If Alpha's "flag art" story disgusted you...

[StrangeSox]

This has to be the most messed up thing I've ever heard.

 

http://yaledailynews.com/story.html

 

Art major Aliza Shvarts '08 wants to make a statement.

 

Beginning next Tuesday, Shvarts will be displaying her senior art project, a documentation of a nine-month process during which she artificially inseminated herself "as often as possible" while periodically taking abortifacient drugs to induce miscarriages. Her exhibition will feature video recordings of these forced miscarriages as well as preserved collections of the blood from the process.

 

The goal in creating the art exhibition, Shvarts said, was to spark conversation and debate on the relationship between art and the human body. But her project has already provoked more than just debate, inciting, for instance, outcry at a forum for fellow senior art majors held last week. And when told about Shvarts' project, students on both ends of the abortion debate have expressed shock — saying the project does everything from violate moral code to trivialize abortion.

 

But Shvarts insists her concept was not designed for "shock value."

 

"I hope it inspires some sort of discourse," Shvarts said. "Sure, some people will be upset with the message and will not agree with it, but it's not the intention of the piece to scandalize anyone."

 

The "fabricators," or donors, of the sperm were not paid for their services, but Shvarts required them to periodically take tests for sexually transmitted diseases. She said she was not concerned about any medical effects the forced miscarriages may have had on her body. The abortifacient drugs she took were legal and herbal, she said, and she did not feel the need to consult a doctor about her repeated miscarriages.

 

Shvarts declined to specify the number of sperm donors she used, as well as the number of times she inseminated herself.

 

Art major Juan Castillo '08 said that although he was intrigued by the creativity and beauty of her senior project, not everyone was as thrilled as he was by the concept and the means by which she attained the result.

 

"I really loved the idea of this project, but a lot other people didn't," Castillo said. "I think that most people were very resistant to thinking about what the project was really about. [The senior-art-project forum] stopped being a conversation on the work itself."

 

Although Shvarts said she does not remember the class being quite as hostile as Castillo described, she said she believes it is the nature of her piece to "provoke inquiry."

 

"I believe strongly that art should be a medium for politics and ideologies, not just a commodity," Shvarts said. "I think that I'm creating a project that lives up to the standard of what art is supposed to be."

 

The display of Schvarts' project will feature a large cube suspended from the ceiling of a room in the gallery of Green Hall. Schvarts will wrap hundreds of feet of plastic sheeting around this cube; lined between layers of the sheeting will be the blood from Schvarts' self-induced miscarriages mixed with Vaseline in order to prevent the blood from drying and to extend the blood throughout the plastic sheeting.

 

Schvarts will then project recorded videos onto the four sides of the cube. These videos, captured on a VHS camcorder, will show her experiencing miscarriages in her bathrooom tub, she said. Similar videos will be projected onto the walls of the room.

 

School of Art lecturer Pia Lindman, Schvarts' senior-project advisor, could not be reached for comment Wednesday night.

 

Few people outside of Yale's undergraduate art department have heard about Shvarts' exhibition. Members of two campus abortion-activist groups — Choose Life at Yale, a pro-life group, and the Reproductive Rights Action League of Yale, a pro-choice group — said they were not previously aware of Schvarts' project.

 

Alice Buttrick '10, an officer of RALY, said the group was in no way involved with the art exhibition and had no official opinion on the matter.

 

Sara Rahman '09 said, in her opinion, Shvarts is abusing her constitutional right to do what she chooses with her body.

 

"[shvarts' exhibit] turns what is a serious decision for women into an absurdism," Rahman said. "It discounts the gravity of the situation that is abortion."

 

CLAY member Jonathan Serrato '09 said he does not think CLAY has an official response to Schvarts' exhibition. But personally, Serrato said he found the concept of the senior art project "surprising" and unethical.

 

"I feel that she's manipulating life for the benefit of her art, and I definitely don't support it," Serrato said. "I think it's morally wrong."

 

Shvarts emphasized that she is not ashamed of her exhibition, and she has become increasingly comfortable discussing her miscarriage experiences with her peers.

 

"It was a private and personal endeavor, but also a transparent one for the most part," Shvarts said. "This isn't something I've been hiding."

 

The official reception for the Undergraduate Senior Art Show will be from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on April 25. The exhibition will be on public display from April 22 to May 1. The art exhibition is set to premiere alongside the projects of other art seniors this Tuesday, April 22 at the gallery of Holcombe T. Green Jr. Hall on Chapel Street.

[Controlled Chaos]

f***in Disgusting!!

[EvilMonkey]

Just wrong. Regardless of your abortion position.

[StrangeSox]

Just wrong. Regardless of your abortion position.

 

I think that, outside of a couple of messed up art students, everyone agrees on that.

 

I'm really trying to understand what is artistic about this.

[Texsox]

I think that, outside of a couple of messed up art students, everyone agrees on that.

 

I'm really trying to understand what is artistic about this.

NOT IN DEFENSE OF THIS IN ANY WAY SHAPE OR FORM!

 

I think non artists have a very narrow definition of art. We probably need a term that describes stuff like this. Perhaps "visual editorials" "Live Editorial Cartoons". I don't know.

 

I do worry about the effects on her body.

 

It is interesting how this does spark some dialogs and in a unique way.

And if you are thinking of quoting and and debating that I said this is art, please reread the first line.

[jackie hayes]

There are many reasons to be skeptical about the literal truth of this.

 

I think the artist would say that its literal truth is beside the point, and I'm inclined to agree with that.

[mr_genius]

Cool. So here's another piece of art I'm sure all you supporters of this will enjoy

 

http://pluginamp.com/network/node/3575

 

 

 

here's the photos of the dog starving to death in the art studio as people walk around it drinking cocktails. very edgy, what an artist!

 

http://elperritovive.blogspot.com/

Edited April 18, 2008 by mr_genius

[mr_genius]

There are many reasons to be skeptical about the literal truth of this.

 

yea, it has to be fake. i'm betting she just did this for some attention.

[Texsox]

Cool. So here's another piece of art I'm sure all you supporters of this will enjoy

 

Are you hoping that one of those suporters would happen into this trhead? So far no one here supports it.

[Gregory Pratt]

Haven't people from the University and the girl said that, no, this isn't literally true? Regardless, it is absolutely disgusting.

[jackie hayes]

Haven't people from the University and the girl said that, no, this isn't literally true? Regardless, it is absolutely disgusting.

Yes:

 

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/conte...8041702519.html

 

Though I couldn't find that article earlier today.

 

It's interesting -- the story getting out today really changes the way it'll be seen. More people might go, but it'll be a wholly different reaction now.

[EvilMonkey]

Now this dumbass is claiming that the University is trying to cover her art up. All part of her 'performance art'?

http://www.yaledailynews.com/articles/view/24528

But Shvarts reiterated Thursday that she repeatedly use a needleless syringe to insert semen into herself. At the end of her menstrual cycle, she took abortifacient herbs to induce bleeding, she said. She said she does not know whether or not she was ever pregnant

This girl is just sick either way.

[jackie hayes]

There are many reasons to be skeptical about the literal truth of this.

 

I think the artist would say that its literal truth is beside the point, and I'm inclined to agree with that.

 

“No one can say with 100-percent certainty that anything in the piece did or did not happen,” Shvarts said, “because the nature of the piece is that it did not consist of certainties.”

 

Damn, I'm good.

[Texsox]

Does anyone even still care about the abortion debate? The Pro-Life extremists have not killed a Doctor in years, no bombings, etc. No thousand cross displays marking each death. The pro-choice extremists haven't tried to convince us that third trimester, partial birth abortions are fine and the baby doesn't feel any pain.

 

Actually a certain time it's a dead issue, no candidate is pandering for votes on the issue.

[StrangeSox]

Cool. So here's another piece of art I'm sure all you supporters of this will enjoy

 

http://pluginamp.com/network/node/3575

 

 

 

here's the photos of the dog starving to death in the art studio as people walk around it drinking cocktails. very edgy, what an artist!

 

http://elperritovive.blogspot.com/

 

 

Apparently this was also a hoax of sorts. They found a stray dog before the show and brought it in. They fed it and gave it water. The artist's point was "to expose people for what they really are - 'hyprocritical sheep'," because they wouldn't care about the dog on the street but it is the center of attention in an art gallery.

[jackie hayes]

Does anyone even still care about the abortion debate? The Pro-Life extremists have not killed a Doctor in years, no bombings, etc. No thousand cross displays marking each death. The pro-choice extremists haven't tried to convince us that third trimester, partial birth abortions are fine and the baby doesn't feel any pain.

 

Actually a certain time it's a dead issue, no candidate is pandering for votes on the issue.

You're wrong, Tex. It's still a very loaded issue. I had no clue what Bush meant when he referred to the Dred Scott decision in a 2004 debate against Kerry, but found out later the pro-life association. Some of the key moments in the Roberts confirmation hearing were his statements regarding Roe v Wade. Noone's retreated from his position, they've just accepted the stalemate.

 

BUT -- in terms of this project, I think it's wrong to see it as any sort of comment on the political debate.

[mr_genius]

Apparently this was also a hoax of sorts. They found a stray dog before the show and brought it in. They fed it and gave it water. The artist's point was "to expose people for what they really are - 'hyprocritical sheep'," because they wouldn't care about the dog on the street but it is the center of attention in an art gallery.

 

it was just a shock art piece. a poorly done shock art piece at that. supposedly the dog did die. should have been taken to a vet, not a art gallery.

Edited April 18, 2008 by mr_genius