Costa Rican artiste Guillermo Habacuc Vargas is making headlines for tying a dog from the street in an art gallery as part of an exhibit to starve it to death. The title of his exhibit "Eres Lo Que Lee" was written across the gallery in dry dog food. The food and a bowl of water were both out of the dog's reach. Eventually the animal died of starvation. The artist claimed the dog was sick and would have died anyways.
Now Vargas has been selected to represent Costa Rica in Visual Arts Biennel of Central Americas 2008. The organizers have invited him to repeat his installation.
Animal cruelty is never acceptable, even in the name of art. In my opinion, Vargas should be facing criminal charges for torturing and killing an animal. Why should his work go rewarded at this upcoming art event?
You can sign this online petition to try to stop him from doing it again.
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Comments: 57
I hope something can be done about this. I would hate for it to happen again. I don't understand how this can be called "art".
Perhaps serial killers like Jeffrey Dahmer can call what they do "art". Sickening.
Thansk for bring this to our attention......someone should send this to all the animal rescue orginazations including Oprah who just did a show on animal abuse....and PETA, USHS, and all the others too....I think I'm going to vomit!
Not only is it terrible to think of someone passing this off as art, but horrifying to think that there were people who wished to come and see it.
News stories like this really upset me. Animals can't speak for themselves, so it is important we do it for them.
I agree! They are at fault as well.
This is just horrific!
http://www.snopes.com/critters/crusader/vargas.asp
What this means is that an investigation is ongoing and that the TRUTH of this is not yet determined. For the sake of accuracy, verification of the truth of the incident should be determined before a person is determined guilty. At this point, there is some question as to whether this is a hoax or not. What news sources say it is true? I am as horrified by anyone about this potentially happening? But I see no reference to where it actually DID, no news source listed.
I would sign the online petition to investigate the artist's actions because ANY act of animal cruelty like this would be unacceptable to me. But I do have to say that the article alone is not proof (yet) of his guilt.
Verified sources of this incident need to be noted and cited for the rest of us to learn about. What headlines were made? Where? In what news organizations? Keep us informed, I beg you.
March 22, 2008.
Again, I am NOT saying that the incident is yet untrue. But it is undetermined, as far as I can tell. There are allegations on both sides. I hope you uncover the truth about this potentially horrifying situation or reveal the sources for us to see and continue to research and spread information about this.
I think it is important to be accurate about these things for the sake of the animal and for the sake of people who spread the info and are trying to help animals in pain or suffering. Only my take, here, but getting to the truth of the matter quickly and getting people to respond quickly to help an animal in the best way possible is important.
I'm always suspicious of petitions like this.
La Prensa article.
Also:
The Starving Dog Exhibition Controversy
Outrage at 'starvation' of a stray dog for art
I just fact-checked it, and found that there is a petition currently to put a stop to this madness in Costa Rica.
It is at http://www.petitiononline.com/13031953/petition.html
Nevertheless, for me, animal abuse and neglect is an issue extremely close to my heart. Reading the articles and seeing the pictures really stirred up some emotions. I see an emaciated animal in the picture and it's pretty disturbing. Unfortunately, animals live like this on the street everyday, but we don't all recognize it until a story like this comes to our attention. I hope that everyone may start trying to make an impact on animal rights issues in the U.S. and worldwide.
Ironically, that's what the artist said his point was too. That people pass these animals every day on the street and don't even look at them, but if they're put in the gallery as an exhibit, they become the center of attention.
Think if a homeless person agreed to such a "display" (without starvation or death as a result). Would people be forced to look and not ignore the person. Perhaps. That is a whole different message (Help the suffering dogs) than exploiting an animal to make an "artistic statement". He may have been trying to create a better world by shoving the issue in people's faces.
The article is eye-opening, but doing exactly opposite of what it should be doing
The artist was making a social statement with the installation, which also included numerous rocks of crack and ounces of marijuana. It seems incongruent with Hispanic culture to do something this cruel. The words written in dog food were "You are what you read."
I've checked out multiple sites on this. The story ranges quite a bit. Some say what you mentioned, and others report on the information above. I've also come across a quote from the artist on several sites:
Nativity was a very sick creature and would have died in the streets anyway.
"Nativity" was the name of the dog. The quote is allegedly from his MySpace page (that I couldn't find).
If you have any updates, feel free to post. Thank you all for your interest in this issue.
I just watched an animal polic show on Animal Planet last night. An owner had completely neglected his horses, leaving them in deplorable conditions and nearly starving them. It's always sad to watch these types of shows though.
I read an article about this in the Boston Metro today. SHOCKED. Already 2% of their population has been killed. I don't understand how anyone could hunt a wolf. I would feel as though I was shooting a dog. :-(
What gives someone the right to intensify the suffering of an animal that is already suffering? Just because it's going to die anyway? I hate to be the bearer of bad news for this chap, but.....we ALL 'die eventually' whether or not we are sick.
It's a sad reality that many cultures have little or no regard for animals whatsoever and nothing is thought wrong when something like this is done. We can sign all the petitions we want, but if their culture's laws allow this, then there is little we can do to help.
There is cruelty of all kinds in ALL cultures. Hispanic's are not exempt.
This is dispicable! How anyone can do this to an animal and call it art, is a stone throw away from being commited. I am an animal lover and to see something like this really angers me and distrubs me very much. Somebody should castrate this monster and hang them up in the name of art!!