"Snow White and the Madness of Truth"

"To vandalize an art work — even a bad art work, even a morally reprehensible art work — is to adopt the tactics of the enemies of culture." (Roger Kimball)

News and commentary on the "Snow White" scandal.

January 2004
"Criticize, Don't Vandalize: Israel's ambassador to Sweden chose the wrong way to make a point." (Roger Kimball, The Wall Street Journal, 2004/01/22)
"'It's inciting murder'" (Jonathan Jones, The Guardian, 2004/01/22)
"Adverts with suicide bomber in the underground stations will be removed" (Kurt Mälarstedt, Dagens Nyheter, 2004/01/20)
"Jaradat controversial in more cases" (Kurt Mälarstedt, Dagens Nyheter, 2004/01/20)
"Israel warns of boycott over art flap" (AFP/IHT, 2004/01/20)
"The suicide bomber's father on the art row" (Arne Lapidus, Expressen, 2004/01/19)
"Making Differences" (Watch, 2004/01/18)
"A round-up of Swedish news on the "Snow White" scandal" (Watch, 2004/01/18)
"CRUSH NAZISM. FREE PALESTINE." (Sauli Pulkkinen, Expressen, 2004/01/18)
"PM: Gov't supports terror exhibit wrecking" (Herb Keinon, The Jerusalem Post, 2004/01/18)
"Snow White and the Madness of Truth" AFP/Sven Nackstrand, 2004/01/17)
"Israeli attack against work of art" (Björn Malmström, Svenska Dagbladet, 2004/01/17)
"Snow White and The Madness of Truth" (Making Differences, January 2004)
"Israeli ambassador kicked out of Swedish museum after vandalizing art" (AFP, 2004/01/17)

"Criticize, Don't Vandalize: Israel's ambassador to Sweden chose the wrong way to make a point." (Roger Kimball, The Wall Street Journal, 2004/01/22)
"Snow White" II: "In the normal course of things, you would never have heard of "Snow White." It's just another bit of dreary left-wing "statement art": morally rebarbative, aesthetically nugatory, interesting only as a symptom of cultural decay. You can see yards of the stuff every day at any of the 23,872 places where challenging, border-testing, antibourgeois, avant-garde, cutting-edge art is shown. ...
The fact that the Swedish government would welcome such politically tendentious rubbish shows how far the sclerotic gestures of the adversary culture have taken over establishment taste. ...
But was Mr. Mazel's response justified? I think not. His outrage at "Snow White" was understandable, even exemplary, but he should not have destroyed or defaced the exhibition. There were many steps open to him short of violence. To vandalize an art work — even a bad art work, even a morally reprehensible art work — is to adopt the tactics of the enemies of culture. When politically correct students are confronted with a conservative publication they detest, they conspire to round up all the copies and destroy them. That is a recipe for cultural tyranny. "Snow White" is assuredly a despicable work. But Mr. Mazel would have been far more effective had he channeled his ire into criticism instead of vigilantism."

"'It's inciting murder'" (Jonathan Jones, The Guardian, 2004/01/22)
"Snow White" I. Jones reports from the scene of the "Snow White" scandal: "While all this is going on, the terrorist still looks immaculate on her little boat. As the light gets bluer, the scene dreamlike, for a moment I top the Israeli ambassador's suspicions with a paranoia of my own. It is as if Hanadi Jaradat, or the Islamic Jihad organisation that persuaded her to strap on explosives while she was grieving for a brother shot by Israeli soldiers, authored this picture, these people here, all the cameras, the security men. It is as if violence were such a powerful force that it is the only culture left to us; as if violence were so eloquent that it could silence all ambiguity, all reason."

"Adverts with suicide bomber in the underground stations will be removed" (Kurt Mälarstedt, Dagens Nyheter, 2004/01/20)
"Snow White" III: "The adverts with a picture of the Palestinian suicide bomber Hanadi Jaradit which are on display on display in Stockholm's underground stations will be removed and replaced with a different poster, after a decision by Thomas Nordenstad, the creative director of the The Swedish Museum of National Antiquities who is responsible for the controversial exhibition. ...
- I've decided that because I've received hundreds of mails and letters from people who are suffering and are saddened because of the exhibition. To have contributed to this, even unintentionally, is painful and saddening for me personally. If my decision is seen as a gesture of reconciliation, than that's OK by me, said Nordenstad." (See also: "Making Differences" (Watch, 2004/01/18))

"Jaradat controversial in more cases" (Kurt Mälarstedt, Dagens Nyheter, 2004/01/20)
"Snow White" II. There is a thin line between freedom fighters and mass murderers. At least according to certain Swedish art curators. Dagens Nyheter reports on the Jaradat advert on display in Stockholm's underground stations. (My translation.):
"To further complicate the matter the picture of Hanadi Jaradat is included in the press material from the Swedish Museum of National Antiquities on the project "Making Differences".
The caption informs that the picture is a part of Carl Michael von Hausswolff's project and the suicide bomber is described as a "female Palestinian freedom fighter". This is a designation which not only the Israeli government, but also the Swedish government as well as the Feilers oppose.
— That title came up in the first discussions I had with myself and the curator Thomas Nordenstad. But I choose "female Palestinian suicide bomber". I wanted that characterization as it also is a case of murder. ...,says Carl Michael von Hausswolff." (See also: "Making Differences" (Watch, 2004/01/18) and "God Made Me Do It" (Making Differences, January 2004))

"Israel warns of boycott over art flap" (AFP/IHT, 2004/01/20)
"Snow White" I: "Ignoring accusations of censorship, Israel warned Monday that it would boycott an international genocide conference in Stockholm next week unless Sweden disowned an exhibit at a related art show.
Israeli participation will depend on the Swedish government's willingness to "disassociate itself" from the art work, which depicts a smiling Palestinian suicide bomber, Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom said at a Jerusalem news conference. "Then and only then will I consider positively what needs to be done," he said."

"The suicide bomber's father on the art row" (Arne Lapidus, Expressen, 2004/01/19)
"Snow White" in Jenin. The Feilers have a new admirer. From an interview with suicide bomber Hanadi Jaradat's father (My translation.):
"The art scandal in Sweden is the talk of the town in Jenin, the hometown of the female suicide bomber Hanadi Jaradat. ...
The father [Taysir Jaradat] says that he is proud both of her suicide bombing — one of the bloodiest terror attacks during the intifada which killed 21 Israelis, both Jews and Arabs — and because she serves the Palestinian cause yet again. He wholeheartedly supports suicide bombings as the only weapon for the Palestinians. ...
The door to their lended apartment is covered with posters celebrating Hanadi, her killed brother and cousin.
— I want to thank the Jewish artist in Sweden who made the beautiful work of art with Hanadi, says mother Rahmah, 53"

"Making Differences"
(Watch, 2004/01/18)
Stockholm, January 2004: A gigantic advert with a picture of smiling female mass murderer Manadi Jaradat, captioned "Making Differences", is displayed in all underground stations. The adverts are for the cultural and artistic program "Making Differences". The ad in the center is for the project "God Made Me Do It", combining art and "material such as... the palestinian suicide-bomber Manadi Jaradat and the American talkshow host Geraldo Rivera." (Note: Thanks to Vitali Fridliand for the picture.)

A round-up of Swedish news on the "Snow White" scandal:
Svenska Dagbladet reports (not online) about a new sabotage attack against "Snow White". A "Jewish activist", Dmitri Vasserman, placed another boat in the blood coloured pool with a picture of Swedish foreign minister Anna Lindh's murderer instead of female suicide bomber Hanadi Jaradat. This was followed by an outburst by Dror Feiler, who crumpled the picture and accused Vasserman of acting dictatorially.
Expressen reports (picture below) about a "Graffiti attack against the Israeli embassy this morning" (Tommy Schönstedt, Expressen, 2004/01/18). The slogan "CRUSH NAZISM. FREE PALESTINE." might seem as self-contradictory as the peace sign does seem out of place.
In the lefty tabloid Aftonbladet — the largest newspaper in Sweden — political analyst Wolfgang Hansson sees yesterday's attack by the Israeli ambassador Zvi Mazel as "Tragic proof that Israel is stuck in hatred and violence" (Wolfgang Hansson, Aftonbladet, 2004/01/18), uses biblical imagery to characterize Israel and distastefully compares art provocations with suicide bombers: "An eye for an eye, tooth for tooth. Never listen to your adversary. Misunderstand and distrust him instead. Art is as explosive as a suicide bomber."
UPDATE: Dagens Nyheter reports that Thomas Nordanstad, head curator and creative director of "Making Differences", has been attacked by an unknown assailant at the Swedish Museum of National Antiquities. The attacker tried to push Nordenstad down a staircase.
There have also been a number of continuing protests at the museum, with demonstrators throwing pictures of dead Israelis in the pool and others offering leaflets protesting the exhibit.

"CRUSH NAZISM. FREE PALESTINE."
(Sauli Pulkkinen, Expressen, 2004/01/18)
Graffiti outside the Israeli embassy in Stockholm, made during a "graffiti attack" on Sunday morning: "CRUSH NAZISM. FREE PALESTINE."

"PM: Gov't supports terror exhibit wrecking" (Herb Keinon, The Jerusalem Post, 2004/01/18)
"Prime Minister Ariel Sharon told the cabinet Sunday that he fully supports Israel's ambassador to Sweden Zvi Mazel, who sparked a diplomatic incident when he wrecked a museum display Friday that he said glorified the suicide bomber who murdered 21 Israelis at the Maxim restaurant in Haifa last year.
Sharon said that he called the ambassador to thank him for taking action at the Stockholm museum.
"I thanked him for standing up against the growing anti-Semitism and I told him that the government stands behind his action," Sharon said. 'I think that our ambassador acted as was necessary, the phenomenon was so grave that it was impossible not to react on the spot.'" (Note: Little Green Football links to videos of Ambassador Mazel's sabotage from Dutch television.)

"Snow White and the Madness of Truth"
(AFP/Sven Nackstrand, 2004/01/17)
"Swedish artists Gunilla Skoeld Feiler (L) and Israeli born Dror Feiler stand behind their restored art installation, called Snow White in Stockholm's Museum of National Antiquities courtyard." (See also: "Hanadi Jaradat" (AP Photo, 2003/10/04))

"Israeli attack against work of art" (Björn Malmström, Svenska Dagbladet, 2004/01/17)
"Snow White" III. Ambassador Mazel goes way too far not only with his attack, but also in his portrayal of Swedish media (My translation):

Is your way of acting the best way to protest?
When the dialogue has died, yes. Israel is attacked everywhere right now. Especially in Sweden. There are daily agitations in Swedish media to kill Jews.
So you mean that Swedish media encourage the killing of Jews?
Let's say that Swedish media generally is indifferent regarding anti-Semitism. Swedish media doesn't combat hate.

It's wrong to say that the dialogue has died, because there is no dialogue on this subject in Swedish media and culture — only a perpetual monotonous monologue.
I'm the first one to be daily upset by the all-pervasive pro-Palestinian and anti-Israeli bias in Swedish media, but it is hardly the worst in the world and I have thankfully yet to see actual agitation for killing Jews in Swedish media (with the possible exception of neo-Nazi sites that is). And much less so on a daily basis. Mazel's exaggarations are all the more a pity as he clearly has a point, both when it comes to the moral obscenity of "Snow White" and on the anti-Israeli bias in Swedish media. But physical attacks against works of art and exaggarations beyond reason is hardly the way to go. That said, I think "Snow White" is reprehensible, disturbingly insensitive and a work of really bad art as well.

"Snow White and The Madness of Truth" (Making Differences, January 2004)
"Snow White" II: From the text accompanying the installation — an arty elegy for the female suicide bomber Hanadi Jaradat, interfoliating passages from the Grimm Brothers "Snow White" and from news accounts of Jaradat (a third part of the installation is Bach's cantata "Mein Herz schwimmt in Blut" ["My heart swims in Blood"]):

Before the engagement took place, he was killed in an encounter with the Israeli security forces
and she ran over sharp stones and through thorns
She said: Your blood will not have been shed in vain
and was about to pierce Snow White's innocent heart
She was hospitalized, prostrate with grief, after witnessing the shootings
The wild beasts will soon have devoured you
After his death, she became the breadwinner and she devoted herself solely to that goal
”Yes”, said Snow White, "with all my heart”
Weeping bitterly, she added: 'If our nation cannot realize its dream and the goals of the victims, and live in freedom and dignity, then let the whole world be erased'"

(See also one of the articles which is sampled in the text: "Ticking bomb" (Vered Levy-Barzilai, Haaretz/occupationalhazard.org, 2003/10/15))

"Israeli ambassador kicked out of Swedish museum after vandalizing art" (AFP, 2004/01/17)
"Snow White" I: "Israel's ambassador to Sweden [Zvi Mazel] was kicked out of Stockholm's Museum of National Antiquities after he destroyed an artwork featuring a picture of a Palestinian suicide bomber, the artists said.
The incident, widely reported in the Swedish media, occurred at the opening on Friday of the "Making Differences" exhibit, part of an upcoming international conference on genocide hosted by the Swedish government and in which Israel is scheduled to participate. ...
The art installation, called Snow White and located in the museum's courtyard, featured a basin filled with red water, designed to look like blood.
A sailboat with the name Snow White floated on the water, and placed like a sail was a photo of a smiling Hanadi Jaradat, the female lawyer who blew herself up in the Haifa suicide bombing attack in October which killed 21 Israelis.
"For me it was intolerable and an insult to the families of the victims. As ambassador to Israel I could not remain indifferent to such an obscene misrepresentation of reality," the ambassador told Swedish news agency TT.
According to museum director Kristian Berg, the ambassador went berserk in front of the 400 specially-invited guests when he saw the piece." (See also: "Ambassador wrecks suicide bomber exhibit in Sweden" (The Jerusalem Post, 2004/01/17): "Israel has threatened to boycott the conference if the museum's "Making Differences" exhibit on the Middle East conflict is not dismantled, Army Radio reported, saying that the exhibition breaks understandings Israel reached with Sweden. ... As a political activist, Feiler is president of Jews for Israeli Palestinian Peace, which initiated a campaign entitled "Jewish Manifesto: Sharon is Israel's Worst Enemy." Feiler describes himself as the 'eye-bleeding ultimate composer of intifadic and eruptive lung-outs.'"
Also: "Jewish Manifesto: Sharon is Israel's Worst Enemy." (JIPF), signed by "1700 persons from 37 countries", including Noam Chomsky and the eminent Bergman actor Erland Josephson: "In our view, he and his policies have almost single-handedly brought the Middle East to the point where disaster could strike at any moment. Sharon is the biggest threat to the Israeli people and to Jews around the world.")

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