Artist: 'I for Idiot' refers to George W Bush
The artwork 'I is for Idiot' seized by police for alleged insult to Islam is actually referring to the US invasion of Iraq under the administration of George W Bush, the artist explained.
The artwork 'I is for Idiot' seized by police for alleged insult to Islam is actually referring to the US invasion of Iraq under the administration of George W Bush, the artist explained.
As such, Anurendra Jegadeva (below ) said that his intention was not to insult Islam but rather the opposite - to stand in solidarity with "the Iraqi person-on-the-street", most being Muslim.
He also explained that the Quranic verse he had used was to represent the Iraqis and that it was reversed to depict the situation in the world then.
"This (the reversing of the verse) was done, with the best of intentions, to depict that moment in world history when everything seemed upside down and inside out," he said.
"As such, in the case of this reversing of the verse, there is no malicious, evil or mischievous intent involved in anyway to insult or belittle the faith," he said in the statement.
All the same, the accomplished artist, whose works have fetched as high as RM30,000, apologises for the offence he has caused from his work.
"I realise now that there are great sensitivities involved in how the word is depicted, and I apologise sincerely if this has caused offence to anyone...
"Malaysia is my homeland and it has never been my intention to offend my fellow Malaysians and that is very deeply regretted," he said.
Anurendra said that 'I is for Idiot' is one of 26 blocks part of the 'Alphabet for the Middle Aged Middle Classes' series which he completed four years ago.
Other elements of 'I for Idiot' includes a monkey in a fighter pilot's helmet, which the artist said is a "representation of American military might and actions", in particular the bombing of Baghdad.
"The word 'Idiot' refers to the American president George W Bush, the leader of the free world who was famously silly and sometimes idiotic.
"He is depicted here in the famous 'Mission Accomplished' moment when he landed on the USS Abraham Lincoln in 2003," he said.
The American flag
The flag in the art work is also the American flag, he said, with the skulls and cross bones symbolising Bush's foreign policies which benefit American national and corporate interests abroad "at any cost".
"My art is simply a way for me to try and understand the world in which we live in and to do it with truth, sincerity, grace," he added.
Police are investigating the matter under Section 298 of the Penal Code which deals with religious insults, following a police report on Aug 28 by Islamic NGO, Muafakat.
Muafakat said the art work is offensive as it allegedly depicts Islam and Muslims as idiots, and had reversed the Quranic verse.
The work was part of the M50 Selamat Hari Malaysia exhibition at Publika Mall. Anurendra's other work, which was part of the show, has since been removed for safekeeping.
The exhibition runs from Aug 27 to Sept 17, and is co-organised by MapKL@Publika, Balai Seni Visual Negara and the Tourism and Culture Ministry.
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