Swedish artist makes painting from remains of Holocaust victims - Polidicks

[img]http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/64600000/jpg/_64600612_ashes.jpg[/img] [img]http://25.media.tumblr.com/e765259734a122d5c588b77b765f290f/tumblr_melb1obegU1qf426so1_500.jpg[/img] [quote](JTA) -- A Swedish art gallery owner defended his gallery’s decision to show a painting made of Holocaust victims’ ashes as “having no moral flaws.” Martin Bryder, who owns a gallery in Lund, told Sverige Radio that he “sees no moral problem or flaw with exhibiting” the painting created by artist Carl Michael von Hausswolff using the ashes of victims from the Majdanek extermination camp. The exhibition is scheduled to open at the Martin Bryder Gallery on Dec. 15. .According to a local newspaper, Sydsvenskan, von Hausswolff had collected the ashes more than 20 years ago. Salomon Schulman, a teacher of Yiddish and member of Lund’s Jewish community, wrote in Sydsvenskan that he found the display “disgusting” and called it “a desecration of Jewish bodies.” “Nowhere was the Third Reich more popular than among the educated academics," Schulman wrote. "Today, the Holocaust and racism are still part of their salon talks.” In a text published by the gallery, von Hausswolff is quoted as saying, “The ash has followed me, always been there ... as if the ash contains energies or memories or souls of people ... people tortured, tormented and murdered by other people.” The directorate of the museum at Majdanek is outraged by the art. "We are deeply shocked and outraged by the information that the painting allegedly was made with the ashes of Majdanek victims," said a statement published on Wednesday by the museum staff. "This action is an artistic provocation deserving only to be condemned. In addition, it is certain that the Swedish painter did not enter into possession of the ashes legally." Andrzej Fijolek of the Lublin police told JTA that the police have not opened an investigation into how the artist came into possession of the ashes, since no complaint was filed.[/quote] ([url=http://www.jta.org/news/article/2012/12/06/3113786/swedish-gallery-defends-art-made-of-holocaust-victims-ashes]Source[/url]) So, it seems like his intention wasn't malicious, but how fucking clueless do you have to be to think that stealing murdered people's remains and using them as art supplies is remotely fucking okay. What a schmuck.

what the fuck

if it was an actual painting that depicted something meaningful and relevant I'd probably have no problem with it, but that is quite literally just a fucking rectangle

That is horrifying. What went through his head when the thought this would be a good idea. Probably nothing. [editline]6th December 2012[/editline] [QUOTE=salty peanut v2;38729379]if it was an actual painting that depicted something meaningful and relevant I'd probably have no problem with it, but that is quite literally just a fucking rectangle[/QUOTE] ~you don't understand art~

that's horrible.. it's a gimmick more than an art piece.

I guess this is one way of quite literally ending up in the DA appreciation station. Those poor people not only burned to death but then were made into the worst painting ever.

[QUOTE=Zillamaster55;38729384]That is horrifying. What went through his head when the thought this would be a good idea. Probably nothing. [editline]6th December 2012[/editline] ~you don't understand art~[/QUOTE] "If I do something controversial I bet someone'll want to buy this for a shitload of cash"

How did he even get a hold of the remains?

[QUOTE=salty peanut v2;38729379]if it was an actual painting that depicted something meaningful and relevant I'd probably have no problem with it, but that is quite literally just a fucking rectangle[/QUOTE] Even then it's literally painting with people's remains. If they were family members or something, maybe, but he's just reaching into someone else's tragedy to try and lend emotional weight to his shitty shit. [editline]6th December 2012[/editline] [QUOTE=Melkor;38729426]How did he even get a hold of the remains?[/QUOTE] There's ashes on display at the museum, it's pretty fair to assume he stole some of them.

“Nowhere was the Third Reich more popular than among the educated academics," Schulman wrote. "Today, the Holocaust and racism are still part of their salon talks.” Somehow I doubt that; just look for blokes with shaved heads and Swastika tattoos instead.

Stealing ashes and slapping them onto a canvas. Yeah, sure, deep.

[QUOTE=salty peanut v2;38729379]if it was an actual painting that depicted something meaningful and relevant I'd probably have no problem with it, but that is quite literally just a fucking rectangle[/QUOTE] It's about what it represents, not what it looks like.

[QUOTE=Scot;38729480]It's about what it represents, not what it looks like.[/QUOTE] Well, it looks like a child's finger painting.

It's not even about attempting to be deep, it's a plain inappropriate worthless gimmick.

Rectangle, hmm artistic. wat

well i think the painting is pretty interesting. although if he stole ashes from someone that's not fucking cool

[QUOTE=yawmwen;38729505]well i think the painting is pretty interesting. although if he stole ashes from someone that's not fucking cool[/QUOTE] What is so interesting about this rectangle?

[QUOTE=Scot;38729480]It's about what it represents, not what it looks like.[/QUOTE] What does it represent? "I used the remains of victims to make a box" = pathetic gimmick.

I'd be interested too if I saw a painting made out of human ashes. ITT: Facepunch outraged over abstract art ("DURR IT DOESN'T LOOK LIKE ANYTHING") Not saying that the thought behind it is that great or that it's a brilliant piece of art, but the shitting on abstract art is getting old and shows poor understanding of art of the past 100 years. Get over it.

[QUOTE=Number-41;38729545]I'd be interested too if I saw a painting made out of human ashes.[/QUOTE] I'd be scared.

[QUOTE=ballahswe;38729522]What is so interesting about this rectangle?[/QUOTE] basically this [QUOTE=Scot;38729480]It's about what it represents, not what it looks like.[/QUOTE] the fact that it's a simple image made with the remains of those brutally murdered. it represents the suffering of a people. it is an incredibly emotional piece.

you can p clearly see people drawn in the rectangle if you imaginate a bit

[QUOTE=Eltro102;38729599]you can p clearly see people drawn in the rectangle if you imaginate a bit[/QUOTE] Right, i guess my imagination is crap then :/

[QUOTE=yawmwen;38729576]it is an incredibly emotional piece.[/QUOTE] if you're moved then good, I don't condone that. it doesn't make it right though. It's like manipulating a real corpse to make an artistic film for personal expression.

[QUOTE=ballahswe;38729555]I'd be scared.[/QUOTE] I'd be interested. and it's not so much should be considered "artwork" but more for representing the thought that in that picture frame are ashes of what used to be a human being I've also heard stories about a human lampshade from the Holocaust that supposedly is made from human skin. [t]http://channel.nationalgeographic.com/exposure/content/photo/photo/57457_fragile-travel_u4otpkuoohegc34cxym6cgqbe3ncurxrbvj6lwuht2ya6mzmafma_610x457.jpg[/t]

[QUOTE=Number-41;38729545]I'd be interested too if I saw a painting made out of human ashes. ITT: Facepunch outraged over abstract art ("DURR IT DOESN'T LOOK LIKE ANYTHING") Not saying that the thought behind it is that great, but the shitting on abstract art is getting old. Get over it.[/QUOTE] maybe people will stop shitting on shit when it stops being shitty

[QUOTE=yawmwen;38729576]the fact that it's a simple image made with the remains of those brutally murdered. it represents the suffering of a people. it is an incredibly emotional piece.[/QUOTE] If we want to talk about symbolism, there is some incredibly fucked up symbolism at play here. It represents the suffering a people who are not his people, who have been historically dehumanized, particularly in the Holocaust. The Nazis literally turned their bodies into soap and sold it. Apparently because he visited a memorial once and it made him sad that gives him the right to turn their bodies into art supplies. Like, seriously, if your family was murdered and some jumped-up little shit with no connection to you or them stole their remains and made shitty art with them? It's mind-bogglingly disrespectful

Disrespectful.

[QUOTE=TH89;38729652]If we want to talk about symbolism, there is some incredibly fucked up symbolism at play here. It represents the suffering a people who are not his people, who have been historically dehumanized, particularly in the Holocaust. The Nazis literally turned their bodies into soap and sold it. Apparently because he visited a memorial once and it made him sad that gives him the right to turn their bodies into art supplies.[/QUOTE] well yea i wouldn't say it's meant to be pretty symbolism, just thought provoking symbolism. and what you said is completely valid.

[QUOTE=AK'z;38729628]if you're moved then good, I don't condone that. it doesn't make it right though. It's like manipulating a real corpse to make an artistic film for personal expression.[/QUOTE] You'd dislike [url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Body_Worlds]Body Worlds.[/url]