Hostage cownapped by militants

[denoir 0]

http://www.reuters.co.uk/newsPac....on=news

Quote[/b] ]STOCKHOLM (Reuters) - Swedish graffiti artists have kidnapped a fibre-glass cow from the international art exhibit CowParade, held power drills to its head and threatened to "sacrifice" it unless the sculptures were declared "non-art".

A video sent to a newspaper showed the cow flanked by two masked, black-clad figures wielding power drills in front of a sign reading "Stockholm's Militant Graffiti Artists".

"We demand that the cows are declared non-art. Otherwise the hostage will be sacrificed," said a voice on the video. The group gave the organisers of the Stockholm exhibit till noon on August 23 to comply with their demand.

The video was shown to police investigating the cow's disappearance last week from an island housing Stockholm's Modern Art Museum.

"We are very upset about the whole matter," said Helena Cederberg, a spokeswoman for CowParade, which is touted as "the world's largest public art event".

It has displayed life-size cows decorated by local artists across the world starting with Chicago and New York in 1999.

The shows are sponsored by local business and promote the work of professional and amateur local artists. When the show ends, the cows are auctioned and 75 percent of the proceeds go to charity. The Stockholm cows are to be auctioned next month.

There are 68 more fibre-glass cows grazing on pavements, squares and in shop-windows all around Stockholm, but Cederberg said: "We're not going to worry just yet about the other cows, we are waiting for information from the police."

CowParade is also on show in the Czech capital Prague, Manchester and Harrisburg in Pennsylvania. It opens soon in South Africa.

Vandalism marred the Prague show, prompting ex-president Vaclav Havel, who decorated one cow, to say: "Maybe some people can't bear to look at anything nice, unusual or ornamental, maybe they can't even bear to look into the mirror".

[drewb99 0]

Well, I'd be mad if people thought a fiberglass cow was more art than graffiti too.

[SpeedyDonkey 0]

I'm not too found of the cow art that they have been dump around the city. It's none of my business as i don't live there though.

Edit: typos..

[ozanzac 0]

lol!

It's a win win situation in my view. Carve up a cow & have a laugh doing it, or put an end to some of the crappy contemporary art that has very little beauty, but has been allowed to flourish.

[ralphwiggum 6]

Sweden's reaction

http://www.cnn.com/2004....ex.html

Quote[/b] ]

STOCKHOLM (Reuters) - The Swedish Interior Minister quickly responded to a new hostage crisis developing in Sweden, calling it a 'callous act' and promised to do whatever necessary to bring back the bovine statue.

In an unprecendented outpour of national unity, thousands of Swedes came out to street, and sang national anthem, waving the Swedish flag. Despite the number of crowds gathered, the mass protest was peaceful and well maintained by using Norweigian labors.

"The cow maybe as ugly as Bjork, but it's not the looks that count, it's what it provides us with.", said denoir, a reservist. He and his friend who wanted to be identified only as "Speedy Donkey" wore military uniform and joined the crowd in a vigil praying for release and safe return of the cow.

The Swedish Special Forces are now ordered to be in highest alert, and the roads leading to neighboring colonies are heavily guarded. The Chief Commander of Swedish Forces confirmed that there has been reassignment of military resources to locate and capture the terrorists. "We are putting all our resources into this mission.", said Gen. Gustav Ikea. An anoynous source confirmed that all of 500 Swedish troops are going to be deployed in search next morning.

In another development the news thread was locked in Czech based gaming forum for being off topic.

[ralphwiggum 6]

on serious note, let's see how this topic can go. if this topic developes into mature discussion of arts, i can let it go. but ends up in spamfest, any spam after this will be dealt with.

[denoir 0]

on serious note, let's see how this topic can go.

You are getting soft. I did not expect this topic to remain open more than for one post.  

About the cows.. as a native of Stockholm, I havn't actually noticed any of them. I do however support the militiants for their sense of humor. If the plastic cows are supposed to be art, then the kidnapping of them can be seen as art as well in my opinion.

The arrangers of the cow exhibit have offered to exchange a white cow for the kidnapped one, so that the grafitti artists could make a version of their own.

One thing that the reuters article didn't mention is that they've demanded that all fiber-glass cows in Stockholm are to be removed from the streets... or the kidnapped cow gets it.

[Friedchiken 0]

Ok, well, I think I would be glad if such an ugly set-piece of "art" was power-drilled.  However, I think there's much more at stake than just the stupid cow.  What about the sentiments of the artist(s)?  What about their feelings?  I noticed that in the quotes there are no interviews of the people who (horrendously) painted the cow.

(EDIT) WE SHOULD RESPECT HINDU BELIEFS TOO!!!!!!!!!

I think devout believers would be pissed if such a noble *cough* icon was destroyed

[ozanzac 0]

It is quite a serious matter though. What these people have done is essentially hijacked societys ability to display things to one another.

Whilist I agree with the Militants that the cow art probably shouldn't be deemed as art, it crosses the line to say to other people what should or should not be deemed as art.

There's a quote, something like 'The beauty is in the eye of the beholder'. I don't see them as beautiful. I see them as crap to be honest and as a result, see them as not worthy of being a major art exhibition.

People collect things. Like stamps, clowns, and all sorts of stuff. People who collect such things usually display their affection at a convention of some kind. Not scattered around a city where these monstrositys are visible to all, and possibly distastful to many.

Sure they might be art to some. But is it really just a public display of their fetish? These cow 'artists' have crossed the line, and in a typically arty farty reaction, another group of artists pole vaulted over it!

[Placebo 29]

That would explain why I was walking past numerous cows in a Prague shopping mall I guess? Hmm I just figured it was some kind of Czech thing, they had holes in them so assumed they were some kind of attractive rubbish bins

[Friedchiken 0]

they had holes in them so assumed they were some kind of attractive rubbish bins  

uh-oh, maybe they are not supposed to be like that

[SpeedyDonkey 0]

Quote[/b] ]I havn't actually noticed any of them. I do however support the militiants for their sense of humor. If the plastic cows are supposed to be art, then the kidnapping of them can be seen as art as well in my opinion.

Really? they are all over the place. Several of them can be found in "Gallerian"

[denoir 0]

That would explain why I was walking past numerous cows in a Prague shopping mall I guess? Hmm I just figured it was some kind of Czech thing, they had holes in them so assumed they were some kind of attractive rubbish bins  

Did you use them as rubbish bins as well?  

Here's an interview in Swedish with the artist, Backa Carin Ivarsdotter that was made after the cow disappeared (before the hostage situation became evident).

She says "Simebody must have liked it, but I wish that they had bought it at the auction later this fall instead. What pisses me off most is that the reason why I joined the exhibition is because it was for charity".

Some facts about the hostage:

[*]Weighs > 120 kg

[*] Valued at over 4,500 €

About 100 cows will be sold for charity in an auction later this year.

The artist at the scene of crime:

This is actually the second cownapping. Another cow disappeared for a few days and re-appeared at a different location in Stockholm.

Speedydonkey:

Quote[/b] ]

Really? they are all over the place. Several of them can be found in "Gallreian"

Quite possible that I've seen them, I just havn't taken notice.

[m21man 0]

I don't recall this level of anti-cow violence when CowParade went to NYC .

[Placebo 29]

they had holes in them so assumed they were some kind of attractive rubbish bins

Did you use them as rubbish bins as well?

Fortunately I had no rubbish on my person, good job, I might have been deported or something as an English yob

Admittedly I'm exceedingly old fashioned in many ways, but to me most modern art is a joke, in the worst sense, sheep cut in half is art? Err no. Unmade bed is art? Err no, they both won the Turner prize IIRC

[ozanzac 0]

Quote[/b] ]http://www.aftonbladet.se/stockholm/0408/11/NYHETER-11s21-konstnar-2_368.jpg

See, look at that backdrop, paving e.t.c.

The cow <s>is</s> seems totally out of place there.

Now, if someone painted that landscape....That would be art.

[m21man 0]

Quote[/b] ]Err no, they both won the Turner prize IIRC

And if I recall, a UK art museum also bought:

1. A room filled with lights flickering on and off.

2. A container of a deceased artist's shit.

[ran 0]

Admittedly I'm exceedingly old fashioned in many ways, but to me most modern art is a joke, in the worst sense, sheep cut in half is art? Err no. Unmade bed is art? Err no, they both won the Turner prize IIRC

I'm with you on this one.

I don't mind modern art personnaly as some works are clearly works of arts, but the exemples you've quoted are exactly what I despise.

Go to Paris someday and visit the Louvre and Orsay museums and the Pompidou centre where you can find some of the most fantastic art collections ever assembled.

[The Frenchman 0]

Oh no! They took Espectro!

Er...exactly why did the cowknappers take the cow? I mean besides trying to get attention? Do ceramic statues really pose a threat to society?

We had similar monuments in Buffalo. Only they are Buffalo.

And no one has actualy tried to steal or defile them.

[denoir 0]

All post-modern art isn't like that. The problem is that for the past 100 years or so, there has been a very destructive trend in art where quality is secondary. The primary thing is some form of innovation - and the cheapest way of getting a reaction is to shock somebody. And yes, it does get a bit tiresome.

Sometimes it does actually succeed though. I thought that the goldfish in plugged in blenders displayed in an exhibit in Denmark were brilliant. (The viewers could press the button and make fish-soup out of the fish. As it turned out after several months of exhibition, only two people chose to kill a fish)

[ozanzac 0]

on serious note, let's see how this topic can go.

You are getting soft. I did not expect this topic to remain open more than for one post.  

lol....that would be my fault!

I've always wanted somewhere to vent my frustration over some works of 'art'. And the ridiculous amounts of money they earn.

[ran 0]

Now, if someone painted that landscape....That would be art.

Agreed, and it would also require some talent which I feel some modern art "makers" severly lack. I mean, even I can paint a plastic cow in bright colors and I have no artistic talents (not that I know of at least).

-edit-: for me, arts (any form of art) must either represent something through the work and reflexion of the artist(landscape, feeling, apples whatever) or make you think or react about something, art has to give you something (and this something could be a vision of new horizon with landscapes or food for thoughts with a reflexion on self-responsability and such with the exemple of the goldfish in a mixer)

[SpeedyDonkey 0]

Quote[/b] ]exactly why did the cowknappers take the cow? I mean besides trying to get attention? Do ceramic statues really pose a threat to society

A lot of people do not consider graffiti as art. They got jealous of the art cows.

[Placebo 29]

We had similar monuments in Buffalo. Only they are Buffalo.

[ig]http://www.buffaloroundup.com/Blue_Sky.jpg[/img]

And no one has actualy tried to steal or defile them.

To me that is art, to my mind it's making a statement about the decline of the Buffalo herds, 150+ years ago the American plains were "painted" with buffalo, then the "white man" came along and now there is more landscape than buffalo

[ozanzac 0]

Quote[/b] ]A lot of people do not consider graffiti as art.

To go out on a bit of a limb. I consider Graffiti as art so long as it's not mindless vandalism. There is skill involved. Graffiti can even have a political meaning behind it. Even if sometimes it can be hard to read and decipher.