Sarah Maple's exhibition poses questions that anger Muslims - Telegraph
The artist [Sarah Maple], who has shown at Ronnie Wood’s Scream gallery, has a new exhibition with a headline picture showing a Muslim woman cradling a pig.
Already, Mokhtar Badri, the vice-president of the Muslim Association of Britain, tells Mandrake that his organisation plans to visit the SaLon Gallery, in Notting Hill, west London, to demand that it remove Maple’s painting when it exhibits it next week.
“Although we condemn violence, Muslims have a right to express their disgust at this work,” he tells me. “An artist has the right to free speech and to express him or herself, but people also have the right to protest. She clearly wants to provoke a strong reaction from Muslims and that is what she will get.”
Maple, 23, who was brought up as a Muslim, has already evoked Islamic wrath. Her exhibition at Rolling Stone Wood’s gallery earlier this year depicted Muslim women in provocative poses, including one suggestively sucking on a banana.
Badri explained the upset that would be caused over the image. “Muslims believe that all of God’s creatures should be treated with respect, but we are taught to keep our distance from pigs because they are unclean,” he said. “That is why this picture is so offensive to us.”
A spokesman for the gallery explained: “She doesn’t intend to offend anyone but simply wants to pose questions about Muslim culture and identity.”
You may wish to send messages of support to the gallery: info@salongallery.co.uk
sarahmaple@salongallery.co.uk
6 comments:
My other favorite Sarah!
Sarah is my favorite name; I hope that's not why I'm falling for her!
She's a great-looking girl, witty, girlish, fun. She's what most girls would be if they had a chance, I think. Who wants to be a twelve year old married to middle aged man who beats her? That could easily have been Sarah Maple's fate had she been born on the wrong side of the camel tracks.
When I exhort the people to engage in a filibuster for universal Modernity, part of it, and much of it, is for the sake of women to be free of whimmitude. What Sarh Maple will do with her life is up to her, for good or bad; and if all women have that choice, then the right will prevail. Here's hoping.
And Sarah, if you drop by, I'm incredibly handsome, tall, almost rich, and charming.
Just sayin', you know.
"Badri explained the upset that would be caused over the image. 'Muslims believe that all of God’s creatures should be treated with respect, but we are taught to keep our distance from pigs because they are unclean,' he said."
Just so I get this straight -- Muslims are okay with a direct contradiction.
Doublethink, anyone?
Ha ha! You Sarah fans have given me a great idea ;)
I can read your mind. It is a great idea!
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