Sweden: Artist accuses museum of censoring gay exhibit

Kunstneren: In a recent article in Expressen, Elisabeth Ohlson-Wallin wrote about her experiences in Jerusalem, photographing her naked models in s...

Ikke angivet Ikke angivet,

03/06/2010

Kunstneren:

In a recent article in Expressen, Elisabeth Ohlson-Wallin wrote about her experiences in Jerusalem, photographing her naked models in sexual poses on the same streets where “Jesus and Mohammed” may have walked. For two weeks, she says, she photographed Muslim gays, Christian Lesbians and Jewish transsexuals. Her new friends in Jerusalem wondered how she had managed not to get shot. They thanks her and hoped she could display the pictures there. That hadn’t worked out.
In Sweden freedom of speech is much more advanced, and yet the Museum of World Culture refused to display her exhibit “Jerusalem” as it was intended. They told her they were going by what religious leaders who had seen the pictures said. Elisabeth Ohlson-Wallin got upset: had they asked those who oppress LGBT about her photos, which highlight the oppression.

The museum suggested that the photos be shown in a ’safe space’, where not everybody can enter, or as a power-point demonstration. Otherwise, it would be offensive to Muslims, Christians and Jews, she was told.

Världskulturmuseet:

In a press release, the Museum of World Culture rejects the accusations.

The debate about religion and freedom of speech is currently an important one, and the museum doesn’t want to further polarize it. It is a simple wish to let religious arguments have a place in a composed and open discussion. They want to give religion the option of being something other than an indignant mass of protest where the most radical and angry get the most attention. It’s not undemocratic to be religious, but it’s undemocratic to deny others a voice in the discussion.

But both she and Lars Gårdfeldt have decided to suspend cooperation and claim that the museum are cowards just because they want to give room to those who don’t see the exhibition as the best way to encourage discussion. They’re not yielding to religious authorities. They’re trying to balance several important democratic rights, and refuse to see the world in black and white.


Mon det skal forstås sådan at Museum of World Culture ikke ville udstille islamisk kunst uden at lade homo-aktivister komme til orde i forbindelse med udstillingen?


Hvis svaret på det spørgsmål er ja, så tager jeg gerne det bytte. Svaret er nok ikke ja.