Religious art prize a favourite venue for bigots

Cath News and The Age reported recently on yet another controversy arising out of the "nation's top" annual art award for religious and spiritual art. The award has the grand title of The Blake Prize: Exploring the Religioius and Spiritual in Art. The opening paragraphs of the Cath News report:

A judge in the annual Blake Prize for religious art is believed to have resigned over his objections to a painting of the crucifixion that another judge also described as "really offensive".

The Age reports the nation's top prize for religious art is again embroiled in controversy after its judges fell out over the selection of a painting of the crucifixion.

It is understood that one of the Blake Prize judges, academic Christopher Allen, has resigned from the panel over his vehement objections to Sydney artist Adam Cullen's work.

The triptych shows Christ on the cross with the inscription "only woman bleed", inspired by a line from an Alice Cooper song.

When Cullen was told one of the judges had resigned because of the offensiveness of his work, the artist wanted to know what was eating him. "It's just a Jew on the cross," Cullen quipped.

Another entry (below) depicts the familiar cloaked head of party boy Corey Worthington superimposed over the head of Christ as he appears in the painting of the "Sacred Heart of Jesus", a painting that represents one of the best known and most cherished devotions of the Catholic faith.

But what is to be said about yet another open unabashed effort to denigrate and befoul the religious beliefs and pious practices of millions of Catholics - under the pretext of art? Nothing, really. It's all been said before. Indeed, it doesn't have to be said. The hate-filled antics of people like Cullen speak for themselves. You can ignore the weasel words by "art" apologists for such "works of art". They know as well as we Catholics do that such works as Cullen's are just another free kick in the game against religious belief.

Catholics should know that intemperate outbursts against Cullen and his mates is just what they want. They feed on giving as much offence and pain as possible to people of faith.

comments: gerardwilson01@optusnet.com.au