Controversial Helnwein for Waterford

jimmytheman

Dear Waterfordian,

Have you seen this Powerpoint of what Waterford may look like in Sept?

http://www.waterfordfringefestival.com/documents/gottfrieddoesWaterford3.ppt

The festival organisers are looking for developers and architects to donate money to the festival costing nearly 100k this year

Its Waterford’s biggest ever exhibition of outdoor art - with the flour Mills piece measuring 120 ft x 80 ft

I think this is the kind of visionary stuff our city needs so if you know any developers / architects it would be brilliant if you could pass this on to them ASAP.

p.s. Gottfried is the guy who painted that very famous James Dean poster where he's in the rain smoking a ciggy. he owns a castle in Kilsheelan, near Carrick, his guests include Madonna, The Presleys and he hosted Marlyn Mansons wedding there a few years back - one of the worlds most famous artists right on our door step

Sully

Why is there controversy? Is it just cash they are looking for in terms on sponsorship?

I think the idea is good, cant see the problem with it myself..

JohnC.

It would be nice to see something like that alright. And, shockingly, it actually does something with that waste of space they call an information point outside McCauleys on Broad Street :eek:

djScarey

Helnwein is a great coup. He did Kilkenny Arts Festival in 2001 and attracted minor controversy for the below image displayed outside Kilkenny Castle. His computer generated ultra-large images of local children displayed at key K. City focal points however won him a lot of friends.

Cabaal

Kahless wrote: »

It would be nice to see something like that alright. And, shockingly, it actually does something with that waste of space they call an information point outside McCauleys on Broad Street :eek:

People might actually talk about this event other then that waste of space

Aquos76

I think it looks really well, Hopefully they might put something up on that eye sore which was once Jury's Hotel

Roen

His work was on display in the Municipal Gallery last Sept/Oct for a few weeks. Was pretty dark stuff.


The more of this kind of thing the better if you ask me. Looking forward to it.

christophicus

Roen wrote: »

His work was on display in the Municipal Gallery last Sept/Oct for a few weeks. Was pretty dark stuff.


The more of this kind of thing the better if you ask me. Looking forward to it.

Yup went to see it back then, it was really quite good. I'm not sure its stuff that suits being outside though , although they probably won't put up the more graphic pictures.

robtri

Looks great, this is what we need in the city......
I am all in favour of this going ahead....

jimmytheman

there

jimmytheman

www.waterofrdfringefestival.com

for more

christophicus

Wow I really didn't think they would put this up



Thats in red square for those of you who have not seen it yet. Its where the stage normally is during Spraoi and is probably the same width. Has it been up for long ?? Are there any more around the city ??

Fair play to Waterford City Council for having the balls to allow that up.

JohnC.

It's not as bad as what the anti-abortion people often have around there.

Will there be more around the city too, like in the artists impressions from earlier?

Roen

Was there last night anyway, wonder how long it'll last.......

dazftw

ive a reason to go into town today now to capture some shocked faces with my camera lol :pac:

christophicus

Heheh, that would be a laugh, if you get any good ones post them here :P .

I have to admit I was shocked when I saw it, not at the picture itself, I just didn't think Waterford CC would have the balls to allow that up.

Sully

There is one outside Rubys also..

christophicus

Cock , Really ?? I got the bus right by there and did not notice it .

Sully

christophicus wrote: »

Cock , Really ?? I got the bus right by there and did not notice it .

'Cock'?!

dazftw

Sully wrote: »

'Cock'?!

hes pissed he missed it basically..

christophicus

dazftw wrote: »

hes pissed he missed it basically..

^^ What he said .



:mad::mad::mad:

jimmytheman

the paintings are going up at the moment round waterford -
the exhibition is called "The Last Child"
its about how war affects children -
when we think about war we think of soldiers from different countries fighting
but lots of children get hurt - physically & emotionally -
so the blood and bandages represent "hurt" -
which will last a lifetime -
also - kids are conscripted to be "boysoldiers" - trained to kill people
where by - they are cold to emotion -
thus the children with guns - some blindfolded -

then there is the landsape -
all that is beautiful in the world that we want to destroy
and the centerpiece is "Waterford Girl"
a 120 ft - x 90 innocent face of a waterford girl -
to give us hope!

jimmytheman

rubys image

Stokolan

anyone got a full list of locations to where they will be up and for how long there going to be up?

christophicus

Thanks for the info and the pic !!

Where is the Waterford Girl ??

jimmytheman

will be up till 2nd Oct -
as part of Waterford Fringe Festival

Locations -
Rubys
Revolution
Kazbar
Information Arch, Broad St x 6
John Roberts Sq x 3
McDonalds
Georges Court
Clock Tower
Munster Express
Tower Hotel
Mill on north Quays (waterford girl)

jimmytheman

Helnwein is also doing a print Exhibition in Greyfriars Gallery Starting on 13th Sept -
his Son Cyril photographic exhibition in Garter Lane from 12th
and his daughter Mercedes as part of Group show at Johns Lane

christophicus

Excellent! Again thanks for the info, I'll have to try and swing by the gallery at least. I really enjoyed the last exebition of his that was in there.

dazftw

I went in yeterday and saw the ones by red square.. went off to get food and when I came back it was gone..?

jimmytheman

jimmytheman

jimmytheman

jimmytheman

jimmytheman

jimmytheman

jimmytheman

jimmytheman

“The Last Child”Installation by Gottfried Helnwein

"For Helnwein, the child is the symbol of innocence, but also of innocence betrayed. In today’s world, the malevolent forces of war, poverty, and sexual exploitation and the numbing, predatory influence of modern media assault the virtue of children
Helnwein’s work concerning the child includes paintings, drawings, and photographs, and it ranges from subtle inscrutability to scenes of stark brutality.
Of course, brutal scenes—witness The Massacre of the Innocents—have been important and regularly visited motifs in the history of art. What makes Helnwein’s art significant is its ability to make us reflect emotionally and intellectually on the very expressive subjects he chooses.
Many people feel that museums should be a refuge in which to experience quiet beauty divorced from the coarseness of the world. This notion sells short the purposes of art, the function of museums, and the intellectual curiosity of the public.
Works by Gottfried Helnwein will inspire and enlighten many; it is also sure to upset some. It is not only the right but the responsibility of the museum to present art that deals with important and sometimes controversial topics in our society."
Harry S. Parker, DIRECTOR OF MUSEUMS, FINE ARTS MUSEUMS OF SAN FRANCISCO

JohnC.

Had a look at a bunch of these today. They seemed to be erecting scaffolding for another opposite Reginald's Tower too. Nice to have something different for a while, and a talking point. The main one in John Roberts square probably wouldn't be in the way if they do put up a screen for the hurling. It seems to be just alongside where they usually put stuff like that.

abouttobebanned

Thanks for the pics Flash.

Aquos76

I believe the City council have received a lot of complaints in relation to some of the pictures up about the place most notable the one of the childs head covered in blood. The one on the left of this picture

sunnyse

I love photography and I can usually appreciate the shock value but that picture of the little boy is just too close to home for me as I have a little blonde haired boy that looks that age. I can't even look at it to be honest:eek:

mike65

I'm surprsied there hasn't been a



sort of moment yet (or has there?)

Mike

Ri na hEireann

Aquos76 wrote: »

I believe the City council have received a lot of complaints in relation to some of the pictures up about the place most notable the one of the childs head covered in blood. The one on the left of this picture

In fairness I think the one of the child is a bit overboard....My uncle was walking through town with his daughter yesterday and she started screaming...I understand what's trying to be done,but in Red Sq I think it's a bit much.

BlaasForRafa

sunnyse wrote: »

I love photography and I can usually appreciate the shock value but that picture of the little boy is just too close to home for me as I have a little blonde haired boy that looks that age. I can't even look at it to be honest:eek:

I think thats the whole point of it, to make people stop and think.

I had wlr on this morning and helnwein was on billy macs show and I think he explained himself rather well. There were a few texts in to say that some of the pics had scared some children but there seemed to be just as many or more in support of him.

Personally if it does make people stop for a moment and think about whats going on in the world its good and as pieces of art I can't think of waterford having outdoor installations of this quality and high profile in the past.

Cabaal

You'd see worse before the watershed on the TV...I won't even started on magazines and newspapers , if it makes people think then its worked

echosound

Was in the city centre for the first time in a while today, so only got to see these now. While I appreciate that it's great to see public outdoor displays of art in Waterford, and I'd like to see more outdoor initiatives like this, my reaction was pretty much the same as when I saw his work exhibited in Kilkenny City during the arts festival a good few years back - meh.

Without wanting to be harsh, it's all a bit insipid and "done before", lacking any real punch. Controversial? no. Thought-provoking? Not really, has been done before and to better effect by various artists in various mediums - even if some photojournalism snaps from various ongoing conflicts were blown up to a grand scale and displayed, they would be far more effective, assuming it's the message that is important, rather than the name of the artist. The Mickey Mouse series is something that just irks me, not in a thought provoking way, just in a "why bother and why so repetitive" way. Felt the same way when I saw the Mouse exhibit in Kilkenny all those years ago - it's very art studenty "MAKING A BIG STATEMENT" IMO.

Appreciate the fact that the city has taken a step in the right direction though, as regards doing something interesting with public spaces.

brown*eyed*girl

My son is terrified by the one outside McDonald's with the blood in her hair. He is also asking a lot of questions about the pics with the guns. Far as I'm concerned (with my Mammy hat on!) its way too gory/gruesome to have on public display with young children. There is only so many questions you can answer... My daughther is 15 & even she was disturbed by some of them before we looked up why they were on display.

mimiraffo

brown*eyed*girl wrote: »

My son is terrified by the one outside McDonald's with the blood in her hair. He is also asking a lot of questions about the pics with the guns. Far as I'm concerned (with my Mammy hat on!) its way too gory/gruesome to have on public display with young children. There is only so many questions you can answer... My daughther is 15 & even she was disturbed by some of them before we looked up why they were on display.

I am the same, I have four daughters, aged 17,10,8,&6 and they have all asked and been disturbed by the photo over rubys and the picture outside mcdonalds, even two of my daughters asked is that what my sister looked liked when she was hit by the car that killed her( that happened before they were born) I wasn't expecting my daughters while waiting in traffic to ask such questions for the lights to turn green, and that photo personally reminds me of how my nine year old sister looked when she was hit by a car lying on the side of a road bleeding to death in this country a few years ago. While I understand that the artist is probably trying to have a shock factor in their "art" work, they and the people who organised and paid for the art work to be displayed, should have taken into consideration children looking at the art work, they cannot hide from it and there is no after" 9'o'clock "( when the tv channels can display adds or programmes not suitable for a certain age) like they have on RTE or BBC or ITV etc. Saying that, art is art, and if there is a theme to highlight horrific atrocities that the world in this day and age have become immune to, well then, I think it is ok, to highlight a cause, but if it is some idiot just photographing people posing like they are bleeding to death or looking dead for a shock factor and to gain attention and gloryifying himself/herself in the name of "art" then shame on him or her, they are no better than the "artist" who made an image of myra hindleys face made out of childrens faces years ago that was subject of the chinese government when they showed recently when promoting england as the new hosts to the olympics!http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/olympics/article4603690.ece

KingLoser

To angry/worried parents:

I'm not disagreeing with you, I have no kids and don't know what it's like to raise one. Just wanna clear that up from the beginning, and also, I completely see your points.

But...

Have you tried actually explaining the meaning behind the pictures to your kids? That it's an artistic protest against kids being used in wars all around the world. (This information should have been highlighted near all the exhibits I think..)

mimiraffo

KingLoser wrote: »

To angry/worried parents:

I'm not disagreeing with you, I have no kids and don't know what it's like to raise one. Just wanna clear that up from the beginning, and also, I completely see your points.

But...

Have you tried actually explaining the meaning behind the pictures to your kids? That it's an artistic protest against kids being used in wars all around the world. (This information should have been highlighted near all the exhibits I think..)

Yes I have explained since to my 5 year old( who by the way hasn't a clue still) and my 8 and 10 year old ( who somewhat grasp what I am trying to tell them) as for my 17 year old(no brainer there)..............children are still children...it will still shock them no matter even if you tell them the hisory behind the photos and that it is "art"......anyone else agree with me??

mimiraffo

she is 6 this month, just incase i get ppl saying "you said in your last post she was 6!!!" she is 5 till the 17th sept!! clutching at straws!!!