Article written by Valeria Lasso.
Warning: the photos in this article may cause some distress
I know I’ve said that there are basically no limits to art – except your imagination, of course. However, I got to thinking, and maybe there is one more thing that should limit art, and that is morality. As much as I agree that art is meant to challenge people and their mentality, I don’t think that art should offend or hurt anyone deliberately.
Now, this has nothing to do with me being an animal rights supporter… Fine, just a bit. But, there are so many reasons apart from animal rights that call for art needing to be ethical, especially when it comes to living beings and the beliefs of others.
I’ve come up with a short list of what I think should be at the top of the unethical art pieces that have been created. I know you guys love my good old lists! Just kidding, you’re probably sick of them. However, they are without a doubt the easiest way for you to see what I want to share, so here we are, with yet another list:
1. Tattooing animals
This one applies specifically to pigs. I’ve seen a couple of pictures of pigs with tattoos all over their backs. As much as I like tattoos and stand for them, I don’t agree whatsoever with tattooing animals that clearly would not give their consent to such pain, even if they could talk. Last time I checked, tattoos can be quite painful. The difference between an animal and a person getting a tattoo is that the person actually decides whether or not they want the tattoo. Just because pigs can’t voice their very obvious preferences, doesn’t mean that the choice should be taken from them.
If by any chance you’re still wondering how we can be sure that the pig doesn’t want it, let me just make it clear that tattoos hurt. No living creature on earth (except humans) will purposely put themselves through a painful situation unless there is something to be gained from it. Does the pig gain anything by getting a painful tattoo that covers their entire back? Don’t think so. So, in conclusion, pigs don’t want tattoos. And can I just say that most of those tattoos are horrendous? It’s like the artists were three-year-old children learning to draw.
2. Helena by Marco Evaristti
This one is a specific piece that I was horrified by. Basically, the artists set up ten blenders filled with water, and a LIVE goldfish inside each one. In this exhibit, ethics of the audience was challenged: “The audience members became arbiters over life and death in a situation where it was crystal clear what would happen if they pressed the button.” There were only two buttons pressed at the exhibit, and they were ruled as humane because they were quick.
Now, this is an incredibly cynical and pointless idea. It was obvious that some fish were going to get killed, and regardless of how small and maybe insignificant their lives may seem to us, it is still THEIR lives, and two dumb-asses decided to just press a button and end it all for them. How lovely.
Did you ever hear of a concept called ‘láppele du vide’ (the call of the void)? It basically says that humans like to make the decision that has the most impact. That’s why when you’re in a high place and you're looking down, and there’s that little voice at the back of your head telling you, “You could just jump.” But you’re obviously not going to, unless you truly want to die. My point, though, is that if people are faced with the choice of killing or sparing a little goldfish, the decision with most impact would be to kill it. So, for those people that are a bit more cynical and that listen to the call of the void, it is obvious that they are going to kill the fish. It’s logic, and it doesn’t necessarily have much to do with whether the person is good or not.
3. Guillermo Vargas, Exposition No. 1.
Okay, I promise this is my last animal-related one. In this exhibit, the artist paid children to capture a street dog, chain it to a wall and, apparently, allow it to starve to death. The cruelty, however, doesn’t end there. The artist actually wrote “Eres Lo Que Lees” (“You Are What You Read”) in dog food on the wall behind the starving pup. The artist alleged that the dog was only tied up three hours a day and fed behind the scenes. He also tried to make the cruelty charges lighter on himself by claiming that no one had tried to free or feed the dog. Well, it’s obvious no one’s going to interfere with an exhibit but, clearly, many people had something to say about it and reported it to the authorities. If people hadn’t cared, the exhibit would still be standing. So, no, Guillermo, you are not excused.
4. The Guitar Lesson by Balthus
I have mixed feelings about this one. It could serve as an awareness painting, but it can also be very triggering and targeting for an audience that has undergone sexual abuse by older people. It is a very blunt painting and, as much as I can appreciate a direct message, maybe this is the kind of thing you need to sugar-coat for your audience. However, if your intent is not to exhibit the piece, then, by all means, do whatever you want with your private art.
5. Marcus Harvey, Myra
The last piece for my list today is the portrait of a child murderer. You might be asking yourself, what’s so wrong with it? I mean, yeah, we all know it’s a little f*cked up to honour a child murderer with a portrait, but what made it spot number five on this list? Well, the portrait was made up of a child’s handprints. Yup, there it is. That just makes the whole thing ten times more messed up than my room at the end of the month. Using a child to paint the portrait of a CHILD MURDERER. Come on, how much worse can it get? The amount of eggs and ink this exhibit got thrown are completely justifiable, to be honest.
There are actually a few more pieces that deserve to be pointed out, however this is all I have space for today. I might do a part two in the future, since this is a subject that should be addressed in the artistic world.
I know that we might not all agree that art needs censorship sometimes, and that’s okay. If you like making provocative art, go for it, but be aware that you must deal with the backlash from people.
Brunswick Street Gallery is giving bold and provocative people a shot to display their ‘offensive’ artwork from the 7 – 23 September 2018. Definitely go check out the work that people have come up with!
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