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Painting triggers controversy in S. Korea
Source: AFP |
November 21, 2012, Wednesday
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SOUTH Korea's ruling party has threatened to sue an artist who painted its presidential candidate giving birth to her father, former ruler Park Chung-Hee, likening the work to Nazi propaganda.
The painting by left-wing artist Hong Sung-Dam is being shown as part of an exhibition in Seoul that offers a critical perspective on Park Chung-Hee's 1961-79 military rule.
It shows Park's daughter Park Geun-Hye, who is the ruling New Frontier Party candidate for the December 19 presidential election, giving birth in a maternity ward.
The newborn baby bears a close resemblance to her father and is shown wearing his trademark sunglasses.
Outraged ruling party officials condemned the painting as offensive and a piece of "evil" propaganda aimed at tarnishing their candidate's image ahead of the vote.
"Art, once used for political propaganda, is no longer art. The painting reminds me of (Joseph) Goebbels who massacred countless Jews by using political propaganda for Nazis," party member Kwon Young-Se said on Monday.
"We plan to take all possible legal actions against Hong's painting on behalf of not only Park Geun-Hye but also all women," he said, arguing it denigrated "the most sacred moment in women's lives."
Hong dismissed the criticism, saying the work was a satirical comment on the way South Korean society and politics are still dominated by memories of Park Chung-Hee's rule.
"If a painting like this should be punished by law, then all political cartoons in newspapers should be punished nearly every single day," Hong said yesterday.
"Park's supporters tend to blindly worship her as if she is a goddess... but that's not the way voters in a democratic society should support a politician," he said.
The painting by left-wing artist Hong Sung-Dam is being shown as part of an exhibition in Seoul that offers a critical perspective on Park Chung-Hee's 1961-79 military rule.
It shows Park's daughter Park Geun-Hye, who is the ruling New Frontier Party candidate for the December 19 presidential election, giving birth in a maternity ward.
The newborn baby bears a close resemblance to her father and is shown wearing his trademark sunglasses.
Outraged ruling party officials condemned the painting as offensive and a piece of "evil" propaganda aimed at tarnishing their candidate's image ahead of the vote.
"Art, once used for political propaganda, is no longer art. The painting reminds me of (Joseph) Goebbels who massacred countless Jews by using political propaganda for Nazis," party member Kwon Young-Se said on Monday.
"We plan to take all possible legal actions against Hong's painting on behalf of not only Park Geun-Hye but also all women," he said, arguing it denigrated "the most sacred moment in women's lives."
Hong dismissed the criticism, saying the work was a satirical comment on the way South Korean society and politics are still dominated by memories of Park Chung-Hee's rule.
"If a painting like this should be punished by law, then all political cartoons in newspapers should be punished nearly every single day," Hong said yesterday.
"Park's supporters tend to blindly worship her as if she is a goddess... but that's not the way voters in a democratic society should support a politician," he said.
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