Image of a woman crucified in our time
| Image of a woman crucified in our time |
|---|
| 1959 |
| Mixed media on fiberboard |
| 179.7 x 122 cm |
|
Link to the picture |
The painting Picture of a Crucified Woman of Our Time (sometimes also called The Crucified ) is a work by the Swiss artist Kurt Fahrner (1932–1977) from 1959. The picture was painted on fiberboard using mixed media .
Image content
The painting shows a naked blonde woman tied to a cross, her legs spread, her vulva clearly visible. Above the head, on the longitudinal axis of the cross, there are the letters "IMP", which is reminiscent of the inscription INRI on Christian depictions of the crucifixion.
controversy
Since Kurt Fahrner could not find a gallery owner for his work, he presented the painting to the public on the evening of April 29, 1959 on Barfüsserplatz in Basel . The action was initially hardly noticed. Only a repetition after the cinema and theater had closed attracted numerous passers-by. The police intervened and confiscated the picture. As a result, Fahrner was arrested. In several trials against Fahrner, the "disturbance of the freedom of religion and worship" was negotiated and Fahrner was finally sentenced to three days in prison on probation and a fine of 100 Swiss francs . The picture remained confiscated and was only returned to the family in 1980, three years after Fahrner's death. In their reasoning, the judges in 1960 stated that "such a depiction, bordering on the fornicating, set in parallel with the redeeming death of Christ [...], violates the religious convictions of others in the most mean way."
literature
- Martin Schubarth : The Fahrner Trial: An example of the problems of art and justice Edited by Martin Schubarth. With contributions by Jean-Christophe Ammann , Frank Geerk , Franz Meyer (art historian) , Dietmar Mieth , Patricia Remy and Martin Schubarth. Lenos Verlag, Basel 1983, ISBN 3-85787-118-0
Web links
- Artist's website
- Visible shame , Der Spiegel 31/80 of July 28, 1980
Individual evidence
- ↑ Visible Scham , Der Spiegel 31/80 of July 28, 1980, accessed on October 2, 2012.