Chapter 1: Blood and Beauty

Contemporary Artists whose work uses blood, violence, or body fluids

• Andres Serrano (b. 1950)

  Andres Serrano, "The Unknown Christ"
  Andres Serrano (brief reference page)
  "The Morgue Series" (one illustration)
  Comments on Andres Serrano by Members of the United States Senate
  IMPORTANT AND SHOULD BE READ BY ALL.
  For other images discussed in class ("Piss Christ", "Heaven and Hell"), see Lucy Lippard, Art in America article, April 1990

• Chris Ofili (b. 1968)

  
  "The Holy Virgin Mary"; or see it here. By CAROL VOGEL Interview with a portrait of the artist; describes his response to the controversy that erupted about his painting when it was shown in Brooklyn in Fall, 1999. Also reproduces the "Virgin Mary" (small).
  Chris Ofili, from Wikipedia
  Man in the Middle: Chris Ofili Africanizes an Icon Rudy's Brooklyn Rampage, by Jerry Saltz
  Chris Ofili profile Chris Ofili's work examines issues of black culture, imagery and sexual stereotyping (BBC News)
  Elephant dung artist scoops up Turner Prize
  Ofili's work defaced in Australia

• Robert Mapplethorpe

  
  Reference Page, Art in Context (includes Exhibitions list and References pages)
  Mapplethorpe, Entry in Directory of Notable Photographers, with links (warning: watch where the links might lead you on this topic, you probably should not pursue these, for example, from a computer at work, or if you are at home around young children)--Mapplethorpe's work was frankly into gay S&M.
  Ken and Tyler, a fairly chaste, ballet-like photo of two nude males in profile (nothing full frontal), Guggenheim Museum
  Mapplethorpe Book Provokes Academic Freedom Dispute (England)
  For other images discussed in class, see images in Arthur Danto's book on Mapplethorpe.

• Hermann Nitsch

  Hermann Nitsch Home Page

• Diamanda Galás

  
  (Are you ready for this?) Diamanda Galas.com
  Diamanda Galas, Malediction and Prayer
  Album Website. "...her formidable voice rises to its full power and rattles the walls with its reverberating echoes. "My voice," she said in 1988, "was given to me as an instrument of inspiration for my friends, and a tool of torture and destruction to my enemies. An instrument of truth." With its much-touted three and a half octave range, Galás's voice is the most powerful weapon in her self-designed musical armoury."

• Orlan

  Orlan (French Artist Website)
  Orlan, French gallery website with striking images and text (in French)
  Orlan, from Wikipedia

• Damien Hirst (born 1965)

  Initial Introduction to First New York Exhibition, 1996 (brief)
  Away from the Flock (dead lamb in a vitrine)
  Some Comfort Gained from the Acceptance of the Inherent Lies in Everything 1996 (Warning: Sliced cow in formaldehyde.) Other images viewable at this site.
  Damien Hirst, from Wikipedia

Background

• An Important Art Historical Predecessor:Francisco de Goya (1746-1828)

  Art History & Biography

  Goya Tour, National Gallery of Art (USA) (Brief with a few illustrations and some art historical context)
  Mark Harden's "Artchive" (Extensive images and information, including many good links)
  The Nude Maja Very seductive indeed... Got Goya into trouble with the Inquisition.
  Clothed Maja Same beautiful woman, fully clothed this time.

  The more disturbing works
  The "Black Paintings" with simulated room arrangement. The entire room is overwhelming.
  Witches Sabbath
  The Executions of of the Third of May, 1808
  Saturn Devouring His Son
  Los Desastres de la guerra, Pomona College
  This is Worse WARNING: This is a very gruesome, disturbing image of something from the war. If you are a sensitive viewer, do not look.
  The Sleep of Reason Produces Monsters (Very nightmarish image)
  The Giant The Colossus sits on the landscape like a huge irrational threat.
  The Dog Buried in the Sand, this dog is the image of utter despair.
  Unfortunate events in the front seats of the ring of Madrid, and the death of the Mayor of Torrejon. Yes, this image shows just about what you might expect to see, but you may need to click to see it in the larger version to see what happened to the Mayor.

  Just For Fun
  Francisco de Goya Art Prints (in case you want one--search on "Goya")
  Goya llustrations/posters for sale

• Some Relevant Philosophy

  Aesthetic Distance Theorists and Formalists
  'Psychical Distance' as a Factor in Art and as an Aesthetic Principle" by Edward Bullough (On-line essay with discussion questions and links)
  "Art" by Clive Bell (same as Bullough)
  For further references to aesthetic theories, including on-line texts of Hume and Kant, see the next page ArtLinks2.html.

• Background on Campus Art

  Frank Stella, from Wikipedia
  Virtual Art Tour (of Campus Art)

• A Few Links to Illustrate the Article by Eaton

  Franz Hals Man in Black Hat
  Paintings by Veronese: Look especially at his painting of the Marriage at Cana (1563)
  Michelangelo's Rebellious Slave