The recently installed "Che" Guevara statue in New York's Central Park is presented as part of an ensemble consisting also of a statue of Julius Caesar and another of a character in a Dalí painting (the "Anthropomorphic Cabinet Woman"). The three statues constitute a single work of art though not joined in any way; the individual statues are, supposedly, meaningless outside the context of the greater work. You see, German sculptor Christian Jankowski isn't really honoring "Che" himself; oh no, he is simply articulating a convex message about the human condition which admits of infinite interpretations, sort of like Gertrude Stein's novels, or, indeed, Dalí's paintings. Except, of course, that the message here conveyed is not in the least surrealistic, nor obscured by layers of meaning ultimately signifying nothing. The so-called "ensemble" is nothing of the kind. The other statues are merely props intended to camouflage the "Che" statue. You could put up statues of the Great Khan and Tinker Bell and they would in nowise neutralize or subsume a statue of Adolph Hitler.
The significance of erecting a statue of Guevara (or Hitler) cannot be diluted into insignificance. All the window dressing in the world will not make it less objectionable or abhorrent. Of course, a statue of Adolph Hitler will never be erected in Central Park or anywhere else in New York City for reasons that need hardly be explained. New York City, more even than Israel or Germany, would not allow it, though there are no laws here forbidding it as there are in those countries. The crimes of "Che" Guevara are no more obscure than Hitler's; nor the blood that he shed less red. It must be his victims, then, who are unworthy of remembrance or respect. That such a mockery as this so-called "art display," which was imported from Barcelona (its first venue) for the purpose of exalting the "Butcher of the Cabaña," can pass unnoticed in a city where thousands will protest the removal of a bird's nest from its perch on the balustrade of a luxury apartment building, shows that humanity has blind spots that explain how decent men can be degraded by the likes of a Hitler or Guevara and society so desensitized as to make their recurrence possible if not inevitable.
Nowadays the barbarians at the gate are the purveyors and patrons of denatured art. Taxpayers, too, without their knowledge or against their consent, are forced by bureaucrats to underwrite art which attacks their values and degrades the human condition. The freedom to create has been transmogrified into the expectation of public support for artistic creation, and notoriety, not talent, made the touchstone of success. The precedent for the Guevara statue is Andrés Serrano's "Piss Christ" (a photograph of a crucifix immersed in the artist's urine), which was exhibited at the Brooklyn Museum 20 years ago with a grant from the NEA. The desecration of the sublime is always followed by the exaltation of the inhuman.
Credit for this travesty goes to the Public Art Fund, the City of New York, the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), and the New York Council for the Arts. The discredit, of course, belongs to all New Yorkers.
POSTSCRIPT:
This gets more interesting by the minute. Now the artist claims that his statue is not really a representation of "Che" Guevara but of a lookalike dressed like Guevara. In that case he should have chiselled the imposter's name at the base of the statue, not "Che" Guevara's. I wonder if we can now expect a "faux Hitler" from Jankowski and what the reaction of the German government would be to it.
Someone needs to do something about said statue. I was reading a review about a Soviet massacre of Polacks the previous night and what caught my attention was the reviewer's stance that the number of people murdered in Communism's name have largely been swept under the rug, their deaths insignificant.
ReplyDeleteManuel I can not believe the statue still there. Where is the Exile Community?
ReplyDeleteIf we can not topple a che statue how can we Cuban exiles ever dream of toppling the regime
Manos a la obra , se hace tarde
A Cuban in the Whitehouse
ReplyDeletepossible 2016
Anon said: A Cuban in the Whitehouse
ReplyDeletepossible 2016
Lol, the Cubans dont even have enough respect to prevent the erection of Che. Let alone garner enough respect to take a Cuban into the white house. If the Cubans cant protect Cuba from Fidel and Che. Then how can they protect America from al queda?
Toppling or defacing the statue would not illuminate the ignorant masses. Simple posters with telling Che quotes (re. the use of violence, for example) and photos of prisoners in La Cabana would be much more useful. Although surprising, and shameful, not everyone is aware that Che directed the execution of men who did not have the opportunity to have fair and open trials. Personally I would like it if the statue were tainted with pig's blood and manure, but then the message would be lost.
ReplyDeletePlacing photos of his victims , black roses, and posters calling him assasin would be useful when the cameras start rolling
ReplyDeleteAlso a big banner with some of our blogs should help
Manuel I can not believe the statue still there. Where is the Exile Community?
ReplyDeleteThe Miami Cubans would not have allowed this to happen
The Miami Cubans would not have allowed this to happen
ReplyDeleteNot Vigilia Mambisa , please
Manuel:
ReplyDeleteYou are correct in your statement my friend, it is us the Cuban race who is not worth of remembrance, the blood of our fallen at the hands of the Butcher of the Cabaña means nothing to the world, indeed as I have stated before, we are all alone, it only hurts us.
Someone needs to deface that statue, some rotten eggs thrown at it would do a nice job.
Someone needs to deface that statue, some rotten eggs thrown at it would do a nice job.
ReplyDeleteStop the violence Vana, that will make us look real bad
there are better ways , think dear
think Vana, you are capable
ReplyDeleteBabaluland is now jumping in the statue bandwagon thanks to humberto
ReplyDeleteHow about replacing the Che statue with one that resembles
ReplyDeleteVal Prieto with the tilt, the babalu blog logo and holding a sign that reads
"A new york state of mind , Pay val"
OMG , Babalu is on the Che controversy
ReplyDeleteThe Statue will be taken down
Pay Val
ReplyDeleteUna patada por el culo es lo que cogera , cortesia de Obama
Anon said: The Miami Cubans would not have allowed this to happen
ReplyDeleteYah, they violently took the streets, when i deported Elian. And how did that turn out for them?
Yah, they violently took the streets, when i deported Elian. And how did that turn out for them?
ReplyDeleteThe mother wanted her kid free. Think about it
But what do you know about motherhood Janet
ReplyDeleteViolently took to the streets, please give me a break, the violence was minimal, obviously you have never seen a Watts riot.
ReplyDeleteVana are you taking to John or Fantomas
ReplyDeleteWhat's the difference?
ReplyDeleteVana said: Violently took to the streets, please give me a break, the violence was minimal,
ReplyDeleteVana please, 3 anglos were brutally murdered by Cuban immigrant savages, in Little Havana. The American flag was burned burned by the thousands. Police cars were set ablaze. (American) tourist were threatened at the Miami airport. And property damages were estimated to top 30 million dollars in Hialeah alone.
The Miami Cuban Chicano illegal immigrant violence was not minimal.
There was no violence in Miami in the aftermath of the Elián kidnapping, just one burning garbage can on which CNN fixed its cameras for more than 24 hours.
ReplyDeleteNo casualties, no injuries, no damage to private or public property except that inflicted by Reno's goons in and around the González homestead.
Manuel,
ReplyDeleteI vividly recall Katie Couric, a native of Miami, who honestly report on the Cubans who savagely brutalized and terrorized innocent (anglo women and children) during the year long Cuban immigrant mass riots, which stunned the world. Hundreds of Cuban illegal immigrants ran amok bandishing machetes, and hatchets, merciliness striking down any innocent anglo they encountered in the bloody streets of Little Havana and Hialeah.
Finally, a courageous Janet Reno had to deploy the military to squash the Cuban illegal immigrant, to take back our streets. And rescue a Cuban boy who was endangered by the Cuban immigrants that were responsible for the blood-soaked streets of Miami. At least according to the well-respected Katie Couric, a native of Miami.
john:
ReplyDeleteYour "vivid recollections" were drug-induced hallucinations.
Just what did you do in Bosnia?
Vana are you taking to John or Fantomas
ReplyDelete11/25/2008 1:29 PM
Anonymous said...
What's the difference?
11/25/2008 1:35 PM
Big difference one is anti Cuban while the other fights for Cubans on the island
About a week before the Dayton peace accord was formalized we deployed to Tulza. Waited, for the united nation stablization force to ensure that both sides were honoring their agreement. Then we went out as a buffer. It was then, the Serbian horror was branded upon my soul for a lifetime!!
ReplyDeleteP.S.
Probably would have never turned into an asshole that i am, if i never had to go there in the first place!!
What did the serbs brand you with and where?
ReplyDeletejohn lonfellow?
ReplyDeleteWTF?
From reading your garbage, I have to assume your fellow is very not long but very short.
correction above-john longfellow
ReplyDeleteor maybe it should be very short fellow
short fellow = lol
ReplyDeleteMatt, I'm glad to see that you've been bitten by the historical knowledge bug, welcome to the club, now be forewarned though, you will run into multitudes that will swear to you that you are incorrect about your version of historical truths, advise, be patient and never surrender the truth to the level of lies, also don't waste your time throwing your pearls of knowledge to the swine who are hell bent on rewriting history.
ReplyDeleteAre you referring to the Katyn Forest Massacre, a result of Beria's proposals, Stalin's orders and the NKVD's implementation?
Conservative estimates place the number of victims in the neighborhood of 100 million, all as direct and indirect results of the terminal pestilence known as communism in its varied versions, the victims numbers are still growing today. Back in the 1960s Obama's friend from the neighborhood and his cohorts had estimated that 25 million Americans would had been in need of execution as they would had refused to be re-educated. that was 10% of the population of the USA at the time, these savages love large numbers and have no compunction delivering death aplenty.
Enrique, how long is it going to take you to figure out that Manuel is not an idiot by any stretch of the imagination?
The living monuments issue will be handled appropriately, we are not known for burning down neighborhoods or blackmailing institutions and corporations, those are Leftist tactics, get it Enrique?
Anonymous 11:29. Why did the valiant Aryan Nazis flee to Latin America with the help of the Catholic Church via the Odessa organizational structure? Why did they not fight to the death or capture as the mostly foreign volunteers (including Spain's Blue Division's remnants, accompanied by Norlanders, Gauls, Flemish and Wallonians) that stayed to the end did while protecting Hitler's Chancellory?
Who gives a damn what Cuban immigrants have to say anymore. They are now irrelevant. And the erection of the Che statute only serves to prove this.
ReplyDeleteEnrique, how long is it going to take you to figure out that Manuel is not an idiot by any stretch of the imagination?
ReplyDeleteThe living monuments issue will be handled appropriately, we are not known for burning down neighborhoods or blackmailing institutions and corporations, those are Leftist tactics, get it Enrique?
Manos a la obra Angel y Manuel, se hace tarde. Las estatuas llevan mucho tiempo on display ya . Time is not on our side
Se llevaba dos botellas de ron de un establecimiento de la capital y le detuvo la Policía. Pero lo que ninguno de los trabajadores del comercio, el Opencor situado La Malagueta, podía suponer que su nombre es Ernesto Che Guevara B.
ReplyDeleteAunque lo parezca, no es el guerrillero que llegó a Cuba de la mano de Fidel Castro. Y aunque a este Che residente en Málaga también es argentino y tiene 33 años, a él le constan más de 20 arrestos anteriores.
En su última detención, durante la medianoche del domingo al lunes, el guardia de seguridad del supermercado le sorprendió con dos botellas de ron Cacique que no había pagado y llamó a las fuerzas de seguridad, según publica Sur.
Fantomas= caballo
ReplyDeleteVana, sometimes patients mistakenly ingest the wrong script at a given time, his pharmacological collection must exceed that of HIV and AIDS afflicted patients who are known to require cocktails containing up to 50 differing formulas, my heart goes out to them, John on the other hand engenders different feelings from me, he reminds me of Fifo and we all know that there's only one solution to that problem.
ReplyDeleteManuel A.Tellechea said...
ReplyDelete"john:
Your "vivid recollections" were drug-induced hallucinations."
Manuel, I'm surprised that he has neglected to mention the musings of that very well known pompous ass whom even to this day believes himself to be god's gift to "journalism" even though his dubious "star power" has significantly faded, his quote when referring to Cubans and Cuban-Americans at the time of the community's reaction to Elian's kidnapping by Janet Reno's Injustice Department is infamous and unforgettable, that John hasn't said a peep about him qualifies your diagnosis.
"Just what did you do in Bosnia?"
His recollections about Bosnia may be along the line of Hillary's, come to think of it, they may have shared a lift on the same helicopter and ducked together to avoid incoming fire from the Serbians. Now I understand why Hillary believed that she came under fire as she stated during the Democratic Primaries, John gave her some of his meds and the Age of Aquarius came to pass for both of them.
Angel:
ReplyDeleteJohn would not like that solution..LOL..I'm sure of that!
Maybe John was the one firing at Hillary in Bosnia.
ReplyDeleteOPEN LETTER TO THE CUBAN CHICANO!!
ReplyDeleteI see, when i go to sleep, you Cuban Chicano illegal immigrants think that you can run wild, and act like Cuban immigrant savages. Well, i am here to tell you, that your immigrant rafting days are just about over.
From Jan 20th, 2009, the Cuban militant crackdown, which i will brutally hand down to the them, wil be of EPIC proportions. And will make you quickly long for the days of Che. Who in reality, did only what i am planning to do. Something, which many "real" Americans wildy celebrate on the shirts, posters, and now statutes.
Yes, i too became very respected throughout the world when i performed my own crackdown on the Cuban militant. I too became admired for the brute force that the nation demanded against the Cuban militant. In fact 85% of all American approved of the heavy handed responsed that i used against the Cuban savages in Little Havana.
I do not care about public opinion. I do not care about hurt feelings. And i do not particuarly care for the Cuban immigrant. As i have spent a lifetime prosecuting them, for their wicked militant immigrant ways.
Now Bush has foolishly handed me powers that only i could only dream of 8 years ago. And now you Cuban Chicanos will bare the brunt of the full powers of Homeland Security, Patriot Act, and eavesdroppig. As i consider you internal enemies, whom need to be exposed, and then disposed of.
So you Cuban militants cherish the fleeting moments until Jan 20th. Because after that, the WICKED BITCH OF THE EAST IS BACK!! And i will be kicking ass and taking names.
And you thought Waco, Ruby Ridge, and Elian Gonzales was horrific. Well, with Bush's new communist powers, and the ability to operate in the shadows of a leftist government. You Cuban militants aint seen shit yet!!
Sincerely,
Ms. Reno
POSTSCRIPT:
ReplyDeleteThis gets more interesting by the minute. Now the artist claims that his statue is not really a representation of "Che" Guevara but of a lookalike dressed like Guevara. In that case he should have chiselled the imposter's name at the base of the statue, not "Che" Guevara's. I wonder if we can now expect a "faux Hitler" from Jankowski and what the reaction of the German government would be to it
Y ahora es que te das cuenta de eso? A week later
note the website en la base de la estatua www.elchevive.org No esta trabajando
Sean Penn: Summit in Guantanamo
ReplyDeleteRaul and Obama without conditions
Raul will allow Obama take the US Flag with him
MAT,
ReplyDeleteso what is next now for New York City for an encore?
Perhaps a statue of Adolf Eichmann to honor the millions of Jews he killed in the gas chambers? Or how about one of Pol Pot to commemorate the millions of his victims in Cambodia? Maybe one of Joseph Stalin to remember his 20 million victims who perished in the GULAG and firing squads. The possibilities and the names of the murderers are endless. Perhaps sometime in a not too distant future we could admire a statue dedicated to honor Charles Manson and John Wayne Gacy also. Disgusting. And this trash is called art?
MAT,
ReplyDeleteso what is next now for New York City for an encore?
A said statue of Val is next in line Fariñas
LOL, the Cubans are reduced to whining about a statute in New York.
ReplyDeleteCuban immigrants<--------most vulnuerable group of people in the entire world.
ReplyDeleteObama<--------hardcore leftist, and the most admired and respected man in the nation.
ReplyDeleteFantomas said...
ReplyDeleteSean Penn: Summit in Guantanamo
Raul and Obama without conditions
Raul will allow Obama take the US Flag with him
11/26/2008 7:46 AM
What's in the agenda
Breaking news, breaking news. Liberals have just attacked my homestate of Indiana. They unfairly called us rednecks.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.236.com/video/2008/liberal_ad_thank_you_sarah_pal_10439.php
Parece que las hurracas bocarronas de la habana en exilio no tienen nada que decir o hacer por Nueva York, Donde estan las hurracas militantes de NY y DC que atacan a Babalu pero se esconden de Obama?
ReplyDeleteIts a free nation, if New York, and this nation as a whole chooses to honor Che, then it the Cuban-American have no choice but to honor America's wishes.
ReplyDeleteManny open el sitemeter, your time is short ya, dejate de tonterias ya, tus personalidades son muchas y te tengo seteao, I'm the life and blod of this blog, you know it, you owe me, I made you.
ReplyDeleteImpostors beware
ReplyDeleteThere is only one life and blod on this blog
ReplyDeleteManny knows excatly who he is
No te dejes provocar Manuel
Anonymous said...
ReplyDeleteCuban immigrants<--------most vulnuerable group of people in the entire world.
11/26/2008 10:33 AM
Who says? Jesus? Obviously the one who stated this quote above has never realized his true potential and feels very vulnerable himself when he is all alone, which he is most of the time. Lost in his own head. Sad.
john longfellow aka lou dobbs said...
Anon said: A Cuban in the Whitehouse
possible 2016
"Lol, the Cubans dont even have enough respect to prevent the erection of Che."
Classic Shortfellow at it again.
Erection of Che? Trust me that cold dead animal hasn't had an erection in a long time.
Cuban-Americans<--------ashamed to be Cubans, as well they should be.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous said...
ReplyDeleteCuban-Americans<--------ashamed to be Cubans, as well they should be.
11/26/2008 3:36 PM
^
Can you say COMEMIERDA? Envy will get you nowhere LOSER.
Ashamed to be Cuban? NEVER!! the pride at being born in that island is overwhelming to me. Never ashamed. NEVER!!!!proud yes very PROUD!!!!!
ReplyDeleteCan you say COMEMIERDA? Envy will get you nowhere LOSER.
ReplyDelete11/26/2008 3:48 PM
You couldn't have said it better.
Manuel are the statues still in place?
ReplyDeleteWhat's up East coast Cubans
Vigilia Mambisa cant be everywhere
Babalu keeps growing...the Pay Val tilt is getting full. The kitchen is almos ready
ReplyDeletePepito Ramallo is the new adquisition
Surprise!
Cuba's new ag minister is a general.
Posted by Jose "Pepe" Ramallo at 12:41 PM | Permanent Link to this Post | Habla (0)
Las magpies siguen escondidas y comentando anonimas, se chupan el biberon del presidente Obama y se esconden, los bocarrones de new jersey brillan por su ausencia, Mansuelo y Garza se han cagao fuera del cajon, los cubanos de noreste por aqui ni se ven ya.
ReplyDeleteMe tengo que ir a Nueva York para hacer el trabajo de los cubanos de aya, llego el viernes.
Mansuelo abre el sitemeter y cierra esto el domingo, se acabo el guaguanco. you owe me, I made you, I'm the life and blod of this blog and you all know it. Vuelvo anoche.
Babalú's "new acquisition" has the virtue of brevity. It is a virtue which is contagious. Or let us at least hope so.
ReplyDeleteBlame New york City for the cubans misery...Yawnnn!!
ReplyDeleteI am reading this article second time today, you have to be more careful with content leakers. If I will fount it again I will send you a link
ReplyDeleteYou have to express more your opinion to attract more readers, because just a video or plain text without any personal approach is not that valuable. But it is just form my point of view
ReplyDeleteI am reading this article second time today, you have to be more careful with content leakers. If I will fount it again I will send you a link
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