Brazilian artist causes furor with controversial series in Sao Paolo Art Biennial

[lunatica]

The artist draws himself aiming a gun at world leaders.





http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/09/27/brazilian-arti...

Artist Depicts Assassination Of Bush, The Queen In New Brazil Exhibition (PHOTOS)

The Sao Paulo Art Biennial may be renowned for celebrating the best of Brazil's avant garde, but international critics say one of this year's featured exhibits -- a series of charcoal sketches depicting the imagined assassinations of former U.S. President George W. Bush and Queen Elizabeth II, among other world leaders -- has gone too far. (Scroll down for photos)

One sketch in the controversial series, titled "Enemies," depicts Bush kneeling on the ground while artist Gil Vicente presses a pistol to the former president's temple. In other sketches, the Queen is apparently unaware of the artist pointing a gun directly at her back, while Pope Benedict XVI faces Vicente directly, his arms outstretched in a quizzical shrug. Other world leaders shown in Vicente's 9-sketch series include former Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula de Silva, according to The Telegraph.

The Brazilian Bar Association demanded "Enemies" be removed shortly after making its debut Saturday. "Even though a work of art freely expresses the creativity of its maker, without limits, there have to be limits to exhibiting it publicly," a spokesman said, according to the AFP.

Biennial organizers have thus far rejected efforts to remove the exhibit, and in an interview with the AFP, Vicente defended his work. "They claim it justifies crime," he said. "Stealing public money is not a crime? The reports on TV aren't trying to justify crimes? Only my work is justification of crime?"

[Rex]

1. Nothing makes a stir like the creative artist threatening someone from

the ruling elite. He better lock his doors from now on.

[xchrom]

2. Recommend

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

3. At least it's not nausea-inducing like "Piss Christ".

And that's the only good thing I can say about this. Stupid. I file this under "Attention-Whore Art".

[lunatica]

4. Lots of art falls under your description

It's an Avant Garde exhibition. Do you think the organizers should take it down? That's what I'm more interested in.

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

5. I don't know. That's death threats, most of them against CURRENT HEADS OF STATE.

Remember the lunatic who posted Obama in crosshairs in Facebook? Same thing. The manner of delivery is immaterial.

[lunatica]

8. I find it shocking myself

Maybe because the drawing are life size and life-like in their realistic rendering. But basically they're 'art'. I find myself wondering if the artist is mentally unstable, or just wants to create a controversy about art and real life.

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

9. There's no question that it is art. Stupid art, but art.

It's also a death threat.

[mikelgb]

10. we see depictions of violence all the time

the person at the end of the gun should not matter

but the fact that the are causes debate and stirs emotions; art


otoh the recent depiction of obama with something to the effect of "go for it" placed on the image is particularly onerous and should be condemned

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

12. Whether the person at the end of the gun is fictitious or not does matter.

So does the general tone of the work.

THAT work gives off a vibe of "I'd love to be rid of all those assholes, wouldn't you?"

IMHO, it crosses the line.

[FreeState]

14. I quite like Piss Christ

Not only do I find the imagery beautiful the meaning of it as well.

These drawings are very well done and the emotion expressed in them is exceptional.

[Matariki]

22. +1

They're powerful pieces. Disturbing in their emotional intensity. That's why there's such a strong reaction to them.

[Matariki]

20. Have you even *seen* a print of Piss Christ?

If you don't look at the title and know what you are looking at, it is actually quite beautiful. There is also a similar piece called 'Piss Satan', which no on seemed to care about.

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

33. "If you don't look at the title and know what you are looking at"

But the entire POINT of the piece is people knowing the title and what they're looking at.

Well, at least that's not an emo death threat.

[valerief]

6. Bless him. nt

[mikelgb]

7. they are quite stunning, and they evoke all kinds of emotions

god save the queen indeed

[lunatica]

11. He's obviously bringing attention to violence

In quite a unique and stereotyping busting way.

[REP]

28. Not particularly good draftsmanship

His technique strikes me of a talented but untrained highschooler doodling in a notebook. Poorly drawn hands; poor perspective; heavy-handed shadowing ... C+ work.

[TalkingDog]

30. agreed n/t

[proteus_lives]

13. Who cares about a lazy artist?

Oooh, shocking. I'm surprised he didn't smear some sort of bodily fluid on it.

[Matariki]

21. lazy artist?

I'll be he does more work in a month than you do in you whole uninspired life.

[proteus_lives]

29. Uninspired is a good word for this dreck.

He's pointing guns at politicians and religious figures....ooohhh...edgy.

It's like he's anti-establishment or against the prominent authority figures of the day.

Wow, it's he's saying they are the cause of our problems.

And he wasn't even obvious about it.

[TalkingDog]

31. and also agreed n/t

[Arctic Dave]

15. Now if the person holding the gun was a depiction of Uncle Sam

the response would be? Or if it was a CEO?

[FreeState]

16. Then it would be classic American

Brasil however has a history of dictatorships and urban guerrillas (not so much as surrounding countries but it still plays heavy on Brazilians views). So it makes sense its not the government but the people holding the gun.

[lunatica]

17. kick

[Liberal_in_LA]

18. disturbing

[Marr]

19. The art scene is 100% gimmick.

Everybody's out to shock the squares.

[lunatica]

23. My art isn't shocking nor is it meant to be, but

I'm not sure what you mean. Shock has always had a place in art. The first artist to depict fruit that actually had bruises on it shocked the experts. The Impressionists shocked the world when they first started. Picasso meant to shock with Guernica.

[maryf]

24. "Stealing public money is not a crime?"

you bet it is...

[lunatica]

26. And stealing money means stealing food out of people's mouths

Yes. It's more than just a crime.

[flamingdem]

25. Strong work nt

[begin_within]

27. Is this the same idiot who let a dog starve to death in a gallery as a "work of art?"

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

32. Nope. Not even same country. -nt

[HEyHEY]

34. Does he do special orders? I'd love one of Harper