When Artists Take the Piss Out of Christ, It's Complicated

THE HUFFINGTON POST
By Anna Marks

Pietà (The Empire Never Ended by Paul Fryer. Image courtesy the artist

For many artists, depicting Christ is not only an artistic challenge, but also a theological and political one, producing provocative results that question religion's validity and the politics ascribed to it. Although controversial, these artists remind us that religious beliefs and opinions are idiosyncratic concepts, and in our Western world it is freely up to the individual to decide both what they would like to depict, and what they'll debate. Similarly to traditional Christian art, contemporary art has enabled us to recognize societal transformations over time. [link]

Jesus the Hunter by Michele Castagnetti. Image courtesy the artist.