Renée Cox, Yo mama’s last supper, 1996 “…Christianity is big in the African-American community, but there are no presentations of us,” she said. “I took it upon myself to include people of color in these classic scenarios.” Cox’s photograph, “Yo Mama’s Last Supper” ignited a maelstrom of controversy when it was shown in the exhibit Committed to the Image at the Brooklyn Museum in 2001. It was a remake of Leonardo Da Vinci’s “Last Supper” with a nude Cox sitting in for Jesus Christ, surrounded by all black disciples, except for Judas who was white. Many Roman Catholics were outraged at the photograph and New York Mayor Rudolph Guiliani called for the forming of a commission to set “decency standards” to keep such works from being shown in any New York museum that received public funds.

Renée Cox, Yo mama’s last supper, 1996

“…Christianity is big in the African-American community, but there are no presentations of us,” she said. “I took it upon myself to include people of color in these classic scenarios.”

Cox’s photograph, “Yo Mama’s Last Supper” ignited a maelstrom of controversy when it was shown in the exhibit Committed to the Image at the Brooklyn Museum in 2001. It was a remake of Leonardo Da Vinci’s “Last Supper” with a nude Cox sitting in for Jesus Christ, surrounded by all black disciples, except for Judas who was white.

Many Roman Catholics were outraged at the photograph and New York Mayor Rudolph Guiliani called for the forming of a commission to set “decency standards” to keep such works from being shown in any New York museum that received public funds.

(Source: brooklynmuseum.org)

8 months ago  Notes (75)
  1. chickfantastic reblogged this from fearfullymade-locs
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  10. oopsabird reblogged this from sinofthemockingbird and added:
    Well I think it’s great. Decency standards? Grow the fuck up and stop being so immature, New York.
  11. angrydumpling reblogged this from sexgenderbody and added:
    Hahahah wow. I wonder if this is still being exhibited currrently??
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  19. missturman reblogged this from bleekgilliam and added:
    I remember seeing this up close and personal at the Brooklyn Museum exhibit. It, and so many other pieces were...
  20. bleekgilliam reblogged this from blackcontemporaryart
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  24. solarmc reblogged this from youdontlooklikeafeminist and added:
    Don’t Guiliani...Bloomberg basically call “decency standards” every time something at the...
  25. youdontlooklikeafeminist reblogged this from im-a-bitch and added:
    [Accessibility Request] This is beautiful, eye opening, and raw. Fuck your decency standards, Guiliani.
  26. im-a-bitch reblogged this from sexismandthecity