Galway 32 County Sovereignty Movement: August 2008

Saturday, August 23, 2008

Galway32CSM says "Artistic Licence Taken Too Far"

There is a difference between a controversial work of art and a work of art that needs controversy to promote it. True art provokes, mediocre art exploits. The recent inclusion in Galway’s Earwig Arts Festival of a piece employing a mural glorifying the sectarian murder gangs the UFF/UDA is a case in point of the latter. If particular artists or festivals wish to portray aspects of the Anglo Irish conflict at least let them do so with a degree of honesty and insight rather than use the suffering of others as a means solely to promote either the individual artist or the festival itself. Retrospective attempts at ‘explaining’ away the use of the mural by saying it is intended as an anti violence piece or, more bizarrely, a work opposing violence against women only serves to denigrate all those who actively campaign at the coal face of such issues. The 32 County Sovereignty Movement would urge all artists and festival organisers to honestly engage on the subject of the Anglo Irish conflict so that a true understanding of its origins, dynamics and politics can be gleaned by using their different perspectives. It is only by understanding the problem that we can hope to reach a final and just settlement.

Beir Bua