USA: BROOKLYN MUSEUM OF ARTS DISPLAYS CONTROVERSIAL EXHIBIT OF NUDE FEMALE CHRIST "YO MAMA'S LAST SUPPER"

Record ID: 638323

  • Title: USA: BROOKLYN MUSEUM OF ARTS DISPLAYS CONTROVERSIAL EXHIBIT OF NUDE FEMALE CHRIST "YO MAMA'S LAST SUPPER"
  • Date: 17th February 2001
  • Summary: SCU/SCU PAN YO MAMA'S LAST SUPPER EXHITION (5 SHOTS)
  • Embargoed: 4th March 2001 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES
  • Country: USA
  • Topics: Arts,General,Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVAEIUC7NSXEF2MPLLUBF9RKID6Y
  • Story Text: The Brooklyn Museum of Arts could find itself at odds with the City of New York again as they prepare to exhibit a photograph which shows a nude female Christ. The photograph, part of an exhibition by contemporary Black Photographers, is called "Yo Mama's Last Supper".
    A publicly funded New York art museum that drew protests in 1999 from Mayor Rudolph Giuliani and other Roman Catholics over a portrait of the Virgin Mary incorporating elephant dung has angered the Mayor again with a photo exhibition portraying Christ as a naked woman.
    The Brooklyn Museum of Art on Friday is set to open "Committed to the Image: Contemporary Black Photographers,"
    including "Yo Mama's Last Supper," which depicts Christ as a nude woman standing with her arms outstretched and 12 black men disciples sitting or standing on either side of her.
    The Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights said on Thursday it was sending a letter of protest to the museum over the five-panel photo by New York photographer Renee Cox, whose work has been described by critics as overtly feminist.
    Curator Barbara Millstein was quoted by the Daily News on Thursday as saying "there are images of this scene with dogs in the Last Supper," and she did not believe the Cox photo should be considered taboo.
    But a statement by museum director Arnold Lehman introducing the works by 94 photographers said, in part, "While many of these works are beautiful and easy to enjoy, others may be controversial and difficult for us as viewers."
    The Mayor called "disgusting, its outrageous." Speaking in City Hall on Thursday (February 15) Giuliani added "If it was done against another group in the city there would be a demand that they take the photograph down. But anti-Catholicism - you could call it anti-christianity, but anti-Catholicism in particular - because I believe from what I have read of the photographer that was the gist of it - it's accepted prejudiced. Its allowed. In the city and our society and its disgusting.
    I've asked the Corporation Council to look into what can be done given the fat that I'm mindful of the fact that we lost the last case. Therefore we have to proceed with that limitation as to what we can do"
    The museum had its city funding yanked in October 1999 over its "Sensation" exhibit of young British artists, which included a portrait, "Holy Virgin Mary" by Nigerian-born Chris Ofili, incorporating elephant dung and pornographic photo cut-outs.
    Giuliani, who described the work as "sick" and "disgusting," objected to the "Sensation" exhibit being supported by taxpayers' money. The Brooklyn Museum of Art, housed on city-owned premises, receives about $7.2 million a year from the city, about a third of its $23 million annual budget.
    Curator Tony Barboza you need to look at all the work
    "We do work, is it that you have to understand everything a person does in order to like it. If you are going to do work - you have to look at everything - Latin photographers or Chinese photographers - you've got to look at everyone's work"
    The city and the museum went to court over the funding dispute. Under a March 2000 settlement, the city was ordered to continue giving previously allocated money to the museum and an additional $5.8 million in capital funding.
    The exhibit also includes a photograph by Willie Middlebrook of a topless woman on the cross.
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