Massive Christian Riots Rock Australia

[GI Joe]

Massive Christian Riots Rock Australia (Not Really)


Australian Christians poured out of churches across the country, smashing store windows and setting fire to cars, chanting “Death to the Blake Society!” after an art competition included images of the Virgin Mary in a burqa, and Osama bin Laden morphing into Jesus Christ.

Oh, wait. No they didn’t.

http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0,22049,22332032-5001028,00.html

CONTROVERSY has erupted over two entries in a prestigious art competition, one which depicts the Virgin Mary in a burqa and an image of Osama bin Laden which morphs into Jesus.

The work’s have been entered into Australia’s top religious art competition, the Blake Prize. Prime Minister John Howard has been critical of the inclusion of the works, which he said were insulting and lacked any artistic merit, News Ltd reports. “The choice of such artwork is gratuitously offensive to the religious beliefs of many Australians,” he said.

But the Uniting Church minister who chairs the Blake Society said his mission was to spark debate about spirituality in a world that was “cynical, degraded and in crisis”. Reverend Rod Pattenden said he didn’t expect the exhibition to be controversial, “because the Christian community doesn’t look at art a great deal”.

Australian Christian Lobby spokeswoman Glynis Quinlan questioned whether the artists would have used icons of Islam rather than Christianity. “It’s really unfortunate people take liberties with the Christian faith they wouldn’t take with other religions,” she said.

[USViking]

Everyone I know of who has been to Australia
has given Australia rave reviews.

Two liked it so much they became citizens.
One of them is from my hometown of Bedford, Virginia.

Outstanding in Australia's history is the absence
of violent strife. Australians might get into fistfights
in bars once in a while, but so what if they do if
that is as bad as it gets?

In fact, not a single one of the entire population
poured out a single violent peep over Christ's image
being perverted and transmongrified into that of
the truly satanic Bin Laden.

All the members of the "Blake Society" (WTGDF are they?)
deserve a good old-fashioned punch in the nose, and then
a kick in the ribs while they are down. A wad of spit on them
there on the floor would be a nice finish.

I expect Bowerbird to swoop down on this post
like the avenging angel she imagines herself to be.

Oh well, I'm getting used it.

[burntgorilla]

Is John Howard an art critic now?

[bowerbird]

Is John Howard an art critic now?

Maaaaate! He'll do anything to get re-elected! If there were a huge mob outside the show saying how much they liked it he would have agreed:p

Mind you Kevin Rudd has also waded in with HIS opinion:rolleyes:

But here is what the artist says of the piece

"One of the things that I was thinking about was the glorification of Osama bin Laden which has been taking place. I mean, he's seriously glorified in some parts of the world, where he's revered for the things he's done," she said.

"What I was thinking about was, 'well what would happen to the stories about this man over thousands of years, and could that possibly lead to someone with a cult-like status?'."

Bracks says the piece reflects on how historical figures can be portrayed over time.

"There's so many ways you can read that image," she said.

"You know, immediately people are seizing on what they see as the most controversial - that I'm comparing the two.

"But I could actually be saying that it's a juxtaposition of good and evil, which I see as the base level reading of that work.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2007/08/30/2019309.htm

Bottom line - art is supposed to be controversial

[burntgorilla]

Interesting. Over time, a bad figure such as bin Laden can be portrayed as a good figure such as Jesus, as shown by the artist morphing one into the other. I like that, it's interesting.

[bowerbird]

She actually makes some interesting points - it is less about the juxtaposition of the two images and more about mythos surrounding ideas and images. It does what art is supposed to do - makes us stop and think.

Interesting too that there has been little reaction from the radical islamists about the piece.

[Riddley]

Bloody Art trying to make people think. Well we don't want that sort of carry on in matesville!!!

[Soren]

I must say though, making people think and deliberately poking people in the eye to get a reaction are two very different things. I'd say these entries fit more into the second category than in the first.

[serenity]

I must say though, making people think and deliberately poking people in the eye to get a reaction are two very different things. I'd say these entries fit more into the second category than in the first.


Well, that goes to quesitons of motivation, which we simply don't know.

Art often offends sensibilities. The alternative to this (ie don't offend CERTAIN people) sounds dreary, grey, totalitarian.

[jamesrage]

I wonder if Clinton is going to speak out against anti-religious bigotry just like he did when the Mohammad editorial cartoons were made?