Artist's death threats for showing god naked
An Indian artist has received violent threats from Hindu nationalists for showing the popular god Ganesh in unusual poses, including naked and as an Oscar statuette.
Subodh Kerkar, 49, said extremists had threatened to chop off his fingers for producing the sketches, which also show the elephant-headed god performing a Maori dance, walking naked carrying a garden rake, and in the pose of Auguste Rodin’s The Thinker.
Mr Kerkar’s unorthodox drawings are part of a new exhibition in the former Portuguese colony of Goa.
"I have been receiving phone calls which threaten me with dire consequences. They told me that they will chop off my fingers for indulging in such acts,” he said.
The artist added that the threats began when Sanatan Sanstha, a hard-line group which presents Hinduism as a form of science, told Hindus to call him and “express their anguish” at the images.
One, the extremist organisation Hindu Janagruti Samiti (HJS), called for demonstrations at the exhibition venue.
HJS also recently called for protests against a new exhibition by Carlos Ramos, a US artist, which apparently depicts the god Krishna in a distorted form.
A statement on the group’s website reads: “How we Hindus can tolerate such horrible denigration of our beloved Hindu Deities?
Many such groups have links to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) which is currently in opposition after holding power from 1998 to 2004.
Dr Gareth Price, head of the Asia Programme at London’s Chatham House, said extremism of the kind experienced by Mr Kerkar has intensified in some groups since the BJP lost power.
Dr Price said Hindu extremists differ from Islamic fundamentalists in that they are specifically interested in India as a homeland and have no designs on expanding the religious state through the rest of the world.
But he said elements of Islamism had influenced the Hindu nationalist movement.
“These extremist Hindus feel they have to keep up with radical Islamists in order to appear strong,” he said.
Source - From Telegraph
watever i said was due to watever i c in their dress and their culture and by seeing the painting and structures from their religious temples
Dong Dong Dong is for commoners, For Gods and Prophets it goes like Ding Ding Ding....
Actually the gong goes 'dong, dong, dong', and not 'ding, ding, ding'.
"This discussion was about religion.... Wasn't it ??"
And if it was, brit, I BOYCOTTED AND GIRLCOTTED it successfully.
To brit, I would not believe in Heidi, but I'd be delighted to have her hanging on my walls.
Heidi Klum is sexy art.
Truth, and truth only, ultimately wins
Some people worship art..
To MD, is Heidi Klum a Goddess or just art to be admired ?
Who said these are Gods?
Stone carving is an art. A creative painting is an art. Why call these god
There is Art, and thee is Art!
This discussion was about religion.... Wasn't it ??
Ooops... my poor illiteracy, all these whiles I thought they are praying to Cows only. I don't find naked gods any issue. Its a matter of how you dress.
Thank God (pardon the pun) there isn't such extremists in my country to contradict art.
"Everything in this book may be wrong." Illusions: The Adventures of The Reluctant Messiah by Richard Bach
It could also be that the mods have a deep understanding of art, edifis. Who said they must be stupid?
30 minutes have passed. It seems the results of the experiment is going out of the control limits!
presentation outside the temple known to be a holy place......they dont even appear pleasing. The statues represent forms of God.....what kind of presentation is this??????
Only those with artistic minds( and or imagination)can appreciate the beauty of a masterpiece..but for those who aren't...COVER YOUR EYES!
Is that iftaar beverage for you?
Don't be so impatient they have all gone for the iftaar.
Let them come back.
MD what sort of experiment is this?
Then I'll have a beer instead, edifis.
They must remove it. She's not even "semi-naked".
Let's wait and watch the consequence.
Tempting Fate is good adventure!
No, the woman is modest, she covers her boobs with her hand.
Let's see.
And then there is the "Naked Maja" by Franceso Goya. Brrr.
I bet the "Birth of Venus" by Boticelli will be removed, too, although it is a masterpiece of art and free to view in the Uffizie in Firence.
Has any of you guys seen the pictures to make such a hue and cry abt it?
"Ali Baba and 40 thieves" are now "Ali Baba and 30 thieves" ; 10 were laid off.
Even Nudity or Untouchabilty--------both are extreme
haha.. good one. ;)
Glad you liked the short form... usually people hate the names I give then ROFL!!!
But imnatroll sounds nice... like a character from Transformers or something...
Optimus Prime
Bumblebee
Jazz
Megatron
Scorponok
and... imnatroll :-)
Yes, there are naked sculptures at Indian Temples. This post was not about that.
This post is about an artist possibly desecrating a deity held in reverence by a peoples..
just pointed out something in your comment "Indian culture also had untouchability"
Thanks for the short form..' IMNAT ' even though i mention clearly there as 'I am not a troll, every one calls me a troll.poor me :(
yep there is... there are also serial rapists and paedophiles all around the world...
muhammad: "i think indian culture is full of nudity " Its just your thought.
Verisimilitude: Still there are some group of people in India(Remote areas) who practice untouchability. ;)
Indian culture also had untouchability... does that justify practicing untouchability in this day and age?
i think indian culture is full of nudity and other so called sexual art pieces which even we can c in their temples.thnx to edif for showing the link.so wats the big deal now?
Subodh should first start with his Dad
http://www.tubeislam.com/video/4391/Ramadan-Fiqh-Issues
as I was just going through some of my pictures from my last trip to Venice :-)
I didn't drink the kool-aid! -- PM
As if you cut someone? ;)
Agree with versimilitude.
I didn't drink the kool-aid! -- PM
just insult some religion and pay some goons to threaten you and then publicize it... this is not art... its garbage
you get new Gods, isn't it??
Ohh really PM? I heard mods are very rough and tough.Now dont ban me pls :(
the mods might be sensitive :-)
I didn't drink the kool-aid! -- PM
A MOD bashing thread?
Are you now acting as a moderator ??
Does this mean that a picture of the Buddha is no longer aceptable either ?
Their actions are consequent!
This time I must compliment the mods.
I really pity the MODs, even if they do the right thing people complain!
"Ali Baba and 40 thieves" are now "Ali Baba and 30 thieves" ; 10 were laid off.
The mods may be consistent, but how about their actions?
Well the MODs are consistent. And they should remain so.
Troll I dont mean any disrespect to the religion really, i'm just stating a fact.
"Ali Baba and 40 thieves" are now "Ali Baba and 30 thieves" ; 10 were laid off.
They aren't consistent anyway, edifis. And what is porn and what not? Who is to decide?
MD u mean be Consistent?
"Ali Baba and 40 thieves" are now "Ali Baba and 30 thieves" ; 10 were laid off.
MD, that is not porn. That is in the walls of the great temple of Khajuraho.
Wait.
Today is friday.
Mods, please remove these semi-naked figures!! Be consequent!
Greatbook.. I only managed to get to position 122a before doing my back in :(
lol @ PM.
someonenew: Whatever it is,one should respect others religion / belief.
Have a look at these pictures of the Temples of Khajuraho.
Some are so explicit that they cant be posted here.
http://www.shunya.net/Pictures/NorthIndia/Khajuraho/Khajuraho.htm
the temple carvings at the Sun temple at Konark also depicts a lot of sex.
MOD NOTE: Kindly do not post such pictures, even for the sake of art, on QL. Thank you.
Well the art of sex which is "KAMASUTRA" originated from india so what's d fuss....
Oh please! Who are we kidding? You should look at some of the old Hindu temples and u'll see how much of nudity and sex a lot of them depict!
"Ali Baba and 40 thieves" are now "Ali Baba and 30 thieves" ; 10 were laid off.
The old "Artistic License" excuse again.....
Muslims this time :-)
I didn't drink the kool-aid! -- PM
Things like this has happened before too, When the famous artist MF Hussain painted the Godess Saraswati in the nude. And he drew other Hindu Godesses in the nude too. There were some threats initially but nothing actually happened and now most people have accepted those as works of art.