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White Christ

A work made of silver dye-bleach print.

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  • A work made of silver dye-bleach print.

Date:

1989

Artist:

Andres Serrano
American, born 1950

About this artwork

In 1987 Andres Serrano made the provocative photograph Piss Christ, depicting a mass-produced statuette submerged in a glass of the artist’s urine. He received violent criticism, and as recently as 2011 protesters vandalized one print of the work. Piss Christ belonged to a series showing various statuettes immersed in bodily fluids: blood, milk, urine, and semen. Each composition was printed at a grand scale that elevated the miniatures to the level of worship. This work, involving milk and water, was created in response to the Piss Christ controversy. Serrano sardonically gives the public a pure, white Christ figure, untouched by baser human substances.

Status

Currently Off View

Department

Photography and Media

Artist

Andres Serrano

Title

White Christ

Place

United States (Artist's nationality:)

Date  Dates are not always precisely known, but the Art Institute strives to present this information as consistently and legibly as possible. Dates may be represented as a range that spans decades, centuries, dynasties, or periods and may include qualifiers such as c. (circa) or BCE.

1989

Medium

Silver dye-bleach print

Dimensions

Paper: 151.2 × 100 cm (59 9/16 × 39 3/8 in.); frame: 164.5 × 114.3 cm (64 13/16 × 45 in.)

Credit Line

Gift of Boardroom, Inc.

Reference Number

1992.715

Extended information about this artwork

Object information is a work in progress and may be updated as new research findings emerge. To help improve this record, please email . Information about image downloads and licensing is available here.

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