On the frontpage of the Abendzeitung tonight is a story of how the Hartogs opticians on Leopoldstrasse got raided by police because of an offensive shop window display. Apparently it's illegal in Germany to show a person's naughty bits in public. Unless it's a work of art. Although the display was created by the famous German artist Niki de Saint Phalle the polizei didn't consider this art. So what's the difference between a papier mâché puppet and the naked mannequins we see in shop windows everyday? It seems the problem was the hair. To play it safe the opticians should have gone for the shaven look instead. The Abendzeitung asks, "who decides the difference between art and pornography?" Ha! Regular TT readers will be familiar with this question. See thread: porn or nudity. Another great quote from the end of the article, shop owner Christoph Hartogs shakes his head in amazement at the commotion he's caused and says, "München ist eben nicht wie jede Großstadt - München ist wirklich einzigartig". Yes, einzigartig indeed. And we have a name for that, don't we boys and girls? ...
[img]http://www.toytowngermany.com/munich/nude-munich-compare.jpg[/img]
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Munich shop window - art or porn?
Controversy over Hartogs optician on Leopoldstraße
It's not _by_ Niki de Saint-Phalle (she died in 2002), it's "like" her stuff. "...eine weibliche Figur... deren Darstellung an Werke von Niki des (sic) Saint Phalle erinnert."
In a very wide sense of the word, I suppose. And they'd put a wig on the pubic area. And it had been in the window for two months already by the time anyone complained about it. And Saint Phalle was French and lived in the US for most of her life.
"Perücke am falschen Platz", SZ, 28. April 2004 Seite 38
In a very wide sense of the word, I suppose. And they'd put a wig on the pubic area. And it had been in the window for two months already by the time anyone complained about it. And Saint Phalle was French and lived in the US for most of her life.
"Perücke am falschen Platz", SZ, 28. April 2004 Seite 38
Nicki de Saint Phalle was born in Hannover.
It's true, Niki's dead! I guess this was a case of "lost in translation". Bob, you missed the word "Anlehnung", meaning "in the style of".
Like Artlover said, Hartogs had had that window for a couple of months already. I kept meaning to take a picture of it but I never had my camera when I was walking by... now it's too late, I guess!
Great PR.
Niki was born near Paris, grew up mostly in the U.S., but travelled widely around Europe. Collaborated with and married the Swiss sculpturer Jean Tinguely. Created the famous Tarot Garden in Tuscanny (visited it last summer) and died yes, in 2002 in California. She does those famous "Nana's" (the big, blue, large, bald ladies).
What you saw in that window was pure shite. Really ugly. And yeah, was up for awhile b/f some tight-butted idiots found it insulting. But it made you stop and take a lookl
What you saw in that window was pure shite. Really ugly. And yeah, was up for awhile b/f some tight-butted idiots found it insulting. But it made you stop and take a lookl
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