which people can engage in rational dialogue on sensitive issues, then it cannot ignore the religious and cultural sensitivities of any of its members. Elizabeth Broadwell is a graduate student from Philadelphia and Vice-Chair of the Newman Council. Jeremy Chiappetta is a College senior from Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania and President of the Newman Council.

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