Speaking of insults to great religious traditions, watch for the State Department to issue a stern denunciation of this insult to Christianity. Mr. Cooper? Take it away. “Bin Laden Artwork Now Hanging In New York,” from WCBSTV.com, with thanks to the Constantinopolitan Irredentist:
Our interest in this story was sparked by an angry email sent to us here at WCBSTV.com. The writer wasn’t angry at us, but rather about what he’d seen at the current National Black Fine Art Show in the Puck Building. This is the 10th anniversary edition of the show which features galleries from across the country selling the works of America’s top African American painters, sculptors, and photographers.
But the writer had big problems with a painting by Harlem artist “Tafa”. It depicts an upside down Christ-like figure with a face strongly resembling Osama Bin Laden. The email read in part, “This is outrageous. This is an attack against my religion. How can an artist go so low? Most people are outraged, most Christians.”
On the phone with me, the artist declined to do an on-camera interview, telling me the work speaks for itself, but adding, the resemblance to Bin Laden was no accident.
The art show’s producer Josh Wainwright, insisted he hadn’t even made the Bin Laden connection. “Knowing what you know now would you have barred the painting from being part of your show?” I asked. “Absolutely not,” he replied. Wainwright says he’s a military veteran and despises Bin Laden, but he added, “I don’t think it’s anyone’s job or vocation to limit the expression of artists.”
Great, Mr. Wainwright. I have a show of cartoons for you and I invite you to be the producer.