Chocolate Crucifix Controversy

Artist Cosimo Cavalarro created this life-sized, extremely realistic sculpture of the crucified Christ out of -- get this -- chocolate. It is part of an exhibit that is slated to open on Monday at the Roger Smith Lab Gallery in downtown Manhattan. However, the sculpture has offended some (no, really? Art offends people?) The Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights is calling for a boycott of a hotel that accompanies the gallery, and has written to over 500 religious and civil organizations to participate in the boycott.

Offensive or not, I think the sculpture is amazing. I mean, look at that detail! After reading the CNN coverage of the controversy, it sounds like most of the people in the offended camp are upset at the nudity, not so much the medium. If that's the case, then what's up with that? It's not shown in a sexual way, and wasn't Jesus stripped of all his clothing when he was crucified? It kind of brings to light the nastiness of that sort of execution, and the humiliation of his ordeal, if you ask me. It was not a pretty, Renaissance painting scenario. To prettify it kind of takes away the agony and humiliation of public execution, and the cruelty of those performing the deed.

And the medium? Chocolate kind of makes sense for Easter, and then if you think about the communion wafer being consumed as the body of Christ, it's kind of interesting to think about an entire life-sized, intricate representation of Christ made from something consumabale (and enjoyable!)

It will be interesting to see if the show opens on Monday, as planned, or not. I am not personally offended by the piece, but I am also an artist, so I am looking through an artist's eyes. I can see how some would probably be offended, though.

Apocalypse Exhibit Reception

I've already seen the exhibit. It's just a small exhibit, taking up the back corner of the Annex Gallery, but what it lacks in size it makes up for in creativity! From Mark Wolfe's cartoon-like demon paintings to Amy Williams' "Four Owls of the Apocalypse" to Charley Hamilton's "Charleston at the Apocolypse," this is definitely an interesting collection of works.

Artist Chris Jordan

Cans Seurat, 2007
60x92" archival inkjet print

Artist Chris Jordan created this version of Seurat's masterpiece using 106,000 aluminum cans, the amount of cans used in the United States every thirty seconds. (Thirty seconds!!! Can you imagine?!?!?)

detail:

This is from a series of works created by Jordan called "Running the Numbers: an American Self-Portrait," in which the artist illustrates the unbelievable numbers behind the statistics of life in America.

The rest of Chris Jordan's website is worth a look, too!

Doug Aitken MOMA exhibit trailer

From MOMA: Artist Doug Aitken transforms midtown Manhattan with seven monumental projections on the exterior facades of The Museum of Modern Art. Actors Donald Sutherland and Tilda Swinton, musicians Seu Jorge and Cat Power, and actor/street drummer Ryan Donowho star in the interlocking vignettes, visible from the street. sleepwalkers leads viewers on a journey through the city fabric, from an abandoned subway tunnel to the neon lights of Times Square. January 16-February 12 Nightly 5-10 p.m. Free

Painting Everyday

Brooklyn artist Nathan Bond has a blog, and every day posts images of paintings he's working on. His oil still-lifes are like icons of everyday living, although he has some awesome figurative pieces like the example I chose for this blog. The guy is mega-prolific with the paintings, but quantity does not sacrifice quality -- his works are nice! You can purchase them on Ebay, or just enjoy them from your desktop.

Hmmm... I think I'm going to add this to my blogroll.

William Wray

A William Wray (yes, THAT William Wray, of Ren and Stimpy fame) exhibit is set to open December 9th. It's in San Luis Obispo, so I'm guessing I won't make it, but damn... I love his work! It reminds me a lot of a grittier version of WV artist Stanley Sporny's cityscapes.



Thanks to Boingboing! for the info.