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Art News

There are some interesting art stories in the news.

In Paris, Fernando Botero, Latin America's "best known artist," known mostly for his pastoral scenes of small town life, has created an Abu Ghraib prisoner abuse collection:

Forty-eight paintings and sketches - of naked prisoners attacked by dogs, dangling from ropes, beaten by guards, in a mangled heap of bodies - will be exhibited in Rome at the Palazzo Venezia museum on June 16.

....Mr. Botero said the paintings and sketches, done in oils, pencil and charcoal and part of a 170-piece traveling exhibition, would also be shown at the Würth Museum in Germany in October and at the Pinacoteca in Athens next year before returning to Germany. The exhibition was first made public last month, when Diners, a Colombian magazine, published photographs of the works.

Botero, 73, began his political art just last year with a collection of graphic portrayals of the war in Colombia. In an interview, he explains his reasoning:

....with time, and his growing outrage, Mr. Botero said he had become more cognizant that art could and should make a statement....He pointed to the most famous antiwar painting of the 20th century, Picasso's masterpiece that depicted the German bombing of Guernica, Spain. Had Picasso not produced "Guernica," Mr. Botero said, the town would have been another footnote in the Spanish Civil War.

He said he read about Abu Ghraib in The New Yorker, then followed European news accounts. Calling himself an admirer of the United States - one of his sons lives in Miami - Mr. Botero said he became incensed because he expected better of the American government.

Botero's collection includes these depictions:

One inmate hangs from the ceiling, a rope around his ankle. Another work shows a soldier beating a prisoner with a baton, while yet another portrays a soldier urinating on an inmate. In many of the works, inmates simply scream in pain.

The art is not for sale.

Mr. Botero said the works being exhibited, and those he has continued to create on Abu Ghraib, were not for sale because it would not be proper to profit from such events.

Several European museums are interested in showing the exhibit. None in the U.S. have expressed an interest.

Moving on to Belgium....

This is an event that took place in Bruges, Belgium. 2,000 people braved freezng temperatures to disrobe as part of an art project.

It was a good feeling, everybody went naked and there was this sense of togetherness. There was no shame," said Charlotte Logghe, 28. "It was extremely cold though. We were wet through and through," she added.

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  • Re: Art News (none / 0) (#1)
    by Randinho on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 12:58:50 PM EST
    Well when I looked at Botero's older works, I always felt that his use of such chunky figures, especially of the upper class in Colombia was subtle political commentary. Nevertheless, his style is perfect for this type of work.

    Re: Art News (none / 0) (#2)
    by pigwiggle on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 12:58:50 PM EST
    ‘I am no-one, but I’m well known for I am the man with the dogs…Down to your church, I'm looking for victims, Spell of the man with the dogs’ Jello Biafra

    Re: Art News (none / 0) (#3)
    by DawesFred60 on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 12:58:50 PM EST
    The dog is used like that by all south american countries, its now used by our non nation, but the art is political and truthful in all ways. and how rumsfeld like! or bush like.

    Re: Art News (none / 0) (#4)
    by john horse on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 12:58:50 PM EST
    With all due respect to Botero, but I don't see how any artist can ever equal the power of the original photographs. So much of what we see and hear from Iraq is controlled but every once in a while we see images through the cracks, not the feel-good movie that the powers-that-be produce to manipulate how we think and feel, but of the way things really are.

    Re: Art News (none / 0) (#5)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 12:58:50 PM EST
    You know, John Horse, after a while the actual pictures and images get all wrapped up and obscured by their political context, the varying memes about their meaning, extent etc. I appreciate this artist's processing, distilling and re-presenting the images. All of the context is gone, there is just the horror of the actions again.

    Re: Art News (none / 0) (#6)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 12:58:50 PM EST
    but as Alberto has told us, none of this was torture.

    Re: Art News (none / 0) (#7)
    by DawesFred60 on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 12:58:51 PM EST
    conscious angel, bush just total our government to send people he has no use for to other countires to do what the N.U., calls non torture,"But come on people", don't you want this done to you? it looks like fun, and when bush start on you maybe it will be? I like it and you like it, so have fun in the empire, beating anyone?

    Re: Art News (none / 0) (#8)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 12:58:51 PM EST
    Mr. Botero said that as an admirer of the United States, he expected better of the American government.
    You and me both, Mr. Botero.

    Re: Art News (none / 0) (#9)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 12:58:53 PM EST
    Just to rain on everyone's parade, I doubt he would ever paint the realities of the heroic Iraqi people who are blown up by car bombs as they try to get through their day. The politics would not sell-he would be criticized as a propagandist/government stooge on this site.

    Re: Art News (none / 0) (#10)
    by kdog on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 12:58:54 PM EST
    Ed...you are too much. Honestly, do you not expect your elected govt. to behave better than terrorists? I know I do. When "Joe the Iraqi carbomber" represents me, collects taxes from me, and acts in my name, I'll be sure to criticize him as voiceforously as I do the current, criminal US admin.

    Re: Art News (none / 0) (#11)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 12:58:54 PM EST
    I doubt he would ever paint the realities of the heroic Iraqi people who are blown up by car bombs as they try to get through their day
    He paints what he feels, Ed. If you don't think this is a BIG BIG deal in the Arab world - especially for our former supporters who are now viewed as apologists for torture, then you need to get your head unstuck from the Red, White and Blue sand it's in and take a whiff of the stench of our Iraq and terrorism policies as the "mushroom cloud" of hypocrisy grows and spreads.

    Re: Art News (none / 0) (#12)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 12:58:54 PM EST
    Don't you folks bet our sensitive artiste has a sneaking admiration for those blowing up people in Iraq (think Michael Moore-Minutemen). As for how "big" the issue is in the Arab world, you are undoubtedly correct. However, the Arab world also blames Israel for all of its problems as an excuse to avoid dealing with its actual pathologies.

    Re: Art News (none / 0) (#13)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 12:58:54 PM EST
    No Ed, our psychic powers obviously are not as highly developed as yours. I'm unable to say catagorically the artists opinions towards Joe the Iraqi Car-bomber. Does your tinfoil hat give you better reception than the rest of us? Your strawman argument about Israel is largely irrelevant to the discussion at hand, but then again, what else would we expect from a RWNJ.

    Re: Art News (none / 0) (#14)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 12:58:54 PM EST
    I don't hang out enough to know what a rwnj is. Perhaps my artistic sensibilities are higher than yours in interpreting the paintings. Again, if the sensitive artiste were to paint portraits showing the degeneracy of Joe the Car Bomber, what would the reaction of the average poster here be? As I stated in an earlier posting, we did wrong things in WWII. Should that make up pine for a Nazi victory?

    Re: Art News (none / 0) (#15)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 12:58:54 PM EST
    Ed- One: Why does the fact the artist painted scenes from Abu Harib automatically equate to his support for the car bombers? I've seen no evidence to this. Can you explain this line of reasoning? Two: Let's deal with reality. What he did paint, not what you want him to paint. Three: I gather your nazi reference is some weak attempt to explain how the artists painting of Abu Garib shows he is a hearttfelt supporter of Joe the Iraqi carbomber. All you have to do is draw the line between A-he painted pictures of Abu garib, to B-he heartily endorses the actions of Joe T-I-C-B. It's obvious to you it seems, how about explaining your "thought" process to the rest of us? Picasso painted Guernica. By your reasoning, he also supported Stalin's death camps. As for a RWNJ? Check a mirror. You'll find one looking back at you.

    Re: Art News (none / 0) (#16)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 12:58:54 PM EST
    Actually, my Nazi analogy was aimed more towards posters here, such as yourself, than the artiste. For some reason, no one answers. Our GI's did horrible things in WWII. Worse things than at Abu Ghraib. Did that give cause to wish us to lose? By your standards, yes.

    Re: Art News (none / 0) (#17)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 12:58:54 PM EST
    Excuse me? Exactly where did I state that I wish us to lose? Now your just making things up. How pathetic. You still have not explained how showing wrongdoing by one party translates to direct support for the other. Unless of course, your a fool who looks at all of life as a zero-sum game. When called on an absurd statement, all you can come up with is extending that same absurd (and still unexplained) thinking in an attempt to cover us all with it. No troll cookie for you, if that's the best you've got.

    Re: Art News (none / 0) (#18)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 12:58:55 PM EST
    I will make it simple. When one gets the vapors if one side does something (read U.S. and the average poster on this site)and ignores the worse wrongs on the other side (read any number of groups and countries and the average poster on this site), I don't think it is a stretch to figure out who you support.

    Re: Art News (none / 0) (#19)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 12:58:55 PM EST
    Aha! Your problem is that we are not clapping loud enough in support of our dear leader, and actually expect our nation to have higher standards than the terrorists (or, if it makes you happy) or nazis we struggle against. Of course. Criticism of the dear leader is a direct correlation to support for the opposition. What on earth makes you believe I am ignoring what the "other side" does? I detest it in fact. Terror is the tool of cowards, always has been, always will be. I just expect us to behave better than they do. With your GOP sponsored lowered expectations, you clearly do not. And that's just sad.

    Re: Art News (none / 0) (#20)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 12:58:55 PM EST
    In your wisdom, do you realize that terrorism is an issue that goes beyond support for Bush or Kerry or Gore or whomever? My guess is "no". Do I personally think that many people at this site really despise the terrorist bombers and hate what they do? same answer.

    Re: Art News (none / 0) (#21)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 12:58:55 PM EST
    Your guess, as concerns me, as well as your initial analogy (criticism of one side directly equates to support for the other) would be completley wrong. If it was a Dem in power buggering up the "war on terra'", I'd be just as outraged as I am now. I'd just be aiming that outrage in the other direction. In my wisdom, unlike some, I don't wear rose-colored glasses when it comes to either party. It's just right now the RWNJ's scare me more than the LWNJ's.

    Re: Art News (none / 0) (#22)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 12:58:55 PM EST
    Oh, and we are still waiting for how one equates to the other, or is all life a zero-sum game to you? That would certainly explain a great deal of your posts. My guess is you don't, but will go to great lengths to make broad assumptions in a RWNJ attempt to smear the other side.

    Re: Art News (none / 0) (#23)
    by Richard Aubrey on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 12:58:55 PM EST
    Christopher Hitchens has a column on this very item. He suggests that there are, for this issue, two kinds of people. Those who cared about Abu Ghraib when Saddaam was running it and those who only care now. TL's folks are entirely the latter group. Hitchens' implication is that the latter group have no moral standing to preach on this issue. Good man, Hitch.

    Re: Art News (none / 0) (#24)
    by jimcee on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 12:58:55 PM EST
    I love the jello Biafra reference, cool..Botero is a leading artist in S. America in the likes of Michael Parkes in N. America, appealing to a certain class of consumer but not in a sense a "classical" artist as more of a "commercial" artist. Overall, his work in the past has been pretty cool. He has some Bronze pieces that show his mastery of concept but willingness to give over to the mechanics of the casting trade. As far as his politics...who cares as if it is a surprize that an artist might have Leftist leanings, gosh who'd a thunk it? Overall his work is kind of a Diego Garcia rip-off but in 3D.