Art is Pigs Too

[Peony]

There are the many many paintings hanging on the wall of the long tunnel that runs between the US Capital building and the House offices. One of them has gotten quite a bit of attention lately. Indeed, the painting has been taken off the wall and hung back on the wall at least three times since yesterday.

So annoyed about it, “ Louisiana Democratic Rep. Cedric Richmond, the chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus, threatened the Republicans who have been taking the painting down: “We may just have to kick somebody’s ass and stop them.”[…]

Never mind that kicking ass over a painting depicting violence is sadly ironic. Let’s talk about art and free speech and this painting. The painting, which won first prize in a high school art contest, contains many images: a dove, a crow, a Beauty Shop, a peace sign, the St Louis arch, to name a few. There is a lot of symbolism to consider in this painting.

The images that stand out to the people complaining about the painting are the police officers with pig heads. Not subtle. No wonder it grabs the eye. What also grabs the eye in this painting is a figure, a black man holding scales and wearing a graduation cap, suggestive of Mike Brown, hanging like Christ on a cross.

The painting has apparently been hanging on the tunnel wall for some six months. Why no one has noticed it and complained till now is unclear. What is clear is that we need to talk about art and free speech- again. People are offended because depicting police officers with pig heads is disrespectful to police officers. Is that a good enough reason to take the painting down? Surely there are other paintings on that wall full of paintings that disrespect somebody or something else too. Suppose there was a picture depicting cops with halos and Mike Brown with devil horns, that would be pretty offensive, wouldn’t it? Would there be demands to take that one down? Or would free speech in art prevail?

Even if it infuriates some people it is still free speech. Remember Piss Christ? That crucifix immersed in a glass of urine offered as art offended and outraged many Christians. Did discussions that flowed from Piss Christ do anything to enhance the relationship between Christians and those that think Christ belongs in urine?

Can any good come from talking about Ferguson again? Will cops and blacks come to understand each other better through the images in this teenager’s painting? Maybe. And maybe Morgan Freeman was right when he said, we can stop racism if we stop talking about it and deal with each other as fellow human beings.


Let the kid’s painting hang there.






http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/cops-as-pigs-painting-stolen-returned-again/article/2611376


How do we stop racism? Actor Morgan Freeman says: "Stop talking about it"

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piss_Christ

Painting in Capitol depicting police as pigs becomes a political football, with California politicians among the players

 

[OldLady]

When I googled it this morning, I noticed a formal complaint lodged by the police about it at the end of December. Art is not always pleasant and that is not always what it is for. I agree they should leave it up, once they decided it was appropriate for display to begin with. The Repubs are just using it for a political flag. The kid's painting deserves better than that. I don't think the Congressman whose district it came from is on high ground, however, since he was speechifying about getting rid of the Confederate statues not long ago. Symbols are symbols. Are only the ones you agree with acceptable?

 

[PredFan]

I hope they keep it up there. It is a constant reminder of who the left really are.

 

[Iceweasel]

Sure it's art. But it's shitty, disrespectful art and doesn't belong in a public building. Libtards don't own public property.

 

[Weatherman2020]

There are the many many paintings hanging on the wall of the long tunnel that runs between the US Capital building and the House offices. One of them has gotten quite a bit of attention lately. Indeed, the painting has been taken off the wall and hung back on the wall at least three times since yesterday.

So annoyed about it, “ Louisiana Democratic Rep. Cedric Richmond, the chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus, threatened the Republicans who have been taking the painting down: “We may just have to kick somebody’s ass and stop them.”[…]

Never mind that kicking ass over a painting depicting violence is sadly ironic. Let’s talk about art and free speech and this painting. The painting, which won first prize in a high school art contest, contains many images: a dove, a crow, a Beauty Shop, a peace sign, the St Louis arch, to name a few. There is a lot of symbolism to consider in this painting.

The images that stand out to the people complaining about the painting are the police officers with pig heads. Not subtle. No wonder it grabs the eye. What also grabs the eye in this painting is a figure, a black man holding scales and wearing a graduation cap, suggestive of Mike Brown, hanging like Christ on a cross.

The painting has apparently been hanging on the tunnel wall for some six months. Why no one has noticed it and complained till now is unclear. What is clear is that we need to talk about art and free speech- again. People are offended because depicting police officers with pig heads is disrespectful to police officers. Is that a good enough reason to take the painting down? Surely there are other paintings on that wall full of paintings that disrespect somebody or something else too. Suppose there was a picture depicting cops with halos and Mike Brown with devil horns, that would be pretty offensive, wouldn’t it? Would there be demands to take that one down? Or would free speech in art prevail?

Even if it infuriates some people it is still free speech. Remember Piss Christ? That crucifix immersed in a glass of urine offered as art offended and outraged many Christians. Did discussions that flowed from Piss Christ do anything to enhance the relationship between Christians and those that think Christ belongs in urine?

Can any good come from talking about Ferguson again? Will cops and blacks come to understand each other better through the images in this teenager’s painting? Maybe. And maybe Morgan Freeman was right when he said, we can stop racism if we stop talking about it and deal with each other as fellow human beings.


Let the kid’s painting hang there.






http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/cops-as-pigs-painting-stolen-returned-again/article/2611376


How do we stop racism? Actor Morgan Freeman says: "Stop talking about it"

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piss_Christ

Painting in Capitol depicting police as pigs becomes a political football, with California politicians among the players

Hang the kids painting of Mohammed on the wall?

Oh, that's so divisive!

 

[JoeMoma]

Some "art" is not appropriate for the Capitol building. I wouldn't want a painting of Anthony weiner's junk hanging there either even though some may consider that to be art.

 

[Weatherman2020]

 

[petro]

Never mind that the painting is provocative with purpose. It just is simply ugly. The mention of Mohammed is a prime example. A picture even if it was flattering to Mohammed would be considered too inflammatory and offensive to display. Funny and tragic that with the left free speech only applies when you are of a so called protected class.

 

[Compost]

I hate this painting, but not as much as I believe in free speech.

 

[Iceweasel]

I hate this painting, but not as much as I believe in free speech.

I'm sure it wasn't free and the right to criticize government doesn't give you the right to take money from the citizens and place offensive materials in their house.

 

[Compost]

I hate this painting, but not as much as I believe in free speech.

I'm sure it wasn't free and the right to criticize government doesn't give you the right to take money from the citizens and place offensive materials in their house.

Not sure what you mean about taking money from the citizens. The painting is among a bunch of paintings in that hallway. Free speech includes speech or art that is offensive. Like I said. I hate this painting. Pig heads on cops is damned offensive. That's not a good enough reason to remove it. Free speech isn't just for stuff I like or you like, Iceweasel.

 

[12icer]

Then A painting of a REBEL FLAG is protected, as is the right to hang the flag in the hallway Also we can depict the KKK burning blacks on a cross We can depict OSHITASS and THE SHITBITCH on the phone while the ambassador and three others are murdered in BENGHAZI and it will be free speech too, So lets get at the paintings We have a lot of work to do and a lot of FREE SPEECH to protect, Lets all say N oh I forgot that gets cut in the forum because OF something, not free speech though. I guess it really only applies if it doesn't offend a LIBERAL It is okay to offend Christians, conservatives decent people Policemen, the military and anyone not a liberal project. You can't decide what is free speech if it is, Otherwise it is not, if anything is everything IS. You can't have BOTH.

 

[Compost]

Then A painting of a REBEL FLAG is protected, as is the right to hang the flag in the hallway Also we can depict the KKK burning blacks on a cross We can depict OSHITASS and THE SHITBITCH on the phone while the ambassador and three others are murdered in BENGHAZI and it will be free speech too, So lets get at the paintings We have a lot of work to do and a lot of FREE SPEECH to protect, Lets all say N oh I forgot that gets cut in the forum because OF something, not free speech though. I guess it really only applies if it doesn't offend a LIBERAL It is okay to offend Christians, conservatives decent people Policemen, the military and anyone not a liberal project. You can't decide what is free speech if it is, Otherwise it is not, if anything is everything IS. You can't have BOTH.

True. There is a double standard about free speech that is difficult to ignore. Somebody is offended by a confederate flag. It is removed. That's wrong. Free speech is for everybody. I don't believe the answer is to remove more stuff that somebody is offended by. That's why I think this pig head painting should stay up. I'm not willing to engage in tit for tat over something as important as a First Amendment right.

 

[OldLady]

Some "art" is not appropriate for the Capitol building. I wouldn't want a painting of Anthony weiner's junk hanging there either even though some may consider that to be art.

I agree. Fox showed guidelines for the contest that said no paintings would be accepted that contained current controversial political subjects, so to me it seems clear it should not have been hung to begin with. But maybe the guidelines have changed? Who knows.

 

[OldLady]

We have the right to free speech, but was this the appropriate place for a protest picture? It was thoughtful and took a lot of work; I give kudos to the high school artist, but but but but ..... I can't put my finger on it, but it seems out of place in the place where ALL people are represented. Cops are people.

 

[Compost]

Some "art" is not appropriate for the Capitol building. I wouldn't want a painting of Anthony weiner's junk hanging there either even though some may consider that to be art.

I agree. Fox showed guidelines for the contest that said no paintings would be accepted that contained current controversial political subjects, so to me it seems clear it should not have been hung to begin with. But maybe the guidelines have changed? Who knows.

The guidelines were missing from the links I read (unless I missed it). If the pig painting didn't fall into the guidelines you have to wonder why it was hung. Why have guidelines at all if they are ignored. It is curious that those guys taking the painting down and the guys putting the painting up again didn't mention those guidelines. (Again, unless I missed it.)

 

[OldLady]

Some "art" is not appropriate for the Capitol building. I wouldn't want a painting of Anthony weiner's junk hanging there either even though some may consider that to be art.

I agree. Fox showed guidelines for the contest that said no paintings would be accepted that contained current controversial political subjects, so to me it seems clear it should not have been hung to begin with. But maybe the guidelines have changed? Who knows.

The guidelines were missing from the links I read (unless I missed it). If the pig painting didn't fall into the guidelines you have to wonder why it was hung. Why have guidelines at all if they are ignored. It is curious that those guys taking the painting down and the guys putting the painting up again didn't mention those guidelines. (Again, unless I missed it.)

That's why I wonder if the guidelines weren't made clear in the contest rules this year, or were eliminated. Fox said in passing that they had found guidelines that have been "used in previous competitions" and they've put them on the evening news shows twice.

 

[JoeMoma]

Was part of the prize of winning the contest having the picture hung at the capitol building?

 

[SeaGal]

Lots of good points being made here.

The focus of 1A is to forbid the government from making laws to suppress freedom of expression (which actually they have in some instances) - but not to forbid 'public' consequences of exercising free speech.

A few points re irony are worth repeating, ie - threatening physical harm by officials defending a painting decrying violence by officials...the apparent hypocrisy by the defenders when it comes to removing other symbols of art or history from the public square that they deem offensive...the censorship regarding (some) religious subjects depicted in painting or other forms of art.

As for the painting itself? If it fits within the parameters of the guidelines for being displayed then leave it - but I sure would loudly challenge those who defend it with regards to their reactions to other works of art, or free expression in the public square.

 

[OldLady]

Was part of the prize of winning the contest having the picture hung at the capitol building?

Yes.