Den spanske kunstneren Eugenio Merino, har laget kunstverket Stairway to heaven, som nylig ble utstilt i Madrid. Det ble øyeblikkelig solgt for 50.000 euro. Men den israelske ambassadøren hadde ikke sans for skulpturen.
The artist says that ‘Stairway to Heaven’, which is exhibited in ARCO, is not anti-Semitic, but reflects the alliance of civilizations.
The Israeli Embassy in Madrid sent a statement stressing its rejection of works by the Catalan artist Eugenio Merino presented in the gallery’s booth at the fair in Madrid 2010. Specifically, it shows its revulsion over the piece entitled Stairway to Heaven, which showed three Christians (a Muslim, a priest and a Jew) praying atop one another.
The Israeli embassy believes that the work by Merino have “items offensive to Jews, Israelis, and probably others.” “Values such as freedom of expression or artistic freedom sometimes serve in the costume of prejudice, stereotypes or mere provocation for provocation”. It also states that something “offensive is no less hurtful for pretending to be an artistic work.” “We think this is one of those cases and declare that this kind of provocation is successful precisely because common sense can not leave them unanswered”.
In the same vein, he explained that religion is always “problem” and said he has tried to be as “respectful as possible”. “I accept their criticism, but they must accept my work,” said the artist, who considers that his piece is not “aggressive” because it has an “air of true religiosity.” “You always have an opinion or interpretation that can not control. What others think depends on many elements I can not control, such as where you lived.
A sculpture entitled Stairway to Heaven by Catalan Eugenio Merino offends Israelis and Jews