How is it that a cartoon can cause men to plot murder? Seventy-three year old Kurt Westergaard is the Danish artist who created cartoons satirizing Islam and Mohammed for the Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten in September 2005. Three muslims were arrested in Denmark in February 2008 for plotting to kill Westergaard in response to the artist’s cartoons. To protest the murder plot and to reclaim their right to freedom of speech, the Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten reprinted a cartoon that features a drawing of the prophet Mohammed, and fundamentalist Muslims are angry about it…again.
While I wouldn’t call the cartoons in question Art, they are a creative expression and deserve protection. Satire is a closely protected right but many choose to become upset when an opposing point of view is posited--especially when the object of satire is a religion or a religious leader. Satire is traditionally loathed by large, powerful groups, as typically corporations, the government and the church are the targets of satire. Satire is a way that a David can slay a Goliath, and it is potentially quite dangerous to those who wield power and control. Satire asks questions as all good artists should, and this is part of the danger it poses.
The tradition of satire in art has persisted since we scrabbled out of the oceans brine, developed opposable thumbs and took up cave paintings. (OK, I exaggerate in Anthony Lane-fashion here.) Honore Daumier (1808-1879) created satirical art that questioned the necessity of war and violence. William Hogarth (1697-1764) was an English painter famous for his satire that poked fun at many contemporary issues of the day, including politics and religion.
There are many contemporary cartoonists whose art is satirical, social commentary including Gary Trudeau’s Doonesbury, and the powerful war cartoons of Bill Mauldin. The quality and depth of both Trudeau’s and Maldin’s work elevates these cartoonists to fine artists.
The other dangerous element that satire brings to the table is humor. As we all know from watching The Daily Show and The Colbert Report, humorous satire is a powerful weapon against ignorance and the humorless dictatorship.
Don’t take my word for it. Have a look at the cartoons that have caused riots, protest and murder plots. And in the words of Art Buchwald, “You can’t make up anything anymore. The world itself is satire. All you’re doing is recording it.”
Source: news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080215/wl_nm/denmark_cartoon_dc
While I wouldn’t call the cartoons in question Art, they are a creative expression and deserve protection. Satire is a closely protected right but many choose to become upset when an opposing point of view is posited--especially when the object of satire is a religion or a religious leader. Satire is traditionally loathed by large, powerful groups, as typically corporations, the government and the church are the targets of satire. Satire is a way that a David can slay a Goliath, and it is potentially quite dangerous to those who wield power and control. Satire asks questions as all good artists should, and this is part of the danger it poses.
The tradition of satire in art has persisted since we scrabbled out of the oceans brine, developed opposable thumbs and took up cave paintings. (OK, I exaggerate in Anthony Lane-fashion here.) Honore Daumier (1808-1879) created satirical art that questioned the necessity of war and violence. William Hogarth (1697-1764) was an English painter famous for his satire that poked fun at many contemporary issues of the day, including politics and religion.
There are many contemporary cartoonists whose art is satirical, social commentary including Gary Trudeau’s Doonesbury, and the powerful war cartoons of Bill Mauldin. The quality and depth of both Trudeau’s and Maldin’s work elevates these cartoonists to fine artists.
The other dangerous element that satire brings to the table is humor. As we all know from watching The Daily Show and The Colbert Report, humorous satire is a powerful weapon against ignorance and the humorless dictatorship.
Don’t take my word for it. Have a look at the cartoons that have caused riots, protest and murder plots. And in the words of Art Buchwald, “You can’t make up anything anymore. The world itself is satire. All you’re doing is recording it.”
Source: news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080215/wl_nm/denmark_cartoon_dc
