MAC Birmingham

Mirax, that was really interesting! Thank you explaining all that.

@Mirax I am not of the Hindu faith and it would be i appropriate for me to complain on those grounds. I also don't live near Birmingham. I thought your post was fascinating, much more interesting than the art work in question.

If someone had shown me this painting and told me it was from the Museum of Bad Art touring exhibition I would have totally believed them..

@IcakethereforeIam

Oh yes, it is cultural appropriation and actually very derivative,
one-dimensional art. It only looks startlingly original to those ignorant of one of the oldest and most vivid religious iconographies of the world. I hinted at how it can be shut down - you just need to bring it to the attention of the Hindu rage boys online. There is a long controversy about how non-hindus misuse Hindu religious art. One of India's most well known artists MF Husain was controversial for his paintings of nude hindu goddesses. Hindu conservatives were upset that he made so free with their treasured symbols while there was a very well-policed line against iconic images in the muslim tradition.

So, it's, arguably, plagiarised from and disrespectful to the Hindu religion. I think it's like bad student art. Shocking for the sake of it, lacking in subtlety and amaturish. It looks like it's been done in poster paint. I admit the cock peacock, not the cock cock, is okay. It doesn't look impressed at all!

Why does the MAC'S own website say thus about the exhibition?

This exhibition contains images of nudity and themes of an adult nature. Some artworks refer to events or emotions which some audiences may find challenging or upsetting. If you require further information, please speak to a member of our team.

If they're warning you and stating there are "themes of an adult nature", why then is the art work in a place that children can see? Either it is of an adult nature as their website says or its not like the email response suggests. Which one is it?

I would advise some caution protesting these images.

1. It is art, so the obscenity laws may not apply
2. The inspiration is religious art - using terms like obscene may anger British Hindus, (these images are very crude but the original hindu art is often very beautiful and laden with meaning). There is a long tradition of Europeans and Muslims insulting Hindu art (very much full of nudity and even pornographic on occasion) without understanding the traditions and meaning behind them.

Thanks @mirax

Interesting to hear about all the cultural links.

If I may, I understand these images being from a hindu background. These images are a bastardisation of standard hindu iconography. The yoni/lingam (vagina/penis) is a sculpture found in most hindu temples and illustrates the male and female energies that create and animate the world. An orthodox hindu will find the image as displayed in B'ham very crude and insulting but when you understand the status of hindus in Bangladesh and the likelihood that these images are not likely created by hindu Bangladeshis,maybe the insult is intentional. A similar depiction of muslim figures will be highly controversial.

Some hindu male gods like Shiva are also depicted as half male and female (not really androgynous but clearly male or female on each side). This is to illustrate either the principle of male and female (equal and each indispensable) forces that make up the cosmos or to illustrate a specific story from the mythology. Similar to Macbeth, there are evil demons who are unvanquishable either indoors or outdoors, day or night and by male or female hands. So the male God assumes the binary form (note it is clearly not enby) and kills the demon at twilight on the threshold of a dwelling. There is more than one story like this in Hinduism.

The human heads thingy is again from the standard iconography of Shiva or Kali (the rather stern female incarnation of the Devi). That a bunch of queer artists from Bangladesh, a country which has tried to decimate its hindu population and is decidedly unfriendly to its homosexual population, have made so free with a religious culture that is not theirs is remarkable.

If you were to show these images on Twitter, the rightwing hindu types will explode.

Do you have a burner twitter account? Maybe pop it on one with the response highlighted the I see no safeguarding issues I mean what a relief to be told this everyone should know about this immediately

It's a kind of bodyshock horror, but with a peacock.

There's something about that artwork that is very Cronenberg, albeit with flowers.

There's something about all of this ideology that's very Cronenberg.

It looks like something from an x-rated version of The Thing (this is NOT a compliment).

Grotesque and a smashing bit of ‘shut up you plebby Karen’ from the director.

That image is obscene and absolutely playing to the woke zeitgeist and the director is merrily geeing them on.

Excellent thread, Pots.

I could pretend I took one for the team, but it was a displacement activity and I have to admit it.

Apropos of nothing in particular, a thread

thread

1. A thread about grooming.

You’ve probably seen some grooming on lately. Did you recognize it?

The thing about groomers is they are GOOD at it. They are excellent at making you question yourself and your boundaries. This is also known as gaslighting.

1. They will appear to be reasonable. They will use your kindness against you. Groomers care not about you. They don’t play by any rules. They will lie.

They don’t mean the words they say, they say them because of how those words can manipulate you.

1. Everyone thinks they can easily spot groomers. If that were true their grooming would never work.

Again, they are GOOD at it. Excellent often.

1. Right now the grooming is regarding children’s boundaries. Telling adults or children that their privacy boundaries are bigoted is grooming.

If you stopped for one second to consider their arguments, you’ve been groomed. Manipulated.

1. I think it is VERY important that we stop having discussions with groomers to try to get to them to see their positions aren’t fair, safe, whatever.

That’s their GAME. They have just manipulated you.

1. Now you are arguing with them as they ask ridiculous questions. They pull you in further. You start arguing about why safeguarding is important. (It’s obvious and they know why).

They move the goalpost. They ask you why you think all men are scary.

1. You reply with stats but suddenly you are softening. You don’t want anyone to think you mean all men. You have now backed off.

Now they have manipulated you out of protective mode. Now you are discussing stats. Trying to prove something we all know. It’s now a debate. They just won. They got what they wanted. They want people to think there are two sides to prove.

Two sides means compromise. Less protections for children. You’ve just been groomed.

1. Not everyone making a groomer’s argument is a groomer. Some are just people who have been groomed, manipulated. They fell for it. It’s not hard to do. Again, groomers are GOOD at it.

These groomed people think they are being nice. Supporting.

10. Groomers always act the victim. They use your empathy as their weapon against you.

I repeat. They use your empathy as their weapon against you. They have no empathy for you. But you don’t realize this because you’ve assumed they have empathy.

11. You think you are negotiating with someone in good faith. This is how they get you.

The way to deal with groomers is to call it out. See it. Do NOT engage. Do not turn protecting women and children into a debate.

There is nothing to debate. Warn others.

12. Warn others. Do not doubt your instincts. Do not believe their lies.

Learn to spot DARVO. If you are feeling like it’s nuts that someone doesn’t get your point, you’re right. It is nuts. Grooming is happening. You are being manipulated. t.co/EGqhiKiiVh

twitter.com/babybeginner/status/1412897461849395202?t=2Z5VEXiW-FA6YxjtykTA-w&s=19

What is so wrong about penises?

I wonder how many of them simply looked at their shoes rather than admit to finding the linking of children in this painting unpalatable?

Wow, that email is some patronising bullshit. 8,000 people all loved it apart from you did they? Bullshit.

No. Not acceptable.