Officials at the Louvre have been accused of censorship after withdrawing a work from its Tuileries Gardens in Paris for being sexually explicit. The work by the Dutch art and design collective Atelier Van Lieshout, entitled the Domestikator, was due to go on show later this month as part of the Hors les Murs public art programme organised by representatives of the Fiac contemporary art fair (19-22 October). — The Art Newspaper
The Art Newspaper explains: "[...] the erotic nature of the large-scale architectural structure, the outline of which depicts a couple having sex, prompted the Louvre’s decision to bar the work from the gardens which are overseen by the museum."
Louvre director Jean-Luc Martinez tried to defend the decision by pointing to online feedback the installation had received.
These are some of Van Lieshout's sculptures in my local park:
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I was coming here to post this news story - so glad Archinect is already on top (heh) of it!!!
The Jezebel comments are, predictably, gold:
"I really had to look hard to even see it. Now it just looks like one house helping the other house on moving day:/"
"...buildings boning..."
"I’ll bet it’s made of wood."
" no need to get swollen with indignation."
according to atelier van lieshout's explanation of the piece, the 'receiving' building is likely a member of the livestock family...
Domestikator is a large scale artwork that serves as a totem, a temple and a beacon. It symbolizes the power of humanity over the world and pays tribute to the ingenuity, the sophistication and the capacities of humanity, to the power of organisation, and to the use of this power to dominate the natural environment. In order to support 7 billion people, agriculture has become an industry, with factory farming and genetic manipulation a necessity. This provides us with an ethical dilemma, as this kind of farming seems to border on abuse. At the same time, the literal abuse of animals, bestiality, is one of the last remaining taboos. Why is it that treating an animal like a fellow human is an unspeakable act, whilst treating an animal like a resource for industrial production is the norm?
I hope the one in back is wearing a condo.
LOL, nice one, citizen!
;o]
Box in a box.
Domestikator is to sculpture what armpit farts are to music.
The act of form-ication
According to complaints, the exhibitor pulled out early.
These are some of Van Lieshout's sculptures in my local park:
Dammit randomised, we're practically neighbours.
Am I the only one who senses... oh, I don't know... some kind of vague theme or unclear similarity among all these? I can't quite figure out what it is... Oh, well, I'm probably nuts.
Sorry a-f
It's like they never even googled Van Lieshout before giving him the commission, I mean come on:
:)
UPDATE: Domestikator will find asylum at the Pompidou.
Thanks for letting us know. Now I'll be able to sleep tonight!
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