Painting of Liam Keane withdrawn from exhibition

gaf1983

The Limerick Leader Weekender reports today that a painting of Liam Keane, depicted giving the infamous two fingers to the camera outside Dublin's Central Criminal Court, but with a red halo above his head, has been withdrawn from exhibition where it was on display at the Thinkk Creative Gallery on Cecil Street. This was prompted by calls to national radio stations on Wednesday, some calling for the painting to be burned.

One artist, who remains anonymous in the article, was of the opinion that the painting is "a clever parody and a social commentary on Irish affairs at the moment." The curator of the exhibition, Gavin Hogg, claimed that the image is not about glorification, noting that it was lifted from the press and is an image that the national press have used countless times. I'd be of the opinion that even if the artist didn't intend to glorify Keane, by creating a such a piece of art in his image, he can't but glorify him, which I think is wrong.

Incidentally, the artist is the same guy who brought us the below piece, entitled, "Tainted", at the Ev+A Exhibition a few years back, which I thought was quite clever. It's made up of about 250 words listing loads of positive things about the city, but of course the darkened words form the simplistic two words that some people will dismiss it with.

What are other people's views on the painting and its withdrawal?

Liam Byrne

I like the meaning behind the painting - the acknowledgement that some idiots will view such scumbags as their idols.

The problem is whether pricks like this would gain notoriety from such publicity.....to scum like these, there's no such thing as bad publicity.....

In fact, the biggest problem I'd have with the above post is the filename for the image.......

gaf1983

Liam Byrne wrote:

In fact, the biggest problem I'd have with the above post is the filename for the image.......

Filename is unchanged from where I got the image, on The Limerick Blogger.

Lazers pew pew

i dont know what the artist is trying to achieve, but the painting is a bit of an insult to the leamy family.
Keane grew up just a few doors up from me, and a saint he is not.
Maybe the artist is trying to be 'controversial' in the hope he attracts a wider audience but i cant see the sense in the painting myself

kelewan8

the usual crap, an artist using controversy to make a name for himself, technically the painting is crap, the artist would never be heard of but for the subject matter