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| Europe |
| Belgian mayor bans 'shocking' Saddam artwork |
| 2006-02-07 |
| A Belgian town has banned the public showing of an artwork representing a handcuffed Saddam Hussein inside a liquid-filled tank, because it could shock tourists and Muslims, an official said. The piece, "Saddam Hussein Shark" by anti-conformist Czech artist David Cerny, was initially put on show in the seaside town of Middelkerke last month. But mayor Michel Landuyt said he immediately ordered a ban on it. "This work could shock people, not only from around here but tourists and potentially people of another faith, in particular Muslims," he told AFP. He underlined that his decision was taken well before the eruption of a row over cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed first published in Denmark, which has escalated into violent demonstrations in a number of countries. The Saddam piece -- whose name apparently referred to "Shark," a controversial work by British contemporary artist Damien Hirst -- was first shown at an international exhibition in Prague last September. It did not provoke any official action then. But it was deemed a little too much for a small Belgian community. "In my view it was too shocking," said the local official. |
| Posted by:tipper |
| #2 Looks like Gene Shalit the morning after the Oscars... |
| Posted by: .com 2006-02-07 12:51 |
| #1 Pictures here (text in German) and here (English). |
| Posted by: Angie Schultz 2006-02-07 12:48 |