What's up with Sweden?

[Nerdanel]

Originally posted by Jonathan
[edit] And while we're at it, the Finns should give Finland back to us. We could take back Estonia and parts of Latvia and Russia too.

Hey!! What are you saying??





(You can't say that, 'cause I can't demand anything back for Finland. We've just always been part of other countries. But that's over now, so don't you try anything, Mr. Jona-Thong! )

[jerseydevil]

I didn't want to start a thread "what is going on in Sweden" so here is this...

No sacred cows here: Swedish militants take art bovine hostage

STOCKHOLM, Aug 19 (AFP) - A shadowy group of militant Stockholmers have threatened to execute a fiberglass life-size cow they stole from an outdoor art exhibit, a Swedish newspaper reported on Thursday.

The Militant Graffiti Artists demanded in a video cassette sent to the paper that cows which have been on display on Stockholm's streets this summer as part of the Cow Parade "be declared non-art, otherwise hostages will be sacrificed."

A picture in the tabloid Aftonbladet from the video clip shows the brightly-coloured cow, apparently unharmed, flanked by two masked militants clad in black.

The militants brandished electric drills as though they were machine guns.
"As members of Stockholm's Militant Graffiti Artists, we feel it is our moral duty to defend our city against the cows which have invaded our streets," a distorted voice says in the clip, according to Aftonbladet.

The group, which kidnapped the cow two weeks ago, threatened to destroy the artwork unless the 100 or so other cows are removed from the city's streets by August 23 at 12:00 pm (1000 GMT), one week before the exhibit's scheduled end.

A spokeswoman for the Cow Parade project deemed the threats "very serious and disturbing", but did not say whether the organizers would be cowed by the ultimatum.

Earlier this month, when the touring exhibition was in Prague, a cow was stolen and feared dumped in the river.

Vandals also attacked dozens of the Cow Parade exhibition's 214 beasts dotted around central Prague, causing damage of around 1 million koruna (31,000 euros, 38,000 dollars), exhibition organisers said.

I think this is rather disgusting. First for their mockery of the iraqi and terrorist militants who are actually killing and beheading people. Also - what is their whole problem with the cow parade? Are they pissed off that the cow parade started in Chicago and is an example of "uncultured American" art? Why is it not art? What is art anyway? The cows are painted by various artists. These people are just sick for making a mockery of the deaths that are actually going on in Iraq and other places around the Middle East.

As for the Scream being stolen - it's one of my favorite paintings and I hope the museum gets it back. I'd like to know how the hell anyone can go into a museum in broad daylight and steal two world famous paintings.

[Artanis]

Originally Posted by jerseydevil

These people are just sick for making a mockery of the deaths that are actually going on in Iraq and other places around the Middle East.

I agree with you JD, it is a disrespectful act, towards the victims in Iraq on all sides.

[Jonathan]

No sacred cows here: Swedish militants take art bovine hostage

STOCKHOLM, Aug 19 (AFP) - A shadowy group of militant Stockholmers have threatened to execute a fiberglass life-size cow they stole from an outdoor art exhibit, a Swedish newspaper reported on Thursday.

The Militant Graffiti Artists demanded in a video cassette sent to the paper that cows which have been on display on Stockholm's streets this summer as part of the Cow Parade "be declared non-art, otherwise hostages will be sacrificed."

A picture in the tabloid Aftonbladet from the video clip shows the brightly-coloured cow, apparently unharmed, flanked by two masked militants clad in black.

The militants brandished electric drills as though they were machine guns.
"As members of Stockholm's Militant Graffiti Artists, we feel it is our moral duty to defend our city against the cows which have invaded our streets," a distorted voice says in the clip, according to Aftonbladet.

The group, which kidnapped the cow two weeks ago, threatened to destroy the artwork unless the 100 or so other cows are removed from the city's streets by August 23 at 12:00 pm (1000 GMT), one week before the exhibit's scheduled end.

A spokeswoman for the Cow Parade project deemed the threats "very serious and disturbing", but did not say whether the organizers would be cowed by the ultimatum.

Earlier this month, when the touring exhibition was in Prague, a cow was stolen and feared dumped in the river.

Vandals also attacked dozens of the Cow Parade exhibition's 214 beasts dotted around central Prague, causing damage of around 1 million koruna (31,000 euros, 38,000 dollars), exhibition organisers said.

I remember when the cow was stolen a couple of weeks ago. The newspapers believed that the thieves' plan was to try to sell the cow to some art lover. I don't think anyone suspected that the thieves were in fact militant graffiti artists
I like this cow parade. I have been around the city and seen most of the cows and taken pictures of them. I can't remember if I ever saw the kidnapped cow but I think I did.

Originally Posted by jerseydevil

I think this is rather disgusting. First for their mockery of the iraqi and terrorist militants who are actually killing and beheading people. Also - what is their whole problem with the cow parade? Are they pissed off that the cow parade started in Chicago and is an example of "uncultured American" art? Why is it not art? What is art anyway? The cows are painted by various artists. These people are just sick for making a mockery of the deaths that are actually going on in Iraq and other places around the Middle East.

Every cow in the parade has a sponsor, a person or a company that has paid for the making of the cow. That way the person or company gets some advertising. This commercialism is what upsets the militants, they say that advertising can never be considered art. That is of course rubbish, many great artists in the world works in advertising.
However, none of the sponsors have actually ordered a cow from an artist and told him or her "this is what your cow has to look like". The artists have been able to work freely on their cows.

In September, all the cows in the parade are going to be sold at an auction in order to raise money for vulnerable children. By stealing this cow, the militants have deprived the children of about $6000, possibly more . So one has to hope that they return the cow.
The artist has three more cows in the parade. She fears for their security as well.

How did they manage to steal a 150kg-cow anyway?

The militants said that unless the other 100 cows are removed from the streets at noon today, the kidnapped cow is going to be destroyed.
Noon is five minutes from now.

[BeardofPants]

What would anyone have against giant bouvine art? When it made its way through NZ, everyone was very supportive, and it was fun seeing how many cows you could spot. ('Though Hamilton was pissed that we Aucklanders got it instead of them (Hamilton *is* cow-town)). I dont' understand some people.

[Earniel]

Originally Posted by Jonathan

In September, all the cows in the parade are going to be sold at an auction in order to raise money for vulnerable children. By stealing this cow, the militants have deprived the children of about $6000, possibly more . So one has to hope that they return the cow. The artist has three more cows in the parade. She fears for their security as well.

Wow, that's not fun. And here I was thinking it was just some sort of students' prank. But if these people are really serious, sheesh! I'm not fond of modern art myself but that doesn't mean I go stealing people's work and hold a whole town hostage by threatening to destroy it. Some people.... How childish can you be?

[jerseydevil]

Jonathan - I need an update on the cow.

Also - figured I'd let you know that NY is having the "Big Apple Parade". There are all these huge painted apples all over NY. Ruinel and I saw a couple last friday when she was up here visiting.

[Jonathan]

The cow was butchered.

The cow, cut into several parts and without its head, was found in a bin bag outside the Cow Parade's gallery.
On the graffiti militants' website, there is a video of how two masked persons cuts the cows' head off with electric saws.

[Nerdanel]

that is rather sick.