Filipino Art Exhibit Draws Ire: Depicts Jesus with Penis & as Mickey Mouse
- Posted on August 8, 2011 at 6:03pm by
Tiffany Gabbay
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MANILA, Philippines (The Blaze/AP) — Former Philippine first lady and art patron Imelda Marcos on Monday joined Roman Catholic leaders in denouncing an art installation that combines religious symbols with phallic objects.
The exhibit at Manila’s Cultural Center of the Philippines by contemporary Filipino artist Mideo Cruz has provoked heated debate about freedom of expression in the predominantly Catholic nation.
Critics vandalized the installation last week by removing a wooden penis from a poster depicting Jesus Christ. Another sculpture shows a penis hanging from a wooden cross while another portrays Christ as Mickey Mouse.
Marcos, the flamboyant widow of former dictator Ferdinand Marcos and founder of the cultural center near Manila Bay, said after visiting the exhibition that the work was a “desecration” and no longer represents art.
“To desecrate some kind of a symbol for what some religions hold sacred, it is no longer right,” she told reporters.
Cruz did not immediately respond to an Associated Press email seeking comment. The center’s head of visual arts reached by phone refused to comment.
In recent interviews, Cruz calls himself “a visual artist who commonly tries to cross borders of discipline in producing my works.”
Cultural center chairwoman Emily Abrera was quoted as saying by Inquirer.net, the online portal of the Philippine Daily Inquirer newspaper, last week that it was part of the artists’ duty to challenge prevailing beliefs.
“It is part of our culture to question, to seek answers, to look behind the surface and try to dig out what our real values are,” she said.
The archbishop of Manila, Cardinal Gaudencio Rosales, said Cruz and his supporters may have abused their freedom of expression.
He told church-run Radio Veritas on Monday that freedom entails “the responsibility not to attack cultures and the responsibility not to destroy the values of people.”
Several Catholic lay groups have threatened to file charges against Cruz and the exhibition organizers, and one group called Pro-life Philippines has written a letter to the cultural center demanding that the exhibit be taken down.
Bienvenido Lumbera, who was declared a national artist for literature and chairs a group called Concerned Artists of the Philippines, said that the Philippine Constitution guarantees freedom of speech and the demand “to suppress the show smacks of the religious fascism.”
An introduction to Cruz’s work says it “speaks of idolatry and the deconstruction of neo-deities.”
It describes the cross and the image of Christ as representative of Filipinos’ cultural past because the Southeast Asian nation was ruled by Spain and conservative Catholic friars for almost four centuries before it was administered as an American territory for 48 years.
It says the artwork seeks to depict “the transformation of the deity … to an epitome of neo-liberal economy.”
A wall collage opposite the cross is made up of posters of local celebrities, NBA stars, Christ, President Barack Obama, Coca-Cola and the Telletubies, characters from children’s TV show. Unfurled condoms, wooden rosaries and wooden penises adorn the wall.
The exhibit opened June 17 and runs through Aug. 21.
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Comments (120)
tom
Posted on August 8, 2011 at 7:30pmJesus will deal with those who mock him he has
Report Post »David Foxfire
Posted on August 8, 2011 at 7:23pmNevermind the part about Jesus Christ. As a hardcore Disney Fan, I have to go on record and demand a fatwa against the artist on the desecration of Mickey Mouse alone! I’d so the same thing with Farfur; if they demand that people who draw pictures of Mr. Peace Be Upon Him needs to die, than every Mousketeer worth his of her salt should go to the Phillipines, find this artist responsible, and give this person a proper beatdown.
And then leave a scrap for the lawyers.
Report Post »Live_Free_orDie
Posted on August 8, 2011 at 7:30pmImelda Marcos???? I thought she was dead!
Report Post »NHwinter
Posted on August 8, 2011 at 6:59pmThe world is changing and quickly. There is little respect for other’s religion, especially Christianity. But there is little respect in politics for opinions that differ from the liberal/socialists. The undignified behavior of most Democrats is appalling. I am ashamed of what our country and culture has become. I look at the young people and wonder if they have any morals or respect for their parents and our country. Maybe I’m old enough to see the profound changes and its sad.
Report Post »Elena2010
Posted on August 8, 2011 at 7:03pmGood thing it was Jesus who was the “victim” of so-called art. Woe betide the PI if it had been Muhammad!
For all the hatred of Christians, we don’t burn down cities and kill people because our Lord has been insulted and we have been offended.
Report Post »Hollywood
Posted on August 8, 2011 at 7:32pmAnd the brother shall deliver up his brother to death,and the father the child,and the children shall rise up against their parents,and cause them to be put to death. Matt: CH:10, V21.
Report Post »MANY, will say to ME in that day,Lord.Lord,did I not prophesy in YOUR name,and have cast out demons,and done many wonderful works? And THEN I will say to them, I NEVER KNEW YOU,depart from ME,you workers of iniquity! Matt: Ch: 7 ,V:22,23
china clipper
Posted on August 8, 2011 at 7:44pmI saw all this coming back in the mid 1960′s. Hopefully, the Philippines is more conservative than the USA, and there will be more flak about this than in a pagan country like America.
Report Post »ramburner
Posted on August 8, 2011 at 9:10pmHaven’t we called for the beheading of this “artist” yet? Woe unto you “Christians”! I guess we still have freedom of speech when it comes to belittling the Savior of the world, but heads will role and political ramifications would be the order if we were to depict mohammed this way. While we slam this “artist”, how about the “art” that has been displayed in NYC with Christ in a bottle of pee? Does the American get chastised as much as the Filipina for THAT “art”??
Report Post »netmail
Posted on August 9, 2011 at 3:15pmChina Clipper….My wife is from the Philippines and we have visited several times over the past 20 years. Community sponsored signs denouncing drug use and encouraging trust and belief in God are EVERYWHERE. Generally speaking, Filipinos are many times over more conservative than American are, at least outside of Manila anyway.
Report Post »BUDDY LITTLE
Posted on August 10, 2011 at 1:09amRIGHT YOU ARE If you notice sense the the last artist who mocked Mohamed is dead! the arts are not so quick to express there artistic freedom ?with the Muslims anyway?
Report Post »spirited
Posted on August 8, 2011 at 6:53pmWas this artist (ha ha) ‘recognized’ before this particular “borders crossing”?
–He might have at least carved his own statue of Jesus.
>Using Coke and Mickey Mouse does only goes ‘so far’.
Report Post »NoGlobalism
Posted on August 8, 2011 at 6:51pmThis is certainly not representative of the fine people of the Phillipines. They are good, decent folks who stand upon high principles and always have. Therefore, please do not judge their indemic artists by the cretinous works of a few psychos and atheists.
Report Post »NHwinter
Posted on August 8, 2011 at 7:07pmI agree, I lived in the Phillippines and they are lovely people. I hope they reject this artist (term loosely used) completely.
Report Post »hundleyshome
Posted on August 8, 2011 at 9:57pmQuit using long words to add smartness to your posts 8/
Report Post »GREENINFIDEL
Posted on August 8, 2011 at 6:51pmMy old man used to say “Its only worthwhat someone is willing to pay for it”.
Another starving artist….
Report Post »ZAP
Posted on August 8, 2011 at 6:48pmEvery church with a steeple is a phallic symbol of Babylon. Don`t believe,than google it
Report Post »NoGlobalism
Posted on August 8, 2011 at 6:57pmYes, that’s true. That said, what exactly does this have to do with a blasphemous 21st Century POS?
Report Post »Elena2010
Posted on August 8, 2011 at 7:04pmAnd the minaret — those really do look like phallic symbols!
Report Post »spirited
Posted on August 8, 2011 at 7:05pmSome words of wisdom from days gone by:
Youth is wasted on the young.
Seeing is believing
Things are not always as they appear
> Don’t believe eveything you read
Report Post »NoGlobalism
Posted on August 8, 2011 at 7:21pm@ spirited
Posted on August 8, 2011 at 7:05pm
Some words of wisdom from days gone by:
Youth is wasted on the young.
In HIS case it is wasted on the dung. :o))
Report Post »Captain Crunch
Posted on August 8, 2011 at 6:45pmFirst of all, it is not the responsibility of someone who does not share a value to challenge the values of a culture. The only ones who should challenge a value is the one who holds that value. Nobody else has the right to do that. For an example, I hold the value(belief), based on evidence, that all liberals are stupid. Now if a liberal tries to challenge that value all they do is reinforce my value that they are indeed stupid. Liberals are stupid.
Report Post »GERATMO
Posted on August 9, 2011 at 6:58amBest comment yet.
Report Post »An Arizonan
Posted on August 18, 2011 at 4:34amAmen !
Report Post »Cheetosareus
Posted on August 8, 2011 at 6:44pmWhen Medio Cruz meets his maker I hope he has to eat his painting.
Report Post »NoGlobalism
Posted on August 8, 2011 at 7:05pm… while cruzing through the Lake of Fire.
Report Post »XenAnarcoCap
Posted on August 8, 2011 at 6:43pmStill, whatever you believe religiously, this is THEIR art and THEIR belief. So they can do with it as they see fit. You can hang a cross in your yard and give reverence to it, and they can build penis-jesus. Just because you think its a wonderful symbol doesn’t mean that other people have to treat it equally. People keep saying that the work is trash, not entirely its just as much worth the work they put into it. If you don‘t like it then don’t buy it. Though if they really want freedom of speech they should came to the states.
Report Post »Captain Crunch
Posted on August 8, 2011 at 6:46pmIt was intentionally offensive. Get a life.
Report Post »XenAnarcoCap
Posted on August 8, 2011 at 6:53pmEven if it was, what does it matter to you personally? Why do YOU have the right to tell someone else what they can and cant do? If she goes bankrupt from not selling anything then that’s normal and good if you dislike what shes doing, but there is no reason to want or expect hate upon this person.
Report Post »vtxphantom
Posted on August 8, 2011 at 7:04pmI thought it was muslim mickey having a bad day.
Report Post »RIGHT_CHRIST
Posted on August 8, 2011 at 7:05pmIt sounds like they got the reaction they possibly were looking for. For someone to vandalize your work you would have to stir up a deep response in people. And the work sounds pretty good even.
A wall collage opposite the cross is made up of posters of local celebrities, NBA stars, Christ, President Barack Obama, Coca-Cola and the Telletubies, characters from children’s TV show. Unfurled condoms, wooden rosaries and wooden penises adorn the wall.
What no true representatives of Christ? Where’s Rick Perry, the Bachmanns, Glen Beck? lol
Report Post »Conservative Hippy
Posted on August 8, 2011 at 7:05pmSee what he’s doing by portraying Jesus as a penis, is symbolically saying he was nothing but a man, like any other man. Then by portraying him as Mickey Mouse, he’s making a point about how western religions are nothing but a joke.
Report Post »dontbotherme
Posted on August 8, 2011 at 6:42pmThe guy is a pig. This is not art. It is an act of spitting in the face of Jesus & mocking all Christian believers.
Report Post »Steelhead
Posted on August 8, 2011 at 7:19pmdo you mock non-believers by praying for them?
Report Post »Chet Hempstead
Posted on August 9, 2011 at 1:55amSince none of the depictions of Jesus in the show really look like Jesus, it’s really just a case of bad art mocking other bad art.
Report Post »An AmericanMom
Posted on August 10, 2011 at 10:25amFunny, I bet this artist would be the first one to be on bended knee praying to God if their child developed cancer….. weird huh!
Report Post »sooner12
Posted on August 8, 2011 at 6:40pmWell, with his fixation of the penis, I wonder if he is queer.
Report Post »Baconeater
Posted on August 8, 2011 at 10:50pmI‘ll bet you’re right…..a Philipino fudge-packer!!!
Report Post »svan71
Posted on August 8, 2011 at 6:34pmIts fine I have Buddas face on the bottom of my bowl, and I have a spastic colon.
Report Post »old white guy
Posted on August 8, 2011 at 6:38pmhow about mohammed.
Report Post »UlyssesP
Posted on August 8, 2011 at 6:31pm“Barack Obama..and the Telletubies”
Just too funny. Are they elevating Telletubbies or infantilizing Barack Obama? Deep art, provoking, makes me think…
….about what crap it is.
Report Post »Steelhead
Posted on August 8, 2011 at 6:36pmthat’s the artist point,religion is crap
Report Post »cookcountypatriot
Posted on August 8, 2011 at 6:26pmanother moron degrading christ…someday christians may not be willing to turn the other cheek…afterall were only human…and maybe assbags like this will just crawll back under thier gay rocks
Report Post »Geese Howard
Posted on August 8, 2011 at 6:33pmthat was wise and informed. thank you.
Report Post »YepImaConservative
Posted on August 8, 2011 at 7:22pmCrawling under “their gay rocks” is truly a liberal undertaking. Liberals and gays are well aware that tea-bagging is their favorite form of entertainment… aside from Gerbals up their wahoos! When liberals call the Tea Party a bunch of Tea baggers… they are actually projecting along with the with a faint smell of “fromunda’ cheese” on the upper lips.
Report Post »ChiefGeorge
Posted on August 8, 2011 at 6:25pmWhat courage it must take to mock the very God who created everything. If I slip and say G’d I catch myself and ask to be forgiven. To go out of your way to profane the saviour of the world is just plain evil to the core. Hopefully the folks who did this are merely ignorant of their sin. Jesus surely can forgive them, but willfully….?
Report Post »Scaz
Posted on August 8, 2011 at 6:25pmSo I’m sure this guy will be killed by a Christian defending his faith……..Oh wait, I’m sorry, that’s Islam.
Report Post »capitalismrocks
Posted on August 8, 2011 at 6:24pmLemme see this moron do the same with a statue of Mohammud, in fact I dare the entire art establishment to show your free expressiveness and boldness of combining culture and blah blah blah….
Depict Mohammud in a bad light, give him a penis nose or make a statue with his turban as a lit bomb, show show rapping an 8 year old, I dare any of you so called artists to step over the line with Mohammud and insult Islam and way you continually insult Christianity…
The only reason you do it is because in Christianity we are taught to forgive where as in Islam they are taught to murder, so you cowards continue to mock Christianity and insult Jesus and God because you have no fear… so lets see if this is about your cowardness … lets see you mock Islam…. bring it on “artists”
Report Post »stumblemouth
Posted on August 8, 2011 at 6:33pmYeah, I’m waiting for the “Pissmohammed” that matches the “pisschrist,” or the feces-smeared portrait of Aisha, Moporker’s favorite wife, the nine-year-old, like the one of Mary. Get your NEA grants now, you brave, edgy, socially-challenging artistes!
Report Post »usmc1063
Posted on August 8, 2011 at 6:58pmThe trouble with these so called artist when it comes to real art they have no talent. So they try shock value instead. So if you artist want some real shock value why don’t you mock Islam. Just think of the SHOCK VALUE you’ll recieve then.
Report Post »ramburner
Posted on August 9, 2011 at 9:01pmONLY the TRUTH gets mocked. Haven’t you ever noticed the way the world works? Satan is the prince and power of the air in this world we know, read Ephesians 2:2, 3; “Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.” We were ALL by nature in that group of God haters, but by the grace of God, we were saved from the wrath that is to come on them ALL who hate God. Their “fun” has only a time to waste in their hate, then they will know God’s wrath, but at that time, there shall be NO forgiveness for ALL who mock God.
Report Post »AlansTigg
Posted on August 8, 2011 at 6:18pmI just love how people choose to be vulgar and then try to justify it with excuses of concepts of art, challenging values, etc….you are a little kid trying to get a shocked reaction from the adults….nothing deep, profound or creative about it
Report Post »mycomet123
Posted on August 8, 2011 at 9:23pmWell said! This is nothing but hate for Christ under the “safe label of art”.
Report Post »trolltrainer
Posted on August 8, 2011 at 6:16pmI am reminded of Christ’s words from the cross. “Father FORGIVE them for they know not what they do.” We should remember His words and do the same. They are simply ignorant in the way little children are ignorant. Hopefully some of them will eventually find their Savior, most will not. They think they are clever or daring or cutting edge. It is only ignorant, stupid, and childish.
Report Post »bankerpapaw
Posted on August 8, 2011 at 6:15pmOne day, soon and very soon, every knee shall bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is
Report Post »King of Kings and Lord of Lords
drattastic
Posted on August 8, 2011 at 6:14pmFilipinos won’t take this lightly, there could be bloodshed.I’ve been there during election time & blood is spilled. They won’t take kindly to someone playing games with Christ either.
Report Post »roostercogburn
Posted on August 8, 2011 at 9:34pmBlood is spilled there all the time, not just during elections. We used to spend a lot of time around Tacloban City, but more and more muslims are moving up from down south, even getting worse in Cebu, they have had murders in places that we used to feel safe in..
Report Post »drattastic
Posted on August 9, 2011 at 2:22amThat’s a shame its been over 25yrs since I lived there . I spent most of my time in Luzon and most of the Muslims were down south ,even then they were causing a lot of trouble. Most of the problems up north for westerners then was the NPA which I’m sure you know are communist ,a small but violent faction at the time . Overall I have a great fondness for the Filipino people.
Report Post »TRONINTHEMORNING
Posted on August 8, 2011 at 6:13pmJust stupid and wrong.
Report Post »SpankDaMonkey
Posted on August 8, 2011 at 6:12pm.
Report Post »Paid for by U.S. tax dollars I betch ya……………
miles from nowhere
Posted on August 8, 2011 at 6:05pmLooks like Filipino art is worthless!
Report Post »Psychosis
Posted on August 8, 2011 at 6:12pmnot much has any worth in the ph.
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