Artist: ‘We needed a hot potato’- - - - - - - - -Artist Lars Vilks has spoken out about the controversy surrounding the publication of his picture of Muhammad as a dog in local newspaper Nerikes Allehanda.
Speaking to news agency TT, Vilks said that a provocation was necessary to create a debate.
“We must be free to criticize religions. Why should Islam be exempted from the sort of criticism that is commonplace for Judaism and Christianity?” he said.
Vilks added that “hot potato” was needed to force a proper discussion.
“A lot of people think we should have a nice debate, but when it comes down to it nobody is interested. An initiative of sorts is needed to bring matters to a head,” he said.
The artist added that his intention had been to launch a discussion on principles rather than Islam, said Vilks, something which he still felt was not out of the question.
“Of course this is coming from a secular perspective, but that too is a perspective that needs to have its voice heard,” he said.
Aside from criticizing religion, the artist indicated that he was interested in exploring the limits of freedom of speech.
“Where should they be drawn? A lot of people say that freedom of speech shouldn’t be exploited in all contexts, that one should be careful and exercise moral responsibility.
“There has to be discussion about where these limits should be set, and I don’t think they’ve been exceeded here,” he said.
Vilks said he had observed how Muslims were treated with greater care than other religious groups. It was with this in mind that he composed the drawing ‘Modern Jewish sow, swollen by capitalism’, a drawing he published on his own website as a response to a rhetorical question from a Swedish journalist.
[…]
The artist concluded with a challenge to Sweden’s Muslim community.
“Above all this is about how Swedish Muslims handle this, whether they are ready to step forward as representatives of democracy,” he added.
Well, how are Swedish Muslims handling this?
So far they seem angry and offended, what with the demonstrations and the death threats. But the latest demonstration is being called off — Prime Minister Reinfeldt’s little field trip to the mosque seems to have paid off:
Swedish Muslims said Wednesday they had called off a planned demonstration against a newspaper cartoon depicting Prophet Muhammad as a dog, following talks with the prime minister.
“There is no reason anymore to demonstrate again,” the head of the Muslim cultural centre at Örebro, Jamal Lahamdi, who had organized two earlier protests, told AFP.
The next protest had been planned for Friday.
“The dialogue is good. The talks organized by the prime minister yesterday are a very good step,” he added.
“I hope the crisis is over now. All the people here were involved, talked a lot.”
A lot of talk doesn’t usually satisfy angry Muslims. Is this a hudna? Are Sweden’s Muslim’s buying time until they can regroup and mount something bigger?
Normally, nothing short of an abject apology — accompanied by financial subsidies — will suffice.
We’ll have to wait and see.
Hat tip: CG.
For previous posts on Lars Vilks and the Roundabout Dogs, see the Modoggie Archives.
7 comments:
Vilks may bring the matter to a "head" in a way he never anticipated.
Ask Daniel Pearl or Nick Berg.
Go on, try.
Profitsbeard...
I usually like your comments a lot.
But not this one.
Why do you need to give the impression that someone else might not know what he is doing, just to hide that he might dare something that you do not dare.
Instead of implying that he is stupid, it would look good on you to salute his courage.
I may not like Lars Vilks art but I admire him. He stated clearly that this was about creating controversy, discussion. None of the usual “ all is permitted in the name of Art” tripe that we hear when a religious icon or other icon that people may hold sacred is treated in a way that some might find objectionable.
What I most admire is how brought this issue down to basics
“Above all this is about how Swedish Muslims handle this, whether they are ready to step forward as representatives of democracy,”
Polite discussion accomplishes nothing is what he is saying. He used the tools of his trade to bring matters to a head. He feels that by doing this a true discussion of priciples can be had. How do Swedish Muslims handle democracy, free speech and all that flows from it? Are they able to discuss the issue in a mature, intellectual manner that is exptected from the rest of the citizens? Not a discussion about the religion but one of priciples. I admire his courage, honesty and intellectual integrity.
This is a bit off topic... but not really. And I apologize in advance....
Last weekend's Prairie Home Companion radio show was one of the most uplifting I've heard. It was full of heart warming songs: it was a bit of Americana past... But the Americana past is the real America. Prairie Home Companion comes from Minnesota, a land settled by Norweigians, Swedes, Finns, with a few others mixed in.
Listen to the radio show, dated Sept. 1, 2007, at the following link. Most of the music starts at 52 minutes. My European friends, this will bless you.
http://prairiehome.publicradio.org/programs/2007/09/01/
phanarath-
You misunderstood what I'm saying.
I'm talking to those who never heard of Pearl or Berg.
And Sweden is not Pakistan or Iraq.
Yet.
I wish Vilks the best, and to keep safe, and take the threats more seriously than his colleague Theo Van Gogh did, is what I was getting at.
Somehow the Europeans, even after Van Gogh's murder, don't seem to think it can "happen to them".
May he be a gadfly on the Islamofascist camel's butt.
And get some Kevlar, while he's at it.
One question that I have never seen answered is this: How do the stupid muslims know that this is Mo? Perhaps that dog's name is Abdul.
Trackbacked by The Thunder Run - Web Reconnaissance for 09/06/2007
A short recon of what’s out there that might draw your attention, updated throughout the day...so check back often.
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