An Abortion of Art by the Art of Abortion!
By: Sudha (April 23rd, 2008)“Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression….” States the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, a declaration that was later adopted by the United Nations General Assembly.
Also known as Article 19 of UDHR, it permits freedom to hold opinion without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers. It extends not only to books, theatrical works and paintings, but also to posters, television, music videos and comic books - whatever the human creative impulse produces.
A Yale art major, Aliza Schvarts wants to make a statement. Beginning today i.e. 22nd April 2008, Shvarts will be displaying her senior art project, a documentation of a nine-month process during which she artificially inseminated herself “as often as possible” while periodically taking abortifacient drugs to induce miscarriages. Her exhibition will feature video recordings of these forced miscarriages as well as preserved collections of the blood from the process.
Imagine strolling within a royal art gallery which boasts of largely uninterrupted wall spaces to check out a large cube suspended from the ceiling of the hall. Well, what’s with a cube? Why would you visit a gallery to check out a cube available at every possible store? Patience!! When in an art gallery, you are to explore ‘fresh-new’ thoughts….
Well, what differentiates the cube from the rest is the hundreds of feet of plastic sheeting wrapped around it. Lined between layers of the sheeting will be the blood from Schvarts’ self-induced miscarriages mixed with Vaseline in order to prevent the blood from drying and to extend the blood throughout the plastic sheeting. As if all this was not enough, the artist will then project recorded videos, captured on a VHS recorder onto the four sides of the cube that will show her experiencing miscarriages in her bathroom tub.
Schvarts did not pay the ‘fabricators’, or donors of the sperm for their services, but required them to periodically take tests for STDs. She did not feel the need to consult a doctor about her repeated miscarriages as the abortifacient drugs she took were legal and herbal. She declined to specify the number of sperm donors she used, as well as the number of times she inseminated herself.
When interviewed by the student publication, Yale Daily News she states that the goal in creating the art exhibition was to spark conversation and debate on the relationship between art and the human body. She hopes that her ‘piece of work’ inspires some sort of discourse.
Zapped??? Or did it sound gross?? …Well, what we are talking about is just another ‘Project’ by an artist who wishes to express her thoughts. So what if it the project does everything from violating moral code to trivializing abortion??? Was the artist dying for an idea to work upon? Or was she just exercising her constitutional right to do what she chooses with her body?
The Bible said, “You shall not commit murder.” We have divided opinion about abortion world over but the Bible looks at the life in the womb as a child and gives no authority to any one under the sun to bring harm on it. Not even the mother herself.
Freedom of expression is the cornerstone of any democratic society. It is a basic human right to be enjoyed by all people. “One has the right to do anything.” True. St Paul in his letter to the Corinthians states,” All things are lawful… but all things do not build others up…” (I Corinthians 10: 23)
I have the right to say anything, you say…. but not everything is beneficial. I have the right to do anything…. but not everything is constructive. Paul goes on to say, “…But let no one seek his own good, but that of his neighbor.” Freedom always comes with responsibilities, especially in the faith of Christ!!! We are not to be the stumbling block for others. “So I need to be thinking of others instead of myself?” …Well, the choice is up to us. We either help each other get prepared for this race called life or make others stumble while getting dis-qualified ourselves….
Tags: Aliza Schvarts, artificially inseminated, self-induced miscarriage, UDHR, Yale art major
April 23rd, 2008 at 2:39 pm
I think in the quest of doing and looking different or new things some are crossing all the boundaries of moral and allowed standards of God. But they don’t realize that only God can give us “perpetual novelty”
April 23rd, 2008 at 2:39 pm
I always thought art highlights beauty whether be it in shapes, forms, colors or prose. Its shocking to see the devious taste humans have developed for arts. Art was never intended to inform us how dung smells. However, modern day arts and the minds behind it, want to convince us that dung smells and it actually smells sweet. A question really needs to be asked if this is dung masquerading as art .. or vice versa.
To spark a conversation - Why not just make the statement with words? Art could be used to highlight beauty beyond the reach of words.
To be able to communicate transcendent ideas we need creativity and the power to visualize, like in a poetry, where we communicate things that normally words cannot say. But to package a profane idea in something equally devious and exhibiting it isnt really art, its the height of frustration due to lack of creativity.
This shocking incident really should make us think about the citizens we are developing with our modern day educational systems. Fifty years ago she would have been sentenced, but today she will be granted a PhD.
Its sad to know how one can go to these depths to get attention, to be noticed. Infact, this is one reason that humanity is going deaf ( as everyone’s shouting to get attention.. so whos listening !!)
Infact, I also read that the whole story is just a hoax / a fiction and Yale would put up the work only on a written confirmation that its just a fictional work -by the student.
Well with all this happening … who knows where is the truth ?
Anyways, It is confirmed that Mankind doesnt need a big natural disaster to wipe itself off the planet, the evil residing within mankind is surely potent and the way its progressing is scary.
April 23rd, 2008 at 4:36 pm
I always believed that freedom comes with restrictions…perhaps, such an advocacy is necessary to stop such horendous crimes committed under illogical alibis! A human pre-embryo, embryo and fetus are all persons entitled to fundamental human rights, including the most basic right: to be allowed to live. It’s a disgrace to humanity and to life itself!