Hussein Tanked!

The Czech artist David Cerny, cited here as "original" and "provocative," recently unveiled his latest creation in Middelkerke, Belgium. It's a life-sized sculpture of Saddam Hussein, bound and floating in a tank of formaldehyde.

This Hussein, however, remained on the streets for only a fleeting period of time as compared to the original.

Mayor Michel Landuyt banned the exhibit shortly after its release, claiming his judgement was unrelated to the vehement demonstations days before, which were incited by Danish artwork defaming Mohammad.

"I don't want to provoke people... or a certain group of people," he said.

The decision doesn't sound unrelated to me.

However, the artwork does. In all probability, had the incident not made news, no one outside Middelkerke would have seen the piece. Furthermore, does anyone really think that Hussein's supporters can become any more pissed off?

For those who don't remember, the man was pulled out of a hole in the ground and is in custody, facing a series of charges.

Imagine it:

"First they run Saddam out of the country. Then they hunt him down and capture him. Now somebody has sculpted his likeness and displayed it inside a fish tank? Well, that's the last straw!"

Not likely.

As for the Belgian public, it's doubtful that they care either. This would just be another of countless bits of artwork that some people don't want to look at. The solution should be as per usual - don't look at it.

The sculpture should be permitted to remain, not because it has real political significance (it doesn't), nor because I really like art (I don't), but because it's harmless.

All you've got here is a public official legislating his opinion.