Starving Dog Art Revealed as Stunt, Dog Not Harmed
The Pet Extraordinarium Blog reported that the art exhibit that has had everyone outraged was in fact a stunt by the artist to show human hypocrisy in regards to dogs.
Thanks to Gizmo the Great for barking in this blog post.
Starving dog exhibit reported as a hoax
The story of a dog being starved to death as part of an art exhibition appears to have been falsely reported by Costa Rican newspaper The Nation, according to new sources. I reported the appalling story here last week among global outrage about the exhibit and a reported invitation to repeat the work elsewhere.
It has now emerged, however, that artist Guillermo Habacuc Vargas intended the work to be a stunt to show how a starving dog suddenly becomes the centre of attention when it is in a gallery, but not when it is on the street. The work was intended to expose people for what they really are - “hyprocritical sheep”. He said that in order for the work to be valid, he and the gallery had to give the impression that the dog was genuinely starving to death and that it died.Juanita Bermúdez, director of the Codex Gallery, stated that she would not have allowed the dog to be mistreated, that it ate and drank regularly, and that it was allowed to escape back to the streets from where it was taken at the end of the exhibit. “It is conceptual art and a work that leaves a social message”, she said.
The stunt provoked massive outrage on a global scale, and over a million people have signed an online petition to try and prevent another dog being starved to death in a repeat of the exhibit. Unconfirmed reports say that the artist even received death threats and, judging by the vehement anger I’ve seen in response to this story, that would not suprise me.
Follow this link to read the rest of the post.
I’d like to know what those sources are they refute the torture and abuse of this dog…
Intriguing. Do you think his point was made? (And here’s hoping that no one, dogs or otherwise, will ever be hurt for the sake of “art” or any other reason for that matter.)
Touche. (And THANK GOODNESS!)
I still think the dog was mistreated. I think it’s inhumane to USE a dog like a piece of object, some so-called “ART”. They are not for display, no matter what “point” the artist is trying to arrive at.
I wonder if this artist would like it if we tie him up with that awful nylon rope, put him out on display, and just “allow him to escape back in the streets” at night. We can say that our point is that you will just be another face in the crowd if you weren’t tied up like that in a gallery. Know what I mean?
Hmmm…I sure HOPE this was a hoax or just a way to cover their tracks. How do we really know???
…and if it is a hoax, why would he lump me (or any other dogster for that matter) in a group titled “hypocritical sheep”. Does he not realize so many dogsters and others spend much of their money & time to help homeless pets. Many leave food & water outside their homes JUST in case a lost dog/cat may wander by in need and we don’t happen to be home. We were outraged at his and the galleries callous disregard of life, period. I’m still angry and shed many a tear over this. The only benefit I can see is that my beautiful pups got some extra hugs & kisses…and God love them…they licked the tears of saddness off my face for this poor dog in the gallery. Ugh!
I find it highly convenient that the gallery/’artist’ is now supposedly coming forward and claiming this to be a hoax, eight months after the incident took place. This is after recent claims that this ‘art’ was created to bring attention to the plight of starving dogs which is far from statements he made originally.
Original statement in his own words claim ‘that the dog would have died anyway’ which to me sounds like he admits that the dog did die. He also stated at the time of the exhibit that his ‘art’ was “a tribute to Natividad Canda, a Nicaraguan burglar killed in Costa Rica by two rottweilers guarding property he had entered at night.”
This statement was published in The Nacion, shortly after this became more publicized;
“The dog died after a day in the exposition, according to it was confirmed to The Nation Marta Leonor González, publisher of the cultural supplement of The Press in Nicaragua.”
This from ABC.es
“the known artist with the nickname of “Habauc” trapped a dog in a slum of Managua and he tied him to one of the walls of his demented assembly. Al following day the animal had deceased.”
Months after the incident, after numerous published accounts, all of the sudden the gallery comes forward with the story that the dog ‘escaped’ and that it had been fed regularly.
I guess almost 2.5 million signatures on a petition is making people think twice and do some serious CYA now but I’m not buying it.
I know this ‘hoax’ story coming out will salve the consciences of a lot of people who are just now hearing this story as it seems to have recently been hitting major media sources the past month or so but I’ve been following it for more than six months. I read many original accounts and reports about it. The more widely know this story had gotten, the more they, the gallery and ‘artist’, have tried to play it down.
I want to believe this over the alternative, but who really knows? They should’ve kept the dog and cared for it, instead of “releasing” it back to the streets as they claim. Not only as proof the exhibit was a hoax, but also as the right thing to do.
If it wasn’t legit, than I think that’s a great idea; sure, most dogsters care about neglected dogs, but so many are just like the shower discribed. Plus, a dog that was previously living on the streets got food and water, something he/she may not have gotten otherwise, although it would have been nice if they tried to rehabilitate the dog and give them to an experienced family.
So many people, not dogsters, sorry about that typo.
I so agree with Jackpot and KB. Furthermore, I want to see the dog!!!! I will not believe the dog fared well before reportedly escaping into the streets. I can see the pain and feeling of abandonment in the eyes of that fur kin. Skin and bones and that is considered “all is well” !?
I am of the mind the “artist” should be jailed and prohibited from any contact with dogs in the future. I am not assuaged with this too late in coming report.
What a stupid concept, artistic or otherwise. Yes, we’re aware of the suffering and mistreatment of animals world wide, and Vargas’ ill-conceived installation does nothing to raise awareness or address the problem. Nuclear weapons are a problem, so how about if a conceptual artist sets off all the nuclear bombs in existance to reveal to us they’re dangerous. Wow, artists are so perceptive. Children are starving, so let’s put them in a gallery to show that there’s a problem. Come on…this doesn’t do anything for art nor to find a solution to the problem.
Hi there
There is a new poll on this subject that shows there’s a huge split in public opinion. Some people think the artist had a point, some people would just like to see him dead! The results and article are here:
Hi there
There is a new poll on this subject that shows there’s a huge split in public opinion. Some people think the artist had a point, some people would just like to see him dead! The results and article are here: http://www.thepetextraordinarium.co.uk/page.asp?id=52