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It is, indeed, interesting, as a matter of philosophy. Here is one for you: suppose you discovered that he had lied, that the substance in the jar was not urine at all, but water with coloring. You would feel a sense of relief, even though you would still find the simulacrum somewhat offensive. On the other hand, the picture would have been unaltered. Now, suppose that you had the power to turn the picture to face the wall. Again, it would give you a sense of relief to hide the picture, even though the object would still be there, and you would still know what was depicted. People tend to regard works of art as simply things to see or hear, as if the quality of the photo were pertinent to the power of Piss Christ; they tend to regard art as personal, when, in fact, it usually has an important social context, without which it would be meaningless; and they often act as if ignorance is bliss, even though failure to recognize elements of the piece may vitiate appreciation........ |
