Crossing the Line essays

Crossing the Line essays What creates controversy? Controversy is caused when an idea or a thought contradicts the traditional social norms. But without ideas, we would not be where we are today. Art has seen so much metamorphosis that comparing classical art and contemporary art one sees drastic differences. Thus innovation and recreation has become almost obligatory to maintain arts fluidity. Controversial art is merely a terminology for original and creative thinking. Art is not a crime. Art should cross the line. It exists to provoke thought and controversy. Throughout history, when society was conservative, among the first to be attacked are artistic institutions. Literature, music, art, cries of, "pornography," "values," and "taste". Without these aspects then art would be monotonous. Controversial artist making headlines is, Chris Cooper, better known as, Coop. Coop is probably best known to America as the artist responsible for an embarrassing painting of a pair of naked women, represented as female devils engaging in graphic, explicit lesbian sex. The painting involving carnal pleasures between two women became the cover of the recent Lords of Acid album, Voodoo-U. The painting had also caused a national debate involving pornography and art. Coop's art, especially through his theme of a sexual woman as a devil, is misogynistic explaining that such vivid thoughts of sexuality could not come across a womans mind. This caused much uproar in the conservative and ignorant societys as it challenged every aspect of decent human society. Coop treads the same turf as Manet did in, "The Olympia," and Duchamp did with, "Le Voyeur," paintings that in their time stirred controversy to the censors as well, and inspired debates that have forced untold millions to question their beliefs, and the society that taught them. Thanks to controversial artists like Coop, Manet and Duchamp the debate concerning pornography and art will continue, a...