A controversial collection of paintings called “Banned Art” has gone on show in Moscow. It has outraged Orthodox believers who say the exhibition is offensive and should be closed. At the same time critics and common visitors do not find it sa

A new exhibition in Moscow is bringing up the question that has been debated for centuries – what makes art art? The images are covered up by sheet rock, only the names are visible at first. In order to see them you need to look through the tiny peep holes. Some say the fact that the banned art is covered up is artistic in itself. Many of the pictures are very provocative: behind the boards among other works there are, for example, images of Hitler in obscene poses and a figure of Christ with the head of Lenin.

Views on the exhibition differ sharply. Some are quite positive: “I really like that you can only see the pictures through holes. I have never seen that before. It really has a mysterious effect. It is shocking but goes very well with the holes,” student Maria Smolyakova said.

But outside some people sing a different tune organizing protest actions and calling the shocking images sacrilegious. “It insults our religious beliefs and the self-respect that all people deserve,” Mikhail Naimov, Head of Youth Russian Orthodox group, stated.

The Director of the People's Protection Center wants a criminal case to be launched and has sent his request to the Moscow Prosecutor's Office. “I have sent this request because I believe that this exhibition violates the rights of Russian orthodox believers and of Christians in general,” Oleg Kasin, Director of the People's Protection Center, pointed out.

The case is being reviewed but many think the art here is far from criminal. “There is nothing here that is sacrilegious or is meant to insult the church. Religious signs here are used to portray other meanings. As soon as Russian Museum people see a naked body or a religious symbol used in modern art they say ”No, we cannot show that! But it's censorship", critic Andrey Erofeev believes.

While everyone has a different view of what art is, if one of the aims is to cause a reaction, in this case it is surely a success.