I have written previously about the Swedish artist Lars Vilks, who had entered several drawings depicting Mohammed as a dog in a Swedish art exhibit, only to have them preemptively censored by the exhibit’s organizers.Mr. Vilks’ response to the controversy, especially after he started to receive death threats, has been to draw more pictures of the Prophet as a dog. The latest, shown at right, is titled “The Prophet Mohammed as a Mullah-Dog”.
Lars Vilks’ confrontational behavior seems rather atypical for a Swede. Could it be because he is from Skåne, and therefore perhaps more Danish than Swedish?
CG, a reader from Denmark, sends this latest update on the Modoggie caper:
Looks like the Swedish Mohammed cartoon incident is picking up some speed. The new developments are now to be read in most Danish newspapers. It is also to be found in the Swedish and Norwegian media now.
I notice that the Danish papers are willing to print Mr. Vilks’ drawings, but I haven’t seen any on the Swedish or Norwegian MSM sites so far.
Here is CG’s translation of an article in yesterday’s Jyllands-Posten:
- - - - - - - - -
Swedish School Also Rejects Mohammed Pictures
“We have chosen not to show the pictures out of security considerations. We have to take care of our students,” says Ove Martin Wall from the Gerlesborgskolan in Hamburgsund, a Swedish school of art.
The Swedish art school Gerlesborg in Bohuslän has decided not to show Lars Vilks’ drawings of the prophet Mohammed depicted as a dog. The decision was made after a gallery in Vämland a few weeks ago decided to remove Vilks’ drawings before the opening of the show.
Artist Threatened
The decision was made during the weekend. Wall will not comment about whether the decision was unanimous or if the discussions had been ‘rough’. The case has given rise to a debate resembling the Danish cartoon controversy.
Lars Vilks has been threatened twice during the debate. Anonymous persons have called him and threatened to slit his throat.
Previous posts on this topic:
The Swedes Narrowly Avert Their Own Motoon Crisis
Modoggie #2
The Prophet as an Obedient Retriever
11 comments:
Part of me says: "This is silly, childish, unserious, unbecoming!"
The other part replies: "Yeah, but the Muslims are just begging for such things, ever since 1989".
Lars Vilks’ confrontational behavior seems rather atypical for a Swede. Could it be because he is from Skåne, and therefore perhaps more Danish than Swedish?
Eccentric and confrontational artist.
May well be Latvian ancestry. Its just across the pond after all, and Vilks is a fairly usual Latvian surname meaning "Wolf". Such names as "Wolf" were not bestowed lightly here, that too goes together with an agressive attitude.
It is a shame though, it is such an offense to the dogs to be thus associated with Mo. Maybe he could start drawing Mo with a BLT?
I wonder if he might do a cartoon of Mo taking a leak on a fire hydrant?
"Could it be because he is from Skåne, and therefore perhaps more Danish than Swedish?"
An interesting statement. The Scanians are historically Danes. Actually, The University of Lund in Skåne was instituted in order to Swedenize the then (1670's) Danish population in the area, since Sweden conquered the Snapphane-movement and the Danes in the Scanian war and Sweden's contemporary king, Karl XI, claimed Skåne as Swedish territory. That's why the Skåne-accent differs vastly from "national Swedish" (Rikssvenska). The English language's equivalent to a conversation between a Scanian and a Stockholmer would probably be a conversation between someone from Texarcana, Texas and someone from Glasgow, Scotland.
Yet, I doubt that Vilks is as brave as he is because he's Scanian. I consider Scanians just as brave as, Stockholmare, Göteborgare or Norrlänningar...
"I notice that the Danish papers are willing to print Mr. Vilks’ drawings, but I haven’t seen any on the Swedish or Norwegian MSM sites so far."
Neither have I. But Per Gudmundson of Svenska Dagbladet published one of Vilks' modogs on his blog, on July 21st (link). Brave of him, although he hasn't achieved to get it published in SvD...
"Allah" is more Mo's lapdog (or handpuppet) than Mohammad is a canine of any kind; Mo is more of a cur.
"Mahound" was an early Crusader appellation for the Muslim plagiarist and pedophile. (And one of the reasons Salman Rushdie got in trouble, since he used it in his work "THE SATANIC VERSES'.)
I'm guessing that this is the genesis of the Swede's artwork.
I know Mo is suspected of being an epileptic, but hydrophobia may explain his creed as well.
*~@):~{>
As Ambrose Bierce (I think) said: Fork 'em if they can't take a joke.
Don't worry if you come here to Sweden you can still see the Gay Jesus photo exhibit. Sweden has no problems insulting Christianity.
Sunday's story
http://www.thelocal.se/8177/20070813/
Ecce Homo
http://www.scenicverve.com/FemmeVerve/EOlhson.html
paul:
For the sake: Vilks actually did a caricature of Jesus getting blowed and added: "A pedophile Jesus. Well, who cares?"
(link)
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Carpenter said... Paul:
For the sake: Vilks actually did a caricature of Jesus getting blowed and added: "A pedophile Jesus. Well, who cares?"
Carpenter,
I imagine like myself you also don't give a FF about a Jesus caricature getting a BJ or depicted as a pedophile.
The fact remains that there are groups here in Sweden that are offended and have protested. They are ignored. They are Christian and dealt with on a different standard.
Why is it that here in Sweden it would be ok to display Vilks' Jesus BJ caricatures but not Vilks' Modogs?
I do not believe people here in Sweden and the rest of Europe should not go through life walking on egg shells.
If a PC decency standard is to be applied it must be applied across the board, or preferably not at all.
Here is a Modog update.
The Local - Muslim groups to exhibit 'Muhammad dogs'
"Muslim groups to exhibit 'Muhammad dogs'
Published: 17th August 2007 18:07 CET
Online: http://www.thelocal.se/8222/
Two Muslim groups have indicated their willingness to exhibit controversial sketches by artist Lars Vilks after galleries in western Sweden declined to show the artworks for fear of Islamist reprisals.
Inspired by Sweden's recent 'roundabout dogs' craze, Vilks composed a series of sketches portraying the Muslim prophet Muhammad as just such a creature. "
http://www.thelocal.se/8222/20070817/
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