Target: Richard Armstrong, Director, Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum
Goal: Support the decision not to show controversial ‘art’ works that use animal cruelty to communicate their message.
Following much outrage from animal advocates, New York’s Guggenheim Museum has announced its decision to shut down several ‘art’ displays that depict live animals facing off with one another. Thanks to petitions like this one, the Art and China after 1989: Theater of the World exhibit, which is set to open next month, will not include works such as Dogs That Cannot Touch Each Other (2003) and other ‘art’ that involves animal cruelty.
Dogs That Cannot Touch Each Other shows American pit bulls tied to wooden treadmills, running ‘at’ each other but unable to touch, as if they are being trained to fight. Another work to be pulled features live reptiles and insects ‘devouring each other’ inside a glass enclosure. This decision is a huge victory for animal rights. Sign below to support the choice not to give animal cruelty a place in artistic expression.
PETITION LETTER:
Dear Mr. Armstrong,
The decision to pull artworks depicting animal cruelty from the Art and China after 1989: Theater of the World exhibit is the responsible and ethical choice. Although “challenging and provocative artwork that seeks to examine and critique systems of power and control,” as the Guggenheim called Dogs That Cannot Touch Each Other (2003), is to be valued and respected, it is no excuse for condoning cruelty to and exploitation of innocent animals.
Theater of the World (1993) and A Case Study of Transference (1994), which will also be pulled from the exhibit, are also examples of art that cause pain or stress to the animals involved, which the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals clearly opposes. I support the removal of these works from the Guggenheim’s exhibit.
Sincerely,
[Your Name Here]
Photo Credit: Sun Yuan and Peng Yu
Good move but really the only rational move and one that should never have had to be made in the first place. Asia, and in this instance specifically Beijing, has long been Ground Zero for unfathomable cruelty and demented behavior towards dogs, but, to be candid, this initiative shouldn’t have even got out of the starting blocks at Guggenheim.
I am NOT going to thank you! This exhibit should of NEVER been put up in the first place! Shame on you! YOU SHOULD KNOW BETTER!
Good! It was an ill-conceived idea to begin with. I’m all for innovative ideas and for modern or new art, but not at the expense of knowing living beings are suffering as a result.
Please try something different, meaningful and humane. Leave animals out of it.
I am not going to sign it either because they didn’t pull it back for responsible and ethical reasons!
Quote (source care2): No, the works were removed “out of concern for the safety of its staff, visitors and participating artists,” according to a statement.
http://www.care2.com/causes/guggenheim-pulls-cruel-dog-video-but-for-the-wrong-reason.html
I will thank you but this should never have come to the table in the first place.
Organisations etc. shouldn’t have to wait for outrage before using their common sense.
Of course, it had to be an art exhibits from China! We all know China has no respect for animal life! But for the Guggenheim Museum in New York City to even consider exhibiting such examples of animal cruelty is very disheartening. Shame on you Guggenheim Museum and whoever approved such exhibits in the first place! I am glad, however, that the exhibits have been pulled and hope the Guggenheim Museum will never again make such a mistake.
Shoot all these bastards
Hooray❗️?
Thank you for canceling. ?
Signed & shared.
Art???? This is an insult to artists! They are exposing their “cultural” heritage: Cruelty to Animals / Lacking Compassion!