The Sensation Exhibition and a Trialogue on Art

By Carey Gates, Upper School Visual Arts Chair

An exhibition is a dialogue between the artist (or artists) and the curator (or curators), or perhaps a trialogue if we include the viewing public. It’s an exercise in communication, one influenced by the perspective or lens of all participants: artist, curator, viewers. The curator has to weigh the artist’s goals against the theme or story she wants to tell. Wall tags, exhibition catalogues, and press releases are the vehicles through which the curator communicates her story to viewers and frames what’s on display. Perhaps the wildcard in this arrangement is the viewers, as they’re free to draw their own conclusions even if these contradict anything the curator — or artist — intends. 

Consider Sensation, an exhibition of Young British Artists (YBAs) that debuted at the Royal Academy of Arts (London) in 1997, traveled to Berlin the following year, and culminated at the Brooklyn Museum in 1999–2000. The goal of the exhibition and its chief curator, Norman Rosenthal, was to push audiences to engage directly with their five senses and confront the fundamental, often uncomfortable realities of contemporary existence. 

The exhibition encountered controversy in two of the cities for specific works. Most notably, these were “Myra,” by Marcus Harvey, in London and “The Holy Virgin Mary,” by Chris Ofili, in New York City. The major objections to “Myra” (a portrait of the convicted murderer Myra Hindley) were from Mothers Against Murder and Aggression, who were opposed to what they saw as the glorification of the subject. In the case of “The Holy Virgin Mary,” the objections came from American Catholic groups as well as the Archbishop of New York and New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani (a practicing Catholic), due to its incorporation of elephant dung.

So what can be said about this exhibition? Do the goals of the curator meet the reactions to it? Where are the perspectives of the artists represented correctly? Do the objections of some viewers change how the lens of history views it? Do the vocal detractors outweigh the greater number of viewers who found it positive? 

I encourage you to explore this exhibition, which is now a historic document. Consider how these works reveal your own perspectives — and draw your own conclusions.