Art That Dares: Gay Jesus, Woman Christ, and More [Paperback]

Kittredge Cherry (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 10, 2007

Art that Dares to show Jesus as gay or female has been censored or destroyed. Now for the first time these beautiful, liberating, sometimes shocking images are gathered for all to see. Packed with full-page color illustrations, this eye-opening collection features a diverse group of eleven contemporary artists who work both inside and outside the church. They present the gay Jesus, the woman Christ, and other cutting-edge Christian images. Their art respects the teachings of Jesus and frees the minds of viewers to see in new ways. Here the artists tell the stories behind their art. A lively introduction puts the images into political and historical context, exploring issues of blasphemy and artistic freedom.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Deftly compiled -- Midwest Book Review, July 2007

Her `blasphemy' is so honest, so respectful, visionary, and inspiring that it becomes a kind of new religion...alive with imagery. -- TobyJohnson.com

Her `blasphemy' is so honest, so respectful, visionary, and inspiring that it becomes a kind of new religion...alive with imagery. -- Toby Johnson, Lambda Book Report, Fall 2007

Suitable for coffee table and classroom -- Mary Hunt, WATERwheel, Vol 18, Number 4, 2007

This...queer-eyed reworking of Christly iconography shows the power of re-imagining the traditionally sacred in light of the seemingly profane. -- Michael Bronski, The Guide, Aug 2007

Well written and beautifully illustrated -- Dignity USA Quarterly Voice, 4th quarter 2007

From the Publisher

"This innovative collection of startlingly provocative images and insightful commentary is suitable for coffee table and classroom. What better way to teach feminist and queer theologies than to show what they look like!"
--Mary Hunt, Ph.D., co-director, Women's Alliance for Theology, Ethics and Ritual

"I love this book. I celebrate the fact that once more Kittredge Cherry has moved beyond the flat, one-sided, predictable Jesus with blond hair and blue eyes to show us a living Christ who loved outcasts best and lived and died to prove it."
--Rev. Mel White, founder of Soulforce, LGBT Christian activist group

"Kittredge Cherry has performed a great service for our contemporary age, reminding us again what we hold sacred and profane, and how our old categories might be reimagined."
--S. Brent Plate, associate professor of religion and the visual arts, Texas Christian University, and author of Blasphemy: Art that Offends

"I approached Art That Dares with trepidation because my fundamentalist upbringing had instilled in me a distaste for explicitly sexual images or unconventional depictions of the deity. But Kittredge Cherry's wise, tender, and learned commentary calmed my fears and enabled me to behold the stunning beauty of these depictions of Jesus--as gay, as black, as the horned god, as a woman--and of his mother in a rapturous female partnership. Some of the images called forth tears too deep for words. This is an amazing, disconcerting, and sacred book, to be experienced again and yet again: a treasure."
--Virginia Ramey Mollenkott, author of Transgender Journeys and Sensuous Spirituality

"Art That Dares is a stunning, artistically haunting, spiritually revolutionary, provocatively honest book that is a fresh alternative to deadened religiosity."
--The Rev. Canon Malcolm Boyd, poet, gay elder, author of Are You Running with Me, Jesus?

"This passionate, edgy art accomplishes what words alone cannot manage--portraying a fully human Jesus, a multi-racial, multi-gender Christ for the 21st century. Thanks to Kitt Cherry for publishing these courageous artists' work."
--Rev. Nancy Wilson, Moderator, Universal Fellowship of Metropolitan Community Churches

Product Details

• Paperback: 100 pages
• Publisher: AndroGyne Press (April 10, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1933993294
• ISBN-13: 978-1933993294
• Product Dimensions: 11 x 8.5 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #802,549 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

I am a lesbian Christian author who was ordained by Metropolitan Community Churches and served as clergy in the LGBT community for seven years.

One of my main duties was promoting dialogue on sexuality at the National Council of Churches (USA) and the World Council of Churches. My other books include EQUAL RITES: Lesbian and Gay Worship, Ceremonies, and Celebrations, HIDE AND SPEAK: A Coming Out Guide and WOMANSWORD. I offer spiritual resources through JesusInLove.org., the first website devoted to the queer Christ.

I have degrees in journalism and art history, and a master of divinity degree from Pacific School of Religion. The New York Times Book Review praised my 'very graceful, erudite' writing style.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Much Needed Survey of Alternative Views of Religious Ideas, July 3, 2007

By 

Grady Harp (Los Angeles, CA United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Art That Dares: Gay Jesus, Woman Christ, and More (Paperback)

Kittredge Cherry is a not only a well-trained student of the arts, art history, and journalism, but she is also an equally well schooled in religious studies. With such fine credentials it will be difficult for anyone to not pay attention to this provocative, beautifully designed and illustrated book ART THAT DARES: GAY JESUS, WOMAN CHRIST, AND MORE, a thoughtful book written in a style that is not the usual dry reportage encountered in many art history books. Kittredge, thankfully, writes as she probably preaches - with sincerity, warmth, and an unbiased and unfettered language style that is easy to read, making her thoughts and research far more credible.

Her courage to approach so many 'verboten' regions of religious imagery and concepts is refreshing and well informed. After an Introduction explaining her inspiration to share religion that she views as more inclusive for the world body than the present patriarchal stance that too often comes from the world's pulpits, Kittredge presents the art of eleven artists who dare to paint and sculpt religious images of Jesus as a gay man, the Christ figure as a woman, and other 'blasphemous' stances of variations on the figures of Mary and Jesus as viewed in a more human light with all of the inherent possibilities of presentation that invokes. She makes her case through biographies and interviews with the artists featured in a conversational style that is at once lucid and touching: many of the images of Jesus as a gay man grew from the seeds of destruction in the path of AIDS, a time when the gay population needed a religious figure who appeared less condemning and more accepting. A similar approach is taken by the artists who elect to examine the feminine side of religion and the succor that earth mother, so widely accepted throughout civilization, be made incarnate in the form of the virgin Mary and even to the figure on the crucifixion cross.

The art works in the book vary from splendid to simply touching: Gary Speziale whose magnificent colored pencil drawings are matched by is porcelain sculptures; the striking beauty of Janet McKenzie's androgynous and African American 'Jesus of the People' among others; Becki Jayne Harrelson's classically inspired portraits that happily include some much appreciated humor; F. Douglas Blanchard whose series 'Ecce Homo' is worth the price of the book; Elizabeth Ohlson Wallin's impressively staged and executed large photographs; Edwina Sandys' popular bronze 'Christa' as the crucified woman; the icon inspired works of Robert Lenz, William Hart McNichols, Alex Donis' amazingly rich light boxes of various world religion figures; Jill Ansell's magical realism inspired version of religious experiences; and the daring and provocative paintings of Sandra Yagi. One could quibble at the absence of the unique works in this vein of the popular artists such as Scott Siedman, Delmas Howe and others whose works are better known, but Kittredge does explain that after viewing the works of many artists she met with some resistance for inclusion in a book that may 'label' their output as either LGBT or anti-religious - a sad but realistic stance for many artists even today.

In her introduction Kittredge quotes Proverbs 29:18 'Where there is no vision, the people perish.' In this fine book she begins the path to change attitudes and embrace a larger audience who believe first and foremost that religion is a realm of divine embracing of all mankind. It is a book that dares as much as the art that dares, and Kittredge is to be congratulated on a wholly successful achievement. Grady Harp, July 07

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Deftly compiled, July 9, 2007

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Art That Dares: Gay Jesus, Woman Christ, and More (Paperback)

Deftly compiled by author and art historian Kittredge Cherry, "Art That Dares: Gay Jesus, Woman Christ, And More" is an iconoclastic collection of artwork with themes of Jesus as being gay or female. These are works of imaginative, thoughtful, and thought-provoking art that have been censored -- and in some cases destroyed -- because of political pressures brought about by conventional Christian communities and authorities. In addition to the full color reproductions of the artworks themselves, "Art That Dares" also provides their historical context with the artists fascinating and informative stories about how they came to create their works. This collection of challenging Christian images is an especially recommended acquisition for personal and academic library Art History collections and of particular interest for seminary students of Contemporary Christian Issues.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Art That Dares -- the Perfect Art Book, January 12, 2009

By 

Trudie Barreras - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Art That Dares: Gay Jesus, Woman Christ, and More (Paperback)

Although I am an overwhelmingly enthusiastic fan of Kittredge Cherry's "Jesus In Love" novels, it took me awhile to decided to purchase "Art That Dares". In general, I have not been terribly interested in art books. However, this small but powerful volume has completely captured my heart. The artists chosen, the work represented, and the information shared are all wonderful and meaningful. I will certainly be sharing this book with many friends and acquaintances and will recommend it highly to anyone who inquires.