This article that I read was mostly eye-catching because it raises a moral question: should art push the limits of sensitivity.
I think that for the most part, historically, artists have been given some leverage with sensitivity, but there's always the question of what is too far. I think that these pieces, although with good intentions, are "putting salt on fresh wounds". There are holocaust survivors still living today, and what one person may see as remembrance can be seen as disrespect to another.
On the other hand, though, I understand that an artist has a right to express personal opinion within their artwork. I'm particularly fascinated with the sculpture of Hitler as a young child. This is interesting to me because it doesn't show Hitler as the monster that people remember him as; it shows Hitler as a boy, and perfectly harmless. I don't think that many Holocaust-survivors will appreciate this, but what's interesting is, that this is the truth. Hitler was a monster and one of the worst in history, but before he was a monster, Adolf Hitler was a young schoolboy.
Crazy, isn't it?
I'd like to know what everyone else has to say about the issue.
http://www.artnews.com/2013/01/10/contemporary-holocaust-art/
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Thoughtful post, and I appreciate you prompting responses. I don't have a problem with bringing light to the emotions that stem from the historical event. What I do have a problem with, however, are artists who profit from 'riding the wave' of such horrific events. Artists who gain attention to themselves because they are simply stirring up the past without offering its relevance to today's society. There is line between synthesizing past events with modern society and being a 'shock artist'.
ReplyDeleteI should have proofread that.
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