Citing the “alleged crimes” of a variety of world leaders, Brazilian “artist” Gil Vicente’s drawings of himself killing different leaders opened at the Sao Paulo Art Biennial on Saturday.
To the best of my knowledge, it’s the first time that artwork - if you can call it that - depicting the assassination of the Pope has ever gone on display publicly. It’s offensive, outrageous, and hate-filled.
Vicente’s charcoal drawing of the Pope shows him confronting Pope Benedict XVI with a pistol. The Pope has his hands upturned.
As part of the series, Vicente is shown assassinating a total of nine world leaders, including former U.S. President George W. Bush, Israeli prime minister Ariel Sharon, the former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, and Britain’s Queen.
“Because they kill so many other people, it would be a favour to kill them, understand?” said Vicente of his series, titled Inimigos (Enemies). “Why don’t people in power and in the elite die?”
The Brazilian bar association has demanded that the images be removed from the exhibition, suggesting that they encourage violent crime.
“A fundamental quality of our institution is curatorial independence and freedom of expression,” said the organizers of the exhibit. “The works exhibited do not reflect the opinion of the curators nor of the Biennial Foundation.”
Whether or not the artwork reflects the opinion of the curators, it demonstrates a deep-seated hatred of those in authority, the Holy Father and everything that He stands for. It’s yet another example of the outright hatred that exists towards the Pope and the Catholic Church, and it reminds me of the sort of anti-Jewish artwork and editorial cartoons that were common in Germany prior to the Nazis taking power. That level of hatred, whether artistic or not, is always wrong.
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The artist at least did something right:
he portrayed Pope Benedict as innocent with his palms upturned. As if he’s questioning, death does not solve anything.
This is disgusting. As an artist myself, this is horrible. What crimes has Pope Benedict committed?
WOW, Now there is an artist with intellectual gravitas! I’m throwing out my paints and burning my pencils, cause I can’t ever compete with a brilliant guy like that!!! Mercy… he’ll be as famous as Andre Serrano by morning. I wonder if his next move will be to get “I’M AN IDIOT” tattooed on his forehead?
F.A. Alsbach
http://alsbach-art.com
The artist mentioned in the article could have used his God given talent to draw paintings that will invoke the viewer to transcend himself and uncover the mysteries of God.
Instead, the artist wastes it on banalities.
I’m praying he will change his ways.
“Stupid is as stupid does.” F. Gump
How sad.
Very sad and disturbing. What is even worse is he has a gallery showing his work and it will be attended by a host of sympathetic and appreciative viewers.
Truthfully, I really do not understand “THE THE WORLD OF ART”—Just because this man is an ‘artist’, does not make his drawing “ART”. It is just propaganda and really brings the Museum down to the lowest level for even showing his works. Any comic-strip artist can do the same. One of the museums in NYC did the same thing toward Blessed Mary. Shame on them!
Unbelievable, can’t hardly look at that! It’s like a modern day killing of Christ.
Witness2: Not much evidence of real talent there.
Maggie: Indeed
Sue: You actually understand the Art World as it currently stands quite well.
Mark: Even worse, If I’m not mistaken the show is publicly funded by the country of Brazil.
Publicity-seeking adolescents should be ignored. This “artist” has yet to emerge into maturity. He is still in the stage of wanting to shock.
Raymond is right. If your art has nothing to say then make it scream and shout.
It must be stated that there were nine drawings in total and to react with greater horror to one of them is deeply offensive to the other eight subjects. It is rather sad that many Catholics will read too much into this. For example, I am British and proud of it and I am in no way offended by the drawing of the assassination of the Queen. It is a mark of a free society where independent and individual expression may flourish. Had the Pope not been included would you have been so horrified by the drawings? Why should the Pope alone be beyond this artist’s scope? Should religion not be subject to anything that is explicitly negative in connotation, whilst others may? This would set us back years in creative freedom anad expression.
I for one am not struck by the drawings on a personal level but I wholeheartedly support the artist’s right to create provocative work which may trigger shock, even if in an extreme framework many would see it as an attack upon my person or country.
Jonathan, I think nearly all of us who have commented herein are aware that there are nine drawings by Mr. Vincente in the above mentioned show. I’m glad you are British and proud of it and that it doesn’t bother you that Gil did his drawing of shooting the Queen. I would wager that most of us agree that freedom of speech is irreplaceable. However… when anyone walks out into the public square and expresses themselves like a school yard bully, in a crude, crass, and inconsiderate manner, expressing sentiments which are blatantly hateful, sorely misinformed, and clearly seeking notoriety…. one must choose to speak up refuting the imbecile, or walk away because they are not worth the effort. Usually we walk away because it’s just an isolated incident, and will pass. However when it is growing into a pattern, people must stand up and vigorously disagree.
Now lets take your other point, that this is simply another issue of creative freedom and free expression. I’ll set aside the artists obvious avoidance of a Muslim religious figure for his own self preservation… lets imagine he really was a fearless artist with strong opinions outside of western societal norms: He makes a series of drawings of himself shooting: 1. gay male 2. gay female, 3. adult person of African descent 4. a person of oriental descent 5. cross dresser 6. a person of Aztec descent 7.of Incan descent 8. an Eskimo 9. a Jewish Child. All because he thinks any race besides his own and any sexual preference besides his own is evil and they should all be exterminated.
-Is that Ok with you?
-Is that just “the artists right to create provocative work which may trigger shock, even if in an extreme framework…”
_Is that healthy artistic free expression which society should encourage and financially support???
Heck the guy can draw whatever he wants in his studio, but once it is submitted to a PUBLICLY FUNDED INSTITUTION which exhibits the drawings… something may be just a little out of balance.
-Recall Hitler thought of himself as an artist, and if he were a product of our era he might feel encouraged to make paintings about his ideas rather than dictating Mein Kampf. How would you feel about that? Is that Cool with you too????
Floyd
@Floyd: Excellent answer.
@Jonathan: This just happens to be a Catholic paper and naturally we were speaking of our Pope. All of these paintings are obnoxious. Also I would not want this deviate’s expressions to flourish. For your information, I did go on the internet and read of the others he pointed his gun at, including the Queen, the Brazilian President,(looked like he was cutting his throat) Iran’s leader, Pres. Bush, who was kneeling and had his hands tied. What came to my mind was that the artist stood in front of - or on the side of all the men and pointed his gun. When it came to Queen Elizabeth, she stood there with folded hands and he stood BEHIND her pointing the gun. Odd, isn’t it. [a coward when it came to women?]
Jonathan:
Others have answered quite nicely, so I’ll merely offer you this bit of food for thought:
In both Britain and the United States today, if someone offers any work of any kind that promotes what someone believes to be the teaching of Christ, the secular world goes berserk and the ACLU descends like a pack of wolves.
Do we, as a society, now truly wish to condemn works of virtue, but promote works of hate and bile?
I’m no fan of censorship either, but how can we not be enraged by this? Especially when it’s clear that “Freedom of Speech” only applies to those who hate faith?
-Sue, I am embarrassed to admit that I did not notice the unique handling of the Queen’s assassination. How clever of you and curious within the series.
-John, excellent point about virtue vs spite, as well as the currently lopsided reality regarding Freedom of Speech.
-Johnathon, I’m guessing that you haven’t had time to respond, and that you may have some more to say in the way of clarification. I am anxious to hear your answers to our questions.
I don’t make a habit of this but, this is a fascinating discussion, I find myself wishing I knew you all personally.
Floyd
Not my favorite piece of art, but it is refreshing to see an artist take these horrible people to task - especially the criminal pope. Unfortunately, you’ve no recourse: it’s art, and it’s protected. Kudos to the artist for his bravery!
@Mark Hurley: Good to hear from you Mark—-hope you continue to read the Catholic Register and possibly you will learn something of value—free speech is protected too, and you were brave enough to use your last name. Kudos!
“The Criminal Pope”... Hmmm so…
-That makes: Senator Robert Bird? Jack Kennedy’s dad? Teddy Kennedy?
Bravery? Your kidding me right, the guy stands to make a fortune. Bravery is choosing not to make a spectacle of yourself even at the cost of your career. The guys is a snake oil salesman, and you a willing customer.
@Floyd: I think Mark H. is an upset Catholic, for his own reasons. Protestants don’t usually read the Catholic Register and Protestants on the whole are not that critical of the Pope. Over half my family are Protestants and they don’t know The Catholic Register exists. He reads it to find fault. I hope he comes to terms with his Catholic problems and views. Life can be very complicated for some.
why didn’t he assassinate mohammad…what’s he a coward?
Sue: Being disabled myself I understand life’s challenges, and the temptations to bitterness.
“Excuses are mountains of nothingness
They build bridges to nowhere
Those who use these tools of incompetence
Are Masters of nothingness”
I agree, so many have reasons to be bitter & don’t come to terms with it—and it is a waste. I had a niece who suffered as a brittle diabetic since she was 5 yrs old and died at 35yrs from complications of diabetes. Talk about giving up your suffering to Christ—she was & still is a great example. When my husband died, she was abt. 20 and she sent me a stuffed duck (Gertie) and told me that when I got lonely I should hug Gertie and I was to know she was hugging me back. Always a very ‘giving’ and happy young lady. (she lived on the West Coast—was my twin sister’s, twin daughter & every time I think of her I get a smile on my face).
P.S. I enjoyed “Corky’s Car”. My prayers for your continued success in all you do.
And what a difference a few hundred years make on a name. I Binged Sr Vicente’s name to find more information about him and came across a very different man of God with the same name http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gil_Vicente Perhaps prayer to Gil of God may cause a change of heart for the Sr. Vicente of Sao Paulo
I believe that this is slightly unpleasant, but I also believe this is a statement. I don’t think that this is a way for him to get rich quick, but a manner in which he can state his opinion. Just because he makes works like this doesn’t mean that he believe it should happen. I, myself am actually of a Wiccan religion. I don’t believe that the pope should be killed. people should have their own thoughts though. and i don’t believe anyone should be judged by them.
Drake, No living thing survives long without some form of judgement, however primitive. The more intelligent the being the more judgement required in order to survive. Everyone is welcome to their private thoughts. Everyone is welcome to voice their opinion publicly. When you make a public statement,become part of the public discourse (as all artists do when their work is shown) they are inevitably judged. Interesting coincidence and Example: I am currently making a series of artworks critical of Wiccan, Anarchist, Socialist, and Communist ideas and attitudes. Two of them are currently in a Stuckist Exhibit in London called “The Enemies of Art.” Curiously the leader of the supposedly radical art group, asked me not to exhibit the works most directly critical of Wiccans because it might cause trouble. Yet this dipwad can show drawings wherein he fantasizes about murdering important public and religious leaders and he is defended. “Curiouser and curiouser said Alice…”
Whoah! Such a brave artist! Creating art to “Assinate a Pope” is a brave thing to do! But still I understand, artist like you are free of expressing their thoughts to share something deep! Thanks for sharing! =)
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