ACADEMY DEFENDS ARTWORK [MOCKING SEPTEMBER 11]

Sky News ^ | 2-21-2004

[Prince Charles]

ACADEMY DEFENDS ARTWORK

Organisers of an art show in Scotland that features a sculpture of Mickey Mouse flying an airplane into the World Trade Centre have defended the work, saying it was about "making you think".

"Mickey's Taliban Adventures" is one of almost 300 pieces in the Royal Scottish Academy's student exhibition in Edinburgh, which opens to the public this weekend.

The exhibition by final-year and postgraduate students from Scotland's art and architectural schools also includes a short film showing the dying moments of a poisoned mouse.

The Twin Towers work - based on the attack on New York by al Qaeda hijackers on September 11, 2001 in which 2,752 people died - was made by Alan Bennie of the Edinburgh College of Art.

It shows the Disney figurehead flying a toy plane into cartoon-like foam models of the World Trade Centre, which have been given eyes to give them a surprised expression, as well as flames made of felt.

"I don't think it's a particularly shocking piece," said Colin Greenslade, exhibitions co-ordinator for the Royal Scottish Academy.

"The Twin Towers have become an icon and everyone has their own feelings about it, whether they knew people who were involved or can just remember where they were when it happened," he said.

"This is about making you think."

The film of the poisoned mouse, by student Jock Mooney, is exhibited next to a statement explaining the circumstances, following complaints from animal rights activists.

In it, Mooney said the mouse had already been poisoned when he found it outside his flat and that his film was intended to show the effects of the methods used to get rid of rodents.

Last Updated: 10:23 UK, Saturday February 21, 2004

[Prince Charles]

Pigs!

[sinkspur]

This kind of excrement is the reason most of society stays away from "art exhibitions."

You're just as likely to encounter profanity as you are genuine work.

[Prince Charles]

This one ranks down there with "Piss Christ" or the radical leftist who draped old Glory on the floor for people to step on.

I was refreshingly surprised the other night when I was at the MCA in Chicago... nothing outrageous like this. Just plain old contemporary art.

[dinok]

Maybe GW will give the NEA some of our tax money so we can have the same kind of "art" here.

[hometoroost]

"This is about making you think."

It's making me think somebody ought to put a boot up Colin's arse.

[PistolPaknMama]

"This is about making you think."

About WHAT?

[dbwz]

"This is about making you think."

About WHAT?

About dropping artists out of airplanes.

[dbwz]

Oh, after setting them on fire first.

[GeronL]

Just let Europe call when they fall back into civil war, the natural state of things on that continent.

RINOHUNTER.BLOGSPOT.COM

[Dan from Michigan]

About WHAT?

Target Practice........PULL!!!

[vpintheak]

I'm thinking alright, about kicking somebody's sorry a$$. There is nothing to think about! Cowards killed innocent people end of story!

[Excuse_My_Bellicosity]

I'm sick of these pissant losers and their "art". They defend this garbage by claiming that anything that evokes a reaction is valid. Viola! Crap like this is a scholarly masterpiece that earns them money and accolades from their "colleagues". The creator of this "art" should have their masterpiece crammed so far up their backside that they choke on it.

[Viking2002]

Defend this, Haggis Breath.

[Republic_of_Secession.]

About their audaciousness perhaps.

[Prime Choice]

"This is about making you think."

No, it's not. It's about shocking people. That's all.

Art is supposed to inspire and uplift people. All this crap with toilet seats nailed to boards and crucifixes submerged in urine and cartoon characters playing out a terrorist attack is NOT art. It's purely cold-hearted, callous mockery of a horrific tragedy.

Were I this punk's art instructor, that little slackjawed twerp would be getting far more than an "F" right about now...

[Skwidd]

It also seems to be a good way to get publicity for your art show. "We aren't selling enough tickets? Well, how about this--get that kid who dips bibles in buckets of crap and superglues them to the wall and put him in the show. Then we'll tell all of the news media how outrageous and shocking his art is! We won't be able to pack 'em in tight enough!"

In other words, feh.