'Anti-Christian' paintings offend Virginia arts commissioners, museum could be defunded

A museum in Virginia Beach is holding an exhibit that features contemporary art, but members of the Arts and Humanities Commission have questioned whether those types of artwork are the ones that should be subsidized using taxpayers' money.

According to The Virginian Pilot, two artworks at the Virginia Museum of Contemporary Art exhibit titled "Turn the Page: The First Ten Years of Hi-Fructose" were deemed as anti-Christian by two commissioners.

One of the pieces is by painter Mark Ryden, which features a little girl with doll-like features garbed in what looks like a First Communion dress. Titled "Rosie's Tea Party," it shows the girl sawing at a chunk of ham, with a slice on the floor being eyed by white mice. The meat being cut is labeled Mystici Corporis Christi (the mystical body of Christ), and there is a bottle of wine labeled Jesus, with an image similar to the Sacred Heart. The pink rabbit in the painting is pouring from a tea pot what appears to be blood.

The second artwork titled "Fountain," likewise painted by Ryden, features yet another doll-like girl in a pink dress. She is standing up, holding her severed head in her arms while blood spurts out of her neck.

Commissioners Ben Loyola and Brian Kirwin, both Catholics, were reportedly offended by the paintings.

While Loyola fights for the rights of artists to create freely, he told the publication that his concern is about being a good steward of taxpayer's money, saying, "Is this the sort of thing we want to be subsidizing?"

Kirwin, meanwhile, expressed that he has no intention to have the exhibit closed or to have the paintings removed; however, he is considering other options. For one, he would like to meet with the director and ask how the exhibits are selected; also, he would want to know if she would be willing to put a painting on display that insults other religions like Islam.

"It looks like anti-Christian bigotry is the only bigotry allowed anymore," he said. Moreover, he is inclined to defund MOCA, saying, "I would definitely consider zeroing them out."

According to Wavy, MOCA Executive Director Debi Gray said that she is "delighted" by the reactions they are getting.

"Art is intended to be controversial," she said. "To some degree it's intended to spark dialog, and I am delighted it has fulfilled our mission."

The museum, according to The Virginian Pilot, received $345,000 of taxpayers money this year and is set to receive another $395,000 next year. They received the city's largest single grant of $120,000 from the Virginia Beach Arts and Humanities Commission.