Sad, Dam(n) Art
February 07, 2006 | Aussie Dave | Comments
In the wake of the Cartoon Intifada, a Belgian town has banned a piece of art depicting Saddam Hussein in his underpants
A town in Belgium has banned an artwork of Saddam Hussein for fear that it will put off tourists and offend Muslims.
The piece, called Saddam Hussein Shark, shows the handcuffed ex-Iraqi ruler suspended in liquid and wearing nothing more than underpants.
The town’s major claims that he made his decision before the Cartoon Intifada, and that the decision was not just motivated by concerns it could shock Muslims – the sight of Saddam in his budgie smugglers might scare the kiddies.
The mayor of Middlekerke, Michel Landuyt, said the work could “shock people”, including Muslims.He said he decided to ban Czech artist David Cerny’s sculpture before the row over cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad.—-But Mr Landuyt felt its exhibition would be too much for the small Belgian seaside town. “In my view, it was too shocking,” he said.“They wanted to put this piece in a location where many children come, so that couldn’t be allowed,” he told the BBC.
The good news is that not everyone in Belgium is as gutless as Landuyt.
He added that the ‘Saddam Shark’ is now going to be displayed in a museum in the Belgian city of Ostend.
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About the Author: An Australian immigrant to Israel, Aussie Dave has been blogging since early 2003.
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