Andres Serrano insists he doesn’t aim to be a controversial artist, yet his career is marked by work that has provoked strong reactions.
The 75-year-old New Yorker first achieved notoriety with one of the most disputed works of art in history – his 1987 photograph titled ‘Piss Christ’.
The image of a crucifix submerged in urine incited widespread protests condemning it as blasphemous and was vandalised while on display in a French art museum in 2011.
“I don’t create art to be inflammatory. I produce work that feels necessary to me.
“For some reason, my work often touches on significant cultural issues that become cultural flashpoints.”
Andres Serrano spoke to Sky News
Two of Serrano’s most prominent and contentious subjects continue to dominate headlines worldwide.
Serrano photographed Jeffrey Epstein for a portrait in 2019, four months before Epstein, known for his extensive network of influential contacts, died in a prison cell.
Epstein’s death, ruled as suicide, followed his arrest and charges related to sex trafficking.
Serrano had also previously captured Donald Trump on camera in 2004 – the year the real estate mogul began starring on ‘The Apprentice’.
Now, as Trump faces increased scrutiny over his past associations with Epstein and pressure mounts for the release of all files in Epstein’s case, Serrano provides a unique glimpse into these figures.
Photographing Epstein
Serrano’s portrait of Epstein was “23 years in the making”, after agreeing to do it in exchange for a sculpture the wealthy collector owned that the artist had wanted since the mid-1990s.
Andres Serrano’s portrait of Jeffrey Epstein
Despite Epstein’s known offenses, Serrano had no reservations about taking the photograph, driven by a desire to own the sculpture Epstein possessed.
Serranno’s view of Epstein was far from the public’s; considering him lacking in intrigue beyond his notorious activities.
The artist’s engagement with Epstein, whom he met in the 1990s, was to acquire a 16th-century statue of the Virgin Mary to complement a St John statue he already owned.
“Jeffrey Epstein is rolling in his grave laughing about how he is still talked about,”
the artist declares.
“He wasn’t an interesting guy. Except for being a paedophile, there was nothing about him that should have made him so interesting to so many people.”
Epstein ‘collected people’
Serrano – introduced to Epstein in the mid-90s – describes their few meetings with Epstein as encounters with a peculiar figure. Upon learning of Epstein’s exposure and charges, they felt “shocked”.
“We never saw that side of Epstein,” he confesses.
“Epstein collected people. He knew everyone, celebrities, the famous, the rich – it was his business to know them,” Serrano reveals.
While Serrano believes Epstein was uninteresting, his perspective on Trump is dramatically different.
Pic: Andres Serrano’s portrait of Donald Trump
He describes Trump as “fascinating”, collecting over 1,000 Trump-related items for an art installation titled “The Game: All Things Trump”, reflecting a spectrum of Trump’s businesses and brands, from Trump Vodka to Trump University, even including Trump Steaks and a sign from Trump Taj Mahal.
The image of the US president in Serrano’s mind is of someone who epitomises the American dream. He views Trump’s ability to persist in achieving his goals not as a trait of simplistic stubborness but as a demonstration of intelligence and strategic tenacity.
“Despite what one thinks of him, one can’t deny his effectiveness in getting his way,” Serrano observes.
Expressing a belief that the Epstein saga will eventually fade, Serrano compares it to the enduring conspiracy theories surrounding John F. Kennedy’s assassination.
“At some point, the Jeffrey Epstein story will be buried, along with Jeffrey Epstein,” he predicts.
