Broward pressures Art Guild to remove graphic painting of Bush

[truthpusher]

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/broward/sfl-ccontroversy27may27,0,2719699,print.story?coll=sfla-news-broward

Broward pressures Art Guild to remove graphic painting of Bush from 'Controversy' exhibit
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By Jean-Paul Renaud
Staff Writer
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May 27, 2005
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An explicit art piece at the private, nonprofit Broward Art Guild was removed from its prominent position in the gallery after the agency's director received a phone call from the county's Department of Cultural Affairs, which partially funds the group.

County Administrator Roger Desjarlais said Thursday the phone call placed by department director Mary Becht -- and the subsequent decision to take the painting off the wall -- will lead to an internal discussion of whether county agencies have the right to influence artistic decisions or fund certain exhibits.

The Broward Art Guild's annual exhibit, entitled "Controversy," caught the attention of Becht when she received a complaint from another artist in the show that an art piece entitled "Yahoo!" was offensive and inappropriate.

(snip)

The piece in question is a painting depicting President Bush being sodomized. Artist Alfred Phillips said images of an oil barrel and a man wearing a Muslim headdress in the work are part of a political statement about the United States being abused by oil companies.

complete story: http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/broward/sfl-ccontroversy27may27,0,2719699,print.story?coll=sfla-news-broward

[babylonsister]

1. What, no picture? :o} nt

[mikelgb]

2. exactly my thought

there is no point printing a story like this with no pic

[dArKeR]

3. Here it is. Warning graphic!

[phantom power]

5. To avoid controversy.

The paper doesn't want to print a picture that is clearly controversial (or else there would be no story).

[SteppingRazor]

4. Several points from a Broward resident

1 -- Despite its alleged "private" status, the Broward Art Guild receives funding from the county, which, as a funder, has every right to inquire whether or not the BAG has bylaws in place to deal with controversial art.

2 -- the artwork is running in an exhibition called "Controversy," so this kind of media attention is exactly what the BAG wants. (Personally, I think putting on a show of controversial artwork purely for controversy's sake is silly)

3 -- the complaint came from a fellow artist in the show, whose own painting featured a portrait of Pope Benedict XVI, along with several swastikas.

4 -- the painting should probably be pulled for quality's sake alone. The BAG blows. Anyone who pays the small annual fee can be included in their shows, there is no judging process at all, which means the artwork on display usually suffers terribly from a lack of quality, if not quantity.

[Ian David]

6. Can anyone find a picture online? I can't find one yet. n/t

[SteppingRazor]

7. Picture this --

George Bush being sodomized by an oil drum.


yeah, I gotta admit, it's pretty funny. :evilgrin:

[jayfish]

11. "The Painting Should Probably Be Pulled For Quality's Sake".

You being the final judge of artistic quality of course.

Jay

[SteppingRazor]

13. Course not.

But art shows should be juried. Every legitimate one is.

If I opened a nightclub, and told bands that all they had to do was pay $20 a year and they could play there, can you imagine the crappy bands that would gig there? This is the same situation.

[jayfish]

14. I Like The Idea Of Ordinary People,,,

having a place to publicly display their art. Even if it's something I might not consider artful.

Jay

[1monster]

21. Agreed!

Sometimes there are really great natural talents out there that would never see the light of day in normal circumstances for various reasons.

[Al-CIAda]

8. WTF?

The piece in question is a painting depicting President Bush being sodomized. Artist Alfred Phillips said images of an oil barrel and a man wearing a Muslim headdress in the work are part of a political statement about the United States being abused by oil companies.

Michael Friedman, the artist who complained to the county, said the painting is offensive and tasteless.

"Something snapped inside," he said. Friedman himself entered a piece depicting Pope Benedict XVI with several swastikas in the background.

"Sodomy in a public forum is not, from my perspective, considered art," he said. "I think somebody has to draw the line somewhere. I like political satire. However, that type of image ... I don't think is artistic."

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:wtf: :silly:

[hyphenate]

17. Yeah

The pot calling the kettle black.

[UpInArms]

19. ooooh.... something snapped

when I read this and I thought to myself - this guy's a freeper!

"Something snapped inside," he said. Friedman himself entered a piece depicting Pope Benedict XVI with several swastikas in the background.]

A statement on art:

Art is supposed to create a reaction in the viewer, either positive or negative. If a piece of work creates nothing - it is not art.

[BillZBubb]

22. Sounds like Friedman put the swastikas as a TRIBUTE

not a criticism. Freeper mentality.

[meganmonkey]

9. There is a link to this thread on the Sun Sentinel site (?)

Am I hallucinating? Is that wierd - or does it just do that because I linked to it from here...I have never seen anything like that! :wtf:


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http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x1505365

Broward pressures Art Guild to remove graphic painting of Bush from 'Controversy' exhibit



By Jean-Paul Renaud
Staff Writer

etc...

[SteppingRazor]

10. Just cause you linked to it from here

[FlaGranny]

12. I've never seen anything like that link before!

Anyway, I find it strange that an artist thinks that an art piece's political statement about the country/president being raped by oil countries is any more inappropriate than the pope with swastikas. In fact, SOME people might find that the pope art is even more inappropriate.

[truthisfreedom]

15. you're not hallucinating, but it's only visible to people who clicked on

the link in the story above. the Sun Sentinel site is set up to give you a link back to wherever you came from.

[meganmonkey]

18. Thanks - that seemed the most obvious reason

but it is Friday afternoon, so I thought anything might be possible ;)

[truthpusher]

20. It is only when you link from the DU story...

...weird though.

[Fire Walk With Me]

16. Swamp Rat and MoPaul should do a show

Get some bucks, support, and publicity for their good works.