I guess there's only one place on this forum for this story, so I'll just parachute it in to this cosy thread, if you don't mind. : )

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-08-26/fresco-of-jesus-a-drawcard-after-botched-restoration/4223248

But does it now qualify as contemporary art Poirot?

If the same parishioner had gone to Florence to help with Ghiberti's Gates of Paradise, the restoration wouldn't have taken 27 years... but she would have probably have used a hammer to flatten out all the bumps in the bronze panels.

WmTrevor,

Apparently the fresco was still in reasonably good condition two years ago - as you can see in the following link:

http://www.regretsy.com/2012/08/21/regretsy-math-50/

Cosiness is interesting, and interestingness is cosy!

Oh well, I just wanted to ask Peter where this quote came from: "All that is left is the conflict of arbitrary notions of taste." - as it seems this is the crux of your argument.

From my perspective this is the essence of contemporary aesthetics, and also illustrates the reason why an absolutist doctrine such as Christianity simply cannot survive as a significant intellectual standpoint in a world where people are free to think for themselves.

My reaction to that quote would be "how could you possibly see anything objectionable in that situation?". Taste may be arbitrary insofar as it is influenced by forces as varied as culture (Christianity being an important, though rapidly-diminishing part of this) and genetics, for example. But why does its arbitrariness make it any less meaningful?

The reason a lot of modern art is boring is because on account of its arbitrariness it's much more difficult to do, and rarely successful. It's not only the "looker" who is challenged by it. Religious art meanwhile has a great history of producing some quite compelling stuff, because it provides a developed framework around which to situate belief in/adherence to something. But it's ultimately a simplistic belief.

Face it, Christianity was convincing once, and probably not without good reason, but circa 150 years ago those reasons were surpassed by other forms of knowledge. The best thing we can do to honour it now is to appreciate the role it has played in the development of ideas, and to put it out of its misery. Hanging onto it like this is only going to further damage its historical standing.

The quote is from the link I gave.

Like a snake oil salesman who tells you that snake oil will cure acne and cancer Sellick will return with his snake oil remedy of Christianity. Either things are wrong because many are abandoning the superstition or the world will be bettered if the Christian snake oil is applied liberally. Even if there is no question superstition is the answer.