ANDn a letter addressed to the mayor of Vila Nova de Gaia, Eduardo Vítor Rodrigues (PS), and published this morning on its official Facebook page, the CIL considers that the ‘cartoon’ in question “banalizes the Holocaust committed by the regime nazi and demonizes the Jews in their relationship with Palestine”, adding that the “Star of David superimposed on the heart of a drawn image of Hitler is a serious and indecent offense”.
“We are against censorship, but the right to free expression must and can be stopped when it encourages hatred and intolerance. The image referred to is outrageous and minimizes the horror and tragedy of the Holocaust. Hitler did not treat Jews with ‘disrespect’ as referred to in the Cartoon’s text, treated the Jews with mass extermination and boundless inhumanity”, defends this community.
In a note sent later this afternoon to the Lusa agency, the municipality of Vila Nova de Gaia reiterates that “it supports all institutions and initiatives of relevant municipal interest, without exercising any type of interference in their management and organization”.
In the case of the Bienal de Arte de Gaia, the organization of the event and the choice of artists, as well as the respective works, are, says the municipality, “the exclusive responsibility of the curatorship and the organizing entity – Cooperativa Cultural Artistas de Gaia”.
“The municipality never calls freedom of expression into question. Regardless, it is understood that when susceptibilities are hurt at a time when tolerance is a fundamental value, options must be taken. , by the artist, of the ‘cartoon’ in question, thus evidencing his sensitivity to the subject”, justifies Câmara de Gaia.
The municipality “welcomes this stance and expresses total solidarity with the Jewish community in the region and the country.”
“With this attitude, the posture of tolerance and dialogue that always guides this municipality is evident”, reads the note.
In the letter sent to the mayor of Gaia, CIL called on Eduardo Vítor Rodrigues to show solidarity with this position, express his discontent and, “if necessary”, to withdraw “public support, financed by taxpayers” for the initiative who, “under the cover of art, profane the memory of millions of victims who perished at the hands of a murderous, bloodthirsty and ruthless regime”.
In a reply sent to Lusa this morning, the director of the Gaia International Art Biennial, Agostinho Santos, underlines that the event “is assumed as a Biennial of Causes” and, in that sense, “is committed to giving freedom to each artist to express their vision of the World, regardless of the individual orientations manifested”.
“The work of Onofre Varela, a renowned cartoonist, makes reference to Israel from his perspective and was already published a few years ago in the media. their freedom of expression is limited”, emphasizes Agostinho Santos.
According to the organization, the 5th edition of the Gaia International Art Biennial – which started on April 8th and runs until July 8th — “takes to Quinta da Fiação, in Lever, 20 exhibitions that bring together more than 300 artists from different nationalities to stir consciences in a ‘Biennial of Causes’, which this year honors Carlos Carreiro and João Jacinto”.
Directed by Agostinho Santos and supported by the Vila Nova de Gaia City Council, the Gaia International Art Biennial reinforces, adds the organization, “decentralization in a recovery plan for industrial areas, occupying two pavilions of the former Companhia de Fiação de Crests over 6,000 square meters of exhibition area”.
Also Read: Cartoons by João Abel Manta return in a book to ‘celebrate April’
Always be the first to know.
Seventh consecutive year Consumer Choice for Online Press.
Download our free App.
