The Guillermo Habacuc Vargas Hoax
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I am not usually inspired to write about something (in my opinion) so silly, but the uninformed furore over alleged cruelty during an art exhibition has truly bothered me.
As the story goes, a Costa Rican artist named Guillermo Habacuc Vargas used a stray dog as part of an art exhibition held last year at the Códice Gallery in Managua, Nicaragua. The artist tethered the dog to the wall, without food or water, while the Sandinista anthem was played backwards and a massive incense bowl filled with crack cocaine burned nearby. The entire spectacle appeared under words made out of dog food: “Eres Lo Que Lees” (You are what you read).
Chaining a dog to a wall without food or water is certainly controversial, but perhaps those outraged by this story should look into how the dog was actually treated. Yet this is where the events gets fuzzy…
If you believe innumerable blogs and YouTube videos, the dog was kept tied up for several days before the poor animal died of exhaustion in the exhibition as apathetic chardonnay-sipping onlookers casually passed by. Inevitably illustrated by some pictures of a rather pathetic-looking, unhealthy dog, one can only imagine the kinds of vitriolic comments directed at this “artistic animal killer” on the dozens of blogs I read through.
Some were pragmatic and invoked religious imagery…
I think this guy is sick! Someone should tie him up, no, put him in a glass box, so that he can’t stand up. Then heat up the room that he’s in and have a waterfall going in the corner. And if the bastard doesn’t die in a day, then gut him from head to toe. That shit isn’t art it’s the work of a disgusting piece of shit, devil, who deserves to burn in hell for that.
Others debated the limits of art itself….
I think that this so called pseudo artist should be tied up and left to die in a gallery….THIS IS NOT ART.
Some referenced Hitler himself…
Hitler was an artist. His canvas was auschwitz.
And others were… well, just nasty…
STAY OUT OF THE UNITED STATES MOTHER FUCKER. YOUR ASS WILL BE PUT ON A LEASH IN FRONT OF EVERYONE RIGHT ON THE STREET AND NO ONE IS GOING TO INTERVENE.
Given the extreme public reaction to this “disgusting piece of shit”, it would be wise to search for any legit media coverage of the exhibition, right? In less than a minute on Google I found a short article in the Guardian discussing the controversy.
Juanita Bermúdez, director of the Códice Gallery, insisted Natividad escaped after just one day. She said: ‘It was untied all the time except for the three hours the exhibition lasted and it was fed regularly with dog food Habacuc himself brought in.’
The urban legends debunkers at Snopes.com assert the same, that the dog was well-fed and later escaped.
Somehow I don’t think this will assuage the concerns of more than 11,000 people who have signed a pointless online petition against what is clearly a fake story.
Vargas, 32, said he wanted to test the public’s reaction, and insisted none of the exhibition visitors intervened to stop the animal’s suffering. He refused to say whether the animal had survived the show, but said he had received dozens of death threats.
I find it interesting that so many people will take such action against this hoax… Had it actually occured, the uproar may have at least been justified.
To be fair, stray dogs die all the time and no one raises an eyebrow. There are no petitions, no furious outrage directed at the apathetic people who ignore stray dogs as they catch their taxis in town… and pretty much no discussion of serious sterilization laws, which would cut down the stray population.
Speaking of silence on serious issues, I have never seen such an online reaction to real atrocities or real injustice? Apparently, people care more about the possibility of a dog having died in this way, than in real injustice: poverty, starvation, ethnic cleansing, war, environmental devastation, etc.
As they say in Greece: the world is burning and the pussy is combing it’s hair.
92 comments92 Comments so far
Thank you for your website and links on this article. I am still amazed, after over a decade on internet, how many of my friends forward emails like this to me and really always believe everything they read… just because it’s on internet.
Thanks Kalisa… You’re absolutely right. These chain letter internet “outrages” are almost always fake or exaggerated (as in this case).
I would also like to thank you for this article I hadn’t heard anything about this untill somebody invited me to a group on facebook that was about starvation of dogs for art and it had the online petition bla bla bla I wanted more information before I joined the group and found this… It’s all starting to make sense…
Re: ART??!! Abandoned dog captured & tied to short rope in gallery left to die of starvation
according to this article, and several others i found when researching the su…
I don’t know what you mean when you say no one raises an eyebrow when stray dogs die all the time and that there is no serious discussion of sterilisation etc. Look into the animal welfare groups that exist such as Dog Aid International for example and do a bit of research into what they are endlessly campaigning for.
Nope, the debunkers at Snopes did no such thing. They rank the veracity of the story as “undetermined,” because they, like many other people, find the claim of the gallery director insufficient to prove that the dog was cared for. I noticed you did not quote the artist in that same piece, who refuses to say whether the dog died or not.
Nope, the debunkers at Snopes did no such thing. They rank the veracity of the story as “undetermined,” because they, like many other people, find the claim of the gallery director insufficient to prove that the dog was cared for. Of course, she wouldn’t have any reason to deny a dog starved to death in her exhibition, would she?
I don’t understand your comment about stray dogs dying all the time and nobody raising an eyebrow and your comment about no serious discussion about sterilisation. Do a bit of research into animal welfare groups such as Dog Aid International for example and look at what they are endlessly lobbying for. They have a huge number of supporters who are extremely concerned about the issue of stray dogs and reducing the numbers of strays through sterilisation. See their website:
http://www.dogaid.org/
Kris,
Excellent post, but sadly you cant stop the rollercoaster! It seems to be out of control…
I was looking to see if this is indeed a hoax. I followed the links in your post above, and I can’t say they are as conclusive as you claim them to be. Snopes classifies this as “undetermined”, they don’t claim it to be a hoax. And your link stating that “Habacuc himself brought in dog food” is a link to an article by the guardian that writes that the gallery CLAIMS that he brought the dog food, and it didn’t die.
I certainly hope it is a hoax, otherwise I would recommend hanging the f***d up “artist” by the balls in an art gallery and leaving him there to die in front of everyone, and a few TV cameras. But I am afraid your post doesn’t provide enough conclusive evidence that it is. If you have any other supporting data, it would be interesting to see it.
Thanks for your effort anyway.
Stephanos.
PS. Having said that, I absolutely agree with your points about apathy towards the problem of stray dogs, and the lack of enough sterilisation, especially in urban areas (Athens is a good example, I’ve done my share there).
But that in no way justifies such cruel behaviour. If this guy (assuming it’s not a hoax) really wanted to make a point, he could have taken a stray dog and spent all day feeding and medicating it in the gallery in front of everyone. That would have made a point. Not being cruel to “test the reaction of the public”, he has no authority or justification. I stand by my “hang by the balls” suggestion.
To Kyley: Thanks, I am well aware of DogAid and I very much support what they do, but my point was directly primarily at the masses of people suddenly outraged by this alleged incident. Are these people actively campaigning with DogAid? I don’t think so. I merely wanted to point out that people get outraged about an internet hoax, sign a meaningless petition and that is as far as activism goes… And no one even bothers to check if it is even true.
To rockethound: If you are familiar with Snopes, then you will know that they list stories as “undetermined” when they lack absolutely damning evidence. Without having the dog sit down and discuss his ordeal, we will never know for sure. Of course, it is a possibility that the director is lying and that there is a massive cover-up… that the artist never fed the dog and that no one came to his aid as he was left to die a horrible death. But Roswell could also have really been a real alien crash landing…
I have been blogging about the injustices committed against the Palestinians under Israeli occupation for years and this article has gotten more hits than everything I have written combined. Given the sensitivity of this issue, it just isn’t possible for this to have happened.
Concerning the artist himself, of course he wouldn’t comment on the matter. I wouldn’t either. It was part of his idea to create this fuss and the ambiguity around it… remember?
And to Stephanos: Of course, these are claims – I think I addressed them above. It’s funny you mentioned Athens though. My girlfriend is from Athens and the stray dogs were one of the first things I noticed about the city.
But I disagree with you about the way Vargas conducted his work. I think this internet outrage has placed him on the map… I can recite his name backwards now, when I hadn’t a clue who he was three days ago. And why should he self-censor his work anyway. If he had the dog tied up for three hours on a single day (probably because the dog would have begun to show signs of health had he continued to feed it over the course of a week), then I see nothing wrong with the exhibition at all.
No,you indisputably called this a hoax in your article, even in the title, but your sources were not enough to substantiate your claim. And with 5 mins of googling i found at least 2 other sites citing your claim. Should be a little more careful about that in general…
Cheers.
As I said, we do not have the dog to sit down and talk with… but if you are familiar with Snopes, they list articles as “undetermined” when there are only second-hand sources to be had. Even if the artist came forward and said “Yes, I killed the dog!”, it wouldn’t be enough to prove anything completely. So, in that sense, then you are correct – the sources I cite are not irrefutable proof – but they are more proof than any of the millions of outraged bloggers have provided, calling for Vargas to be killed in ridiculous ways.
Take the citations however you like, I don’t really care. Yesterday I found it amusing, but today I find it disgusting that this article has gotten more hits than anything I have written about real injustice…
Most of those so eager to sign the petition believe the blogs outright (and I have seen so many different versions of this story, that they can’t all be right) and have never even read the articles I cite. When very few other people are offering this information, I can at least try to combat this unhinged stupidity.
Thanx Kris for you article. Sorry you feel so disgusted – i understand fully. There is absolutely nothing wrong with NOT accepting animal abuse, but i find nothing more hypocritical, sad and pathetic than those who will share their last crumb with an starving animal rather than a starving human! I absolutely believe that whatever this artist did or didn’t exactly do with/to that poor starving animal – who was certainly already in a bad state when he brought him into his gallery – his only aim was to get his name on the world map! Instant success!!! I am also an artist and that certainly isn’t my idea of art. I just wish, like you it seems, that people would put as much energy into saving other humans as they do into signing piffly petitions about kentucky fried birds-without-beaks and flipping HIV-positive needles hidden in mac do playcentres! Yo.
I couldn’t have put it better myself Yolanda – you captured the essence of this whole fiasco.
I read your post hoping to find some proof that this whole thing is actually a hoax (probably by the artist himself to gain publicity), however you don’t offer anything concrete othe r than referring to the same article in La Prensa that Snopes quote, with the gallery owner claiming the dog was well fed and escaped. Snopes claim the status of the “hoax” is unconfirmed, eg they have not been able to determine if it is a true story or not.
I truly hope it is not true but I do think you have jumped to some conclusions here. If you have some real evidence then please do share it!
Thanks
Allison – I have already answered comments like this one above… I believe most people hadn’t even read the article in the Guardian and others before signing a meaningless petition and my post offered this. While not 100% irrefutable proof, it is enough for me to realize that either an entire art gallery staff is covering up this dog’s death, or that it never happened. And if, as so many accounts of this story explain, that Nicaragua has no laws against killing domestic animals, why should they try to cover it up?
This story has revealed how sedated and obsessed with superficiality people are. When was the last time you saw any kind of reaction anywhere near this scale to people killing each other in various corners of the world?
TO ALL MY READERS: I am bored and frustrated with this story, so I will no longer be responding to comments about it. If you have anything to say about the 60th anniversary of Israel’s expulsion of the Palestinians, feel free to comment on an article I posted today regarding the Deir Yassin massacre.
I realise you won’t respond to this as you’ve stated you’ve had enough of this topic. From comments you have made it seems you have a problem with people who care about animal rights and you say that people’s intense reaction to this starving dog art situation indicates that people don’t care about injustices involving humans. I am amazed that this is the conclusion you have come to. There are endless human rights campaigns for people, and quite rightly so – everything from female circumcision, discrimination, death penalty etc. The list goes on. I don’t know why you think that if people sign a petition about a starving dog it means they don’t care about human rights. You are jumping to ridiculous conclusions and I’d like to see the facts and figures regarding all of the online petitions you have apparently examined. I also think it says a lot about the type of person you are that you claim human injustices are “real injustice” and apparently to show concern for an exploited animal is wrong in your eyes. You imply that animals are unworthy of anybody’s sympathy. This is a speciest attitude. You know nothing about the people who signed the petition and what human rights campaigns they may be involved in. It is a common generalisation people make that animal rights compaigners can’t also care about humans at the same time. Why do you think they can’t show compassion for both? Is it not possible for a person to be a member of Dog Aid International and Amnesty International at the same time?
Kyley:
Ok I couldn’t resist replying….
You have interpreted my comments entirely incorrectly… I have a problem with people who sign any kind of petition without knowing the facts (or at least trying to learn the facts). I’m not saying many of these people aren’t active in other causes, but I would hope they know the facts before signing a petition. Whether you label me “speciest” or or any other silly term doesn’t really matter to me… To reach the conclusion that I somehow don’t care about animal rights is just silly. When I wrote “real injustice” I should have written, “actually happened” … I don’t believe this happened, so I think its uncalled-for to be outraged.
Of course I haven’t examined such online petitions in detail, but I have seen many before and none of those for legitimate human rights issues gathered anywhere near the popularity of these silly hoaxes (HIV needles in telephone booths, etc.). And as I have repeated over and over, my website has been around for years and the article beats out anything I have written. And I haven’t been doing anything new in the P.R. department…
For one example though, a petition to end the Israeli imposed “closure” of Gaza, which has caused a humanitarian catastrophe that is still unfolding, has received 8,666 signature over the last year. How many signatures has the Vargas petition received since I wrote this article…? About 19,000 more…. putting the total figure (for a very short while) at 30,154. And how many signed in the time it took me to write these comments and refresh the page?? Fifty people!
I guarantee you that this petition will break 100,000 before the joke peters out. The Gazan petition, however, will be lucky to get the 334 signatures it needs to break 9,000.
That is really pathetic… and that is why I am frustrated.
See the Gaza petition:
http://www.PetitionOnline.com/mod_perl/signed.cgi?SaveGaza
See the Vargas petition:
http://www.petitiononline.com/mod_perl/signed.cgi?ea6gk
I am afraid you have not convinced me that this is a hoax.
The dog was certainly displayed and it was very ill and very thin there was no visible water or food. The artist has deigned to comment and contradicted himself on four separate occassions the Gallery owner is bound to say that the dog escaped but was fed and watered whilst it was there. He will be terrified of a backlash, after all he allowed the exhibition to go ahead.
I sometimes despair of the human race, and the idiots that believe anything from a pile of bricks to an unmade bed, can be viewed as art. But if this is true which I believe it may be then it beggars belief.
Stan
Apologies for taking this straight off Al’s response from the Design Federation website, but it is so reasoned, so non-immflamatory, that it successfully stopped the knee-jerk reactions and I thought it might do the same here…
Well, here’s hoping
Here’s Al:
Habeas corpus.
Surely if this story were in fact true, the outcry from all those caring people who witnessed it would have quickly brought the press, the authorities and a lengthy investigation. And yet, there’s not enough evidence here to condemn a man of swatting a fly.
Does anyone have the gallery brochure on this event? Why are there no reports on the net from eyewitnesses. Why has the gallery owner not come forward or been investigated? Were the viewings continuous 24/7, or just for three hours at a time? Surely getting the facts correct matter here.
The accusations being levied against the artist are extreme considering the evidence of a few photos, photos that may very well have been photographed mere minutes apart and mean absolutely nothing. The dog may have been fed and given water just fifteen minutes after the photographer had left. Everything else is based on little more than internet gossip and hearsay.
If people read the artist’s explanation of the exhibit and still did nothing, surely the bigger crime is with the public who allowed it to happen, the gallery who housed the exhibit, and the authorities who did nothing to stop it, all of who openly condoned the exhibit … that is, if the artist did indeed do everything he claimed for his art.
The dog is very much alive in all the photos I’ve seen of it on the web. Surely if the dog had starved in front of the viewing public, there would be far more gruesome photos of it than the ones we keep seeing of the live pup. I’ve seen the pup sitting, lying, standing, walking, even sleeping peacefully. And yes it’s true, there are no photos of the dog being fed or given water. Then again, there are a lot of dogs with no photos of them being fed or given water. For that matter, there are no photos of me being fed or given water either. Conclusion? Zero. You can’t draw the sort of conclusions people are drawing from any of this. It’s just plain wrong. You may as well hang a man for wearing brown shoes.
And not that I would want to, but I’ve also not seen this same pup … dead. Given the extremeness of the accusations levied against the artist, I should think it only appropriate that the burden of proof required of the accusers be equally extreme. Yet for all the horror and self-flagellations going on, there is no dead pup, no bona fide as it were.
But one fact is indisputable. Vargas has generated an enormous amount of free press from this petition for his showing at the 2008 Visual Arts Biennial of the Central American Isthmus, not to mention the rock-star international standing he might otherwise never have gotten without it.
This alone utterly validates Vargas’ accusatory title, “You are what you read”.
I say again, habeas corpus.
In the meantime, if everything that’s being accused is in fact true, there can be little doubt he’ll be arrested at the Biennal that everyone on the internet has advertised so well.
Oh! It reminds me of something: the U.S. accepting ANY person who ever fled Cuba and NOT accepting ANY person who fled Haiti, I guess because… the Haitian dictator was a very good U.S. customer somehow! Yes, I love turning it all to politics. LOL. Just try for 2sec to actually have a judgment and do not believe eveything you read. But you need to actually have a culture to do that. Sorry. Does not happen to everyone.
I totally agree with Ar’s comment!!!At the beginning of this whole story, to tell you people the truth i was in deep shock or maybe not!!!Explaining myself…Having seen the History of Horror us Humans have produced, images like the Vargas exhibition will not do me much unfortunately, although dog is one of my favorite animals.I was just waiting to see how people would react in this silly petition letter or whatever we want to call it, all my friends were asking: “Did you sign the petition?”I started to feel bad not signing it, when suddenly it stroked me: How do i now everything i see or read on the internet is true or false???Well i just don’t!!!If i haven’t seen it with my own true eyes i can never tell!!!And I’m afraid that this is the the danger of the internet and people that take everything as served!!!
About the exhibition, as far as i am concerned, as an architect, i believe art is a work that provokes, sometimes in a good way sometimes in a bad way. For the Vargas matter i ‘ll tell you what happened yesterday as i was having dinner. Somebody brought up the subject, and then somebody said “What about the starving children in Africa?” and i thought “Well i don’t know if the Vargas exhibit could be considered as art or not, but at least it made someone question himself about the starving children of Africa and who knows even motivate him to do something to help them.”
Well this is my story
Filip the Greek
P.S Chris, thank you for enlightening us!!!
“To be fair, stray dogs die all the time and no one raises an eyebrow.”
Thats not true at all…Have you ever heard of an SPCA??
People take dogs in daily. Yah some dogs are out there and starving but so are humans (bums) aand there are shelters for them to.
This guy is shareing a message of starving dogs, but what has he done to help them? Has he donated money to a local SPCA or dose he just feel like making all of us feel like shit? and do nothing himself? Or maybe he feels good enough that he tooks pictures of a starving animal and thats all he feels is nessisary.
There are tons of things wrong with this world, including starving animals and people. But half the people in this world don’t have enough money to help out others because there starving themselfs.
I think the death treats are a little exterm, but at lest it shows that people care.
hi. i have never actually replied to a blog before. infact, i debated on commenting at all because of the frustration and almost silly banter going back and forth. i just found the whole dog thing so interesting. i love that people can really get into a debate about something that some might believe has lesser value than another. to be completely honest…I AM THAT PERSON THAT HAS SIGNED A PETITION WITHOUT DOING ANY RESEARCH (the Vargas petition in particular) in doing so, i have stumbled upon a wealth of information. bottom line…i see the whole “hoax” or whatever you want to call it, as a way to learn from others’ actions as well as your own. thanks to everyone that posted especially Kris Peterson. from my point of view, i completely understand why this blog has received more hits…the topic becomes a way to connect and learn by something that is just a little easier to fathom amongst all the chaos.
It doesn’t matter if this isolated case was a hoax or not, there are numerous other cases of animals being killed or hurt for art….Why would anyone even do a hoax like this, I can’t imagine what kind of satisfaction anyone would receive from this
I believe this is a hoax because of the fact that it takes DAYS for a dog to starve to death. The dog in those pictures is thin, but not even close to death. This kind of thing would have gone on for quite some time, and people would have many more pictures, expecially of the animal in it’s last days, if it were true.
What’s funny is I would be outraged even if it was that he only had the dog tied up for three hours and it “escaped”. That is ridiculous. Oh but of course I am always picking up strays and have had a dog in my house for the last 5 months that got hit by a car and I had to pay out $6000 to get her back to health and walking again. Maybe I should have brought her to an art gallery for a few hours and let her cry in pain and then let her slide herself out of the gallery to escape. Dumb me.
This whole thing stinks of a desperate artist who wants fame and doesn’t care how he gets it. The gallery let the exhibition happen and are now trying to contain the backlash of public fury by pretending the dog escaped.If the dog is alive and well then lets see a picture of it now.
On the other hand – it could simply be a hoax. People have gotten outraged over the years over stuff that’s turned out to have no basis in fact whatsoever. You put a little kid, or a sickly dog, or a cute kitten in the center of a controversy, and reason and intelligence fly out the window.
well… not feeding a dog os animal cruelty, that dog did not look “well fed” and the “artist” in this matter couldnt even say if the dog survived, but apperantly the museum director said it survived… now doesnt that sound like a conflicting story? and bullshit people dont help strays, theres countless websites dedicated to the rescue of stray animals, dude seriousely do your research man in some states its mandatory for animals that arent going to be used as breeders to be spayed/neuterd. they even go the lengths of spaying wild strays and releasing them back if they are “too wild” to be adopted. if anyone wants to bash me or call me a liar please feel free:
http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=100253072
Hoax or not, it stirred my stomach enough to want to do something. I am human and we humans sometimes let our immediate emotion get in the way of reason. Peace, All!!!
I totally agree with the sentiments against Guillermo Vargas’ piece. It’s little more than an inhumane, ignorant, cruel, and selfish cheap shot. I can think of a million other ways he could have said the same thing. Mr. Vargas could do us all a favor and read a little about a guy named Gandhi. I find the whole situation terrible and making itself into a real bummer. Making matters all the worse, I wish the reaction would have been less emotional and reactive.
Ultimately, the petition to ban Guillermo from the Bienal Centroamericana is little more than a declaration that irrational public opinion (devoid of due process, largely based on unverified editorial reports, and an array of exaggerations and rumors) has the right to define acceptable morality in art/artists, and thereby censor it’s offenders. Please consider the possibility of signing that petition, or encouraging others to, as a big step down dangerous and slippery slope. I can’t help but look back and shudder at what happened as a result of the whole Andres Serrano/Mapplethorpe/NEA fiasco; art was criminalized by personal public opinion and grants were cut by millions and millions of dollars. We need to prosecute criminals, not art, especially not degenerate art. The problem is a legal, not moral issue. Both in the US and abroad, proper law enforcement, truly humane laws concerning animal rights/cruelty, lack of adequate public services providing care stray animals, and the legal definition of animals as little more than property (with a value equal to their purchase price), created that dog, in that gallery. Vargas’ seemingly amoral judgement is a symptom of primitive or non-existant law. If the story is true, what is the real crime? It wasn’t a punishable criminal offense for the artist/gallery to treat that animal in such a way. It shouldn’t have been an option.
His actions, while in completely poor and regrettable judgment, appear to be within the legal boundaries of his government. As it stands, it’s merely offensive. If murdering starving orphan kids were legal in Nicaragua, and an artist found a poignant social metaphor in placing the head of a small orphan child on a stake in the middle of a gallery, wouldn’t the appropriate response be to put pressure on Nicaraguan government to outlaw murder of starving orphan kids? Wouldn’t anyone feel compelled to start an organization dedicated feed and clothe and house and educate these kids?
Also please remember, it is alleged animal abuse. Since when do people go on trial via the internet? Since when do we strip people of their right to due process because someone forwarded us an email, created by anonymous sources, or linked to a blog with editorial content? We must equally consider the consequence of our actions/reactions.
Did you see the bit artinfo.com had to say about him:
“Over 1.5 million people have signed a petition calling for Costa Rican artist Guillermo “Habacuc” Vargas not to be included in this year’s Bienal Centroamericana Honduras, the Guardian reports. The outrage comes after an exhibition last year at the Codice Gallery in Nicaragua, where Vargas leashed a stray dog named Natividad in the gallery without food or water as part of his work. He also wrote the words “Eres Lo Que Lees” (You Are What You Read) in dog biscuits for the piece, while playing the Sandinista anthem backwards and setting 175 pieces of crack cocaine alight in a giant incense burner.”
Agreed, I can’t stand it either. It sounds like the only thing he’s missing free hand-jobs from slave child prostitutes in the back room. But also, 1.5 million speaking out, making their voices heard. That’s incredible and inspiring. Now, with any luck those same 1.5 million people will be moved enough to write the government of Nicaragua, urging generation of legislation protecting animals from these abuses, or help what is also an economic issue by organizing fundraisers to neuter stray animals, provide proper care, etc. I urge anyone who signed the petition to please be more than just offended.
And, while we’re on the subject of live animals in art, I think Banksey is a douche, and wonder why nobody signed any petitions protesting “Barely Legal”.
These links are pics from the September, 2006 show we had here in Los Angeles. I find this piece equally outrageous. Hoards of civilized people gawked, laughed, took pictures of a remarkably sensitive and intelligent creature, then they bought the art and the books and the posters.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/true2death/252870011/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/true2death/252614489/
Also see:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/arts/3077217.stm
All domesticated and captive animals are part of our collective inherited responsibility. For thousands of years we’ve depended on them for survival. In many cases, we’ve permanently altered their genetics to better serve man, and/or eliminated their habitats and natural ability to survive. Through “selective breeding” we’ve rendered animals like the dog an utterly dependent creature, however, unfortunate for the dog, over the past 100 years or so, the “jobs” of most have all but been eliminated. While their functions and value has changed, their value to the humans species remains. Like children, domesticated and captive animals are a personal and public responsibility, please offer the same conscientious protection from undeserved iniquity.
D. Jackson
It doesn’t matter if the story is real or not, we can only hope that possibly something good comes from this and that it heightens peoples awareness of his “intended” point.
What ever happened to ‘innocent until proven guilty’?
There is no proof, just anger.
What about ‘beyond reasonable doubt’?
There is doubt, no proof, just lots of anger
“In a controversy, the instant we feel anger, we have already ceased striving for truth and have begun striving for ourselves”
Abraham J. Heschel (Theologian and philosopher, 1907-1972)
“What ever happened to ‘innocent until proven guilty’?”
Innocent Until Proven guilty goes out the window for animal abusers and rapists. That’s not my personal opinion but my opinion on society in general. I just can’t understand why a skinny dog on a chain in an art gallery causes more uproar than a one-year old child dying of hunger in Africa. I can’t find a petition that says End Hunger in Africa but I can find millions petitioning against animal testing. It just ain’t right in my opinion. Another sad part of this story is that it exposes how gullible people are. To fall for something just because it was posted online is stupid. Not everything one sees on the internet is true.
maybe it is a hoax, i saw it and was bothered by it believing it was real… not a hoax. You act like it is wrong for people to be bothered by this if they think its real. if i thought it was a hoax i wouldn’t have cared or been bothered. But how do you know it was, you put the same amount of info – or lack there of in your article as the article i read on the artist to begin with. The fact media via on the internet, television, film etc can be used for anything but even if this was fake at least people – the same people you say don’t do anything responded. so we did do something. And for the record as for stray dogs and cats for that matter a lot of people do more than you think to help those issues myself included. The only thing you should worry about is what you do, not the rest of the world.
I understand your concern for those of us that fell victim to silly you tube videos and facebook groups, but please do not insult my intelligence for being concerned about animal rights!! Who is to say that if the dog hadn’t escaped that he would have still fed him, slippery slope I know but you can’t tell me that tying him up in the first place and using the dog as a mere means instead of an end is any better. People seem to have feelings whether or not they are 100% all the time aware of these feeling do not patronize me for being emotional, you should be more concerned and questioning the people that didn’t know it was a hoax and still didn’t care.
Peace out!
Kdawg
The dog probably died whether or not it was fed. It could have died of starvation, or it could have died of Refeeding Syndrome if they actually fed him. Yeah, read on it. Either way, like you say, there is no way to prove it’s death. It does become an extremely emotional matter when the dog is given a name and the pictures show its deteriorated state. It may just be a hoax, but the exhibition DID happen, thus the capture of the dog DID take place, so the dog was under the care of the artist and/or the gallery. A true work of art would have been bringing this dog back to a healthy state, but that would have taken too long right? This Guillermo guy is just another artist looking to make a quick statement, the typical instant gratification syndrome manifested in this thing he calls “art”. As an artist, aren’t you supposed to study your piece thoroughly; so why did he not study about the medical implications of this action against the dog? Just another ignorant by choice, a fool claiming intelectual and artistic talents, abusing the vulnerable and ultimately killing life. Why is it so hard for you to believe that this abuse did take place?
Maybe it is a hoax maybe and thats great and all. I find it very interesting to see how people react, however I disagree with your “To be fair, stray dogs die all the time and no one raises an eyebrow” comment. I think the reason why individuals become so upset with this situation is because stray dogs have the ability to fend for themselves and try to survive. It is nature and the world they are living in today that is the reason they may die. In this “artistic piece” the dog has no other options besides sitting there and dying because an individual wanted to see the publics reaction (that is if this is even real). There is a vast difference between having the option to try and forage for food and survive on your own in this world we have now and not having that option. In the wild (even if that means on the streets of large cities) its called “selection”. In captivity that is called “heartless cruelty”. That is why individuals get so upset… I don’t condone this action because I think it is horrible, however I think it is pretty easy to gauge individuals reactions without having to do this experiment. We live in a free world for the most part, most individuals would like to keep it that way, even if we are talking about the life of a dog…
It doesn’t matter if the story is real or not, we can only hope that possibly something good comes from this and that it heightens peoples awareness of his “intended” point.
Sorry to interrupt your witch burning, but to some of us, the truth does matter. I’m embarrassed that I was tricked into signing that stupid petition before getting all the facts. Let’s not get too enthusiastic about changing social policy on the basis of rumors, mob rage, email spam and false accusations.
Jason S… my friend from Bulgaria snowboarding extravaganza 2005 right?
What a coincidence, i just came to this page, seeing your reply on the latter. Anyway, i dont want to debate wether this is a hoax or not, but the statement ‘people need to see it on the internet before they care / act’… The internet is a media, what difference from tv news, the newspaper, or radio? Sure, its not that controlled like those media (altho we are being indoctrinated and fooled more times by ‘the news’ then some people tend to believe, but thats another story), but it still is a media bringen certain things, again, to people’s attention. The point is that if this IS true, then it has reached its goal right (to get support, to stop these actions or atleast stop this person is the following battle). And if it ISNT true, then still this entire debat is still missing the point. Cause people DO care, otherwise there wouldnt be like 2.5 mil signatures on this, and this entire discussion wouldnt be online even. The fact is tho, that for most people its an easy way to show their sympathy with whatever the subject is about. Even tho they are ~lazy, unmotivated or simply dont have time~, or whatever the reason is, to start petitions like this themselves, doesn’t mean they don’t care. Cause again, the ones that don’t care simply won’t sign the petition. I for one do care, but there are more ways to do your part in trying to help whichever soul is needed, wether its about animals, humans, the environment, or anything that could use a little help in this world. Change starts with yourself, and the smallest things u do to make things better will have effect. More people should act that way, and have some love and understanding instead of convictions based on their own believes and ‘knowledge’.
P.S., i completely agree with your story Jason. “There is a vast difference between having the option to try and forage for food and survive on your own in this world we have now and not having that option. In the wild (even if that means on the streets of large cities) its called “selection”. In captivity that is called “heartless cruelty”.” Very true indeed.
Even if it was true, yes, stay dogs do die all the time. But not all the time from someone purposely tieing them up in a corner.
my mom believe all these chain mails… i don’t i tend to look it up first…
candy
“Vargas, 32, said he wanted to test the public’s reaction, and insisted none of the exhibition visitors intervened to stop the animal’s suffering. He refused to say whether the animal had survived the show, but said he had received dozens of death threats.”
If indeed that is the truth, I would say he got the reaction he set himself up to!Not a very bright guy, is he?
[...] άφησε να πεθάνει, δεν σου πέρασε ποτέ απ’ το μυαλό ότι δεν είναι αλήθεια; Δεν το ψυλλιάστηκες όταν κανένα Reuters και κανένα Associated [...]
everything ive read so far says he was 50…..and ive read more newspaper articles than one. all i have to say is that if he did do it he’s a sick person. and i understand some people may not think it’s a big deal since it’s just some “stray dog,” but seriously whats next? humans? maybe we’ll just tie up our favorite cancer patient and wait and watch and better yet we’ll call it ART! Go Vargas, way to make a statement you sick SOB.
Why is there such a limited selection of photos available to see on the web if the exhibition left him there three days? Why in none of them is the dog lying on the ground looking desperate and foaming at the mouth from dehydration? (It would have died from dehydration way before it died of starvation) Where is all the dog mess?
Even if this was a hoax, it still doesn’t justify an “artist” to display a dog or any other creature, suffering. That is not “art”! I don’t even care that the statements made about the dog being fed, etc; only that this dog was on “display”! It isn’t fair! I think that only those who have no conscience would even think of viewing something as horrific as this. Art is not a display of living creatures, human or otherwise, in distress. Art is poetry. It captures perhaps good and bad, but never in living form and tethered. Therefore, if this event was real (and the dog was actually cared for), it still doesn’t justify the animal being tethered and on display in the name of art. This man and the institution should be ashamed.
Regardless of whether it is a hoax or the truth, there’s some distorted thinking going on in the artist’s mind. What reaction/response was he trying to provoke? I certainly believe “death threats” was not one of them. “For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.” I bet he doesn’t do it again.
So the gallery owner (the one who held the show) states that the dog escaped. The artist accused of the cruelty won’t deny if the dog died. Humn, I am sorry, but I am not convinved all is well yet. With an accusation like this, one wonders why the artist isn’t far more vocal about clearly putting it all to rest, perhaps by posting some pictures of an untethered dog??????.
What has been shocking to public is NOT the death of a STRAY DOG, BUT rather the capacity of humankind in deliberate and wise action in killing a living creature through torture! However, this does not mean that our society is not suffering from other obviously serious dis-harmonic events, such as war.
[...] Consequently, I will not have time to post, though I will still be monitoring comments… The Guillermo Habacuc Vargas post is still going [...]
I would dearly love to believe this is a hoax, as it would make me feel a little bit better about the world today, as would confirmation that the many adverse world events and suffering are all indeed a figment of someone’s imagination (disturbed as they may be). However, I find it strange that you don’t see the irony of asking us to believe the ‘other’ internet information is any more a hoax than your own diatribe. Personally, I’d rather be found to be a compassionate fool, than a cold intellectual.
Like Kalisa said, is it true just because it’s on the internet? So what is the truth? Is the “art” the truth and this claim that it didn’t happen the lie? Or is this claim true and the “art” the lie?
Why should we believe what you say is the truth over what someone else says is the truth?
What is real in cyberspace?
You sure haven’t convinced me. The photos seem to indicate that something happened. Three hours, 24/7 – either way, it was wrong and should not be justified or excused by anyone with a heart or a conscience.
I first read about this story when a friend sent me the UTube post last week, and I must admit that my very first reaction was to cry! I then sent the link to all my friends (emali & facebook) hoping they would sign the perdition. I then looked up as much information as I could find about this so called ‘Artist’ and the story in question. I still believe that this actually happened, and feel physically sick at the thought of it all.
Exactly HOW have you determined that this is a hoax???
I wrote to PETA about this, and here’s their kind response:
Many stories-sometimes conflicting-have been circulating about these events, and it has been difficult to verify the reports that we’ve received.
Because the initial exhibit with the dog took place in Nicaragua, which has no cruelty-to-animals laws, Vargas cannot be charged with a crime at this time.
Our investigations department is aware that Vargas will participate in a show in Honduras in November. It has been reported that a Honduran group, the Honduras Association for the Protection of Animals and their Environment (AHPRA), has secured the event organizers’ word that the event rules will prohibit animal abuse. PETA’s caseworkers are monitoring this situation and will take further action if we get word
that Vargas plans to repeat the exhibit with the dog. People often commit heinous acts in a bid to gain attention, so it is important to refrain from encouraging them by giving them the attention that they clearly crave. For more thoughts on this issue, please visit
http://blog.PETA.org/archives/2008/04/artist_starving.php.
Exactly what happened at the exhibition in Nicaragua last year may be uncertain, but it is clear that millions of homeless animals are at risk of starvation, disease, violence and death in our own communities right now. To learn more about things you can do to make a difference for
these animals, visit http://www.HelpingAnimals.com
If you think of the animal not as a dog but as life and then say life dies all the time and no one raises an eyebrow really could be considered correct. We know that people in 3rd world countries are dying everyday but we do nothing but stand back and watch. Sure there are a few people that may send their 20 cents a day to a starving child from the infomercials plastered on our tvs, but what else are you doing. I severely doubt that a museum would allow someone to starve an animal to death, but would such a fuss had been made if the dog was terminal? You could then argue that it was inevitable. And what about all the on lookers, I’m sure no one would have put a gun to their head if they attempted to free the animal – so in a way they are all just as guilty for allowing it to continue. It’s just another way to think about it…
“After pressure from WSPA, the Honduras AHPRA and the public, the Biennial organizers have agreed not only to make AHPRA official observers but also to include new competition rules that prohibit the abuse of animals.”
Posted on the WSPA Website: http://www.wspa-usa.org/pages/2341_no_excuses_for_cruelty.cfm
You know I don’t care if the dog was only tied up for 3 hours and fed off scene. It still is sick. A dog on death’s door is NOT art period!!!!! You don’t use the suffering of others to make ‘Art’. He needs to stop worrying about his “art” and take care of the dog. Obviously there is something very wrong with it. Let’s not buy into his crap.
Actually, I just came from snopes and they asserted that the dog being fed and escpaed in the night was the official statement of the art gallery as of April 14, 2008. Not that it was their opinion on the matter, as they have yet to determine for themselves if it is indeed a hoax or not. I am one of the many who did a youtube video regarding this matter and most who commented were rather violent with me. At first I believed all of this and for all I know it could be true, but most did not believe that it happened and called me a monster for not caring about the million of other problems that are happening in the world. I took five minutes to read up on the story and post my opinion, so everyone thought that thats all I care about. I do my share of helping with many different charities for both animals and humans, but somehow that five minutes turned me into someone who cares more about animals then humans. It just shows how angry people can get over something so small. The internet spilt into two packs with two different pack mentalities and it just makes me sick to my stomache.
OK… hands up who owns a dog?
Hands up who owns a dog that never defacates or urinates?
Hmm… not many hands still up…
Do a search.. look at the photos. The dog is sat on a bare concrete floor. Concrete shows damp up, it stains. This dog was allegedly left for days, and yet, this stray (read non house-trained) dog NEVER needed to do what comes naturally.
Yes, this dog is thin, but, anyone who’s ever seen a real-life animal rescue programme on TV will know that truly starving dogs are far thinner than this poor beast. It’s eyes aren’t sunken, it’s ribs aren’t protuding.
In not one photo is the animal in a condition worse than the previous.
If this had really happened, anyone think that maybe, just maybe, at least ONE animal lover would have protested at the time? Taken a photo or two of the dog showing it’s suffering? Where are they? Where are the photos of a dead dog lying in faeces and urine? Don’t you think there would have been an outcry BEFORE the exhibition? Have you never seen a media frenzy? Ask Damien Hurst how much outcry there was before his exhibition of a dead cow. Not after, BEFORE!!!
Do a search for dead dog, look at those photos. Look at the detritis around them.
One last question. When you receive yet another chain-email, will you believe everything you read? I’ve received plenty over the years, some many times over. Not once have they proved to be true. Latest super virus? Bill Gates giving money away? “But, wait, that’s trivial, this is dog!” you cry… true, but, who sent you the email? The same people who send every chain email they get? Thought so.
If you really care about preventing suffering to animals, don’t waste your time signing online petitions that nobody will take notice off. Get up, put your hand in your pocket and give real money to real animal protection charities. They’ll thank you for it, and save the lives of animals the world over. And you’ll feel a whole lot better knowing that you did something to REALLY help animals.
Oh, and for all those who think I’m not an animal lover, the 21 pets of various species would disagree… if they could talk.
[...]
A hoax? The dog was regularly fed? I don’t know if you know anything about starvation but animals generally tend to not look so emaciated if they are fed everyday. His whole story about letting the dog free everyday, feeding it and it “escaped” the very last day and didn’t die all sounds very suspicious doesn’t it? Thats CLASSIC animal abuse excuses/explainations. That dog was dying and being starved clearly. I work at a vet clinic but it doesn’t take an expert to realize that. Anyone who just says the dog is “thin” is completely and utterly wrong. I’ve seen starved dogs with my owns eyes and this dog was dying, plain and simple. Shame on you for promoting this as a hoax.
I don’t know whether or not the chain email referred to a true event outcome or not. The photos clearly showed a fairly thin dog chained up, at different times. Whether or not the dog was starved to death I do not know, I protest about the thought that it might have been. One contributor makes comment about stray dogs dying all the time – sadly this is so. The difference is they die of neglect not because of a deliberate act (perhaps). Maybe neglect is a deliberate act – the debate could rage for years and humanitarian attitudes can sway opinions across the world. In my part of the world we have charities which try and alleviate unnecessary suffering – if this dog was starved to death that was unnecessary. I hope the artist did feed the dog as has been alleged – if his model / subject had been human he would have had to pay for the model’s services – why not reward the dog with food and life.
Thank you so much for posting what I was just thinking when I received this email. It’s amazing to me how many people accuse in another’s back yard but never look into their own. They’ve made the artist infamous through their own ignorance. As I’m assuming, he pretty much knew they would. It’s a relief to read a little reality and depth in this day and age in the cyber realm of phantasm.
I think most people are missing the point. This work is about how humans behave, our belief systems, our interactions, and our understandings. The dog was just a prop, and im sure it was fed and cared for in the gallery space. The fact that there have been these petitions, blogs, and facebook groups regarding this make this a successful art work.
David – the comment that people see this all the time in the streets and do nothing. You must be speaking about personal involvement. I do all sorts of things. I know people say “what can one person accomplish”. If one person does one thing, times a million, then things get done. If every person did something we could, as they say, move mountains.
I write letters, make phone calls, encourage others to do so, and when the outcome is positive it is amazing on their reaction “look, we did it?” as though City Hall really was immovable.
TO generalize is ignorant. You may not do anything but write your bleak commentaries – there are others out there dedicating their lives doing and making a difference.
This is not, again , an artist. He is not more than an abuser with an audience, a huge ego, and a poor self image.
He may/may not have tied the starving dog to a wall for 3 hours/3 days/3 months. It may have escaped/died/even been taken home by the artist.
The fact remains…as an “artist” he took a live but failing creature, tied it to a wall and allowed others to gawk at it.
If the viewers did nothing, shame on them. If the Gallery did nothing to ease it’s suffering – shame on them too. If the artist was using the dog as a statement about hypocrisy, then maybe he would have fed, cleaned up the dog and shown affection to the beast in his hours of care. Then taken it home. His statement to the world would have been just as clear as an artist, and much more humane.
But in reality, he was trying to gain attention by being as controversial as he could be. Be pleased that so many will be upset and will sign a petition for hypocrisy and cruelty to NOT be part of art.
It is a considered opinion that those who will be cruel to animals deliberately, have no feeling for the human race they belong to and will commit atrocities on their own species too. Again – be grateful that so many emotional people responded to the petition, sought further information on it and were led to your links. Those who care about animals will help any live being if they possible can.
Against “bad” art – I have no problems simply signing a petition. I direct my energies and some of my limited earnings to charities who help people. The fact I care about the one does not mean I am ignorant or uncaring about the suffering of all.
I lobve how people here claim it is not a hoax and that there are international organizations involved in making sure this doesn’t happen. You apparently have not gone to South America or some Eastern European countries, where stray dogs are the norm and no one bats an eye. I am sorry if this dog died, sadly, even if he fed him and let him go the thruth of the matter is that this dog died then on the streets. I am glad this story came up to wake up people to have happens to strays (some here in the US and some outside), but just like the story in Puerto Rico where they threw dogs off a bridge, I give you all until Memorial Day (30 more days) for you to stop caring about this as well. Put your money and time where your mouth is and stop with the outrage if you do nothing to help out.
thanks for the news
The outrage continues. There is a facebook group asking people to boycott him.
To my mind this is an outstanding piece of art – the dog dying in the ‘art exhibit’ is undoubtedly a fake (a couple of pics of a scrawny dog in a gallery – what does that really mean – nothing until you add some inflammatory narrative about the dog dying).
The real artwork is at work now – on this page and across the web – stimulating a global pack mentality and moral hysteria on an international scale via a couple of photos and a few words on the web.
And when you look at the numbers that have signed the online petition, isn’t the punchline obvious from the original ‘report’:
The entire spectacle appeared under words made out of dog food: “Eres Lo Que Lees” (You are what you read).
Genius.
quick way of gaining notoriety for any artist. or maybe he is showing how quickly people react to presumptions without actually having analysed or formulated their arguments..who knows
I think that this proves once again the old adage.. the idea of “WHAT IS ART?” How much art is repulsive FOR A REASON. I have used “”repulsive”" sosciocultural issues in my most recent work. It was repulsive because of the extremely contradictive aspectives it addressed in its naturally conservative environment, but it addressed the real with video-testimonial My final show in the university is done. Im getting together 4 grad school
Your article claims that this exhibition is a hoax, but does very little to prove that that is the case. Hoax or not, i still think this exhibition says more about the exploitative nature of the artist, than about the stupidity of the people (including myself) reacting against it.
On one hand, the artist wants to make fun of / criticize the spectators at the event, that did nothing to save this dog. Now, social psychology has showed that that’s exactly the reaction to be expected when a big group of people not knowing each other are put together in an unusual/awkward situation that calls for action and courage. Everyone will become passive, expecting “someone else” to be the hero. What the artist “reveals” about human nature here is something that is already well known since the 50’s.
On the other hand, the artist (and your article, it seems) wants to make fun of / criticize the people that DO REACT, e.g. by signing the petition. “Animal cruelty is taking place every day, so why react in this particular case?”. I don’t understand this reasoning. First of all, lots of the people that sign the petition might be very active against animal cruelty in general, nothing says that they act just in this case. And even if it’s true that some engage in this particular case and not in other cases, it is still not a bad thing. This specific case gets lots of media attention and becomes a symbol of all cruelty against animals. So by protesting against the treatment of this particular dog you are also protesting against all mistreatment of animals
I don’t understand why it would be so hard to believe. As an artist myself I am consistently disgusted to see the extent that other artists will go to to get a shock reaction. Need I remind us about Vito Acconci and his cattle prod or the elephant who was electrocuted for art/entertainment’s sake. They are many of us who protest this kind of action and who do everything in their power to rid the streets of strays. I myself have rescued in my lifetime scads of dogs…I also have five adopted siblings from Los Angeles and Haiti. We aren’t all passive objectionists. A lot of those of us objecting to this sort of cruelty actually live what we speak. I can’t speak for the pretentious few who actually visited this presentation, but I’m assuming (because I know artists) that they were too scared or pathetic to actually show how they felt.
So, if this is a hoax, where are the pictures of the “artist” feeding the dog? Where is the pictures of the dog now? Healthy and rehabilitated? I think the poor creature at least deserves that much for being put on this crazy display.
i would really like to see these pictures please. Someone should get these pictures out there, to put everyone’s mind at ease.
at last i recognise a bit of intelligence! good job on this site…i am also stunned by the amount of people who forward emails and things on facebook about shit like this- mostly without researching anything or even reading it all half the time…i think it reflects a view that by forwarding this i dont have to make barely any effort but i have done something good! it is simply a reflection of the amount of people there are out there who are keen to act right as long as their lifestyles and “human rights” aint effected…this seed is young tho and the more sites there are like this and discussions that make you think and challenge your views there are the bigger the tree that will grow from it…let’s not forget tho that all the thinking in the world is only useful when it’s put into action…i’m off to stroke a puppy and if it looks thin i will definately feed it! spread the love!
oh and in response to to comment 80….people say this everytime…where are the pix of the dog being fed or where is it now if it is alive…i mean come on….where are the pictures of the dog dead? where are the pictures of the dog still tied up at 4 am in the mornin when the gallery is closed? they aint there but you still beleive these facts are true….it’s no longer about this dog anymore it’s about reading between the lines and the bigger picture!
I agree with Claire as I am also an artist. Some artists just take things to far, and unfortunately this particular upset is not at all hard to believe. She has already given examples so I won’t waist space with that. But as an artist, when heartless or mental (or both) humans decide to call themselves artists it is a dangerous thing indeed. There may not be a limit to the imagination, but there is a limit to the cruelty one can act upon another life before a line is crossed. You want to compare this to roswell? How bout we compare this to the “scientific research” being done on prisoners during WW2.
You can’t find legit proof that this is true? OK. You haven’t found legitimate proof that its a Hoax either. So, just as you chalk this event up to be false, so do I chalk you entry to be yet another false claim-you don’t have any worth facts.
And anyway, a factual article should never be ASSUMING as your remark about the general public’s lack of care for stay animals and the cuelty toward animals.
If this was truly real, every major news network in the world would have reported on it. NONE did. This is clearly a misunderstanding.
I think if we think logically, then we might arrive at a conclusion regarding this topic. The simple question is, why should an artist do what he has done? Merely for publicity? Whereas he knew that this event would cause a huge uproar and a whole lot of people would be against him. I think, what this event did has opened our eyes about how hypocrite we are. (maybe, some of you arenn’t) But, I personally know a lot of people who signed this petition without even caring to know what really happened. Nor would they care if a person dies in the streets of hunger and poverty the next day, left alone a dog. What they do (that “they” may include myself also) is at max they will sign a petition and think they had really done a humanitorian job and forget about other very grave problems the very next day. Signing a petition on the internet and trying to prove oneself to be a very humanitorian person in that manner is what many of us have resorted to nowadays. This is what this incident has brought in front of our eyes
If the artist indeed committed this act of cruelty, it is indeed evil, wrong and outrageous and it should be prevented from happening again. If however he did feed the dog, as you suggest, and only had him leashed for the 3 hours of the gallery opening, then I am actually concerned for the welfare of the artist. I really hope people don’t act out of ignorance before researching more thouroughly. I hope that the artist himself is not in any danger.
well, to be fair, millions of men, women, and children die each year in africa from aids while no one here seems to give a damn, but i find it hard to believe that anyone would chain these people up, starve them, then seemingly not know what happened to them after said exhibition.
to be fair.
What is this article saying? Essentially the same thing as the articles arguing the counterpoint. I want to know only one thing and that is if the dog is dead at the hand of this man.
I think, that out of the millions of blogs and videos and messages about this situation, you are the very first I’ve seen to write without a single hint of hypocrisy and your words are very true, If we were so concerned about saving a dying dog, well, Hell! There’s plenty out there to choose from!
I really do regard his work as art… If you cannot see art in every aspect of life, it must be that you find life really difficult to bear… Great article.
Hi, fellow blogger.
I see you are one of the few that writes about this occurence supporting the idea that the dog didn’t died. I, too, did that, and I still find it disturbing that people simply blindly believe this story…
I didn’t have the patience to read through all your comments, but I imagine you are also receiving comments from activists that insist the dog died and etc. Really, I sometimes lose my faith in humanity…
And by the way, you’re getting a link from me. Just saying because my trackback system doesn’t work…
People will believe anything if falling for it makes them look good to their peers. End of story. We are HOW we read.
Sorry, but comments are now closed. I am sick to death of hearing from too many idiots…
That this article became the most popular I have ever posted depresses me. You want to stand up for a cause? Then try reading some of the other articles on my website. Don’t waste your time with internet hearsay – instead, work towards justice for problems we know are occurring in the world today and vicariously support with our indifference.
The same people outraged about the Habacuc Vargas case are the ones who switch channels when atrocities in Iraq, Palestine and elsewhere are being reported.