Anti-semitic artwork removed from Norwegian exhibition
Galleri A Minor in Oslo, Norway, has removed an art work from its exhibition after a complaint from Israel's ambassador to Norway, Liora Herzl. The painting (above) shows the "S" in the words "Israel" and "USA" changed into a swastika. The ambassador wrote a letter to gallery owner Andreas Engelstad, saying (my translation):
I strongly feel that this picture will offend the feelings of Jews, Israelis and probably also Americans, and that it therefor has no place in the exhibition. To tie Israel and the USA to nazism is unacceptable.
Engelstad consulted Julius Paltiel, a leader for Judaism in Norway and one of only two Holocaust survivors living in this country, and thereafter decided to remove the painting from the exhibition out of respect for the victims of the Holocaust.
The artist, Chris Reddy, regrets the decision and argues the criticism betrays a lack of understanding of art and the purpose of art. He says you can't only think about the feelings of Holocaust survivors.
The exhibition was ironically one intended to draw attention to anti-semitism, especially the one conducted by Christians and Arabs in the name of God.
The name of the painting? "Anti Semite in the Name of God." Go figure.
Liora Herzl demonstrated a quite more mature reaction than her collegue in Sweden, I think, and also one far more effective. I commend Engelstad for promptly removing the painting. Charges of "censorship" are irrelevant in this case, as no artist has the right to be exhibited in a specific gallery, and the gallery has no duty to exhibit a specific artwork. And of course the artist does not risk prosecution, and is free to paint whatever he wants, no matter how clueless and disgusting. And judging by Chris Reddy's blabbering on radio right now, his knowledge of international politics could be written on a stamp, with space to spare.
(From a Norwegian article on NRK)
Update: For more details, commentaries and pictures of the painting check out Aftenposten English, Jerusalem Post and a brief mention on BBC News.
Update 2: I have tried to understand the artwork. It appears to depict "nazi" US and Israel, a maze, and in the lower corner the Norwegian flag. Does the artist mean that Norway will go through a maze to become (or confront?) the two states, or maybe the other way around? I can't make sense of it, either way. But the use of the Norwegian flag means we have every reason to be offended by the artwork, too, no matter what Chris Reddy meant by including it.
8:29:47 PM 
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