“Piss Christ”, a very controversial piece of art by American artist Andres Serrano, has been destroyed today at the museum of contemporary art in Avignon, France.

Around 11am, two Catholic activists entered the museum and destroyed the photography, before running away.

The photography has been shown as part of the Collection Lambert since December 2010, and had raised criticism and shock in town.

The “Piss Christ” represents a small plastic crucifix submerged in a glass of the artist’s urine. Created in 1987, the piece of art has been vividly criticized all over the world. In 1997, two young Catholic activists already destroyed a copy of the photography in a museum in Australia.

Andres Serrano is known for his controversial, almost outrageous work, and New Yorkers still remember him for his, let’s say, “crappy” exhibition at the Yvon Lambert Gallery in Chelsea in 2008.

The “Piss Christ” is undoubtedly the artist’s most controversial work and had triggered numerous violent reactions since its creation. But the artist claimed that while this work is not intented to denounce religion, it alludes to a perceived commercializing and cheapening of Christian icons in contemporary culture.

So, guys, this is a complete misunderstanding. Also, the photography was destroyed with a hammer, spray paint, and an icepik, which was a little bit violent to make such a point.

More information here (in French).