UN COVERS UP PICASSO'S GUERNICA TO AVOID OFFENDING THE REGIME'S WAR CRIMINALS
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Monday February 03, 2003 18:32
by Art Daily
Picasso's Guernica Covered at UN Security Council Entrance
The "Guernica" work by Pablo Picasso at the entrance of the Security Council of the United Nations has been covered with a curtain. The reason for covering this work is that this is the place where diplomats make statements to the press and have this work as the background. The Picasso work features the horrors of war. On January 27 a large blue curtain was placed to cover the work. A diplomat stated that it would not be an appropriate background if the ambassador of the United States at the U.N. John Negroponte, or Powell, talk about war surrounded with women, children and animals shouting with horror and showing the suffering of the bombings.
UN COVERS UP PICASSO'S GUERNICA TO AVOID OFFENDING THE REGIME'S WAR CRIMINALS
Guernica Reproduction Covered at UN
Art Daily
February 2, 2003
http://www.artdaily.com/news.asp?not=11
NEW YORK.- The "Guernica" work by Pablo Picasso at the entrance of the Security Council of the United Nations has been covered with a curtain. The reason for covering this work is that this is the place where diplomats make statements to the press and have this work as the background. The Picasso work features the horrors of war. On January 27 a large blue curtain was placed to cover the work.
Fred Eckhard, press secretary of the U.N. said: "It is an appropriate background for the cameras." He was questioned as to why the work had been covered.
A diplomat stated that it would not be an appropriate background if the ambassador of the United States at the U.N. John Negroponte, or Powell, talk about war surrounded with women, children and animals shouting with horror and showing the suffering of the bombings.
This work is a reproduction of the Guernica that was donated by Nelson A. Rockefeller to the U.N. in 1985.
Comments (6 of 6)
Jump To Comment: 1 2 3 4 5 6and said to my sofa mate "is that guernica?"
and she said "no thatīs in Bilboa isnīt it?"
"maybe they faked it" said I.
Picasso whilst painting Guernica had to deal with the daily arguments of his two lovers.
They once fought in the studio causing him to fall off his stool in an attempt to placate the fiery women below.
...that when the Nazis entered France in WWII they eventually came to a house Picasso was resident in. Looking around his room - which was covered wall to wall in his typical paintings of twisted faces and contorted bodies - a Nazi officer promted the painted saying "Are you responsible for this?". His answer was "No, you are!"
Soon we will have totally forgotten. The Nazis never left. They were never beaten. They just shifted. Here they are. At the head of the biggest war machine the Earth has ever known. The worm is out of the hole. The dragon is on the wing. For money. And we tolerate this. We swallow, day in day out.
I am the neighbor of the beast.
The party has to end sometime.
É.
Everything is covered. We are actually all blindfolded. How many of us are listening to the news while trying to stuff some food in our mouth? Oblivious to the life around us, we allowed fascism to march, this time firmly. As Bush addressed the nation trying to make us aware of our role as the blessed savior from evil, we all continue to enjoy our blindfolded lives. Cover Guernica! We dont like to be reminded. We like to think that this is it - our way of life for which the rest of the world should be sacrificed.
A Suggestion: For Peace and Against Censorship in the ARTS.
Please read, distribute and protest by sending folks at UN and others a copy of Guernica (included) with a message like:
Peace through Peaceful Means: let the inspections work.
Insist that US give evidence to inspectors so inspections can work.
Containment, Continuous Investigation and Disarmament: Is the US saying that it doesn't have the strength and follow-through for that?
The UN has covered a tapestry reproduction of Picasso's Guernica for Colin Powell's visit and speech because it gives "too much a mixed message."
See Maureen Dowd's column, NYT:
http://www.nytimes.com/2003/02/05/opinion/05DOWD.html
other press: http://www.buzzflash.com/analysis/03/02/07_Guernica.html
To call in protest: UN phone number:(212) 963-4475
To email:
UNITED NATIONS ADMINISTRATION:
inquiries@un.org
areca@unhcr.ch
unsco@palnet.com
ecu@un.org
coi@un.org
Security council members:
france@un.int
Chinamission_un@fmprc.gov.cn
mexico@un.int
chile@un.int
contact@germany-un.org
Pakistan@un.int
spain@spainemb.org
rusun@un.int
usa@un.int
IPRD@mfa.government.bg
syria@un.int
Guinea@un.int
Cameroon@un.int
uk@un.int
also Secretary of State Colin Powell: secretary@state.gov
Thanks,
remember and never forget.
The painting of Guernica was of course uncovered again, after protesters globally made a stink.
It was one of the few "War Protests" with completely succesful exit.
Not only were the US embarassed but then the image became iconic and was used throughout the world. By mid Spring the 87% Japanese against the war had even started a kids Guernica copying workshop.
http://www.kids-guernica.org/KGFiles/Participation-E.html
goto this link and see the wall covered and uncovered and read the story.
http://www.indybay.org/news/2003/02/1570680.php
Don't forget.
within a few weeks of the US covering the painting, the world had learnt how to copy it. Don't forget that!
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