'Blasphemous' exhibit sparks international outrage, before it's even begun
Posted on Wednesday, June 22, 2011 at 11:41 AM
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A 'blasphemous' exhibit depicting 'Our Lady of Guadalupe' in a floral bikini is to go on show in University College Cork (UCC) tomorrow -- and critics have begun attacking the 'artwork' before it's even begun.
'Our Lady and Other Queer Santas' is the brainchild of Alma Lopez, a graduate of the University of California at Irvine - a well-known target of criticism from religious Catholic groups, and is being displayed as part of a weekend conference on Hispanic Studies taking place at the university.
The conference is to discuss the ins and outs of Chicano culture, alongside a discussion of the plight of Mexicans in US culture, but it's the exhibit that has been making the headlines recently, and attracting the critics.
A discussion on popular Irish radio broadcaster Joe Duffy's Liveline programme gave airtime to some strong opponents of the exhibition, while a number of figures on the blogosphere have criticized the display, which is due to go on show in the college's O'Rahilly Building.
This morning local politician Jerry Buttimer even chimed in with his two cents, calling it 'denigrating' to adherents of the Catholic faith.
The exhibit sits very broadly within the context of a larger debate in Irish society about blasphemy itself.
A controversial 'Blasphemy Law' was passed at the start of this year, and was decried as a retrograde step by many in the Irish media at the time.
It's since been proven to be largely irrelevant and unenforceable -- 'blasphemous' utterances and displays, such as (arguably) this, continue to go on, and its use seems likely to be largely nfined to cases of blasphemy that are likely to incite hatred on religious grounds. Nevertheless, it continues to prove to be a major bone of contention between the law-making establishment and those governed by its decrees.
Irish universities are also generally libertarian in nature (as they are almost everywhere), and this display (which has attracted local as well as international attention), is a typical case of the collegiate 'free speech' movement clashing with the pervasive (though rapidly demising) influence of the Catholic Church, which once held such an iron-cast grip on Irish society.
As for my own two cents on the exhibition (this being a blog, after all), I have no shame in admitting that I would lend my broad support to those signing petitions against it.
Sensitivity to religion and other peoples' belief systems cannot simply be whitewashed away under a mass current of free speech and libertarianism, and this depiction - while not grossly offensive or obscene - could still find a more suitable home than at a university, which is supposed, at least in my understanding of the concept, to be a place of mutual respect and understanding for others.
> Interesting article from the Irish Examiner with a little more detail about it, here.
48 comments
Gearoid4 | Jun 24, 2011, 08:16 PM EDT
The Archbishop is not stigmatizing anyone but just re-iterating the definition of marriage as understood by the Catholic Church as based on the bible. This is held sincerely by other Christian churches and non-Christian bodies. There is no malice in any of the Archbishop's words but they may just be too inconvenient for some. Stigmatization of the groups that you have mentioned is caused by hate organizations who deliberately target them. Please do not confuse the Archbishop's words with their's as there is absolutely no similarity between them. Lopez's painting is just another crass insult to the core beliefs of Catholics. They will taken it on the chin, will state their objections but no violence will ensue. The defenders of such art try to discover some profound, overt meaning behind it but the discerning will recognize it as a commercial, cynical attempt to get notoriety as well as well as depicting an iconic image of Christianity in a prurient fashion.
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jflanagan | Jun 24, 2011, 07:39 PM EDT
I get the impression this is an untalented artist with a need to offend people in order to get attention. She hasn't shot anyone, so I'm not happy with her but I don't have any animosity toward her. A sense of pity I guess.
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eiriamach | Jun 24, 2011, 06:21 PM EDT
Gearoid4, If I thought that a public display of Lopez's painting could nurture an atmosphere of bigotry against any group of people or contribute to the guilt and shame which have driven some teens to suicide, then I would sign the petition to close down the art exhibition. Lopez's freedom of expression would not be worth the price of others' suffering. But Lopez's painting has not done that kind of harm, while Dolan's rhetoric is doing that kind of harm. Do I sound insensitive toward offended Catholics? It's a question of the price I would like us all to be willing to pay for the freedoms we enjoy. I know that members of the groups (LGBTs) that Dolan is trying to deprive of equality and freedom have paid the price of tolerating insults, hate speech, hate crimes, bullying of their children, financial disadvantages with regard to insurance and survivors' benefits, adoption, child custody-- oh, this list could grow very long. And Dolan's politics would keep them disadvantaged in these ways and socially stigmatized too. There is a difference between the offense people find in Lopez's art and the kind of harm that Dolan's anti-gay rhetoric causes. And none the less, I have not tried to censor Dolan or to shut down the USCCB. I simply exercise my freedom to criticize his politics and to support marriage equality. That's how freedom works, and as the LGBTs know, it's worth putting up with insults to gain full, equal civil liberties.
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seanomelbourne | Jun 24, 2011, 05:54 PM EDT
The artist seem to be making an anti religious statement.A fine piece of art work and worthy of display.
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Gearoid4 | Jun 24, 2011, 05:10 PM EDT
I suppose you see this exhibit from a 'freedom of expression' viewpoint without questioning too much the apparently offensive nature of it to many. You don't give the same benefit of doubt to Archbishop Dolan who was merely exercising his freedom of expression on matters which seem to raise your ire against him. I don't think that it is too far off the truth to venture the opinion that the author of this exhibition was motivated to a great extent by self-interest. I am not saying that this was the only factor but was it's presence cannot really be denied.
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eiriamach | Jun 24, 2011, 04:20 PM EDT
Gearoid4, in 1992, when Sinead O'Connor ripped up a photo of the pope on SNL to focus public attention on the Vatican's indifference to child abuse, the media and Catholics around the globe vilified her. Now everyone realizes that we should have paid attention, but most people refused to look beyond her insult to ask whether she identified a real problem While I cannot confidently interpret Alma Lopez's work, I am open to learning about it. This exhibit might be intended only to challenge Ireland's anti-blasphemy law, which deserves repeal. But whatever its goal, YOU do not know that it is a publicity stunt to make money for the artist, so why make that slanderous assertion? You're wrong also about me: I expressed sympathy for GeorgeD's feeling of insult. I know and understand that feeling. But I also know that art often presents an initial shock to our sensibilities before it reaches the cerebral cortex, so to speak, so I think we should give it a chance to "speak." And it is not AB Dolan's speaking his mind on marriage equality that disturbs me; it is his well publicized and expensive lobbying efforts against the NYS law, efforts which undermine our commitment to equality and tolerance, efforts which poison the environment in which gays and lesbians and youth and I have to live. So, yes, I use freedom of expression to oppose his efforts to preserve discrimination in our legal system.
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Woodman | Jun 24, 2011, 04:18 PM EDT
I don't think the so called "artist" here would get much attention if it weren't for his blasphemous content. If he had placed a Menorah or a Koran in a clear vat of urine,the response to such obvious disrespect might be different. Clearly, he has chosen a safe target
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sham1977 | Jun 24, 2011, 04:10 PM EDT
This s really bad - I would not like to have this on my record!! I can only imagine how hispanic catholics feel about it. I have to agree with Trealach - it goes far above insulting catholics, you are soiling the image of a divine being, the Blessed Mother should never be depicted in this way!!!
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Gearoid4 | Jun 24, 2011, 03:19 PM EDT
Eiriamach, I think that you know as well as everyone else who has eyes to see that the exhibit is mean't to be grossly offensive and provocative to garner a lot of publicity for the so-called 'artist'. You do not seem to have any sympathy for devoted believers who are shocked to see the Holy Mother of Our Saviour portrayed in such a degrading way. Yet you are up in arms when a bishop speaks his mind on issues like 'same sex marriage' or abortion.
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AngelPrecious | Jun 24, 2011, 03:06 PM EDT
John, I sure wouldn't either! I love the Blessed Mother and those whom mock her in any manner, even here, may answer for it someday!
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John G. Hogan | Jun 24, 2011, 01:58 PM EDT
I would not want this on my resume' come Judgement Day. His mother is to be revered, not ridiculed. And you know she would not liked to be stoned to death if she was to do something similar about a certain other.
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odubslaine | Jun 24, 2011, 01:53 PM EDT
"It was life, but was it fair?
It was free, but was it art?"
FW, page 94, by JJ
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eiriamach | Jun 24, 2011, 01:50 PM EDT
Go ahead--boycott the exhibit, organize a protest, complain about it, and insult the artist. I have no problem with any of that, quite the contrary, as long as you're not trying to censor her work by shutting down the exhibit. I am curious, however, about what the artist intended to communicate in her painting, and I hope O'Carroll will report on the talk she is scheduled to give at the exhibit.
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oldboreen | Jun 24, 2011, 12:59 PM EDT
Catholics have the answer-simply boycott this rubbish!The whole point of it is to wind us up. We've already seen it on the web so let's be grown up about it..Give it a massive thumbs down by staying away. No doubt her fans may confidently look forward to ms Lopez's next 'work of art'- depicting Muhammed as a tanned semi-naked 'Baywatch' hunk riding his white horse to heaven? Oh,I forgot, not allowed.
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