Letter: Art and iconoclasm

Sir: The culture in art to shock and disturb by undermining existing values has become so prevalent that it is endangering the fuel that feeds it ("Splashing out: the day art went too far", 19 September). Where will this movement go when all its references are used up, whether they be Myra Hindley, Jesus Christ, the Royal Family or a sheep?

Iconoclasm is all very well but it depends on someone else creating the icon first. We need to court true originality again so that we can build some new and heartening principles into our culture - otherwise we may not leave anything for future generations to destroy.

DAVID GIBBS

London SW4