It's a Sensation!

"The context of this exhibition may cause shock, vomiting, confusion, panic, euphoria and anxiety. If you suffer from high blood pressure, a nervous disorder or palpitation, you should consult your doctor. It includes material that some visitors may find objectionable. Viewers discretion and parental guidance are advised" (Excerpt from the exhibit promotion brochure).

When the Brooklyn Museum of Art decided to put on an exhibition featuring the contemporary art works of young British artists, they did not have any idea what they were getting into. The controversy surrounding the show made headlines long before it was open to audiences. Mayor Giuliani opted to cut the museum's budget for using public property and funding to desecrate people's feelings and beliefs. Before even seeing the show he described some pieces in the exhibition as "sick stuff" which, "may have a place in a biology laboratory rather than in a government funded museum." In addition, because the collection belongs to Saatchi and the exhibit was sponsored in part by Christie's, opponents of the museum suggested that there was more than mere artistic consideration in mind when putting the exhibit together. The money was also an issue, since both the collector and the auction house would benefit from increasing the value of the art pieces. Questions quickly rose again in a fiery contemporary controversy such as: What is art? Who is to decide where to put the fine line between art and incitement? And what should be protected under the first amendment?

However, if we put the politics aside, Sensation is not a conventional art exhibition but a unique visual and emotional experience. One can not ignore the importance of the political, sociological and cultural statements addressed by the artists. The pieces in the exhibition, which are dated mostly from 1996 to 1998, give a most unique and poignant view of our modern world. This collection investigates our culture's most pressing problems and persistent obsessions: class, race, gender, normalcy vs. eccentricity, sex and sexuality, as well as violence, disease, and death. It portrays good and bad, light and dark, and probes into the definition of art itself. Furthermore, unlike other art exhibitions, it asks questions, inhibits criticism and provokes thought rather then just projecting it. That is what makes this exhibition not only worth watching but definitely a must-see.

One of the most publicly criticized artists in the show is Damien Hirst, whose works include animals in formaldehyde tanks. A big scary shark, two sliced cows, a lamb (who had lost her herd, as its title suggests) and a sliced pig ("This Little Piggy Went to the Market, This Little Piggy Stayed Home"), all lay exposed to the wide eyed visitors. However, the most shocking piece is a dead cow's head (without the formaldehyde), stinking and full of blood, with countless flies surrounding it while an electric flytrap above the cow's head kills them in masses. Some art critics claimed he wanted to shock for shock's sake alone, while activists from animal rights groups protested against the very killing of the animals. However, the artist claimed to have deeper meaning to his art. He emphasized the idea that people look at the detailed animals presented in the tanks and forget to pay attention to the tanks, which by itself are a piece of minimalist art taken to the extreme with the basic shape of a cube. In addition, he tried to touch the audiences basic feelings and fears. He states that his art "deals with life and not with death as one might think." With a closer look, one sees many new things and comes away with a totally different effect than that which he received at first glance. It is this dynamic that makes this truly art.

Another piece that is widely criticized, is a portrait of "Virgin Mary" by African artist Chris Ofili. It is considered by many to be profanity due to the fact that the artist used elephant dung to represent the virgin's breast. The artist stated that he wanted to show that his art comes from nature. In the background of this piece, pornographic picture cuts are used to decorate the portrait. At first glance, they look like innocent abstract forms. However, Ofili correctly claimed that classical portraits of the virgin are more sexually charged than his one.

Sensation also includes some very provocative and disturbing pieces such as a sculpture of multiple naked children whose facial features were replaced with sexual organs. There also is a sculpture of men hanged in various positions with their genitalia ripped. Shocking? Indeed! But the artist explains that the former piece was inspired by genetic experiments and accidents, and, therefore, is relevant for today's world, while the latter wanted to capture the horror of a war. Hatoum's Deep Throat is actually a video screened in a plate and was made by the artist swallowing a tiny camera and letting it go all the way to the stomach and then all the way back to the mouth. It gives one the notion of digestion and regurgitation. The artist chose a title with sexual connotation. Another artist made a bust sculpted out of his own congealed blood, which he had collected for five months. In this work, one could see a piece of the artist, literally.

As we can see in this exhibition, art is usual materials presented in unusual ways. A dresser was presented as an altar - a regular object presented in a slightly different way, which makes the piece as a whole look very different. A fresh-flower selling cart (probably the only piece in the museum that the artist did not make but bought) although it is an object which we are used to see in the streets; in this case, it would be considered as art because it carries new qualitative meaning as it is displayed in a museum. In another piece, we see London's underground map, but with names of famous people instead of stations, so one can change trains at Albert Einstein and go on the next stop at Jimmy Lee Curtis. A painting made of text shows that even the written words are art. Some pieces make obvious references to famous artists such as Warhol, Dali, Magritte, and Chuck Close. The interesting thing is that the artist did not deny it, on the contrary, in some cases they even mentioned the famous predecessors in the title.

The exhibit also contains extremely detailed sculptures and pieces that really make us think. One artist managed to capture the idea that empty spaces are actually "something" rather than "nothing" in two of her art works. One of them is "Ghost"- a plaster of her childhood room presented inside out like an ancient monument. Her second sculpture is a room with a hundred blocks made from the plastering of the empty spaces beneath chairs, the spaces no one thinks exist but also the ones children use to crawl into.

Thinking through the issue, one must realize that freedom of speech, thought and artistic expression is essential for the development of any society, especially one that at least on the surface pretends to be democratic and liberal. Art is subjective and open to interpretations and different opinions. It is this subjectivity that makes it art. There is no one message, and there is no concrete political motive. This is very different than Nazi propaganda or blatant pornography. Instead, the exhibit follows in the footsteps of other great modern art exhibitions, including surrealism and portraiture. It deserves to be treated with the same respect, admiration, and yes...funding.

Sensation is an exhibition that will blow your mind away. Personally, I think I will not be able to look at art the same way ever again. If you haven't seen Sensation, you haven't yet seen the full scope of art.

Sensation is being exhibited at the Brooklyn Museum of Art October 2- January 9. The admission is $7.50 for a student with valid ID and it includes an interesting, free audio tour, (which, in my opinion, is essential for one to fully experience the show). The Brooklyn Museum is located at 200 Eastern Parkway, and can be easily reached by the subway (2&3 lines). It is also recommended to pay a visit to Brooklyn's Botanical Gardens located just outside the museum.