Piss Christ

1987

Cibachrome, silicone, plexiglass, woodframe

152.4 x 101.6 cm (60 x 40 in.)

Andres Serrano's Piss Christ sparked outrage in the United States when it was exhibited in 1989. He immersed a crucifix he bought in an antique shop in his own urine. Up close, the crucifix takes on a monumental air, while the work’s dark, provocative mood evokes the end of an era. This work is part of Immersion, a series of photographs to which Black Supper also belongs.

Some Catholics consider Serrano’s work blasphemous. It was criticized and vandalized while on display in several American and European countries. Doesn't the repeated degradation of this work demonstrate art’s subversive power and ability to interact with society?

Piss Christ was presented for the first time by the Pinault Collection during the 2008 “Passage du temps” (“Passage of Time”) show at the Tri Postal in Lille.

Exhibitions
Andres Serrano's other artwork