The intolerance of art and free expression in many Islamic countries was particularly and painfully evident in the Maldives last week. A beautiful and powerful underwater sculpture by British artist Jason DeCaires Taylor was ordered destroyed by the government after objections by Islamic leaders for its depiction of human forms. Ironically, the art highlighted the dire risk of rising sea levels for the Maldives. Instead, its demise will forever symbolize the risk of rising intolerance of religious orthodoxy. For some tourists who flock to the Maldives, this outrageous attack on art just might be a deterrent to future vacation plans.
President Abdulla Yameen declared the art to be unIslamic as the depiction of human forms and idols.
Accordingly he sent in men to destroy the Coralarium, which constituted a moving display for swimmers and divers fortunate enough to see it (including at night with underwater lighting).
The Maldives archipelago’s 26 coral atolls and more than 1,000 small islands in the Indian Ocean are the most endangered from rising sea levels. It is the lowest in the world at just four feet above sea level.
Maldives Police
✔@PoliceMv
Sirru Fen Fushi resortgai hedhifaiva Coralrium gai insaanunge soora sifa vaagothah behettifaiva sculpture thah naga coralarium vany miadhuge 17:45 gai huskurevifai.
President Yameen heralded the destruction as a response to “significant public sentiment” against the exhibition. Here is the beauty destroyed in the name of religious orthodoxy:
From the Wikipedia article on the subject this action is extreme
http://www2.philly.com/philly/news/statue-viking-thorfinn-karlsefni-schuylkill-river-boathouse-row-20181002.html
I hate the destruction of art. These looked like beautifully formed pieces. Lost forever.
It is clear that Islamic majority nations are not suitable guardians of the art in their country. Even the archeological wonders of Mecca fell to the Wahhabis.
Muslim archeologists should evacuate any portable artwork, or finds, as quickly as possible. I think dig sites are as doomed as Palmyra. ISIS is just applying Islam more strictly than most. Destruction of artifacts, especially from other religions, and depictions of humans is part of the religion. Hence, any country with a majority of this region will obviously have such art and artifacts in jeopardy, either now, or in the future if it becomes more strict.
Save what you can, and grieve the rest. I truly wish that such sites as Palmyra could have been defended by some sort of international force, more effective than the UN.
Some extreme Leftist will blame the US for this, and ignore the Puritanical aspect of strict Islam.
Personally I’m pulling for rising sea levels about 10 feet
Have a problem with coastal elites, do you?
Karen S – if California slid into the ocean, I really would not be hurt. We would be closer to surfing. 😉
Another country to stay away from.
And don’t travel to America either. They destroy monuments they don’t like too.
Muslin leftists. They don’t like certain monuments, so they knock them down.
Can’t spell or think, huh?
(music)
Camp town racers sing this song…
Maldives, Maldives…
Camp town racers play with dongs…
All the do da day.
Bring on the tents…
That are made into hats.
All those people believe in bents
Live in all the crap.
Tell me where the Maldives is located so that I can fly over and flush. And I won’t use any toilet paper and will just drop apCray.
Actually, it’s an eyesore and it is located on public property. Components of it might be agreeable enough in some other setting.
You have this continual bitc! that other countries have standards of modesty that are incongruent with yours. Tough. You don’t like it, don’t live there.
And, at this point, I don’t know why anyone cares about the sensibilities of ‘artists’.
They could have sold it or traded it to another museum for something of like value. This is just a waste.
Yes. Heartbreaking. They should have tried to dismantle it and move it somewhere that it would be welcome and appreciated. I thought the art was really neat. It is so interactive with divers and swimmers. Truly an experience on multiple levels. Plus it is a deliberate effort to create a new reef.
I hope the artist retained the original casts, and can recreate it somewhere.
Malcontent Dives