Lesson Plan: Art, Obscenity and Censorship
Grades 10-12
Andres Serrano’s 1987 artwork “Piss Christ,” a photograph depicting a crucifix submerged in the artist’s urine, ignited controversy in Congress and exposed tensions between artistic freedom and religious sensitivity that remain visible today. Debate over federal funding for the arts led to efforts to restrict funding for the National Endowment for the Arts and establish standards of decency. This lesson examines the power of the government in regulating expressive conduct and artwork.
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