A dead dog that can be turned inside out so that's a dead cat, is this art or simply sick?
The dog/cat doll is an exhibit at a leading art fair opening in Rotterdam today and it has been stirring up a storm of response in the Dutch media.
Animal rights activist have condemned it as disgusting and the political party representing animal rights in the Dutch parliament is calling for a ban on using animals in what it calls 'extreme art.'
The artist who has come up with the reversible pet is Katinka Simonse and she works under the name of Tinkebell.
Protest art
She says the idea of the dog/cat doll is to start a discussion about how we treat animals and that it should be seen as a protest against the push to create perfect pets via breeding and genetic manipulation.
But for Parliamentarian Esther Ouwehand the artwork goes too far: "disgusting, it passes the boundaries of what is acceptable," she told the Algemeen Dagblad newspaper.
Despite the criticism, the organisers of the art exhibition in Rotterdam say they will not ban the dog/cat doll.
Popple
The artist calls her work a Popple - the name of a series of brightly coloured children's dolls sold in the US in the 1980s. They too could be turned inside out.
Tinkebell is no stranger to controversy several years ago she killed her own cat and made it into a handbag. This caused international uproar and resulted in her receiving hate mail from around the world.
She also once put day old chicks through a paper shredder.
Just last month one of her exhibits in Amsterdam was raided by animal welfare workers. She had hundreds of hamsters running around for hours on end in brightly coloured plastic balls.
The welfare officers took the hamsters away for their own protection. The artist was furious and a court case into the legality of the raid is ongoing.
Shock tactics
Asked about why she employs such shock tactics, Tinkebell says she simply wants to start a discussion and of course that it is art. If people get angry then her answer is, she told the NRC newspaper, 'don't shoot the messenger.'
The Art Rotterdam International Art Fair runs until Sunday, February 10.
Tags:
animal rights,
Dutch art,
Katinka Simonse
pamela,
30-03-2008
- united states
This makes me sick.
mike downs,
29-03-2008
- usa
How can you call this ART?!! This is SICK!!!
Dalia E. Hettfield,
queenblackdalia@netzero.com,
29-03-2008
- USA
Oh! my GOD this lady is CRAZY CRAZY AND MORE CRAZY. How "IGNORANT" she is telling that she's starting a discussion about it, please CRAZY LADY you don't have nothing more interesting and creative to do?
GREETINGS,
BLACK DALIA
Simone,
28-03-2008
-
ART?! Where is the art?!!?!? She is crazy! MURDER!
Puhpet,
frozenflamefire@hotmail.com,
10-03-2008
- Canada
I actually think the doll is sort of neat. A little morbid, of course, but really... Art is what one makes of it and tends to hold a personal definition. If this is art to her, then it is such. I view it as art, as well. I sort of like her approach to things.
Vegan,
05-03-2008
-
There is no excuse for such blatant disrespect of sentient, sapient beings. If this "person" wishes to commit such acts, she should perpetrate them on her own body. I do agree with her on one point - "don't shoot the messenger." 'Tis far more fitting to skin her alive and turn her inside out.
Joycey ,
05-03-2008
- USA
This is one sick woman and I disagree with everything she does. Lets see, she put chicks through a paper shredder and killed her cat. Yea, she is crazy and your crazy for thinking she has art too.
Diana (AnimalSpirit) Martz,
martz_51@hotmail.com,
05-03-2008
- USA
MORANS, INSANE ANIMAL KILLERS!!!!!!!! MURDERS!!!!!!!
JOCELYNE ANNIE,
05-03-2008
- CANADA
This is absolutely morbid, this lady has a major problem, between her ears & very sicko !!
Roxann Contrenchis,
roxypurple5@yahoo.com,
04-03-2008
- USA
This is sad to look at and very wrong.
Vicki McCauley,
vickimcc196@yahoo.com,
04-03-2008
- USA
Stop the cruelty to animals, they cannot speak for themselves.
Sheila Gredzinski,
04-03-2008
- USA
I don't care where she got the skins, this is sick! Do you want to see her do one like this:
Turn a baby boy into a baby girl in one popple!
Gimme a break, will you?
This is disrespecting the dead body. Shame on her and anyone who buys.
Marla de Vries,
04-03-2008
- Netherlands
Tinkebell, have you thought about seeing a psychologist lately?!?! Don't you ever call this ART! Don't insult the REAL ARTISTS! GET HELP and try to repair your twisted mind!
Sarah Panullo,
04-03-2008
- USA
You are sick for doing such a thing. I cannot believe this. It's awful!
Jacqueline Tremlin,
03-03-2008
- United States
This is totally sick! I don't know what else to even say... except that it's definitely NOT art!
