Tuesday 22 March 2011

Belgian-Arab artist: electric chair for children with Hebrew inscription

Interestingly, Belgian Arab artist Jamila Al Badaoui claimed that her "electric chair for children" had been at various exhibitions in Brussels without a single complaint being raised. Also interesting to note, none of the inscriptions is in any of the three Belgian official languages: Flemish, French and German.

Source: European Voice (Shock and withdraw)

Artwork is on display, then it's gone.  From the European Commission's department of self-inflicted wounds: on Tuesday (8 March), to celebrate International Women's Day, the Commission hosted an exhibition of work by Arab women artists.

One work, “Electric chair for children”, by the Brussels artist Jamila Al Badaoui, was not on show for long. The work bears a sign saying “Caution: buried electric cable below”, in English, Arabic and Hebrew. The artist said the piece was intended as a universal statement about children's rights and in no way an attack on Israel. But it was withdrawn a mere two hours after going on display.

The Commission's Development and Co-operation department, which is hosting the exhibition at its offices on rue de la Loi until 1 April, said the decision to withdraw the piece was taken by the organisers, the Arab Women's Solidarity Association.

H/T: Esther

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