http://www.thejournal.ie/a-holy-mess-bishop-and-td-weigh-on-on-controversial-ucc-exhibit-161807-Jun2011/

Artist says SHE’S offended by UCC blasphemy controversy by Emer McLysaght

Tue, 10:15 PM 2,510 Views 39 Comments Share158 Tweet23

Artist Alma Lopez
THE ARTIST AT the centre of the controversy surrounding an exhibition at University College Cork has said that she’s offended by the offence caused by her work.
Alma Lopez, a Mexian-American artist, was invited to participate in a conference on Chicano culture at UCC, organised in conjuction with NUI Maynooth and the University of Beilefeld in Germany.
The exhibition featured one of Lopez’s works called Our Lady, which is a digital print of the artist’s impression of Our Lady of Guadalupe. It was attended by about 50 people, including scholars from Arizona, Germany, Mexico, England, Ireland and Spain.
Lopez told TheJournal.ie that she lays the blame for the controversy surrounding her work at the feet of an American group called America Needs Fatima. She said they have embarked on a campaign of harassment and stalking, and that the group preceeded her visit to UCC by bombarding the college with emails and petitions – thousands of them, compromising the university’s system.
The Bishop of Cork and Ross voiced his concern about the exhibition last week, as did Fine Gael Cork South Central TD Jerry Buttimer, while there were protests outside the university for the duration of the conference.
Lopez said that she can’t see how she’s being accused of blasphemy, because her work has nothing to do with religion. She said Our Lady of Guadalupe is a very important figure in Mexican culture, and a symbol of honour and respect. The artists said that people are confusing the image with that of the Virgin Mary:
I don’t want to show my work in a church, it’s not a religious piece. It’s supposed to be honoured as a symbol of Mexican and Chicano culture and as a tribute to women.
In fact, Lopez said that she’s offended by people taking offence to the piece, because she sees it as an affront to women and the celebration of women and her culture. She rejects reports that the woman in the picture is wearing a bikini – she says she is merely covered with roses. The image also features elements of the Coyolxauhqui Stone, which is an Aztec artifact.
‘I am an artist!’
Catherine Leen, lecturer at the Department of Spanish at NUI Maynooth, who was one of the organisers of the conference at UCC, said they never dreamed that inviting Alma Lopez to take part would cause such controversy:
We didn’t sit around in a room planning and scheming to bring this artist over because we thought it would cause a stir.
Leen told TheJournal.ie that the purpose of bringing Lopez over was to showcase her art and to hear her speak about a book she’s co-edited about controversies surrounding images and the use of images of Our Lady of Guadalupe. She said she was embarrassed by the protests and the reception the artist recieved.
Lopez herself exclaimed “I have a Masters in Fine Arts. I am an artist”. She has ridiculed Ireland’s blasphemy laws, after it was suggested that a file may be sent to the Director of Public Prosections after complaints were made to the Gardaí. Her co-editor on the book – entitled Our Lady of Controversy – Alicia Gaspor de Alba, who is a Professor of Chicano Studies at UCLA, accompanied Lopez on the trip. She told TheJournal.ie that she had done some thorough research on Irish blasphemy laws in advance of the trip. Both women feel that the laws are ridiculous.
Lopez said that her image wouldn’t even qualify for investigation under the laws, because it is a work of art, and she is a bona fide artist. She feels controversies like this are stirred up in an attempt to find an easy target or a scapegoat, and to distract from issues within the Catholic Church. She has called on the Irish people to organise themselves against these laws, because “they are a threat to Irish freedom of speech”.
Racism, sexism and homophobia
Asked if she feels her sexuality may have something to do with the activities of America Needs Fatima, Lopez said she is certain of it. “I am queer” she said: “I think these protests are about racism, sexism and homophobia”. She detailed how the group has protested against businesses in the US for supporting Gay Pride. She and Alicia Gaspor de Alba felt that the protests at UCC had something to do with America Needs Fatima.
The group protested when the Lopez’s Our Lady was first displayed in Santa Fe, New Mexico in 2001. After the events in Santa Fe, Lopez did not show the piece again until earlier this year, at a museum in California. Again the group protested. Lopez told TheJournal.ie that although members of the group did not make the trip to Ireland, they certainly made their presence felt.

Our Lady, Alma Lopez, 1999
Read more: File may be sent to the DPP over ‘blasphemous’ UCC exhibition>

A holy mess: Bishop and TD weigh in on controversial UCC exhibit>

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Emer McLysaght
emer@thejournal.ie
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Comments (39 Comments)Leave a comment

Traci Laird
4 days ago #
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59 93
As a native born Texican who has been around images of the Vegan of Guacamole my whole life, (and yes, those are insider sayings) you have GOT to be kidding!! You invite a feminist artist to your country to show her beautiful art and THIS is how you treat her?!?!?
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Louise Walshe
4 days ago #
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14 131
Traci with all due respect, it would seem to me that the protests are coming from a minority group of zealouts. I doubt that the average, reasonable person would have any issue with it, and if they did, a quick glance over the Artist’s explaination of her work and what it actually represents should clear the air for them. I’m sure those that invited her gave her the proper reception and respect she deserves.

Ryan Allen
4 days ago #
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17 59
“You invite a feminist artist to your country to show her beautiful art and THIS is how you treat her?!?!?”
Traci, I’m sure Alma Lopez believes in democracy and the right to protest, especially given that her work has caused so much protest around the world – not just in Ireland. Plus you make it sound as if she was on a state visit or something – she wasn’t.

Alex simon
4 days ago #
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56 13
ART? Usually has something original… Copy/paste/adjust jobs are not art.

Louise Walshe
3 days ago #
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4 38
Where exactly is that written in stone? Art is art: a visual representation of an idea/fantasy/emotion etc., whether its oil paints (my own personal preference) or digital. The medium chosen should be of little consequence.

Liam MacSuibhne
3 days ago #
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4 36
I t would seem Traci, that it is an American group that has stirred up the ‘controversy’ so please maybe you should retract ”this is how YOU treat her”…..the problem is a very consistent, well-known retrograde, creationist Christian fundamentalism emanating from YOUR country. Read the article. ”Harrassed” and ”stalked” by this group.
Get it right Traci, before you start tarring us with your imported cultural issues, good or bad. For what its worth, she should be allowed to display whatever art, in whatever form she chooses, wherever she chooses. People vote with their feet, its a free country.

Anaheim Ducks
3 days ago #
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20 16
Liam MacSuibhne, shouldn’t you get your facts straight?
“The Bishop of Cork and Ross voiced his concern about the exhibition last week, as did Fine Gael Cork South Central TD Jerry Buttimer, while there were protests outside the university for the duration of the conference.”
These guys are imported from the US? A TD in the US is a score in American football. A cork is what we put in wine. Doubt either of them are from the US.
And you let Americans send files to “the Director of Public Prosections after complaints were made to the Gardaí.” ?
Some social rejects from the US stalk and harass her and your homegrown Irish bigots pick up on it . We certainly know we have plenty of idiots here, but it sure looks like you have your own problem with “creationist Christian fundamentalism.”
And then you have your laughable blasphemy laws – at least we still have the right to make fun of these idiots.

jackass ireland
3 days ago #
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0 19
Would that make her Holy Guacamole?

Roos Demol
4 days ago #
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16 81
I am embarassed myself, that artist did not deserve this treatment at all. Shame on all these extremists!
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Frank McMahon
3 days ago #
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2 30
did anyone read this piece? she clearly states a bunch of times that an American organisation has been sabotaging her work and that theyve been using scare tactics to ‘warn’ religious folks of her, most likely because shes gay. this wasnt really an Irish issue.

Stephen Carmody
4 days ago #
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12 37
I can only echo Catherine Leens embarrassment.
The new lows seems to be set daily in Ireland at the moment.
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Peter O'Toole
4 days ago #
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12 41
Although the artist sees the piece as non-religious, clearly others would consider it so. Give the religious nutjobs any chance to flex their muscle and they’ll take it. Let them protests, do we have to take any notice?
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Róisín Áine Nic Dhonnacha
4 days ago #
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4 23
A very religious person once said to me ‘ to the pure all things are pure ‘… The zealots regardless of which side of this argument they support might wish to consider that.
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Ryan Murphy
4 days ago #
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4 42
I wouldn’t blame her for being offended. She’s in good company. The god botherers have been offending decent Irish people for decades, and longer.
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Gunnar Dangle
4 days ago #
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4 16
She has my vote!
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Cormac Donoghue
4 days ago #
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25 8
Interesting story, until you see the art in question. I have never seen this form of art before, not anything similar to it categorized as art, so I would presume it is just a vehicle for both sides.
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Simon Prunty
3 days ago #
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3 12
What??

granbajo
3 days ago #
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0 6
Cormac, you should go out more often!
Her art is a fair reflexion of what Chicano culture is all about. You may like it or not (fwiw I don’t!) but you should at least respect it!

Mark Browne
3 days ago #
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9 26
At least this excellent artist can go home to sanity. The rest of the Irish population have to stay here stuck with these narrow minded people. In 2011 it’s abysmal that an artist is treated like this in Ireland.
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Seamus Quinn
3 days ago #
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2 22
Irish Law may indeed be ridiculous, and the church and local politicians blindly over-reactive but obviously the controversy over this piece has been stirred up by outside forces.. not helped by some pretty un-subtle media descriptions of the work itself. The Independent, and subsequently Journal.ie reported it as ‘Our Lady in a floral bikini’.. when really, the image is quite restrained. Confrontational yes, but sexualised, no.
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Dave Smith
3 days ago #
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4 23
Anyone remember if that weird blasphemy law got passed a while back? The one that seemed to render illegal offending morons.
I don’t want to be too rude as I am just in from the pub but if neccessary I will do my best to blaspheme tomorrow on this site.
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Simon Prunty
3 days ago #
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2 22
Where are the laws that allow us to place the pope on trial for crimes against humanity? There are documents proving his direct hand in the abuse cover up, so what are we waiting for? They have no moral authority whatsoever. Punish this archaic organisation for what they’ve done. Their superstitions do not place them above the laws of the people.
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Frank McMahon
3 days ago #
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9 16
you cant use capitals in a heading like that unless youre a tabloid rag with no self-respect.
“..says SHE’S offended” – looks really amateurish.
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Roos Demol
3 days ago #
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1 1
Very right, Frank. Capital letters are rude! Should never be used by trained journalists, unless they work for ‘news of the world’ or the likes

Alan Murphy™
3 days ago #
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5 10
I would have thought a religious controversy would be more in the line of a priest dropping the hand on an altar boy. Get a grip people, it’s art crap or not
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Julie Swayne
3 days ago #
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2 14
Some people need to step out of the middle ages…..
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Ando Winters
3 days ago #
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0 11
i actually like her piece, i agree she should as a guest be treated without being made a scapegoat for relgious groups. i hope she takes away with her the positives from the experience.
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Roos Demol
3 days ago #
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1 1
Which positives?

Victoria Hall
3 days ago #
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1 2
Royal Cork is where Bishop Lucey reigned!
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Lisa Saputo
3 days ago #
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3 3
I don’t know what the fuss is all about, I think it’s shit. Plus isn’t that Botticelli one basically the same and noone gets their cassock in a twist about that one.
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Shane Coppinger
3 days ago #
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0 6
The blasphemy laws are a joke
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Roos Demol
3 days ago #
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2 1
@frank mcmahon: judging by the protesters and comments on Previous articles, and the fact that irish politicians got involved as well as an Irish bishop, this has very much become an Irish issue!
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John Butler
3 days ago #
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0 5
If the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel , with its images of sketchily draped angels , saints and other holy folk , ( and painted by a gay Italian for God’s sake ! ) were exhibited in Cork : would the Irish Branch of H.J.I .
( Holy Joes International ) be rearing their purblind heads ? Do you know ? I can’t be sure .
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Brian McGuinness
3 days ago #
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1 1
I’m offended that she’s offended about people being offended……. this can only be positive for her career and btw Catholics worship a torture device…that’s kinda offensive too.
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Oireachtas Retort
3 days ago #
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0 0
Religious loons are nuts, whodavthunkit
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Frances Kiernan-Donaghy
2 days ago #
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3 0
Why on earth did she call the picture “Our Lady” ???????
and I agreee with the Bishop!! we have to have RESPECT for peoples beliefs!! this wouldn’t be allowed to happen in another country!!!!
Our Lady is the mother of Christ and all pictures of her image should be respected!!
She should have used another name for her work and another backround!!!!
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John Butler
1 day ago #
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0 0
And furthernore , it owes more to Sheela na gig than any Christian image !
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John Butler
3 days ago #
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0 0
Use your real name and help your bruised crediblity .
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John Butler
2 days ago #
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0 0
I’m obliged to you ,Frances , however I can only disagree with yourself and the good Bishop . A valid objection would be that the image is a piece of Kitsch and not high art , and the church , being fond of sentimental imagery and inclined to florid decoration would be an expert in this field . To say that it could be in any way referring to the BVM in any of the preternatural mantles in which you might garb her , is oversensitive . The idea of your iconic lady , should be robust enough to sail this storm of the fevered imaginings of a few delicate creatures divorced from humanity.