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from http://www.japantoday.com/ __________ Nazi exhibit triggers art debate in New York Saturday, January 12, 2002 at 16:00 JST NEW YORK - An exhibition set to feature Holocaust-related artwork such as a Lego concentration camp kit and a "Giftgas Giftset" of designer poison gas canisters is generating controversy well in advance of its opening. Organizers of "Mirroring Evil: Nazi Imagery/Recent Art," to be shown at the Jewish Museum in New York starting March 17, say the exhibition, far from trivializing the Holocaust, seeks to present Nazi horrors in a thought-provoking manner. "We're bringing together a range of different artwork by internationally recognized artists and presenting them in a careful and responsible manner for the sake of the very important issues they raise," a museum spokeswoman said on Friday. But some critics were outraged. "In practically any environment these objects are effectively Nazi propaganda and are absolutely disgraceful, but the Jewish Museum of all places is exhibiting them under the rubric of artistic freedom," said Phil Baum, director of the American Jewish Congress. "Art assumes privileges that the rest of society does not get." Among the exhibit items are sculptures of infamous concentration camp doctor Joseph Mengele, an artist's self-portrait with a Diet Coke inserted into a photo of emaciated Jews at a death camp, and collages with bar codes that turn into images of Holocaust victims. The exhibit has angered Denmark-based toy maker Lego Co, which finds itself drawn into the controversy because its name appears on the box of the concentration camp set. "This piece of so-called art is actually just a box depicting a Lego concentration camp," said Lego spokesman Michael McNally. "The permission to use the Lego name was given under false pretense. We certainly do not sponsor this." McNally said the artist, Zbigniew Libera of Poland, had in 1996 asked for permission to use Lego blocks in the building of "little houses, and perhaps a hospital" for art. The heat generated by the controversy is reminiscent of the one created by the Brooklyn Museum's "Sensation" show in 1999 that featured a feces-smeared portrait of the Virgin Mary and animal carcasses. Then-mayor Rudolph Giuliani tried to evict the museum and cut off its funding because he said the exhibition was tasteless and lacked artistic merit. In November 1999, a federal judge ruled the mayor had violated the constitution and the city ended up settling the case for $5.8 million. New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg said he has no plans to visit the Nazi art exhibit and is not interested in entering the debate. "Mayor Bloomberg finds the Holocaust and anything associated with it offensive," said a spokesman at the mayor's office. "But he's not in the business of telling museums what they can and can't exhibit." (Reuters News) ____________________ Click the link below to view this article and related discussions on Japan Today http://www.japantoday.com/e/?content=news&id=190958 ____________________ __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Send FREE video emails in Yahoo! Mail! http://promo.yahoo.com/videomail/ ==^================================================================ This email was sent to: archive@jab.org EASY UNSUBSCRIBE click here: http://topica.com/u/?a84x2u.a9WB2D Or send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] T O P I C A -- Register now to manage your mail! http://www.topica.com/partner/tag02/register ==^================================================================
