Sensation: The Madonna, the Mayor, the Media and the First Amendment

SENSATION: Young British Artists from the Saatchi Collection became the biggest art story in the history of art history, but Arnold Lehman, director of the Brooklyn Museum, and his colleagues were not prepared for the controversy that swept the exhibition, the museum, and Chris Ofili's The Holy Virgin Mary painting. Mayor Rudy Giuliani focused his rage on the painting, rescinded the museum's municipal funding, and attempted to evict it from its hundred-year-old landmark. The city's most conservative media and ultra-religious groups inflamed the conflict, and the mayor and city eventually settled with the museum, awarding it a permanent injunction, the restoration of city money, and substantial funds for its new entrance.

Format: Hardback
Length: 248 pages
Publication date: 23 September 2021
Publisher: Merrell Publishers Ltd

"Sensation: Young British Artists from the Saatchi Collection" was a groundbreaking art exhibition that captivated the world in 1999-2000. The exhibition featured works by young British artists from the Saatchi Collection, and it quickly became the biggest art story in the history of art history. However, the journey to the exhibition was not without its challenges.

Arnold Lehman, the director of the Brooklyn Museum, and his colleagues were not prepared for the intense controversy that would surround the exhibition. The painting "The Holy Virgin Mary" by Chris Ofili, one of the featured artists, sparked widespread outrage and debate. The painting depicted a realistic and controversial image of the Virgin Mary, surrounded by images of butterflies and birds.

The controversy swept the exhibition, the museum, and Chris Ofili to international attention for six months. While 175,000 people saw the exhibition and millions read and heard about it daily, they never knew of the threats and challenges that kept the museum staff awake at night.

Mayor Rudy Giuliani, who never saw the painting, focused his rage at "The Holy Virgin Mary." He rescinded the museum's municipal funding to force it to close the exhibition, and he attempted to evict it from its hundred-year-old landmark. The city's most conservative media and ultra-religious groups inflamed the conflict.

The exhibition was selected from controversial collector Charles Saatchi's contemporary British art collection. It had been first shown at London's Royal Academy in 1997, to an outcry over the portrait of child murderer Myra Hindley. The opening at the Brooklyn Museum in 1999 drew tabloid headlines such as "Brooklyn Gallery of Horror," "Gruesome Museum Show," and "Butchered Animals, a Dung-Smeared Mary and Giant Genitalia." The New York Times accused the museum of wrongdoing in high-profile but often false and inaccurate investigative reports, most dismissed earlier by the court.

In a story as gripping as a fictional thriller, the mayor and the city eventually settled the controversy. The museum was allowed to keep the exhibition open, and the painting remained on display. The controversy brought attention to the power of art to provoke and challenge societal norms, and it also highlighted the importance of museums in promoting cultural understanding and tolerance.

Looking back, Arnold Lehman and his colleagues realized that they were not prepared for the intense controversy that surrounded "Sensation: Young British Artists from the Saatchi Collection." They learned that art exhibitions can be powerful tools for social change, but they also require careful planning and management. The controversy also highlighted the need for museums to be transparent and accountable to their communities, and to be willing to stand up for the values that they believe in.

In conclusion, "Sensation: Young British Artists from the Saatchi Collection" was a groundbreaking art exhibition that captivated the world in 1999-2000. The controversy surrounding the exhibition brought attention to the power of art to provoke and challenge societal norms, and it also highlighted the importance of museums in promoting cultural understanding and tolerance. The journey to the exhibition was not without its challenges, but it ultimately led to a greater appreciation for the role of art in society."

Weight: 1084g
Dimension: 192 x 252 x 30 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781858946962