Art or exploitation? That's the question for this picture. It seems that some money ($91,000) was paid for this portrait (not sure who holds the copyright for the photo, but if you click it you will goto the site I got it from) and was supposed to help CHILDREN in Cambodia. The doctor who administers the fund turned the money down 'out of respect for our patients and their mothers' because of the cultural differences in the country and the west.I don't know about you, but letting someone potentially die (healthcare isn't that good in Cambodia or the good Swedish doctor wouldn't be needing money to run a clinic) because of 'respect' isn't my idea of a good thing. Morals are what keep us sailing the straight and narrow or whatever floats your boat, but personal morals shouldn't get in the way of healing kids. There are people who I admire that would argue with me on that point and to them I'd like to say, show me. Show me the child that has to die to assuage your morals. Show me the family that gets told no because you feel that a painting of a woman (who knew she was being painted and got PAID to do it) is not acceptable to raise money for them.
When you can show me, and still feel good about your morals, I will acknowledge you as being better than I am. Until then, heal the damn kids.
couriermail.com.auA DOCTOR running hospitals in Cambodia has refused a donation raised from the sale of a nude photo of France's first lady.
Swiss paediatrician Beat Richner, head of a children's medical care group, said he had turned down an offer of $US91,000 ($97,700) raised at a New York auction last week of the 1993 picture of Italian ex-model Carla Bruni, now married to President Nicolas Sarkozy.
"My decision was taken out of respect for our patients and their mothers," he said in an interview with Le Matin Dimanche.
"Accepting money obtained from exploitation of the female body would be perceived as an insult."
In Cambodia "use of nudity is not understood in the way it is in the West".
He did not wish his institution, the Kantha Bopha Children's Hospital Association, "to be involved in the media exploitation of Madame Bruni".
7 comments:
I really don't know about this one. I do know how strongly some peoples, esp Indonesians, feel about certain things and I'd refuse money gained from say a picture of Madonna on the cross in Russia, if there was such a picture. That would seem to me blood money.
There was a campaign called F-ck for Forest which was supposed to raisxe money for that worthy cause.
Think there has to be a limit somewhere. Whether the Bruni photo is the limit I'm not sure.
[by the way, I've replied he he]
There's a difference between YOU refusing money and you refusing it for someone else.
I can understand morally not taking anything for myself, but to not take the money for other children because of his morals (I bet the mothers of said children didn't really care where the money came from) is what I think is wrong.
SE Asia is home to a huge sex industry, much of which involves children.
Why would anyone turn down money to help the sick?
Kind of what I mean Winfred. I don't really think the Cambodian mothers really look into the finances of the clinic before they go.
I'm with you on this one, I have to say.
Not sure what the fuss is about, and I'm not sure oriental cultures have much to say on women's rights either.
How sad that money was raised for these children and yet it has been refused. Pity that it matters the money was raised from a nude painting, If the money is to help sick and dying children, as long as it didnt involve the death or harm of another person in raising the funds, can't see a problem with it.
"I'd refuse money gained from say a picture of Madonna on the cross in Russia, if there was such a picture. That would seem to me blood money."
Sounds a tad prudish James.
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