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File under obvious - avant-garde Artists scared to ridicule Islam
Britains contemporary artists are fêted around the world for their willingness to shock but fear is preventing them from tackling Islamic fundamentalism. Grayson Perry, the cross-dressing potter, Turner Prize winner and former Times columnist, said that he had consciously avoided commenting on radical Islam in his otherwise highly provocative body of work because of the threat of reprisals. Perry also believes that many of his fellow visual artists have also ducked the issue, and one leading British gallery director told The Times that few major venues would be prepared to show potentially inflammatory works. But - artists are our best citizens, our most important people! How could they be carrying out such calumny? Ive censored myself, Perry said at a discussion on art and politics organised by the Art Fund. The reason I havent gone all out attacking Islamism in my art is because I feel real fear that someone will slit my throat. Cowards. I feel nothing but contempt for them. Perrys highly decorated pots can sell for more than £50,000 and often feature sex, violence and childhood motifs. One work depicted a teddy bear being born from a penis as the Virgin Mary. Im interested in religion and Ive made a lot of pieces about it, he said. With other targets youve got a better idea of who they are but Islamism is very amorphous. You dont know what the threshold is. Even what seems an innocuous image might trigger off a really violent reaction so I just play safe all the time. So, as long as rough men keep it safe, they'll make the most offensive "artwork" they can think of. The moment they actually face any threat, they become obedient dogs. Our language doesn't have a word for what I'm feeling right now. Posted by: gromky 2007-11-19 |
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