Andres the Giant

Artist Andres Serrano has mad respect for Pablo Picasso. Not only did the father of cubism influence the notorious photographer’s early works, one of Picasso’s more famous quotes (“Art is dangerous. Where it is chaste, it is not art.”) has seemingly been the hallmark of Serrano’s career. Because, believe us,...

By Jose Gonzalez

April 7, 2011

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Artist Andres Serrano has mad respect for Pablo Picasso. Not only did the father of cubism influence the notorious photographer’s early works, one of Picasso’s more famous quotes (“Art is dangerous. Where it is chaste, it is not art.”) has seemingly been the hallmark of Serrano’s career.

Because, believe us, his works have been anything but chaste.

In 1987, his infamous photo Piss Christ depicting a crucifix submerged in urine caused a massive hullabaloo in both the art and political world. Some saw it as commentary on the commercialization of Christianity, while others (including the late Senator Jesse Helms) considered it a blasphemous and profane.

It wasn’t the artist’s only foray into either the controversial or scatological, as his career also includes the Blood and Semen series and 2008’s Shit exhibition of feces-laden photography.

Serrano will discuss his offensive oeuvre in detail with internationally-known artist (and Phoenix College and ASU alum) Eric Fischl on Wednesday, April 16, at Phoenix Art Museum, 1625 North Central Avenue. The free lecture, a part of Fischl’s annual interview series with prominent artists from around the world, starts at 7 p.m.

Wed., April 13, 7 p.m., 2011

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