'Mythical' swan photo taken down after 'bestiality' fears
Discussion
The Telegraph said:
A photograph of a naked woman and a swan was taken down after a police officer complained that it appeared to “condone bestiality”, an art gallery has claimed.
The Scream gallery in Mayfair had exhibited the artwork for a month with no complaints from the public. The work is intended as modern depiction of the Greek myth of Leda and the Swan.
But a Metropolitan police officer who saw the Derrick Santini image from a bus was alarmed.
He alerted his colleagues and two uniformed officers went to the gallery, which is owned by the Rolling Stones guitarist Ronnie Wood’s sons, Tyrone and Jamie.
Jag Mehta, the sales director at the gallery, said she spoke to the officers and asked what the problem was.
“They said the photograph suggested we condoned bestiality, which was an arrestable offence,” she said.
“It’s crazy. Perhaps the cultural references were lost on them.”
As the exhibition was already over, they took down the artwork, which shows the animal ravaging the naked woman.
“They stood there and didn’t leave until we took the piece down.”
Jamie Wood said the work, entitled A Fool for Love, was not meant deliberately to shock or offend. It was due to be taken down anyway to be replaced by another installation.
He added: “We would of course have fought to keep the piece up otherwise. If anyone wants to view it, we still have it at the gallery.
“The purpose of art is to provoke debate and Derrick’s piece has certainly done that.”
According to Greek mythology, the god Zeus took the form of a swan to seduce or rape Leda. She was later said to bear his children, Polydeuces and Helen of Troy.
Some versions of the story suggest they were formed in eggs.
Miss Mehta said the myth of Leda’s rape by Zeus was an acceptable form of erotica in Victorian times. However, this argument failed to impress the police.
“They said they didn’t know anything about the myth,” she said. “They asked if we had had any complaints and we said quite the contrary. Lots of people were intrigued by it.”
The photographer grew up in Scarborough, North Yorkshire, and is well known for his work with musicians and fashion models. His art has been displayed in London, Istanbul and New York.
A spokesman for the Metropolitan Police said the incident had not been recorded as a crime.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/art/art-news/92...The Scream gallery in Mayfair had exhibited the artwork for a month with no complaints from the public. The work is intended as modern depiction of the Greek myth of Leda and the Swan.
But a Metropolitan police officer who saw the Derrick Santini image from a bus was alarmed.
He alerted his colleagues and two uniformed officers went to the gallery, which is owned by the Rolling Stones guitarist Ronnie Wood’s sons, Tyrone and Jamie.
Jag Mehta, the sales director at the gallery, said she spoke to the officers and asked what the problem was.
“They said the photograph suggested we condoned bestiality, which was an arrestable offence,” she said.
“It’s crazy. Perhaps the cultural references were lost on them.”
As the exhibition was already over, they took down the artwork, which shows the animal ravaging the naked woman.
“They stood there and didn’t leave until we took the piece down.”
Jamie Wood said the work, entitled A Fool for Love, was not meant deliberately to shock or offend. It was due to be taken down anyway to be replaced by another installation.
He added: “We would of course have fought to keep the piece up otherwise. If anyone wants to view it, we still have it at the gallery.
“The purpose of art is to provoke debate and Derrick’s piece has certainly done that.”
According to Greek mythology, the god Zeus took the form of a swan to seduce or rape Leda. She was later said to bear his children, Polydeuces and Helen of Troy.
Some versions of the story suggest they were formed in eggs.
Miss Mehta said the myth of Leda’s rape by Zeus was an acceptable form of erotica in Victorian times. However, this argument failed to impress the police.
“They said they didn’t know anything about the myth,” she said. “They asked if we had had any complaints and we said quite the contrary. Lots of people were intrigued by it.”
The photographer grew up in Scarborough, North Yorkshire, and is well known for his work with musicians and fashion models. His art has been displayed in London, Istanbul and New York.
A spokesman for the Metropolitan Police said the incident had not been recorded as a crime.
Words fail me on the monumental ignorance and WTFery. Just....
In a similar vein, from my local paper a few years back - Mayor gives rape statue a new home
Edited by pincher on Saturday 28th April 12:39
I thought the whole police service was about to implode because of all those nasty cuts and major cities only had a couple of plod on duty at any one time. It would appear that at least two had nothing better to do here.http://www.pistonheads.com/xforums/topic.asp?h=0&a...
carmonk said:
Looks like those plod have as much idea about the law as they have about art. Dumb, ignorant fascists, why didn't the gallery owner tell them to go f
k themselves?
They probably did, but then the officer would no doubt have come back with the incredibly witty "It's illegal to have sex with pigs too".k themselves?
davepoth said:
carmonk said:
Looks like those plod have as much idea about the law as they have about art. Dumb, ignorant fascists, why didn't the gallery owner tell them to go fk themselves?
They probably did, but then the officer would no doubt have come back with the incredibly witty "It's illegal to have sex with pigs too".k themselves?ExChrispy Porker said:
I would.
I studied Latin and Greek at school.
I have never heard of this swan myth before today.
Missed out on my Latin but studied Greek Classical Civilisation through to A level.I studied Latin and Greek at school.
I have never heard of this swan myth before today.
I have heard of the swan myth before. Fortunately not all teachers believe in the omission of additional information or are afraid to help stimulate your interest in the subject by directing you to Sappho as swiftly as Plato or Aristophanes.
Reporting officer, and possibly attending, should be experiencing his Ambiwlans moment currently if there is any justice left in the station.
With luck if any further stupidity is being thought of they would do well to remember Mapplethorpe.
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