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Olympic Fine Arts Exhibition 2008 | Beijing - VR China | international art exhibition with artist MUSKBOY
 
CENSORSHIP

The honourable International Olympic Committee ( I.O.C. ) is patroness of the Olympic Fine Arts 2008 exhibition.
At the day of the grand-opening the Ministry of Culture of VR CHINA excluded the watercolour drawing GO WEST! by Beijing-born artist Muskboy from its official Olympic exhibition.

image courtesy agency yorckberlin
GO WEST!, by Muskboy

A few days later the Ministry of Culture of VR CHINA also decided that the artwork GO WEST! will not be published in the official Olympic Fine Arts 2008 catalogue, and also will be excluded from the accompanying tour around the globe.






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Entrance exhibition Hall of Olympic Fine Arts 2008 - August 2008

He Zhenliang, Chairman of the I.O.C - Commission for Culture and Olympic Education, announced the Olympic Fine Arts 2008 would play a significant role in presenting Chinese culture, arts, custom and development. "It's the first time that the I.O.C has given its patronage to such an event, which is a good platform for east-west cultural communication," he said.

Why did the Ministery of Culture exclude the artwork GO WEST! created by Muskboy from its Olympic Fine Arts 2008 exhibition?


CENSORSHIP

image courtesy agency yorckberlin
1st inappropiate detail "GO WEST!" by Muskboy

Previous history:
The organizing committee of Olympic Fine Arts 2008 selected GO WEST! (created by Beijing-born artist Muskboy) for its official exhibition during 29th Olympic Games in VR CHINA - Beijing.
Above-mentioned committee confirmed via email participation of the artwork.

According to a spokesman of the organizing committee an official of the Ministry of Culture did turn up shortly before the grand-opening and decided, that the artwork GO WEST! created by Muskboy should be excluded immediately from the official Olympiad exhibition.

The organizing committee of Olympic Fine Arts 2008 informed the Chinese interpreter of Agency Yorckberlin, that the artwork GO WEST! created by Muskboy is apparently "too political for the the Ministry of Culture". For example the symbols of the Chinese flag on the underwear alias bathing slip is inappropriate. The Ministry of Culture should allow its "use" within Arts. ( Apparently a law informs about the correct use of these symbols ).

image courtesy agency yorckberlin
2nd inappropiate detail "GO WEST!" by Muskboy

Anyway, out of a well-addressed mood, Agency Yorckberlin suggested provocatively ( agreed with the artist ), that the Ministry of Culture does have the permission to re-colour the swimming slip alias underwear non-politically ,. - )

Shortly after, the Chinese interpreter of Agency Yorckberlin was informed by a spokesman of the organizing committee of Olympic Fine Arts 2008 exhibition, that the Ministry of Culture is going to ignore any communication regarding the artwork GO WEST!. The same spokesman frankly informed the Chinese interpreter of Agency Yorckberlin, that the Ministry of Culture is apparently not amused about male nudes too, ( especially the one with the butt exposed and a male hand, probably touching another butt ) in front of the Chinese flag.

image courtesy agency yorckberlin
3rd inappropiate detail "GO WEST!" by Muskboy

Besides, the resting young man seems to be ( according to the Ministry of Culture ) too powerless.

International Olympic Committee first held the Olympic sports and art contest in Sydney for the 2000 Games. The exhibition is hosted by the IOC and supported by the Ministry of Culture of China. It is a major component of the concept of the "People's Olympics" and apparently a key task of the Ministry of Culture.

The exhibition is themed China and the world with the slogan The arts complete the spirit of the Olympic Games. It aimed to represent the allure of Chinese arts and culture and sought to symbolize the joining of all the world's culture, according to a statement on its official website.

image courtesy Agency Yorckberlin View entrance Hall Olympic Fine Arts 2008

The exhibition is divided into two phases: The first phase is scheduled from August 12th-18th at the China International Exhibition Center; the second phase will span from August 20th to September 17th at the Beijing Working People's Cultural Palace. A smaller version is sheduled for a tour of China and other parts of the world later.

Li Changchun, a member of the Central Committee Political Bureau, Jacques Rogge, International Olympic Committee (IOC) president and Juan Antonio Samaranch, IOC honorary president, attended the opening ceremony.

Censorship

we have to avoid in the future. The IOC should guarantee its official Olympic Fine Arts committee the utmost freedom of expression and choice. ( Never ever to be overruled by a governmental institution ). Therefore we have to inform worldwide numerous journalists about the censorship of the Ministry of Culture, hoping we are able in setting up an international discourse about the importancy of an autonomous role of the official Olympic Fine Arts committee.
Meanwhile, we have an overwhelming feedback, a lot of helping hands, all keenly interested in knowing the official reasons of censorship, and how we can shape together a firm guideline for a censorhipless Olympic Fine Arts exhibitions in the future.

Final news: On various requests of W. Koppelman, co-founder of Agency Yorckberlin, the organizing committee of the Olympic Fine Arts 2008 exhibition confirmed officially, that the artwork "Go West!" "was denied", and "can not exhibit in the formal exhibition". The international department of Organizing Committee of OFA 2008 wishes no negative feedback and "another chance to cooperate again in art and culture".

Censorship

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