Art & Censorship: Walking Through the Passage of Bizarre & Banned Art

Through the pages of history, art and artists have been targeted time and again. They have faced the wrath of the community, critics, skeptics on account of blasphemy, challenging doctrines, and toppling the political power algorithms. It has always been a bumpy road for art to flourish, to conquer, and to establish the truth through the seeker’s eyes. Several artistic creations were censored, banned, and silenced on purpose. Still, art survived through the passage of time. It was a constant effort to stay afloat with the rising tides of prohibitions & restrictions, to express an artist’s intent to the world at large. This blog tries to figure out some of the striking creations & spine-chilling bizarre arts that are tagged as controversial art, forbidden for scandalous repute or challenging the dogma.

Let's dig out some awe-inspiring tales and truth behind the artworks that have stirred controversy:

The Guitar Lesson

Michelangelo's David (The Statue of Contention) 

There is no doubt about the stature and the excellence of Michelangelo Buonarroti’s David as a marvelous sculpture. The statue is an icon of the most inspiring era of the Italian Renaissance. Standing tall & erect at 5.17 meters, it evokes aura and admiration for the classic antiquity built in 1504 AD. For centuries, the statue has inspired the students of history and anatomy to study the intricate work of the robust figure, the steady hand, and the standing posture created by the master of a bygone era. Still, the stark nudity of the eternal masterpiece has created much controversy in recent times.

One of the schools in Florida has had an embarrassing episode with the study of the statue of David. The statue was shown in front of sixth standard art history students without the knowledge of their parents. And, it  turned out to be a scandalous venture! The principal was expelled for showing some sort of ‘pornographic’ content relating to the stark nudity of the iconic statue to the students! The school board found it offensive, as parents were not happy with the whole incident, who enrolled their children to ensure that they stay within the confines of the established canons. 

David | Michelangelo Buonarroti

Le Dejeuner sur L'Herbe (The Luncheon on the Grass) by Édouard Manet 

The 1863 painting of ‘Le Dejeuner sur L’herbe’ by Manet is another example of rejection for controversial content. It was repelled and highly criticized for the improper and obscene display of the nude Nymph by the Paris Salon (the prestigious art event) when it was exhibited in the Salon des Refusés. The work by Manet is no less a pivotal work of the transitive phase from realism to expressionism, making it one of the remarkable creations in Western art history. However, showing a naked female figure seated with clothed men created a stir amongst the intellectuals & aristocrats in France back then. 

The exhibition at the Salon des Refusés did not turn out well, as there was critical scrutiny of the composition, questioning the intention behind Manet’s blasphemous art. It challenged the morality of the certain epoch, demeaning artistic conventions with the outward showcase of obscenity. It showed the contemporary divergence of art from the conservative to the modern climate of 19th-century France. While looking into the backdrop of such a controversial creation, seen from the perspective of art history and socio-political change, it will always be regarded as a bold and innovative stance of Manet. It represents the ethos of that time and the inclinations of a remarkable artist.

The Luncheon on the Grass | Édouard Manet

Andres Serrano’s 'Piss Christ': Decipher the Mystery Behind the Queer Photograph 

‘Piss Christ’ is a controversial artwork by Andres Serrano, where the crucifix is seen deeply flooded by urine and bodily fluids. It is very disturbing for an artwork to showcase that much distasteful content for the holy Christian icon and the worldwide symbol of peace and sanctity! The blasphemous photographic image of the late 1980s made an uneasy call & public disagreement by the Christian religious groups and authorities, leading to the ultimate question of art and sponsorship to a great extent. The artist Andres Serrano is known for his confrontational works on corpses and bodily fluids of the human dead bodies. The work instantly sets the viewer on an uncomfortable plane where the crucifix is seen submerged in a glass container full of urine. The image is hazy and not clearly seen because of the runny fluid. Though the desecration has sparked a cultural war from the late 1980s till the 1990s, the art was partially sponsored by the NEA (National Endowment for the Arts). After its exhibition in 1989, the government funding for the NEA was compromised largely as the senators were dissatisfied!

In spite of the controversy Andre Serrano's artwork remains an unstoppable one blurring the fine line that exists between art and artistic freedom, artists’ views and sacrilege. What he was trying to portray was the suffering and extreme physical torture of a man who was crucified, and was still waiting for his death with all his bodily fluids coming out and covering the whole image. The forbidden art of ‘Piss Christ’ was, in that sense, quite literal and close to having offended the critics and the viewers at large.

Piss Christ | Andres Serrano

Portraits of Mao Tse Tung by Andy Warhol

Portraits of Mao Tse Tung as created by Andy Warhol, the contemporary artist of the twentieth century, were targeted for irreverence and disrespect, long after his death. The artwork was censored and faced rigorous criticism in 2012, when it was showcased in the Andy Warhol '15 Minutes Eternal Exhibition,' - a retrospective on his 25th death anniversary. The show organizers and the authority of the museum were held responsible for the inappropriate portrayal of the famous Chinese leader Mao Tse Tung, as depicted ironically in a series of 10 paintings made in synthetic polymer paint and ink. The repetitions were stark, and the use of different colors and inks hinted at some amount of irreverence from the artist’s end. That is why the Mao series was asked to be taken away from the display zone, where other works of Andy Warhol, like ‘Portraits of Marilyn Monroe’ and ‘Campbell Soup Tins,’ were being displayed.

Warhol was probably hinting at contemporary culture and the hero worship of eminent political figures like Mao Tse Tung. The banned art aroused many questions, like whether the merger of art, cultural icons, and politics is legitimate or not! Though not shown at the retrospective show, there were knockoff copies of Mao being sold at the Chinese markets. 

Portraits of Mao Tse Tung | Andy Warhol

‘Self’ by Marc Quinn, The Bizarre ‘Head’ of the Artist, 1991

One of the most bizarre artworks in recent times is most probably the self-study (study of head) by Marc Quinn, the young British artist. The casting of the skull is done with traces of his own blood - disturbing and hard to stomach! The sculpture, absorbed in frozen silicone, is refrigerated and kept at a minimum temperature to make it stay longer. It is an eerie and peculiar showcase of a curious artist who loves to experiment with queer human forms. In his creation he tries to challenge the contemporary approach to physical representations through props that are stark and bizarre. The provocative artwork has stirred many controversies, like whether Marc Quinn was trying to walk on the modern route of provocative art and what actually leads to controversies in art!

However disturbing or termed as macabre or the art of the dead, it is appreciated by a share of the art fraternity! The most eerie fact is that Marc pours his blood in the cast of the head every five years to see the cumulative changes over time, stepping into the disturbing zones of mortality and his own identity. 

Marc Quinn | Self Image | 2011

Ban of Artworks in Nazi Germany during World War

During the Holocaust in Nazi Europe, many artworks of Pablo Picasso, Wassily Kandinsky, etc. were renegaded as ‘derogatory’ art and condemned severely in the quest for 'Pure Aryan Culture.' Most of them were severely condemned and destroyed, and the artists were punished for breaking the conformed rules of expression.

'Stormtroops Advancing Under Gas' | etching and aquatint | Otto Dix 1924

Censorship and Propaganda in the Soviet Union

In the Soviet Union, censorship for art & retaliation was much more common in the socialist regime. As the socialist realism was the norm and dictate of the state, anything vilifying the official norms and standard would face the wrath of the authorities. Art and literature were targeted the most, as any sort of art that did not comply with the standards and ideals of the state machinery was repelled and the voice was stifled. The artists were either persecuted or exiled or had to face the worst aftermaths.

How the Issue of Censorship and Contemporary Art is Handled Today in the Age of Globalization?

For centuries, banning artworks has sparked debates to validate the freedom of expression of an artist. Art breeds amidst challenges, and in contemporary times, in spite of having all the access to information and interconnectedness, some artistic expressions are put to test. Ban, censorship and compliance still stifle the voice of expressions. The issues of nudity, gender & sexuality, as well as religious and political indoctrinations trigger disagreements & censorship issues, tagging out-of-the-box artworks as forbidden in different parts of the world.

Most of the time, critics mark the fine line between dissent and creativity while banning showcases of artworks to protect the social sanctity and national ethos. But without divergence or adapting to changing times, art cannot thrive! Bans, in that sense, have immortalized some works of art, triggering some uneasy questions of art ethics and conformity. The art of resistance has always roped in more viewers and raised a few more brows. Good enough, it has paved the way for open discourses to ensure art goes on creating more spaces for bizarre human expression and experiences.

The Apotheosis of War | Vasily Vereshchagin

“It’s about people’s ability to associate the art with the artist. We’re not clones. We’re supposed to disagree. That’s what a pluralistic society does. But what we’re not supposed to do is dispose of each other because we disagree.”

• Erin Moriarty, CBS News