(Meg) A summer of horror: torture and electric chairs at amusement parks and Hitler at Madame Tussauds

For Monday 29

A summer of horror: torture and electric chairs at amusement parks and Hitler at Madame Tussauds

(article from www.theartnewspaper.com)

I thought that this was a good article. It sort of goes with the article How far is too far. I feel like contemporary art walks a thin line of legal and illegal; Offensive and brilliant. Contemporary art is hard for me to get. But i guess that's the point. I guess sometimes you don't have to understand it.

"NEW YORK. The US government interrogation practice of waterboarding will be enacted by animated robots in an installation by artist Steve Powers opening on 21 September at the Park Avenue Armory. For $1 viewers can watch as a life-sized hooded figure pours water over the mouth and nose of a bound man, producing a grisly 15 seconds of convulsions. The installation was shown at New York’s seaside amusement park Coney Island in August, where it was situated among rides, games and freak show attractions."

This is really messed up! And of all places to have this torture technique...an amusement park. And then the article also gives examples of other art pieces throughout the world that got some pretty negative attention.
BERLIN: HITLER AT MADAME TUSSAUDS, MILAN: ELECTRIC CHAIR AT AMUSEMENT PARK, SYDNEY: BLEEDING CHRIST UP FOR RELIGIOUS AWARD....and more..