After receiving scores of protests, officials at Rutgers University in New Brunswick, New Jersey decided to remove a controversial “art” display that featured a crucified Jesus nailed to a dartboard.
The Blaze is reporting on the controversy which has been raging for a week at the university after the work, entitled “Vitruvian Man” was put on display at the Art Library on Voorhees Mall.
The debate began after an offended student name Natalie Caruso posted images of the piece on her Facebook page, writing: “This is currently displayed in the Art Library on College Ave. It is surprising that a state university would allow this. I asked them to take it down because I found it disrespectful and they refused. How is this acceptable!?”
Many people weighed in, condemning the tasteless piece, while others resorted to the usual “it’s freedom of speech” or “it’s just art!” response. Some even suggested that the image of Christ on a dart boad symbolized what a target He is in the world today.
But the offended were not placated and insisted that displaying Jesus on a game board is a mockery of the faith.
“As an Orthodox Christian, this just made me cringe!! Where is the art in this?? Plz explain,” wrote Facebook user Kirolos Wahba. ”If you see art, you are either blind, or have no taste in art, or just a hater on religion who uses this as a pathetic excuse to attack religion!”
The controversy quickly swept from the campus to alumni and officials at Rutgers began to feel the heat of the outcry.
According to NJ.com, last Thursday, campus officials removed the art piece from a prominent spot hanging on a wall near the circulation desk. Later that day, the piece was moved to the other side of the room and placed on its side on the lower shelf of an exhibit case. By the end of the day, it was removed from the exhibit entirely.
“The artwork in question was removed from the exhibit because it did not meet Rutgers University Libraries policy, which requires art exhibitions and their pieces to be based on university events, curricular offerings and topics of interest to the university community,” said Jessica Pellien, director of communications at Rutgers University Libraries.
“The process that the libraries use to determine how artwork is selected for inclusion in an exhibit takes into consideration freedom of expression as well as the criteria listed above. We have concluded that the policy and process the libraries use to select artwork for exhibitions was not followed,” Pellien said.
The dartboard was among several other controversial pieces, such as a stack of coins covered with a condom entitled, “Tower of Babel” and a milk carton with a photo of Anne Frank on the back and the caption “Cute Kids Make Good Advertising.”
None of the artists’ names are included in the exhibit. The University has not revealed the identity of the creator of the dartboard display and it remains unknown if the work was done by a student or faculty member.
© All Rights Reserved, Living His Life Abundantly®/Women of Grace® http://www.womenofgrace.com
