Originally Posted by
testep02
I think the picture is great. While I may not believe that a particular religion is responsible for the majority of problems a country may have, as an artist, you have to learn to respect the view of the person who creates the piece. For those on here who claim to be artists and still find this piece offensive, you are not a true artist. You have to learn to wrap your mind around the beauty and the meaning of a piece of work. You may not agree with the story this picture is telling, but you have to respect that it is a story that represents a point of view.
I think this picture serves it's purpose as a great piece. To see emotion flow like some of the people here have expressed is what art is all about. It may not be good at times, but tugging at the emotional workings of people in general is what great art is all about. I say, JOB WELL DONE!! Don't limit yourself based on who chooses to use your art or who chooses to reject it as trash.
Wow, let the thread exhumation begin, ha ha. I had forgotten all about this one.
Kidding aside, I would agree to a point about artists expressing themselves, but it's also their responsibility to use their power of influence in a way that is honest and not inflamatory for the sake of being inflamatory. In other words, it should make a valid point and not simply be there to upset people. The line is thin sometimes, and it depends on who is looking at it too. One thing for sure is that churches make a huge statement by the smallest things they do, say, or display, so they have to be ever mindful of their activities because it reflects directly on them and their followers. While they probably understand your artist's point of view it may not necessarily reflect their own. Churches display a form a of art everyday with the cross or star of David, etc, not to inflame people but to convey a message they feel is important too.