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****EDIT****
Thanks to one kind reader “Robert D”, we now have some more information on the whole sorry saga. As someone allegedly said, “The truth shall set you free”
http://harmonicminor.com/2008/04/07/the-guillermo-habacuc-vargas-hoax/
http://arts.guardian.co.uk/art/story/0,,2269320,00.html
****EDIT****
Now, I am yet to see a proper news article on this written by reputable news outlet, but this is the internet so anything can be seen as real.
So the story is this. A man named Guillermo Habacuc Vargas, allegedly exists, and allegedly did an art installation where he tied up a stray dog as Art and it died. What his alleged point was, is that there are thousands of dogs around Costa Rica dying every day and nobody cares.
Now first off, I am a dog lover, I have a dog, and it’s like a best friend.
So I should be appalled and shocked at this. I should call for this man to be murdered the same way that poor dog died. I should help organise a lynch mob to hunt this evil demon down and string him up.
In the event that this story is true, I will raise my hand and say yes I think it is awful, it was cruel like life is, and that the dog was poor and defenceless and the man had no right to torture it for arts sake, I will raise my hand and say, this is not art. Guillermo Habacuc Vargas could have taken photos of stray dogs, he could have filmed them, and he could have done all sorts of other things that would have conveyed the same message without degrading the living and the dying.
But will you raise your hands and say, people die in Iraq everyday for a war on oil, or hundreds of people die making the shoes you wear, the gold around your neck or coffee you drink, yet you are more likely to get upset and outraged about a stray dog dying in a gallery.
We consumers are as much to blame about this as this alleged artist is.
- David Goldberg
I wrote to PETA about this, and here’s their response:
Many stories, sometimes conflicting, have been circulating about these events, and it has been difficult to verify the reports that we’ve received.
Because the initial exhibit with the dog took place in Nicaragua, which has no cruelty-to-animals laws, Vargas cannot be charged with a crime at this time.
Our investigations department is aware that Vargas will participate in a show in Honduras in November. It has been reported that a Honduran group, the Honduras Association for the Protection of Animals and their Environment (AHPRA), has secured the event organizers’ word that the event rules will prohibit animal abuse. PETA’s caseworkers are monitoring this situation and will take further action if we get word
that Vargas plans to repeat the exhibit with the dog. People often commit heinous acts in a bid to gain attention, so it is important to refrain from encouraging them by giving them the attention that they
clearly crave. For more thoughts on this issue, please visit
http://blog.PETA.org/archives/2008/04/artist_starving.php.
Exactly what happened at the exhibition in Nicaragua last year may be uncertain, but it is clear that millions of homeless animals are at risk of starvation, disease, violence and death in our own communities right now. To learn more about things you can do to make a difference for these animals, visit http://www.HelpingAnimals.com
if art has come to this then what has the world come to , gave this man and the art gallery the right to do such a thing to an innocent dog, I have decided that if art has come to this letting a dog die then I will never take notice of art again I never have faith in it. The art gallery has a lot to answer for and all the people involved
The art gallery should be closed and the artist should never be allowed to show his art ever again the people who allowed this to happen should not be considered human but more as murderers. And to all the people that agree that is okay to watch a dog die and also think that it is art just remember this God is watching you what right do you people have to make a decision that a dog can die for art.
[...] We consumers are as much to blame about this as this alleged artist is. Check out the full article here. [...]
If this even is true, and especially if indeed the artist is seeking to garner media attention, fame and fortune – then whether in protest or support or simple denial of it happening – the thousands upon thousands of people who have written about it have surely ensured his sucess…
the artist who left several goldfish in several blenders, and with no instruction gradually members of the public blended them up.. surely that shows where the issues lie?
Everyman is a hippocritical being – vegan, right wing, left wing, meat eating, health food fanatic, fast food junkie, average joe… you and I are all on a high horse we dont have the right to be on.
If in a western country, your voting choices, lifestyles, purchases, and movements, as well as your continued living there, support untold attrocities – so like him you are chaining the metaphorical dog to the wall. …get my point?
what he didn’t do is just as important as what he might have done – it would be in his favour to spread this sort of rumour even if the dog was fine.
Has it raised awareness? Yes. hell I got an email about it, so i imagine a million other people did. Will it make a difference? well probably not, but it’d stand a damn side more chance if you were out there saving dogs instead of posting irritated and poorly thought out blog posts.
Thank you
The fact that he didnt even TRY to save this poor innocent dog is appauling. NO food NO water anywhere near it. Art MY BUTT, this is a screwed up sceme to try to make money and make himself feel like a big person. Hes just as guilty of animal cruelty, abuse and neglect as a person that kill an animal with their bare hands. Once you take in a sray dog you take ownership in that animal and YOU are responsible for that animal. Burn in hell you peice of CRAP!!!!!
There are children all over this world starving to death and homeless… Is this guys next exhibit with a child…..cuz theyre gonna die anyways right?????
Asesinoooo, hijo de puta, mete el arteee en el culo de tu madre q de seguro la abras matado como a ese perrooo y a toda esa gente q fue a mirar esa crueldad. Hijo de puta te veo en el infiernoo
Why has anyone even sat down to think about this? There is no argument/excuse/rationalisation for this. Seriously . I think this man is a crack head. I am an artist, I appreciate art – but he is way too deep in thought and he has crossed the line. Your’re are a very lonely man. Bad move, enjoy the publicity and don’t spend all your cash on crack you schitzophrenic.
Using this incident to engender existential guilt is spurious. Most people are aware of the underpinning contradictions of their own lives and do not live in self-satisified vacuums. Rather, they see themselves as just one person able to do/protest/change only so much by boycotting diamonds, not buying hand-woven rugs,etc, etc. With this incident, however, simply adding a name to a petition is a positive act. The fact that the subject was a dog that did or did not die does not invalidate that.
Fucking man!!! Sick person!!!
It’s a shame for the artists people one person like this!!!!
If I can I will put him in the prision, for he die with the same way!!!
He is a collaborator for the world be more bad!
I can’t explain what I felt, when I saw this poor and sad situation…
His soul is poor, sad and dirty!!!
Unfortunately, I have to live with this kind of people aroud of us!!!!
Picka ti materina,glavu bih ti odrezao i ostavio pticama da ti je izglodju iznutra.Crkni majmune jedan,i gori u paklu,zelim ti sve najgore u zivotu.Nemoj ni pomisliti dolaziti u Europu,a kamoli u Hrvatsku. Smece jedno odvratno!!!!!!!!
The fact of the matter is. It is wrong. Everyone is past the point of trying to think about this smart, intelligent artist and his feelings and the sad and sorry message he is trying to put out there. Whoop-di-doo! So he had a bad childhood or some shit – I don’t want to read all about the artist because NOTHING i read could possibly justify the dog thing. No one should give him the time of day. There are no excuses, no justification/s, NOTHING that excuses this act. Don’t compare this issue to society becuase the issue is this one poor little soul in his own little hell. fuck society its got nothing to do with hypocrits and humanity and human nature. How has the death of this little soul benefited you or anyone else personally? The artists pocket might be a little fuller. Thats it.
When did art turn to self promotion at the sake of not a cause, but actually a life?
DOn’t throw the war in it (that is another issue, and a valid one) but stick to the point. The photo shown is not only disturbing, but even more disturbing is the crowd of people with their backs to the animal. Why was no one moved/sickened enough to grab that dog and hit the road?
Perhaps they are from the same region/same ideals?
Nothing, not even art should be at the expense of anything other than the artist. If he chose to starve himself for comment that’s right, he can do anything to himself he can tolerate.
There is a strange twisted line crossed here. If there was a picture, a painting, nothing suffers. But it is to move the people to do something positive. All he has done is create disdain and disgust for himself.
To be truly proactive, protest the next showing, protest him, find his address, and send letter upon letter, then do what all corporations dread – boycott his work. Don’t support him. Make sure he is not paid.
If this is indeed true (TBD later) of course, then allowing suffering when we as humans, (the higher race, sure) have the ability to step in and do better – to call this Art, is like calling a Serial Murdered a social worker. It may serve a purpose but innocent suffer for his “work”.
Not acceptable. I agree with others – humans can be in all sorts of situations, but they still have means to get themselves out.
Shame on the human race. This planet is doomed. Man is the virus of this planet.
We have certainly screwed it up haven’t we?
And those of us including myself and a few others above – will continue to write, boycott, phone, not buy and oh yes, vote and recall those who are supposed to be our voice. So start writing – and support those organizations who are large in numbers that can step in with some credentials.
Artist – I hope he has been paid for his work – and I hope he starves to death.
What a slap to all REAL artists out there.
No it’s not all about pretty pictures but this – he obviously doesn’t fit into society and this is his scream for attention.
Why can’t bad things happen to bad people?
So the lambs, the cows and the chickens deserve to be brutally murdered to satisfy our desires for taste but a dog isn’t? As much as I think it’s totally inhumane for Guillermo to do such a thing, I fully get Goldberg’s point as well. Instead of hating and criticizing, let us spend a minute each day to reflect upon our own thoughts and actions. The only constructive way to contribute in making this already messed up world a better place is to stop all the fingers-pointing, and change ourselves; our lifestyles; our selfishness; our ‘nature’ of blaming the world. Guillermo serves as a reminder and a mirror to all of us. Maybe the identity of the real culprit indirectly points to us? Maybe petitions do work but only superficially?
Im a designer, not an artist, and i think that Guillermo Vargas isn´t an artist to, if a can save a dogs life, one at least i feel good, about people die for oil well thats waht americans and some european govermants whant`s and as european im making a point, our goverment just fall and the support that i gave and give is less, the luck of that guy was not to exibit here in portugal, or the next day was him and not the dog that was starving, sorry the bad english.
En español eres um giri pollas cabron ya me gustaria tenerte em frente para que te pudira esplicar como se hacen las cosas por aqui, tu de artista ni un pelo, de cabronaço todo, quando quieras hablamos
this guy is really shit…ain`t fit to be a human!!!!
I leave here a link with some thoughts about the Exhibition #1 performance from artist Guillermo Vargas named Habacuc. I am too concerned with the defense of living beings and dignity so I propose another king of petition in that text. It is mostly written in Spanish http://srgorsky.blogspot.com/2008/03/acabo-de-firmar-para-que-el-perrito-se.html
I can see both sides, and i love dogs, it is an awful thing, but think of the response it has created, and how many more people will think about issues such as starvation. I think he should be commended for how he has got people to think- although i really wish he’d found a more humane way to do the same thing. i do not think, however, that he needs to do it again. the point is made, and anymore would just be sadistic.
I really hope that this monster, Guillermo Vargas, never steps at any Bienal here in Brazil, because if he does it he’ll be probable lynched. People here cares a lot for animals we does not put up with this.
It’s a shame perhaps but I agree : David Goldberg reveal here the big picture : facts!
I’m posting, acting, debating, arguing etc… against liver diseases such as hepatitis that kills 4 more times than AIDS in Belgium!
I never saw such a lot of people to react about this human health problem. But everybody seems ready to argue for the health of ONE dog!
Nobody’s shocked so much, nor touched by hepatitis and the damage done.
I agree that the term “artist” is not a good choice regarding this kind of guilty exhibition.
But who reacted physically during this exhibition?
Nobody and that’s the big deal I think!
We react over the Internet so easily but what are we doing in such circumstances?
Probably the same as the public in the exhibition : just ask the responsibles to give something to eat to this poor animal and leave the room shocked? Is it not a true statement?
You are the people who let this happen. Guillermo just advertised it.