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| Fifth Column |
| File under obvious - avant-garde Artists scared to ridicule Islam |
| 2007-11-19 |
| Britain’s contemporary artists are fêted around the world for their willingness to shock but fear is preventing them from tackling Islamic fundamentalism. Grayson Perry, the cross-dressing potter, Turner Prize winner and former Times columnist, said that he had consciously avoided commenting on radical Islam in his otherwise highly provocative body of work because of the threat of reprisals. Perry also believes that many of his fellow visual artists have also ducked the issue, and one leading British gallery director told The Times that few major venues would be prepared to show potentially inflammatory works. But - artists are our best citizens, our most important people! How could they be carrying out such calumny? “I’ve censored myself,” Perry said at a discussion on art and politics organised by the Art Fund. “The reason I haven’t gone all out attacking Islamism in my art is because I feel real fear that someone will slit my throat.” Cowards. I feel nothing but contempt for them. Perry’s highly decorated pots can sell for more than £50,000 and often feature sex, violence and childhood motifs. One work depicted a teddy bear being born from a penis as the Virgin Mary. “I’m interested in religion and I’ve made a lot of pieces about it,” he said. “With other targets you’ve got a better idea of who they are but Islamism is very amorphous. You don’t know what the threshold is. Even what seems an innocuous image might trigger off a really violent reaction so I just play safe all the time.” So, as long as rough men keep it safe, they'll make the most offensive "artwork" they can think of. The moment they actually face any threat, they become obedient dogs. Our language doesn't have a word for what I'm feeling right now. |
| Posted by:gromky |
| #12 So much about Speaking Truth to Power Now that's gonna leave a mark! |
| Posted by: Zenster 2007-11-19 20:04 |
| #11 So much about Speaking Truth to Power, etc. |
| Posted by: Swamp Blondie 2007-11-19 19:51 |
| #10 While multicultists are spewing about the nobility of Islam, Muslims are subverting our political order and diminishing cultural freedom. Now they want prayer zones in work places, so they can further segregate. This has to stop somewhere. |
| Posted by: McZoid 2007-11-19 19:07 |
| #9 The last time that was done was an artist who painted some homo pictures of Batman and Robin, Last time I looked the home erotic movie Batman and Robin was still for sale on DVD and priced to move. I think DC Comics should pay more attention. |
| Posted by: rjschwarz 2007-11-19 17:28 |
| #8 I thought I'd seen him here before... http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/3298707.stm Lovely picture of him, and him and the wife at the link. |
| Posted by: tu3031 2007-11-19 16:49 |
| #7 For the record, my sister in law is an artist and works to pay the rent. She is always stating that she is "tired of being a cog in the corporate machine". Maybe it is just me, but I find the corporate machine pays well and regularly. |
| Posted by: DarthVader 2007-11-19 15:14 |
| #6 Most artists are just people that can't hack it in the real world. Just ask my sister-in-law. |
| Posted by: DarthVader 2007-11-19 15:12 |
| #5 Artists, however, love to manufacture controversy to sell they stuff. How long will it be before one creates a fake artist, who makes art whose sole purpose is to piss off Muslims, the sell them for high prices to undisclosed buyers as "forbidden" art before killing off their unreal artist? The last time that was done was an artist who painted some homo pictures of Batman and Robin, fully aware that DC Comics sues anybody who uses their image. When they hit him with a mengasso lawsuit, he called a press conference to destroy his works, but secretly sold half a dozen through a buddy, to collectors for huge prices. Art is a scam. |
| Posted by: Anonymoose 2007-11-19 14:14 |
| #4 One work depicted a teddy bear being born from a penis as the Virgin Mary. That's not even shocking anymore - it's just pathetic. This guy's got all the imagination of a 7th grader with about half the maturity. And I'm not even talking about his cowardice which has been addressed by other posters. |
| Posted by: xbalanke 2007-11-19 12:52 |
| #3 "I've censored myself" Good little dhimmi! One work depicted a teddy bear being born from a penis as the Virgin Mary. He had no choice. Someone else had already dunked a crucifix in urine. Once again, we are treated to the sordid spectacle of Islam's surest victims protesting the least. Were this a just world, it would be their cowardice that made them first in line for the sword. |
| Posted by: Zenster 2007-11-19 12:45 |
| #2 As I said in the other thread: Chicken! Sissy! Pantywaist! Mincing fraidy-cat! You do art like a girl! |
| Posted by: Mike 2007-11-19 12:16 |
| #1 Gee- whoda thunk it? (Yeah - filed under obvious...). |
| Posted by: Kathy Kinsley 2007-11-19 12:10 |