Controversial Helnwein for Waterford

jimmytheman

jimmytheman

jimmytheman

jimmytheman

jimmytheman

jimmytheman

“The Last Child”Installation by Gottfried Helnwein

"For Helnwein, the child is the symbol of innocence, but also of innocence betrayed. In today’s world, the malevolent forces of war, poverty, and sexual exploitation and the numbing, predatory influence of modern media assault the virtue of children
Helnwein’s work concerning the child includes paintings, drawings, and photographs, and it ranges from subtle inscrutability to scenes of stark brutality.
Of course, brutal scenes—witness The Massacre of the Innocents—have been important and regularly visited motifs in the history of art. What makes Helnwein’s art significant is its ability to make us reflect emotionally and intellectually on the very expressive subjects he chooses.
Many people feel that museums should be a refuge in which to experience quiet beauty divorced from the coarseness of the world. This notion sells short the purposes of art, the function of museums, and the intellectual curiosity of the public.
Works by Gottfried Helnwein will inspire and enlighten many; it is also sure to upset some. It is not only the right but the responsibility of the museum to present art that deals with important and sometimes controversial topics in our society."
Harry S. Parker, DIRECTOR OF MUSEUMS, FINE ARTS MUSEUMS OF SAN FRANCISCO

JohnC.

Had a look at a bunch of these today. They seemed to be erecting scaffolding for another opposite Reginald's Tower too. Nice to have something different for a while, and a talking point. The main one in John Roberts square probably wouldn't be in the way if they do put up a screen for the hurling. It seems to be just alongside where they usually put stuff like that.

abouttobebanned

Thanks for the pics Flash.

Aquos76

I believe the City council have received a lot of complaints in relation to some of the pictures up about the place most notable the one of the childs head covered in blood. The one on the left of this picture

sunnyse

I love photography and I can usually appreciate the shock value but that picture of the little boy is just too close to home for me as I have a little blonde haired boy that looks that age. I can't even look at it to be honest:eek:

mike65

I'm surprsied there hasn't been a



sort of moment yet (or has there?)

Mike

Ri na hEireann

Aquos76 wrote: »

I believe the City council have received a lot of complaints in relation to some of the pictures up about the place most notable the one of the childs head covered in blood. The one on the left of this picture

In fairness I think the one of the child is a bit overboard....My uncle was walking through town with his daughter yesterday and she started screaming...I understand what's trying to be done,but in Red Sq I think it's a bit much.

BlaasForRafa

sunnyse wrote: »

I love photography and I can usually appreciate the shock value but that picture of the little boy is just too close to home for me as I have a little blonde haired boy that looks that age. I can't even look at it to be honest:eek:

I think thats the whole point of it, to make people stop and think.

I had wlr on this morning and helnwein was on billy macs show and I think he explained himself rather well. There were a few texts in to say that some of the pics had scared some children but there seemed to be just as many or more in support of him.

Personally if it does make people stop for a moment and think about whats going on in the world its good and as pieces of art I can't think of waterford having outdoor installations of this quality and high profile in the past.

Cabaal

You'd see worse before the watershed on the TV...I won't even started on magazines and newspapers , if it makes people think then its worked

echosound

Was in the city centre for the first time in a while today, so only got to see these now. While I appreciate that it's great to see public outdoor displays of art in Waterford, and I'd like to see more outdoor initiatives like this, my reaction was pretty much the same as when I saw his work exhibited in Kilkenny City during the arts festival a good few years back - meh.

Without wanting to be harsh, it's all a bit insipid and "done before", lacking any real punch. Controversial? no. Thought-provoking? Not really, has been done before and to better effect by various artists in various mediums - even if some photojournalism snaps from various ongoing conflicts were blown up to a grand scale and displayed, they would be far more effective, assuming it's the message that is important, rather than the name of the artist. The Mickey Mouse series is something that just irks me, not in a thought provoking way, just in a "why bother and why so repetitive" way. Felt the same way when I saw the Mouse exhibit in Kilkenny all those years ago - it's very art studenty "MAKING A BIG STATEMENT" IMO.

Appreciate the fact that the city has taken a step in the right direction though, as regards doing something interesting with public spaces.

brown*eyed*girl

My son is terrified by the one outside McDonald's with the blood in her hair. He is also asking a lot of questions about the pics with the guns. Far as I'm concerned (with my Mammy hat on!) its way too gory/gruesome to have on public display with young children. There is only so many questions you can answer... My daughther is 15 & even she was disturbed by some of them before we looked up why they were on display.

mimiraffo

brown*eyed*girl wrote: »

My son is terrified by the one outside McDonald's with the blood in her hair. He is also asking a lot of questions about the pics with the guns. Far as I'm concerned (with my Mammy hat on!) its way too gory/gruesome to have on public display with young children. There is only so many questions you can answer... My daughther is 15 & even she was disturbed by some of them before we looked up why they were on display.

I am the same, I have four daughters, aged 17,10,8,&6 and they have all asked and been disturbed by the photo over rubys and the picture outside mcdonalds, even two of my daughters asked is that what my sister looked liked when she was hit by the car that killed her( that happened before they were born) I wasn't expecting my daughters while waiting in traffic to ask such questions for the lights to turn green, and that photo personally reminds me of how my nine year old sister looked when she was hit by a car lying on the side of a road bleeding to death in this country a few years ago. While I understand that the artist is probably trying to have a shock factor in their "art" work, they and the people who organised and paid for the art work to be displayed, should have taken into consideration children looking at the art work, they cannot hide from it and there is no after" 9'o'clock "( when the tv channels can display adds or programmes not suitable for a certain age) like they have on RTE or BBC or ITV etc. Saying that, art is art, and if there is a theme to highlight horrific atrocities that the world in this day and age have become immune to, well then, I think it is ok, to highlight a cause, but if it is some idiot just photographing people posing like they are bleeding to death or looking dead for a shock factor and to gain attention and gloryifying himself/herself in the name of "art" then shame on him or her, they are no better than the "artist" who made an image of myra hindleys face made out of childrens faces years ago that was subject of the chinese government when they showed recently when promoting england as the new hosts to the olympics!http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/olympics/article4603690.ece

KingLoser

To angry/worried parents:

I'm not disagreeing with you, I have no kids and don't know what it's like to raise one. Just wanna clear that up from the beginning, and also, I completely see your points.

But...

Have you tried actually explaining the meaning behind the pictures to your kids? That it's an artistic protest against kids being used in wars all around the world. (This information should have been highlighted near all the exhibits I think..)

mimiraffo

KingLoser wrote: »

To angry/worried parents:

I'm not disagreeing with you, I have no kids and don't know what it's like to raise one. Just wanna clear that up from the beginning, and also, I completely see your points.

But...

Have you tried actually explaining the meaning behind the pictures to your kids? That it's an artistic protest against kids being used in wars all around the world. (This information should have been highlighted near all the exhibits I think..)

Yes I have explained since to my 5 year old( who by the way hasn't a clue still) and my 8 and 10 year old ( who somewhat grasp what I am trying to tell them) as for my 17 year old(no brainer there)..............children are still children...it will still shock them no matter even if you tell them the hisory behind the photos and that it is "art"......anyone else agree with me??

mimiraffo

she is 6 this month, just incase i get ppl saying "you said in your last post she was 6!!!" she is 5 till the 17th sept!! clutching at straws!!!

Sully

mimiraffo wrote: »

children are still children...it will still shock them no matter even if you tell them the hisory behind the photos and that it is "art"......anyone else agree with me??

No.

I fully support the idea behind these pictures, and as many people have said before, you see far worse on TV or Playstation games these days and you dont see parents having a winge. You cant wrap your child up in bubble wrap for ever you know!

Cabaal

FairCity aired lastnight and had violence in it before the watershed, the paintings are tame in relation to this type of crap

deise-lady

Hi all
just listening to RTE radio - Pat Kenny's radio show is from the Waterford Studio today and they are going to discuss, among other things, the controversial exhibition in Waterford at the moment.

I think it's so juvenile, putting up art to shock, to gain media attention. It's lazy art - and sooooo passe.

deise-lady

I think it's so juvenile, putting up art to shock, to gain media attention. It's lazy art - and sooooo passe.

robtri

Sully wrote: »

No.

I fully support the idea behind these pictures, and as many people have said before, you see far worse on TV or Playstation games these days and you dont see parents having a winge. You cant wrap your child up in bubble wrap for ever you know!

I too fully support the idea behind these pictures, but I disagree here in that there is a place and time for this sort of art and that I believe that the city square is not the place for it,
You can't wrap your child up in bubble wrap, but when they are very young, like from 3 to 8, they should not be subjected to this type of imagery, likewise they shouldn't be playing playstation games not rated for them them.

abouttobebanned

deise-lady wrote: »

I think it's so juvenile, putting up art to shock, to gain media attention. It's lazy art - and sooooo passe.

And you're saying this after reading about the artist's work and also the story behind the theme "the last child"?

I doubt it. Soooooo lazy posting.

Cabaal

The art is there to get people thinking and the media and people just need to relax abit, you'd see worse things in the paper or on TV before the watershed,

robtri

Cabaal wrote: »

The art is there to get people thinking and the media and people just need to relax abit, you'd see worse things in the paper or on TV before the watershed,

I agree with the art, but just because there is violence on the TV before the watershed doesn't make it right.... besides the news, maybe not watching the right tv, but I haven't see any pictures of kids with blood around their heads before the watershed???

robtri

Should this not be merged with the other thread about this art....

takola

Thread merged.

There's no need for 2 threads on this topic