ATELIER VAN LIESHOUT’S DOMESTIKATOR CANCELLED FROM THE FIAC

By Crash redaction

The Domestikator sculpture, created by Atelier Van Lieshout, was supposed to be displayed for a month, in the Tuileries gardens, for the International Contemporary Art Fair (FIAC) from October 17th to November 18th. Shockingly, the Louvre museum decided to cancel the display at the last minute, claiming that there already were too many sculptures exposed. In reality, the Louvre president was concerned that the piece would be misunderstood, after multiple Internet users commented on the issue, stating the sculpture as « too brutal ». Also, the Domestikator was set to be displayed next to a playground, which was another inconvenience.

As a mix between art and architecture, the 12-meter-high artwork represents a man penetrating another an animal. The artist claims it is not meant to be seen in a sexual way but rather as a critic of human domination and domestication. This censorship could be the start of a bigger and more severe problem. If museums are too afraid of controversy and fear the public’s negative feedback, artists will have to censor themselves and deliver a biased message. At a time when spreading negativity and pressures on the Internet is at its peak, museums and art institutions need to take a stance for the artists and support all forms of art even if they are controversial.

Written by Alice Butterlin.