This week’s discussion on antagonistic art practice, which exacerbates intentionally the idea of social tension, greatly caught my attention. Claire Bishop’s idea of seeking out trouble and confrontation, rather than avoiding it, immediately made me think of Piss Christ, a 1987 photograph by Andres Serrano. It depicts a small plastic crucifix submerged in a glass of the artist’s urine. However, when you first look at this photograph without knowing what it is truly submerged in, it instead appears as a golden, almost glowing constellation. The purpose of this piece was to draw attention to the commercialization and cheapening of Christian icons in contemporary culture. Thus, clearly Piss Christ is an example of antagonistic art practice, as the artist intentionally wanted to create a photograph that would elicit a reaction. Further, it is clear that an image of Christ in urine would not have a positive reaction from many, especially from the religious community, as this act is viewed as disrespectful.
