Artwork of the day: Ofili - The Holy Virgin Mary (1996) The potent mixture of the sacred (Virgin Mary) and the profane (excrement and pornography) became a cause of controversy when the Sensation exhibition moved to New York in 1999. The City of New York and Mayor Rudolph Giuliani brought a court case against the Brooklyn Museum, with Giuliani describing the exhibition of Ofili’s work as “sick” and “disgusting”. Giuliani attempted to withdraw the annual $7 million City Hall grant from the museum, and threatened it with eviction. Many expressed outrage, but few people asked him why he rendered it as he did. Added on July 31, 2012 by Samuel Jackson.
