Your Voice Against Poverty bans controversial sculpture
Your Voice Against Poverty bans controversial sculpture. The artist says: 'The sculpture is free for another exhibition - if anybody has the guts.'
The African women's NGO Rainbo has been forbidden to exhibit a controversial sculpture at the Your Voice Against Poverty rally at the brink of the Thames in London on 2 June 2007.
The Danish artist Jens Galschiot is astonished. He declares: 'I have been censored by totalitarian regimes, but I have never imagined my sculptures to be banned by "progressive" Western NGOs.'
The ban has been decreed by BOND, the organiser of the event, allegedly motivated by a wish to please affiliated Christian organisations. The banned piece of art is a handsome bronze sculpture depicting a crucified pregnant teenager, created by the Danish sculptor Jens Galschiot. The sculpture titled 'In the Name of God' has been cast in various varieties as an accusation against the crusade against contraception and sexual education orchestrated by Christian fundamentalists led by President Bush and the Pope.
The sculpture was scheduled to arrive in London on Thursday carried by a volunteer from the artist's workshop. But now the artist has been left over with tickets already booked and paid and an unwanted sculpture. 'Therefore I'll lend the sculpture for an exhibition to other organisations, art galleries or museums in London, if anybody has the guts - otherwise I'll have to cancel the journey', the Danish artist says.
The sculpture has been exhibited at World Social Forum in 2007 in Nairobi, Kenya and for a couple of months in front of the Lutheran Cathedral of Copenhagen in cooperation with the dean and the parish council who wanted to make a statement that not all Christian circles are supportive of the crusade of the Pope and the fundamentalists.
For the moment feminists in Nicaragua are using a specimen of the pregnant teenager for a comprehensive campaign against the alarming maternal mortality. In addition they have made hundreds of miniature models of the sculpture to be distributed to parliamentarians, members of the judiciary and other outstanding persons.
On 22 May 2007, the African women's NGO Rainbo and Jens Galschiot have separately sent a protest to all member organisations of BOND. The Danish sculptor declares:
'For decades I've been staking my sculptures to ignite a debate about the North/South relation - and the inequitable distribution of the world's resources. My huge sculptural manifestations have been a well-known and appreciated component of international NGO rallies such as the European Social Forums in London, Paris and Athens, the WTO Ministerial Conference in Hong Kong 2005, Jubilee 2000 in Prague - just to mention a few examples.
For sure, I have been censored by totalitarian regimes, e.g. the Chinese government, and I have been expelled from Mexico for the "crime" of erecting a "Pillar of Shame" against the Acteal massacre in co-operation with the CNI, the indigenous peoples' organisation. But I have NEVER had an experience like this: that "progressive" NGOs like BOND or other democratic western NGOs make an attempt to obstruct the exhibition of one of my sculptures. Indeed, such "progressive grassroots" circles, are the last ones that I would deem to be supportive of the crusade against contraception and sexual education orchestrated by the Pope and President Bush.'
As no argument has induced the organisers to change their absurd decision, Jens Galschiot has now decided to publish the affair. For more information:
Jens Galschiot's address to the NGOs:
Rainbo's address to the NGOs:
More information about the planned exhibition in London: