There are times in life when the point of a 'social experiment' is so acutely missed by so many that you wonder what the true motivation for the experiment was in the first place. In the case of this particular experiment it could be argued that the desired outcome of social awareness is only reached once you have in fact missed the point. In reality that's just of a load of old cock. Here's quite a bit of proof to show that at times once you've done the damage, the damage is most certainly irrevocably done (see links below).
Back in October 2007 Costa Rican artist Guillermo 'Habacuc' Vargas "paid some children to chase and catch a stray dog, after which he chained up the poor animal in a gallery, telling the viewing public not to feed or water it". Allegedly bowls of water and food were placed near the dog but alas, both items were just out of the its reach. On the wall above the dog the phrase "Eres Lo Que Lees" (translates as "You Are What You Read") was written in dog biscuits. The outcome of the exhibition was that "the dog slowly starved to death and eventually died in the gallery in view of everyone".
Unsurprisingly a chorus of vitriolic outrage ensued, bitterly spat out by a disgusted general public, manifested in various forms of armchair protest - scathing attacks in the blogosphere, Facebook groups urged a boycott of the exhibition, an online petition garnered over a million signatures. Vargas himself was the lucky receiver of a few hundred personal death threats.
However, it didn't take too long to discover the exhibition was apparently a hoax, the purpose to expose people as "hyprocritical sheep" who are only concerned about a starving dog when it becomes the centre of attention when in a gallery. Ah.
The director of Códice Gallery which hosted the exhibition has defended Vargas' "conceptual art, a work that leaves a social message" and went on to say that the dog had not been mistreated, it ate and drank regularly, and finally was allowed to escape back to the streets from where it was taken at the end of the exhibition*.
I wonder at which point it dawned on Vargas rather than thank him for his education in the way of non-sheep like mindedness, most people continue to think him a bit of a no-good dog starving dolt, that the dog is still shackled up to the gallery, and that he should be jailed for animal cruelty. I can't help feeling that the Vargas probably is a bit of a douchebag and his exhibition hoax little more than a 6th form stab at social commentary. Highlighting the fact that people in herds react like sheep and we'd rather spend time discussing what happened on television last night than the salvation of starving stray animals is hardly an enlightening revelation.
The thing is, humans are essentially good beings. We do need things to be highlighted for us sometimes. I'm just not sure that making the point by pulling our pants down and slapping our arses for all to see, whilst also making yourself look like a chasm of humanity is the right way to go about it. To me Vargas' mission is rendered totally impotent, his true goal just an excuse for him and a selective avant-garde few to have a cheap sneer at mankind.
Anyway, take a look at the story coverage yourself and make your own mind up, it speaks much louder than my tuppence worth:
El Perrito Vive blog
Sodahead article
Online Petition
Facebook protest group
The Pet Extraordinarium I
The Pet Extraordinarium II
*this bit made me cringe the hardest - what generous folk allowing the dog back into its natural habitat to dine on its usual tasty feasts of rats and crap and such. How terribly socially aware of them!
Thursday, 10 April 2008
Starving Dog as Art - Gallery confirms exhibition as hoax
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39 comments:
i would like the artist chained to a wall.
poor dog - someone still should have took him and made him famous.
Very well said.
It seems that once again the perverbial sheep have become the threatning killer mob.
Don't peopel realize when their emotions are being lead and manipulated!!?
Honestly!
Now go watch some TV people.
BAAAA!
thanks for your comments. i'd like to make it clear that i'm not opposed to people reacting the way they do. neither am i angry at the artist because i think he's starved a dog, i'm disappointed that he's used an already starving dog to make a weak and hollow point. there are better ways of educating people.
For want of a better phrase, it was a rubbish way of putting across a childish point. I still find it mildly amusing to see how right he was: just look at the facebook group and the people who want this guy dead because of one thing they read. How eagerly they turn to hate someone because they are told to, without thought to go and find out the facts. But come on, surely there's a better way of putting that across, although I guess controversy was his main weapon. Very worrying how quickly things get out of hand via the internet!
absolutely. it's total baiting. more's the pity that the dog was used as a snare.
i too received the facebook group request and decided to investigate before i joined the band wagon - that's what led me to blog about the subject.
although most people have reacted impulsively, i'm not sure it's because they want to hate because they are told to - it's just that all they can see on first impressions is a vulnerable dog in what appears to be a horribly cruel situation.
at least they have reacted too impulsively in the right direction i.e. stuck up for what they consider the weak element.
Oops. Turns out even the Humane Society is validating the story that the dog didn't die! I found the link in this post: http://www.dabbler.ca/news/parliament-of-one-starving-dog-as-art-%e2%80%93-don%e2%80%99t-believe-everything-you-read-20080412/
Like the author says: Guess people should check their sources before joining the witch hunt...
Hey, I think this is a great post. I also received a request to join one of the aforementioned Facebook groups and "politely" declined. My investigation into the issue also lead me here.
I think you make a good case against the work, but I quite like it. I will send you a link to my blog where I've discussed it.
Your blog post is extremely well written.
I don't think this guy is privileged enough to be called an artist. I never want to look at the suffering of any living thing as art. To call it such just says to me that we are a barbaric race.
Why does it take tragedy to get people to react?
with this being a hoax or not, this is still not art. there are better ways of educating people and this for sure was not one of those ways.
it was a cheap ploy, but i'm glad that's all it was. and i'm also happy that so many people responded so fervently. i sincerely wish the dog had been given a good home, though... wouldn't a better moral to the story have been how man's kindness can raise up the unfortunate beast from a doomed existence in the gutter?
Hundreds of thousands of people saying that the art was horrible because it starved a dog... and then saying that he's a horrible artist when they find out his number one goal was to draw attention to starving dogs?
Sounds a bit idiotic to me. He's obviously drawn a lot of attention an accomplished his primary goal. It takes a lot of guts to put yourself in the public spotlight like that and I have a lot of respect for him.
His hypothesis of people only caring about a starving dog when it's in a gallery was almost 100% correct.
Thanks for your comment Ian, it's good to get an opinion from someone with a different perspective.
My opinion is that while the artists' hypothesis may have proved to be correct, both the hypothesis and the foundations on which they are based are, well, elementary to say the least, surely?
Thank you for the blog Ink & Mess, it was informative.
Vargas may have achieved his primary goal - to bring attention to events and circumstances that many turn a blind eye on - but his art may bring about some unexpected results and may be carried to a conclusion much further than Vargas anticipated or desired.
The ideals of an informed and aware world are well worth martyrdom - and the crowd may well crucify Vargas for bringing our apparent 'hypocrisies' to light. I hope he enjoys his self-inflicted damnation, since he so successfully proved the point. Hopefully he will suffer extremely long and extremely well so that we can forever remember the message he wished to impart to us.
Vargas deserves as much.
~W2B
While I do admit that I am a bit miffed that the spotlight had to be drawn to the starved canine as it was.
I'm a rescuer, I take in neglected and starved dogs and do my best to get them ready to find a forever home. That he couldn't take this dog he used to prove his point home and give him a good home was something I could not overlook.
I am not mad at the fact that he used a starved animal to prove a point, more that he let the animal return to that starved life as soon as he was done with it.
That is why I'm angry with him. The animal deserved better, all of the animals deserve better. I've taken in abandoned cats and dogs, lost many of them to disease, and to this day I can't get over human apathy to the animal's plight. Domestic animals depend on us, that they can be so ignored is infuriating.
it's always rather amusing that artists who do this kind of shock value "art", always seem to come back and say that they didnt really do what they said they did once their exhibit is received negatively. these "artists" do not have the courage they think they do. i think most of it is just a selfish way to prove to the masses how, as artists, they are elite and completely above common citizens. art is supposed to help people relate to eachother, not to prove one person knows better then the rest.
Could I ask where you got the information that it was a hoax? I am trying to come to a decision about this whole thing and I would like to be fully informed.
i agree that he shouldn't have let the dog go back to the starving life ... yes he got his point across about people being sheeplike but there are some who already care about starving animals everywhere. As an animal lover if i had the resources to tak care of all the starving animals i would but i don't ... i get the point of the art but i do not in any way condone the way this little "experiment" was done
Confirmation of this exhibition being not quite what it seemed came from the director of the gallery which hosted the exhibition.
Vargas himself has also been quoted many times as saying the exhibition was a social experiment, and not an actual art exhibition in the conventional sense.
This is what made the exhibition a 'hoax'. Not the fact that it didn't take place, because it did. Ultimately a vulnerable dog was taken and used for the purposes of a 'social experiment'.
If you do a little bit of digging you will find interviews and quotes from Vargas which explain how the dog was kept, for how long and what happened to him afterwards.
Whether Vargas social experiment be condoned and perhaps even congratulated as a useful lesson in the errors of humanity is up to you to decide.
Hm, it seems not very many people know much about installation art and/or performance art (ehh sorry, I wasn't really paying attention in art history, lol) these days.
dear goodness, I loved the hypocrisy that was going on at both sides -- a biased news article trying to make the artist look so bad, and then there's the crowd. oh yeah, the artist himself too.
This people, is what art is all about.
mmm... it's good that, as a great humanitarian who felt the need to "expose" our hypocrisy is so much the humanitarian himself that he returned the dog to the exact conditions he was decrying.
Still... it's better that he returned it. At least out there the dog can forage for himself.
Personally.. "art" or "social experiment" is irrelevant to me. I have no respect for him, but that complete loathing and disrespect spreads also to the gawkers who could watch this, believing the dog was starving to death, and NOT feed it.
I would have failed his social experiment as I most likely would have at least fed the dog... picked up the leash and took it out of the gallery with me if I could get away with it.
Just as a side note: I have also rescued starving animals from the street, feed them, had them fixed, and gave them away to new homes. I'm afraid I don't fit his mold. Neither do many people I personally know.
I think the most absurd facet of the whole ordeal is the fact that violence and obvious disinterest in the well being of human being are found permeating the comments of those facebook group members.
"1. An animal was reportedly harmed.
2. I do not like it when animals are harmed.
Therefor: the reported person at fault for the harm done to that animal should be killed."
it would be nice if we still lived in the age of eye for an eye.. and if it pertained to animals as well.. i dont think he would even last quite as long.. and from the pictures that have been posted everywhere the dog couldnt have been getting much sustinance.. not enough to live even if it had been released.. idiots..
The whole story, hoax included, gave me such a feeling of hopelessness and despair that I have wished for a happy ending for selfish reasons. I have trouble with the whole notion of a dog being captured for exhibition and then labeling it as 'conceptual' art. Is this acceptable to the wider art community?
As it is im glad that it may be a hoax, But as i read your responces id like to add a few comments myself. First and formost id like to say i have been a artist for well over 25 years, interpretation
and presentation can be worlds apart and there are many ways to accomplish what you as the artist wish to convey, be it he in his mind or anyones mind i would go as far to say to promote cruelty in any fashion to a living thing befor or after the peice is done reflects on the being and message of the person. As a human being instinctively compasion played a big part in this up roar, be it 10 or a million i dont beilive anyone was folowing the mass's but there hearts and how they felt about the subject, and it is foolish to blame others for that reason. He could have just as well painted a starving dog and tied it to a lease, that to me would have been even more creative and if he was talented enough to convey his messagethen his message would have been heard that way as well.
"You are what you read". Very well said. This works for the people that believes that the dog died, as for the people that prefer to believe that the dog is living back in is home country in the same street it was found. In truth, i dont believe the galery when they say that the dog as fed, well treated, and later sent no where it was cought. It sounds like "damage reduction". One thing that i'm trying to understand is, if he's so concerned about starving animals in his country, why didn't he kept the dog? Why did he told people not to feed instead of asking them to please feed? Why didn't he left a scisor near with a sentence saying "cut me lose"? why didn't he delivered the dog in a shelter? If it's ok to use a dog to show something that is wrong but it's happening in our society, will it be ok to use a child? How would you all fell if instead, there was a little girl being raped, a little kid doing labor, or starving?
The Hoax, is him! as a human, as an artist, as a person!!
Dear Concerned Public,
As President of the Wider Art Community (W.A.C.), I feel compelled to reply.
We at the W.A.C. do in fact support the artist Guillermo 'Habacuc' Vargas. Señor Vargas is a member in high standing in the community, having accumulated 39,745 "artist points" via his important artwork over the past several years, since his indoctrination in 1993. His various works have been assessed over the years and have gained him points based on their merits.
Here is a breakdown of the points system rewards:
1,000 points: $50 Restaurant gift card
5,000 points: iPod
10,000 points: Mountain Bike
20,000 points: 2 day spa vacation
30,000 points: 4-day pass at Six Flags
40,000 points: 1-year supply of Fair Trade (tm) Dog Food
As you can see, Señor Vargas is almost at the 40,000 point-mark. He’s only 55 points away... a hurdle that can easily be overcome with a simple watercolor or an hour of mime. Many of you will be happy to see that when he reaches this mark, he’ll be receiving the year’s supply of Fair Trade (of course!) Dog Food. I think we can safely say that he won’t be putting any precious little pooches in similar predicaments for at least another year!
Please be content that during this whole affair, the W.A.C. was constantly involved, with delegates from the distant corners of the Art World paying very close attention and monitoring each phase of the project. The W.A.C. would, as always, like to thank the Shadow Government for our funding. Without the syphoning and channeling of the citizenry’s tax money, the W.A.C. simply couldn’t exist.
Sincerely,
Clint Tifton
PS: We’re better than you.
Apologies for the slight miscalculation in the points system. It seems that Señor Vargas is actually 255 points away from the 40,000 point plateau and the Dog Food. He would need a combination of mime and watercolor to achieve this level. We're confident that Señor Vargas will expend the required effort, and we look forward to commemorating his next point-milestone.
Regards,
Clint Tifton
I think this blog is another prime example of misleading the public and as some one has pointed out 'being lead and manipulated'. I am a correspondant for an animal organisation and I travel widely. I can confirm the dog died and this was a genuine art exhibition for arts sake! Enough said.
I think you should probably read my blog posting again. You have totally missed my point. Thank you for commenting all the same.
Hi there
There is a new poll on this subject that shows there’s a huge split in public opinion. Some people think the artist had a point, some people would just like to see him dead! The results and article are here: http://www.thepetextraordinarium.co.uk/page.asp?id=52”
If this dog is ever found I would be willing to take it in my home and bring this poor dog back to health, and give him the love it needs. I cried when I saw the pictures my heart went out to the poor dog. I always say if a person can do things like this to animals what would they do to humans????
I work with dogs and iI do many diffenent spoets with my dogs. People shoud think dogs, children and even grown up people need love in their lives. This poor dog never had that chance.
Does anyone know if the dog was found? Isthe dog with the Humane Society? I would love to take this do into my home and make this dog a "STAR"
There certainly is a lot of anger surrounding this piece of art. I choose to believe that it was a hoax, as the motivations for the exhibition are more clear, but essentially it all comes down to what i choose to believe.
The majority of people that still maintain that the dog did die from starvation base that belief on what they have been told by others, just as those choosing to believe that it was a hoax do so as it is what they have been told by others.
Even in the face of added research into the topic, there are those that refuse to waver from the original conclusion of animal cruelty causing death.
Once the anger has dissapated from a public which objects to the portrayal of cruelty, and even to the embarrassment of being tricked into getting very angry and emotional, the atists message and intention will recieve greater acclaim, although it is likely that many will never forgive and forget.
As for the treatment of the animal after the exhibition, i agree that a better response would have been to have the dog adopted. This would have added legitimacy to the artisits claims, and to the message that these animals are extremely vulnerable, and need human protection.
Clint Tifton youre a douchebag. whether the dog died or not is irrelevant. the fucking dog was tied up starving. i keep hollowpoints for bitches like this artist. dont worry. ill save one for you as well
Someone wrote: "If this dog is ever found I would be willing to take it in my home and bring this poor dog back to health, and give him the love it needs."
That is a good example of the hypocrisy we're talking about. Why don't you just find ANY dog, and give it the love it needs? There are thousands or millions of dogs living in the streets, but you only want this one because it's famous. If you really care about dogs, pick any dog! I think exposing such hypocrisy was some of the point he was making, and judging from A LOT of the comments here, most people are hyper-hypocritical wankers. Grow up. Art is not just something esthetic, it also has to do with rattling cages, and not always for no good reason, though it may not be apparent to most people... I think Vargas is a genius.
Someone complained they didn't like the artwork cos it showed us as a barbaric race. Nuff said.
Bla bla bla, if you want to discuss this, I am DJ Krokfot of Norway.
I agree with DJ Krofkot.
Also, I do not think that the tactics etc etc are "elementary." Your blog basically says that even if he was trying to prove a point, he's still going to go down in history as the cruel, dog-starver. That is what makes it so great. I think that the public reaction, as well as this artist's infamy, IS the art. The absurdly long list of comments on the photos in the facebook group is the art (and the absurd things people were saying).
I think the attention to the plight of dogs and stray animals was actually a less significant agenda of the artist than his exposition on human beings.
Besides, this occurred in Central America where there are waaay more stray dogs in the streets than in the developed world and the cultural attitude towards them is completely different...but no one ever takes that into account because they just interpret everything as if it were happening in their precious town in Ohio (arbitrarily chose Ohio, by the way). Thus, I don't really blame the artist for re-releasing the dog back into the streets afterward. In fact, in Nicaragua it is not part of the culture to feed even PET dogs..they are expected to find their own food. You may not agree with it, but that is how it is. There is practically no such thing as an animal shelter in Nicaragua, much less families who are willing to adopt one when they are way more preoccupied with feeding their families. I believe a little research on the region is in order, to really be able to comment in an informed manner.
And no, there is no Humane Society in Nicaragua either.
Thank you for your comments Kristen. The point of this blog post is not to piously preach or condemn an artists work. The point of this blog post is to encourage debate and polarise opinion.
I am indeed free to make and have made an informed opinion on Vargas' work. I have voiced an opinion on the universal tone and context of his piece without delving into finer geographical and cultural detail. If we are to get niche and specific about it, why did the artist reach out to a global platform where, quite rightly, he would be held in a global court of opinion?
Ultimately all I am saying (because I am utterly impartial to what becomes of the memory of vargas or his art) is thus: to make a profound point, yet only to be understood by those who already understand and can clearly see the point, whilst cloaking what is actually bitter derision at human kind with the 'topical social commentary' tag is a bit...pointless.
It's boring and juvenile and comes from a bad place.
"to make a profound point, yet only to be understood by those who already understand and can clearly see the point,"
Hello Contemporary Art World!
"whilst cloaking what is actually bitter derision at human kind with the 'topical social commentary' tag is a bit...pointless."
And so is a legion of anonymous people debating the merits of his art on a blog. As is the majority of time spent on the internet. If his art is pointless, then we are making fools of ourselves. Again! But then . . . I don't think his art is pointless . . . I am, after all enacting it right now.
Hello Postmodernism!
Honestly, these days I find it harder and harder to greet humankind with anything besides bitter derision.
If I would have been at that
gallery, that dog would have
been coming home with me.
It's one thing for an animal
to have to fend for itself on
the streets, it is a TOTALLY
different thing to tie a dog up
and let it starve/die of thirst.
Of course, I don't live somewhere
where the streets are lined with
strays, and I support laws
mandating the neutering/spaying
of pets.
The person who created this
installation could have done this
but then kept the dog.
This would have brought more
positive attention in the end
after the hoax was perpetrated.
By letting the dog go, the artist
showed that he doesn't quite get
the point he himself was trying
to make. Duhr!
I'm a sheep because I don't hop on a plane to fly hundreds of miles, and into the past to prove to the rest of the world that I care about the exploitation of a living creature?
I am a sheep because I am outraged by a story that I read after the fact that happened again hundreds no, sorry thousands of miles away from me?
I am a sheep because my reaction mirrored that of the general public rather than what a few elitist snobs thought it ought to have been?
Well if that's the case then, Baaa.
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