Freedom of Art?

Of course Knight, I was just trying to add a little humour into the "discussion"....but that too does not seem to work so well...:/

nomerci, Generations of dogmatic indoctrination against watching female contours has actually suppressed the sexual thresholds in some...affected males could feel a hard-on even looking at female mannequins wearing bikinies. No wonder KSA has banned placing mannequins in shop-windows.

Feeling 'offended' in sutuations like these comes from an extreme social conditioning...than as a natural response.

adey...hmmm....so many possibilities!

or secret transvestites, embarressed that their ponderous thoughts of "Oh, that's delicate and pretty. I wonder if that would fit me?" can be read on their faces?

Monkey.....you're secret's safe with us on QL!

:P

On the other hand...the possibility exists that some people who see women mostly shrouded in black from head to toe, may get a little exited seeing a brassiere...

Night I find your avatar with the sword shining at my face quite offensive! O:

People who think not in their brains but groins would find the picture offensive..

what logic!!!!

Another attention seeker.

Indeed qwertyness, quite and interesting fact that the one person who's job it is to foster mutual understanding, tolerance and such has not an iota of those attributes herself....apparently.

Babu...Westerners are all arrogant and overbearing...you know that! ;)

I thinkt the most interesting part of the whole article is the person who was enraged and snatched it down was an 'international advisor'. Canada has had a lot of debate about the veil: as a multicultural country, a lot of Canadians haven't been exposed to full niquab. You do see a lot of hijab, but not the full abaya-face-covered deal. And a lot of Canadians, rightly or wrongly, don't always fully understand the difference between a woman choosing to be veiled and being forced to wear a burka (I know this because I'm Canadian and spend a lot of time explaining how abayas are beautiful and cultural and not repressive at all blah blah blah to friends back home).

Anyway, I get why she took this photo. It was to vividly show that women are the same, veiled or not. yay. I just find it really interesting that someone from the islamic community, someone who's whole job is supposed to be about fostering ties and understanding, was so enraged they removed it without permission, and even damaged it in the process! seems liek someone's not doing their job very well!

So you think this photo is outrageous? Then you deffintely haven’t watched the film FITNA from Holland which has caused quite a commotion all over the world.

See, always come back to the Westerners to solve problems...:P

Why do shops display?

Why do people display who and what they are by wearing certain clothes?

All is a mystery!!!!!!

I did wonder about that as well MN. But I'm assuming that the woman is either a relative or friend. After all, not too many strangers will let someone into their house to take a picture of them folding laundry.

Fair enough... Maybe there was some sort of immature art in that which required a morbid tad of a brain to see it!

Anywayz so far it seems the only people outraged and spitting venom about this photo are all men!

I mean as far as I know the woman didn’t complain abt it...

I’m more concern about whether or not the photographer had the consent of the woman holding the bra before she went public with the photo. to put a picture of any person like this.. u must get consent of that person....

it wud have been an interesting case if this was published in a magazine.. And the publisher would contest that since the identity is not revealed... she was not liable to take consent.. hmmmm....

The pic just looks like any women picking up a bra in Marks & Spencer wondering if it will look good on her...unless you have a dirty mind you don't really notice how she's dressed.

Weather you're wearing underwear underneath or going commando!

Ha ha...Nope,I know you love me; hijab, niqab and all!

Oooo nice bra! *like* any panties to show as well?

It will come back to me hating muslims somehow Fatimah. Don't worry :)

BTW, have I told you recently that I hate you? (kidding!) ;P

And guess who will then be at the receiving end of many QLers' wrath? ;p

Storm in a D cup???

Miss mimi, I could do that...will give it some thought and send you the prototype . :P

I think you should NM, but only if you mix religious icon's into as well. :p

Brit...just wondering...did you indulge in the haram juice?

And yes, it has been blown out of proportion...which was not intended by the artist, but by some spectators.

I do appreciate tat. My point wa tat this is a non story which has been blown out of proportion..

Art is subjective.. Being a child of the sixties, I could interret it as a womthreading off her bra to she that she is freeing herself .....

Now don't get her started again..rofl

Mimi..maybe I should throw some undergarnments into the mix...:P

true that =D

Brit, of course she wants to bring her art to the attention of others...that is what art is made for....Now, some art is made to look pretty, other art is made to stimulate discussion/awareness.

Why would art be made if nobody paid attention to it?

Nope no artistic talent. That's why we're good critics Fatimah ;) Those who can't do, critique. Right?

lol...seriously though I'm quite the same. Not an artistic bone in my body. My daughter draws better than me,it's embarrassing!

LOL Fatimah. I wish I had some talent. I've been searching online for a new tattoo design to commemorate my son's birth. I know what I want, I just don't know how to draw it.

Oh no...don't tell me you are gonna hit the canvas and easel now. Quick.. Someone hide all MM's brightly colored crayolas please!

yeah, maybe to the majority but not to ALL. And precisely she was asked to explain her side.

And based on her explanation, (and the support of the school administration, the photo was re-hung).

So whether it's offensive or not, depends on the mentality of the on-lookers. Don't question the other side as it is also their right to question yours!

Critics (rolls-eyes) I think it's a good photograph. Not sure why she did it in black and white though. If she'd done a brightly coloured bra in front of the black of the niqab it would have made for some great contrast.

If this is the standard of Art now, this world will be ruined..............!!!

Brit. on the spot! It's spotlights addiction.

Being a cynic , I might think that like many artists , she craves and needs attention for her work :0)

They have topics related to art. As they are an art museum. You see that connection there.

Actually the Mathaf, Arab Museum of Modern Art posted it on their facebook page. I just re-posted it because I figured it wasn't going to get a great debate on their site.

You're always such a breath of reason Fatimah. :)

I'm sure if you the journalist had looked deeper this picture was probably part of a "take pictures of everyday life" assignment. And I'm sure it's perfectly normal that all of the students pictures are posted in the halls for assessment by other students (at least that was the norm for the photography class I took in Uni).

If the woman was wearing anything but niqab, I'm sure that the picture would have been passed off as a mediocre picture of everyday life. However, put a woman in niqab and it attracts the attention of every bigot in the world.

Selling bikinis in Saudi Arabia; an example of purely mis-directed marketing strategy.

I don't find it offensive at all. Nor do I find it artistic or anything cos my taste in art is more like things out of the ordinary. And for me,this portrait is just that...ordinary! It's just a garment what all women wear.And if we for example wish to buy one then obviously you will find us holding them,even in public(like duh..lol)

And perhaps yes, if the artist wants to by this depiction portray to the world that we veiled Muslim women are ordinary women too, then she's done her job. Nothing to react crazily over, and if anyone is to get offended by this image,then Oh deary me...they are in for a shock if they see what's happening around the world today!

She did kind of explain it Brit:

She said she selected the photo for the exhibit because “it humanizes the veiled woman.”

“You often see the stereotype of the veiled woman being oppressed. We all wear the same undergarments, do laundry, go shopping. I was leaving it open-ended for others to interpret the photo in their own way,”

Mountain out of a molehill .. Or rater molehills..

I see no issue. It is art. You interret it as you see fit. I would disagree with her about not wanting to "explain" her viewpoint... She should enlighten people as to her thoughts..

MN, I think that was the point the photographer was trying to make. It's a woman wearing a particular article of clothing while folding another article of clothing. It could be any woman.

The very reaction of some of the men on this site unfortunately shows that the photographer is wrong in at least one assessment. Women who were niqab ARE somehow different than other woman. Apparently they are not allowed to hold bras.

Yup. A photo of a Muslim woman wearing niqab, holding a bra. Taken by a Muslim woman who wears niqab.

What an anti-muslim she is...

or QL is the home of men who can't help but sexualize anything and everything that has to do with women.

Babu, this lady can show, as proven, what ever she wants.

Plus, I have seen plenty of veiled women holding a bra, they do buy them, you know. so this picture is nothing but a scene out of normal, every day life of a woman. Veil or no veil makes no difference.

What is the big deal?

Is a bra something bad? It is nothing but a piece of clothing....I really do not see the relevance.

It will be just a clothing item if you look at it that way anf forget about it

but not to those who would fantacize about what could be inside it!

I just looked at the picture...THAT is making people upset? Really????

NoMerci, QL is the home of people who can't read, form opinions of their own or think critically.

Graham, who is Muslim but not of Saudi origin, said she doesn’t feel the work needs to be explained. She said she selected the photo for the exhibit because “it humanizes the veiled woman.”

“You often see the stereotype of the veiled woman being oppressed. We all wear the same undergarments, do laundry, go shopping. I was leaving it open-ended for others to interpret the photo in their own way,” said Graham, who wears the niqab herself.

Miss Mimi..see, that's what it is about...QL is your best picture of the worst...well, maybe not the worst, but pretty bad anyway.

Why isn't it art?

a model to display under garments for marketing?

totally absurd

MM, Who is talking about buying? Who will buy bras for them? Why you are diverting the topic?

What is connection between buying a bra and taking a picture with Bra and calling it an art while on other side wearing a veil, and covering head to toe!!

So...covered women aren't allowed to hold bras now? How are they going to go buy them?

In near future we can see a muslim women acting in undergarments ad in the name of 'freedom'.

May be she wanted to show the size! Because its difficult to safely assume the size in such dress! What else, nothing coming in my mind! :-/

Wow. Now I see what kind of people she got hassled from.

I am not talking about sexuality... Obviously Female are all same underneath, and wear almost same! difference is the size, color, shape

But may be she found Canadians dumb, so wanted to tell them!

She wanted to show that we're all the same underneath. There's nothing sexual about the picture at all.

Those who are usually suppressed in their own community/countries, they do such things, when go abroad or get another nationality specially Canadian!!

There is no need to expose it, everyone know what a female wear usually underneath! What kind of art actually she wanted to show to the world?

BTW very colorful design, from where she got this?

monkey reloaded?

Well if you read the article, the artist says she was trying to humanize women who were the veil. That we all wear the same things underneath.

Expecting a rain.