Cardinal Sin - Banksy Sculpture

[Hamish Gill]

Banksy has created a sculpture based on a replica of an 18th century stone bust of a preist with its face sawn off and replaced with bathroom tiles that mimic tv pixelation

Source Banksy wades into Catholic church sex abuse scandal with new sculpture | Art and design | The Guardian

Carrying on from our conversation on the photo of the river Rhine where we discussed the comment that the image was trying to make, I thought this a good example of how modern art does make a comment, but doesnt need any explanation to go with it!

My falling out with the image of the river Rhine came about when it occurred to me that to "get" the concept you would need to know that it had been photoshopped... a fact that wasnt necessarily evident ...
by its self the image didnt say anything...
I personnaly think this makes a much more clever comment, that is more simple to grasp yet runs a little deeper and has a little more meaning! ...

???



from the guardian

Banksy has waded into the child sex abuse scandal of the Catholic church with a sculpture of a priest with his face obscured called Cardinal Sin.The graffiti artist's piece is a replica of an 18th-century stone bust, which has had its face sawn off and replaced with a mosaic of bathroom tiles to replicate the pixellation effect used on TV to prevent identification of victims of sex crimes.
Announcing his indefinite loan of the piece to the Walker Art Gallery in Liverpool, Banksy strongly implied that Cardinal Sin is a comment on the sexual abuse of children by Catholic priests.
Describing the statue as a Christmas present, the artist said in a statement: "At this time of year it's easy to forget the true meaning of Christianity – the lies, the corruption, the abuse."
The bust went on public display for the first time on Thursday in the Walker's 17th Century Old Masters gallery, alongside works by old masters including Van Dyck and Poussin.
Reyahn King, director of art galleries at National Museums Liverpool, said the Walker was "thrilled" to display the work of a "major contemporary artist".
"It's a huge coup and we are sure his work will spark a reaction with visitors.
"Banksy specified that it be shown alongside our period collection and we were very happy to oblige."

 

[Kev Pugh]

I can go with this but, given that it is an attack on the catholic church and its abuse scandal, I think it is not recognisable as a member of the catholic church per-say, a bust? Yes, so it could have any context applied to it as not being identified in society using a physical means in a modern context, pixelation, for what ever, for me I would need to know the bust was a priest for that context to come through. Not sure it does, but as a concept it is interesting and I guess being exhibited with period works it would have more impact.

 

[Hamish Gill]

busts are usually engraved or at least labeled with the name of the person they are of though are they not??

 

[Kev Pugh]

Maybe but if you don't know what that person did/was then the context can be lost and I'm only going by what I can see, but you are probably right in that they are and when placed in the original surrounding, a cathedral/church/place of worship/ town hall etc then all becomes clear, how often have you seen a statue/bust/figure somewhere and even with a name on have thought what did they do then???

 

[Hamish Gill]

Yeah, if it was a bust of Brunel and it said brunel under it ... ok i know what brunel did but if i didnt i would wonder...
A bust of a Cardinal would much more likely have "Cardinal" in the name i would have thought as its almost a prefix ...
Maybe im wrong ...
and i do take your point as a hole in mine

 

[Hamish Gill]

another image ... the big cross gives a good enough clue!

 

[Kev Pugh]

Ah but now with the BIG crucifix then that is different but still no name so it could be an unidentified priest, for me it just needs some thing else in it, perhaps something like St Christopher or Christ with the effect applied would perhaps give a clue as to what it's al about because there would be a child in the piece.

All said that is why these things are interesting because whether you get it or not it creates debate and healthy debate is good in art yes?

 

[Chris Dodkin]

The pixelation idea is genius, and really well executed - when I saw the photo of the bust initially, I assumed it had been digitally pixelated!As for the social comment - well, it made the press so it's clearly working.

 

[Allan Batchelor]

heard a good priest joke today but no for prining on here that may require said face to be pixelated lol

 

[Hamish Gill]

Im up for a priest joke Alan... Don't be shy!

 

[Davie Hudson]

i think the bust would have had more impact if it was a modern version of a priest, in that showing a historical clergyman isn't really having a go at the modern church... a bust of the pope with a hitler moustache would have been funny too