`Blasphemous’ art at CCP, vandalized

[chua_riwap]

Una kong nakita itong art exhibit na ito sa ANC. Talaga namang nakakapangilabot yung ginawa nung artist.
The name of the artist is Mideo Cruz.

`Blasphemous’ art vandalized



(posting image as posted at inquirer.net)



MANILA, Philippines—A Jesus Christ poster featuring a wooden penis glued to his face that has sparked protests in the mainly Catholic Philippines was attacked and damaged by vandals on Thursday, an official said.

An unidentified couple smashed a penis-motif wooden ashtray glued onto the poster and tried but failed to set fire to the entire collage, said Karen Flores, visual arts department chief of the Cultural Center of the Philippines. One of the vandals then gave a lecture on morality to the lone guard assigned to the exhibit and other visitors before the couple casually walked out of the government building, Flores told Agence France-Presse.

“The exhibit will continue,” Flores said, adding the attack may have been linked to an outcry over the exhibit that church leaders and Catholic groups want ended on the grounds it is blasphemous, immoral, offensive and illegal. The artist has been told of the vandalism and he agreed to continue to exhibit his work, she added.
The controversial collage, by local artist Mideo Cruz, is part of an exhibit showcasing works by alumni from a church-run university aiming to challenge people’s perceptions of figures they idolize.

It also includes a cross made of discarded wood with a woodcarving of a penis attached, and an icon of Jesus that has a red clown nose and Mickey Mouse ears. Exhibits by two other artists, which have neither provoked the same public response, were also damaged in the attack, Flores said.
The CCP has earlier rejected call for the exhibit’s closure, saying it was covered by freedom of expression guaranteed by the Philippine Constitution.

[Monseratto]

Buti may tolerance dito sa pinas, though this crap is hanging to it by a fine thread.

[oj88]

As much as I appreciate art and whatnot, I think the artist went overboard on this one. I'm sure he knows that it's bound to create an uproar. I personally think that's exactly what the artist intended... To become well-known, the controversial way.

[badsekktor]

i agree..... from a nobody to somebody..... publicity... whether bad or good is still publicity....... kapag pinansin yan eh lalong matutuwa yun artist nyan.....

[oliver1013]

Malamang bading yung artist...obsessed eh

pwede naman keps o boobies...

[Quint]

They call this a piece of art?! This only shows how our society has degenerated. Even a 4-year old can stick anything on a picture. By using a penis on Jesus' face, it only shows how sick and irreverent the artist is. Definitely a dumbass arrogant faggot, who deserves a slap on his face. If he can't respect God, the religious, nor the faith of this country, then he shouldn't expect respect from anyone.

Pweh!:thumbdown::error::nono:

[ts1n1ta]

Although i understand why everyone is against Mideo Cruz (poor guy), i don't get the intensity of hate and judgement he's getting from, well almost everyone. I also criticize him for using sacramentals in his "art" but the amount of bad publicity he's getting is just too much. You do realize that the installation art in question has been in exhibits since 2002?

Art is an expression. I know, that there's a limitation to that freedom of expression. At alam kong ang iba sa inyo iniisip na b.s lang yan. Ano ba yang art, art na yan? But the simplest thing here is, kung hindi nyo gusto yung mensahe nya, then move on. Hindi nyo gusto. He is not imposing his idea on you. Art is meant to be seen, to instigate, to form thoughts. Hinding hindi nya pinipilit sa inyo na magustuhan nyo ang art nya. Why judge the person (when in fact hindi nyo naman alam yung intention nya when he created the piece) kung ano pagkatao nya. Tanungin natin sarili natin, talaga bang dapat tayong magalit kay Mideo Cruz? Sa mga aminadong hindi marunong tumingin ng art, ask yourselves bakit ako naooffend sa art work nya. Kapag nasagot nyo yun, eh di maganda. Then let us all move on.

[buriroy]

Art is an expression. I know, that there's a limitation to that freedom of expression. At alam kong ang iba sa inyo iniisip na b.s lang yan. Ano ba yang art, art na yan? But the simplest thing here is, kung hindi nyo gusto yung mensahe nya, then move on. Hindi nyo gusto. He is not imposing his idea on you. Art is meant to be seen, to instigate, to form thoughts. Hinding hindi nya pinipilit sa inyo na magustuhan nyo ang art nya. Why judge the person (when in fact hindi nyo naman alam yung intention nya when he created the piece) kung ano pagkatao nya. Tanungin natin sarili natin, talaga bang dapat tayong magalit kay Mideo Cruz? Sa mga aminadong hindi marunong tumingin ng art, ask yourselves bakit ako naooffend sa art work nya. Kapag nasagot nyo yun, eh di maganda. Then let us all move on.

On the contrary, Mideo Cruz IMPOSED his ideas on all Christians by choosing as the subject of his art our Lord Jesus Christ whom all Catholics respect and deeply love.. If he had hung condoms on the ears of his mother and put a penis ashtray on her head and declared it as art, then we couldn't care less. There is a big difference between FREEDOM and LICENSE. With freedom comes responsibility and trampling on the sensibilities and ridiculing symbols that people hold dear is not only irresponsible but downright criminal on his part. Mideo Cruz is nothing but a "trying hard to be avant-garde" mediocre artist. I am more shocked by his insensibility and bad taste than his defacement of a religious icon.

[Airwalk]

On the contrary, If he had hung condoms on the ears of his mother and put a penis ashtray on her head and declared it as art, then we couldn't care less

pag ito siguro ang inexhibit puwede na itong tawaging art. we dont have to ask ourselves anything and we can all move on

[ts1n1ta]

On the contrary, Mideo Cruz IMPOSED his ideas on all Christians by choosing as the subject of his art our Lord Jesus Christ whom all Catholics respect and deeply love.. If he had hung condoms on the ears of his mother and put a penis ashtray on her head and declared it as art, then we couldn't care less. There is a big difference between FREEDOM and LICENSE. With freedom comes responsibility and trampling on the sensibilities and ridiculing symbols that people hold dear is not only irresponsible but downright criminal on his part. Mideo Cruz is nothing but a "trying hard to be avant-garde" mediocre artist. I am more shocked by his insensibility and bad taste than his defacement of a religious icon.

Errr sorry, but no. ART is not made to IMPOSE ideas. You are to appreciate it or criticize it. If you are moved by the art, then good. If not, then it's okay, too. Besides, I don't think "Poleitismo" piece is meant to offend God. Do you think he is attacking GOD? On the contrary it is about the people who for so long have been, disrespecting God by sinning despite knowing what is right and just. Pano kanyo? Ganito na lang, many of us have been claiming that we are good Christians, and yet we are materialistic or we have perversions; we watch ****, we lie and cheat to our wives/husbands. Hindi ba parang "ginagagao" mo na din ang Dyos nun? Ngayon, ano kaibahan nun sa artwork ni Mideo Cruz? Why turn it against the person who can literally represent what we all have been doing on canvas as art. Many of you say that its tasteless, I agree. He could have made an abstract representation of those images he desecrated. Pero ito lang, you don't need to get personal. Who are you to say that he's a "trying hard avant-garde-mediocre artist". Do you even know what being an avant-garde artist is? What do they do. Do you have license to say that? Do you in every respect know the classifications to be an artist? tama ba ako?

[buriroy]

Errr sorry, but no. ART is not made to IMPOSE ideas. You are to appreciate it or criticize it. If you are moved by the art, then good. If not, then it's okay, too. Besides, I don't think "Poleitismo" piece is meant to offend God. Do you think he is attacking GOD? On the contrary it is about the people who for so long have been, disrespecting God by sinning despite knowing what is right and just. Pano kanyo? Ganito na lang, many of us have been claiming that we are good Christians, and yet we are materialistic or we have perversions; we watch ****, we lie and cheat to our wives/husbands. Hindi ba parang "ginagagao" mo na din ang Dyos nun? Ngayon, ano kaibahan nun sa artwork ni Mideo Cruz? Why turn it against the person who can literally represent what we all have been doing on canvas as art. Many of you say that its tasteless, I agree. He could have made an abstract representation of those images he desecrated. Pero ito lang, you don't need to get personal. Who are you to say that he's a "trying hard avant-garde-mediocre artist". Do you even know what being an avant-garde artist is? What do they do. Do you have license to say that? Do you in every respect know the classifications to be an artist? tama ba ako?

I stand by what I said. A true artist should exhibit a high degree of sensitivity and that include's respecting the things that other people value and hold dear. If anyone sticks condoms and *** organs on the pictures of icons and even decent people (what if he did it to your mother's picture) and proclaims himself an artist, them I'm sorry but at the risk of getting personal, I will call this person uncouth and insensitive. Mideo Cruz wanted to shock us with his art and ended up disgusting decent human beings with his total disregard for other people's feelings

[holdencaulfield]

heresy- nine inch nails

He sewed his eyes shut because he is afraid to see
He tries to tell me what i put inside of me
He's got the answers to ease my curiosity
He dreamed up a god and called it christianity
Your god is dead and no one cares
If there is a hell i will see you there
He flexed his muscles to keep his flock of sheep in line
He made a virus that would kill off all the swine
His perfect kingdom of killing suffering and pain
Demands devotion atrocities done in his name
Your god is dead and no one cares
Drowning in his own hypocrisy
And if there is a hell i will see you there
Burning with your god in humility
Will you die for this?

*i love this song and i'm catholic. too bad i didn't get to see NIN in their last performance at the big dome.

[rensom]

Although i understand why everyone is against Mideo Cruz (poor guy), i don't get the intensity of hate and judgement he's getting from, well almost everyone. I also criticize him for using sacramentals in his "art" but the amount of bad publicity he's getting is just too much. You do realize that the installation art in question has been in exhibits since 2002?

Art is an expression. I know, that there's a limitation to that freedom of expression. At alam kong ang iba sa inyo iniisip na b.s lang yan. Ano ba yang art, art na yan? But the simplest thing here is, kung hindi nyo gusto yung mensahe nya, then move on. Hindi nyo gusto. He is not imposing his idea on you. Art is meant to be seen, to instigate, to form thoughts. Hinding hindi nya pinipilit sa inyo na magustuhan nyo ang art nya. Why judge the person (when in fact hindi nyo naman alam yung intention nya when he created the piece) kung ano pagkatao nya. Tanungin natin sarili natin, talaga bang dapat tayong magalit kay Mideo Cruz? Sa mga aminadong hindi marunong tumingin ng art, ask yourselves bakit ako naooffend sa art work nya. Kapag nasagot nyo yun, eh di maganda. Then let us all move on.

Ganito lang yan pre.... ok art is an art accepted pero yung ginawa niyang kabastusan sa icon ng sinasamba ng lahat ng catholic,aglipayan etc.... ginawaan ng ganoon...sino ang di magagalit....ano ba ang religion ng demonyong yan? Ikaw may parents ka... ginagalang mo sila di ba? Papaano kung gamitin ang picture nila sa isang art na ganito?ano ang gagawin mo? Iisipin mo..ah its ok is an art... di ba magagalit ka rin?baka mapatay mo pa ang gumawa ng ganoon... kung ano ang nararamdaman mo sa gumawa ng ganoon?yun din ang nararamdaman namin.

[shadow]

ang exhibit na pala ito rin sa Ateneo. bakit hinde nag reklamo mga Jesuit? dahil private institution ang Ateneo?

[ghosthunter]

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/39711/c...tists-cry-foul

CCP exec quits; artists cry foul
By Kristine L. Alave
Philippine Daily Inquirer
4:33 am | Thursday, August 11th, 2011

The visual arts director of the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) who had approved the controversial exhibit that sparked outrage among politicians and religious activists has resigned, even as artists’ groups decried the CCP for submitting to demands to close down the exhibit.

Karen Flores announced her decision at a forum at the University of the Philippines on Wednesday on the political debate generated by “Kulo,” the exhibit which was closed down on Tuesday following threats to CCP officials and acts of vandalism.

The show included an installation by artist Mideo Cruz which featured the controversial image of Jesus Christ with a wooden penis on his face, that became the target of politicians and religious clerics and activists who found it obscene and offensive.

Flores, whose announcement was greeted by applause from students and faculty members, stressed that her withdrawal from the CCP was not meant to evade investigation.

“I can still be sued. Go ahead,” she said.

Various Catholic and Christian groups have threatened to file charges against the artists and CCP officials for alleged violations of the Revised Penal Code provisions against obscene exhibitions and indecent shows.

Legislators said they would call for an inquiry because the offending exhibit was installed in state-owned venue.

Manila Rep. Amado Bagatsing has been soliciting signatures from House members for a resolution calling on the CCP officials to resign. Several senators have expressed support for his views.

The leader of the opposition in the House of Representatives on Wednesday cautioned his colleagues against “overreacting” to a controversial art work even if it may have been “really over” (excessive).

Majority Leader Edcel Lagman said there was no need to call for the resignation of CCP officials.

Artists’ Arrest, a loose network of artists and artists’ groups, on Wednesday called on the CCP board to rethink its position on closing down the exhibit, saying it already constituted censorship.

“The action of the CCP is discouraging and even disturbing as it displays submission to unfair demands it initially ruled out,” said the group that includes singers Cynthia Alexander and Bobby Balingit.

Right to express

“You don’t destroy somebody else’s work if it sickens you as you are free to make your own art that can challenge that or write a scathing review or critique, whichever suits you best,” the group said in a statement.

The group called on artists to “defend our right to express ourselves.”

J. Pacena II, who curated the show, said the CCP board’s action “sets a bad precedent.”

“I am shocked and appalled by how our civil liberties were exploited to satiate the sensibilities of a raucous mob. In effect, majority of the participants’ ideas and artistic expressions were neglected and compromised by this decision,” he said in a statement.

At the UP forum, the CCP chair Emily Abrera, said the board was “practically bullied” into closing down the exhibit. The threats and safety concerns for the artists and employees were their reasons for shutting down the show, she explained.

Abrera said she supported Flores and would not resign as chair, a position she has served for six years. “They have to take me out,” she said. With Niña Calleja and Cynthia D. Balana

[Ry_Tower]

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/39711/c...tists-cry-foul

Some people just have callous conscience!

[ts1n1ta]

Ganito lang yan pre.... ok art is an art accepted pero yung ginawa niyang kabastusan sa icon ng sinasamba ng lahat ng catholic,aglipayan etc.... ginawaan ng ganoon...sino ang di magagalit....ano ba ang religion ng demonyong yan? Ikaw may parents ka... ginagalang mo sila di ba? Papaano kung gamitin ang picture nila sa isang art na ganito?ano ang gagawin mo? Iisipin mo..ah its ok is an art... di ba magagalit ka rin?baka mapatay mo pa ang gumawa ng ganoon... kung ano ang nararamdaman mo sa gumawa ng ganoon?yun din ang nararamdaman namin.

Ah ganito lang "pre" no?

sobrang galit ka ba kay Mideo na gusto mo syang patayin? So base sa napaka emosyonal mong sagot, Sagrado Katoliko ka. Mabuti naman. Masaya ako para sayo.

Pero mabalik tayo, kung ginamit ang larawan ng mga magulang ko, unang una kong aalamin... Ano ba ang tema ng sining gagwin? Personal bang tungkol sa mga magulang ko ang painting? Ngayon kung pang-atake to sa pagkatao ng mga magulang ko o may malisyang manira ng puri, aba natural hindi ko magugustuhan ang gagawin nya. At pwede na ata under "libel" yun (correct me if i'm wrong).

Hindi ko sya pinagtatanggol per se. Ako naman ay nagiisip lang ng mas malawak na idelohiya dito. At hindi ako agree na kailangan i-censor ang sining.

[digitalron]

Art is an expression; not an imposition.

An artist uses various media to let the world know what he thinks and what he believes in. Whether the world agrees or disagrees is irrelevant. The final product may be aesthetically pleasing; it may be gut-wrenching; it may be thought-provoking; it may be puke-inducing; it may be tasteless and/or mundane. It really depends. However, never does art impose. So if an artist (I'm using the term loosely here) decides to deface some religious photos, it could mean many things: it could mean he does not believe in it, it could mean he is protesting the limits being imposed by the religion, it could mean he is challenging conventional notions about it, it could mean he is trying to stir some form of reaction, or it may mean he is just plain untalented and had to resort to such gimmickry to get noticed. His act may be blasphemous to some, funny to others, silly to most, even heroic to a few.

But in the end, it doesn't change anything about the religion the artist is tackling. And it doesn't impose on anyone.

I find it funny though that a lot of people raise loud howls of protests over such antics, but the same people fail to utter even a whimper when children are abused, and the poor and needy are ignored.

People who call themselves Christians ought to rediscover their history: got your left cheek slapped? Turn the right one. The early Christians were burnt or fed to lions, and these direct assaults on their faith never caused an uproar amongst the faithful.

Then one man -- perhaps an irrelevant man, arguably untalented even -- puts a phallic piece over some religious picture and people start to get their knickers twisted up. tsk, tsk, tsk.

If one's faith is strong, then no amount of gimmicky and kitschy antics should shake it.

[Stoner]

Have to agree. People are raising too much hell, to the point of calling for resignations. It's been taken down already. End of story. Why call for more public crucifixions? Such lynching is very unbecoming of the religion...

All this brouhaha made me recall the ridiculous outcry when the popularity of 'The Da Vinci Code' was at its peak.

[rensom]

Ah ganito lang "pre" no?

sobrang galit ka ba kay Mideo na gusto mo syang patayin? So base sa napaka emosyonal mong sagot, Sagrado Katoliko ka. Mabuti naman. Masaya ako para sayo.

Pero mabalik tayo, kung ginamit ang larawan ng mga magulang ko, unang una kong aalamin... Ano ba ang tema ng sining gagwin? Personal bang tungkol sa mga magulang ko ang painting? Ngayon kung pang-atake to sa pagkatao ng mga magulang ko o may malisyang manira ng puri, aba natural hindi ko magugustuhan ang gagawin nya. At pwede na ata under "libel" yun (correct me if i'm wrong).

Hindi ko sya pinagtatanggol per se. Ako naman ay nagiisip lang ng mas malawak na idelohiya dito. At hindi ako agree na kailangan i-censor ang sining.

Agree ako sa yo... di dapat i-censor ang sining... pero depende sa sining, Hiwalay ang religion sa art... pag pinag-sama it bad taste collapses. Saka kung matinong tao yang si mideo o demonio... dapat alam niya na marami siyang masasagasaan lalo na dito sa pinas dapat mag-isip sya. ISA SIYANG ANTI-CHRIST