NEWS: Torture Art Prompts Assault

CULTURE: Torture Art Prompts Assault

According to the Associated Press, Lori Haigh , a gallery owner in San Francisco, has been harassed and assaulted because of art displayed in her window.

The painting depicts American soldiers, one holding an electric prod, leering at three naked men on pedastals--one bleeding from under his cloth mask--with wires attached to their fingers. A blindfolded woman is being led into the room by another soldier.

Of note is the role of the media in the escalation of the attacks on Haigh:

Allways gotta be some damn "artist", who has to push the limit.
Stupid fuck: "But it's art. I'm ok to draw that." *makes mousey sniveling sound*

Me: *Smacks the Stupid fuck in side of it's head* "Ya just like pics of aborted babies are ok, you fuck!" *Starts up slapping around session again*





Lets face it folks this is bullshit pure and simple.

[Edited on May 29, 2004 by Muzencab]

Hippy fuck. Oh ya thanks Jane Fonda for getting OWER P.O.W.'s killed.

She's been punched, physically threatened, spat on, and had eggs and trash dumped on her doorstep. I'm really pissed off that so many assholes have given her moral superiority.

Besides, the gallery features Maxon Crumb's work. Cut off the nose why don't you.

People are upset that she's showing a painting depicting abuse... so they abuse her by punching her and spitting on her?

I'm so proud of my fellow human beings.

Oh and she stood by and said "Dur ok George, This is art and I'm sure it will have no reprocushions on this gallery."

It's not the fault of the public, they're compounded opinions have caused her to go through these happenings.

It was her choice to hang the art, if the public wishes to "Express they're feelings" I'm sure they're entitled to it too.

I don't think "express their feelings" should include physically abusing another person. But of course, America has never liked it's free speech to be all that free.

We should be more outraged about the actual events that encouraged the artist to speak out against them. Good or bad, this artist is drawing his insiration from something truly, truly horrible. Instead of getting pissed, maybe they should look at what the art is communicating... without punching someone else.



[Edited on May 30, 2004 12:09AM]

Maxon Crumb has a distinct style,although fucked up subject matter. Just like H.R.Giger. Have you seen some of his non airbrushed work?

Robert Maplethorp? Would you say thats art?

Of course they have a right to express their feelings, but they DO NOT have the right to punch her, spit at her, and threaten her.

An email, phone message, or handwritten letter would suffice.

Ok so how about I post some pics of aborted babys? I just want to express my dislike, BOTH happen and both are a way of life.

So aborted baby pic are ok then. I just want to express myself. I want to "speak out" about this.

Art should be asthetically pleasing in some form.

This is some liberal-hippy-drum beating-Ohhh I wanna make a point Everybody should know how bad this is even though everyone has seen the beheading film and various photos so we should know how bad terrorism is-but I'm still gonna put this EVEN MORE in the public eye-ass hat!!!!!!!!!

The art isn't even good!!!! I could outdo this fucktard in ANY medium HE chooses!!!

AND IT WAS HER CHOISE TO HANG THE PAINTINGS. SHE SHOULD TAKE RESPONCIBILITY FOR WHAT HAPPENS TO HER WELL BEING!!!!

God damn lets make it everybody elses fault but our own. Take some fuckin responsibility.


re·spon·si·bil·i·ty [ ri spònssə bíllətee ] (plural re·spon·si·bil·i·ties)

noun

1. accountability: the state, fact, or position of being accountable to somebody or for something
The responsibilities of parenthood


2. blame: the blame for something that has happened
took full responsibility for the mix-up


3. something to be responsible for: somebody or something for which a person or organization is responsible


4. authority to act: authority to make decisions independently

I agree with Sorcha. This news is not about Maplethorp -or- people's definition of "art". Some art seeks to provoke people. It creates conversation. When the public behaves violently, this is sad and speaks about humanity worst nature.

I would think anybody on SG would appreciate individuals who push the boundaries of deceny and challenge the status quo of art and beauty and truth. Otherwise, buy some crappy book of Anne Geddes or Thomas Kinkade, and be happy.

No art director "deserves" such treatment.

Everybody here I like you guys.
But you have to get to the root of what caused all this.

One persons choice.

I'm sure she had the mental capasity to think about the effects of this cause.

Lets not blame the people for re-acting to being prodded.

Would you blame a dog for biting a child. A child that has been poking the dog through the fence?

The kid would be to blame. Not the dog.

If you put pictures of dead babies in the window, I would write a letter stating my reasons why you should take them out of the front window. I would not punch you.

Taking responsibility for her actions DOES NOT MEAN she should get punched and spit upon. She should expect some flack, yes, but physical violence? No.

I was going to go into some lenghty rant about what is and isn't art.... but i've decided against it, suffice it to say, that so long as we live in a country that believes in free speech (we do, right?? ) I don't see how you can censure art inspired by current events, god... i'm reminded of something Charles Dickens once said about america, "I do fear that the heaviest blow ever dealt at liberty will be dealt by this country, in the failure of it's example upon the earth." It's a statement the is all pervaiseive and applies to the states on all levels, not just in government, but in the opinion of the majority... fuck it i'm moving to Canada...

Oh but we're more evolved than a dog.

Ya we have apposable thumb and can make enough dooms day devices to destroy the world 2000 times over.

Okaaaaaaaay.

Flawed analogy.

A dog does not have the ability to tell the kid to fuck off and leave him alone, so he snarls and nips as a warning and THEN bites.

The public, when outraged, can snarl and nip by writing letters and calling. The "bite" is when they cross the line and attack her.

However, in this case, someone simply punched her WITHOUT WARNING.

I'm sure she figured she'd get some outraged callers and so on, but to get sucker punched?

I don't see how another person's lack of control over their temper is HER fault.

Everybody here I like you guys.
But you have to get to the root of what caused all this.

One persons choice.

I'm sure she had the mental capasity to think about the effects of this cause.

Lets not blame the people for re-acting to being prodded.

Would you blame a dog for biting a child. A child that has been poking the dog through the fence?

The kid would be to blame. Not the dog.

Oh but we're more evolved than a dog.

Ya we have apposable thumb and can make enough dooms day devices to destroy the world 2000 times over.

Okaaaaaaaay.

Speaking of, about two years ago, Montreal featured a wonderful exhibit of Pablo Picasso's erotic art, which was banned in the U.S.

I really don't like your whole "she was asking for it" take on this. That's just wrong.

(That was for Muzencab)

[Edited on May 30, 2004 by Sorcha]

She wasn't asking for it. It was a cause and effect. Even though this analogy is nothing like the senerio above stated to a degree it would be the same lack of forsight.

If I run up to a group of black gentlemen dressed in similar fashion as "Thugs" and say the word nigger out loud, would it be right or wrong should they decide to beat my ass?

It wouldn't fucking matter cause they would beat my ass and I should have thought about it before I did it.

I say good day!

Asking for it not even close read the article people, she removed it from window display after several complaints had been left. She did keep it on view but that is by no means asking to get pummeled. She did ask for controversy in placing the work in a prominent place. If she honestly had no idea it was related or could in be tied to the Abu Graib, then she must have been living in a vacuum for the last 2 months!!! Get real. The philistine that decided to assault her after she had moved back into the gallery proper need to be shot. Although something that I find disconcerting are the assholes who called her up and bitched at her for caving and taking it off display.


just here to piss you off

TKS

I was going to agree - but then I realized you were talking about the artist's choice to depict something real rather than the soldier's choice to torture people.

It's logic really: if pictures of US soldiers torturing people offends you, try making sure US soldiers don't torture people.