Hi guys, This is sort of off topic but not completley. I figured you guys could help because you all seem to be very art savy (sp?). Ok, I have a group presentation at my university for my art history class. My group's topic is provocative or shocking art. We have to display images and curate a fictional museum display of art work that would be very controversial. I was hoping someone could point me to a link of an artist or website or something that has very shocking or provocative art (I've done google searches but didnt find anything to my liking so far). Preferably 2d art, or sculptures but any help is greatly appreciated. Thanks!

oh yeah, can be contemporary or classic artwork

Remember that looking through history each new genre was seen as shocking - remember to think that people like picasso or lowrie created shock in their day.

Yes , any art can be shocking when its new to a generation, but for recent shockers, you might look out for Damien Hurst's 'art'. :)

yeah, I understand that. But we have to shock our professor. Unfortunately Picasso (although Cubism at the time was rather shocking) I dont think that would go over very well. ...Damien Hurst huh? Ill have to check that out thanks

David Ho

The sculptures of Jake and Dinos Chapman (aka the Chapman Brothers) are often regarded as controversial and have real shock value (mannequins of children with penis noses, etc). Rom Mueck's hyper-realistic sculptures have caused a few rumbles too. Have you thought about film as art? Lilya 4-ever, written and directed by Lukas Moodysson (2002) is currently on release and includes children sniffing glue, a gang rape, and child suicide in a bleak story of child prostitution. Most of its shock value comes from it being so realistic (story and acting), and it might be fruitful to diffentiate between the shock of the 'real' and other forms of 'shocking art'. Other 'art shockers' that come to mind are the introduction of oil paint vs traditional tempera in the 15th century (a shock of technique), people running for their lives from early cinemas because they thought the train on screen was heading straight for them, Marcus Harvey's giant portrait of Myra Hindley (a British child-murderer from the 60's) made entirely of children's handprints (the picture was vandalised), Rudolph Giuliani closing the 'Sensation' exhibition in New York because it featured Chris Ofili's portrait of the Virgin Mary made using elephant dung and surrounded with hard-core pornography, Andres Serrano's image 'Piss Christ' which is a crucifix photographed suspended in piss (the University of South Carolina's website calls it an "esoteric medium" and leaves it at that), Robert Mapplethorpe's self-portrait with an inserted bullwhip (again, enough to get his exhibitions closed down and banned), and the whole phenomenon of 'Outsider Art' (untrained artists, often people with psychiatric problems - but this only tends to shock the art establishment). Of course, this all depends on how shockable your professor is, but my feeling is that if he isn't shocked by the Chapman brothers, you've no chance anyway. Few people can comfortably cope with a life-size mannequin of a six-year-old girl with an erection where her face should be. Good luck with your assignment, and if you're interested in background on any of the above, IM me and I'll give you what I can.

Oops. Rom Mueck = Ron Mueck.

wow...thank you very much....I appreciate all the help

there was a riot recently about a painting of Moors murderer Myra Hindley, made of childrens handprints. but i forget the artist.

Not really shocking, but certaintly provocative (I think) The art of MC Escher....

Although, more shocking than art, the James Allen exhibition showed photographs of lynchings in America. It's a very powerful reminder of how cruel mankind can be. Warning: The site shows some very disturbing pictures. http://www.musarium.com/withoutsanctuary/main.html

The ones I find disturbing if somewhat mecarbre(sp) are the "sculptures" made from real human bodies 'flayed' and preserved with plastic. I can't remember the 'artist' but I find the Horseman the worsed (try a search for 'plasticised' or some such. Dave

I remember seeing an article in Juxtapoz on the preserved bodies. Some guy has an exhibit. Its not going to tour because people are nervous about diseases. Check out www.juxtapoz.com, the links section might have something useful.

Attached Link: http://www.bodyworlds.com

How about the art made by jewish children in WWII before they went into the gas chambers? How about art made by murderers? I heard about a film, I think it was called "The Collectors". It was a documentary on the Independent Film Channel about people who collect the art of serial killers. Lin

Ive seen a documentary about the maniac doing the "Bodyworlds". I find it as sick as the one, where another stupid idiot kills small puppies, only so he can stuff them up and use in his sculptures. Someone should hunt these guys down and do the world a favour...

jeez, I didnt realize how many disturbed artists there were out there :- I really appreciate all who helped, it will really serve to shock my professor :-) thanks again!

Also, remember that the Impressionists were considered shocking by their contemporaries. They were banned by the Beaux Arts! Tres

I think Cambert just said evereything I wanted to say.

I just remembered the two 'Georges'( I think they call themselves)They put on an exibition of 'ART' that used 'Bodily Fluids' as a medium....yuck!

Then there is the famous "Shit of an Artist" by Fontana. It is actually his shit inside a glass casing. Quite a turmoil when he exhibited the first time.

Must say that as the subject is art history it might be good to do an exhibition of 'shocking art through the ages, will demonstrate to your tutor some investigation into the whole subject you are studying as well as just shocking your tutor with current stuff

Bryster, that's Gilbert and George. Lots of people seemed shocked by their general weirdness as much as anything they make :-) I just remembered Marc Quinn's piece called Self (1991). Over five months, Quinn had eight pints of blood taken out of himself and stored. Then he made a cast of his own head, filled it with the blood, froze it, and removed the mould. The 'blood head' was exhibited in a glass case on top of a refrigeration unit. It freaked quite a few people out. (I just love this stuff. You can tell, can you? :-)