Thursday 5 March 2015

Wolf Vostell's Miss Vietnam 1967


New in Vienna's MUMOK is a Pop Art Exhibition titled Ludwig goes Pop




But before I can come to the works of Andy Warhol, Roy Lichtenstein, Robert Indiana & Co. I stop to take in a remarkable work by Wolf Vostell (1932-1998).

An information notice states: Miss Vietnam 1967. Materials: mannequin, painted, burnt, collage, various materials. 

To Miss Vietnam 1967 and all the other innocents who were burnt to a crisp in 1967 in Vietnam I really don't know what to say. I really don't have the right words. For the moment I know only that the words 'collateral' and 'damage' are not the right words for what I see before me.

I am sad.

I am sad for humankind.
I am sad that we cannot behave better than we do.
And I am sad for the way we make excuses for our bad behaviour
and for the way we appease our souls
by use of cunning words and
playing games
       with medals
and ribbons.   

Today 
I am very sad. 








3 comments:

  1. I want to leave a comment but I cannot find the right words. I want to say I agree.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I saw it last night and did not find the words too.

    ReplyDelete
  3. By chance I came across a Pablo Neruda poem today which mentions the Vietnam War, so I will put it on the blog for educational purposes when the time is right. I think when we don't know what to say we have our two minutes silence and then carry on as best we can.

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