Liberal 000
Chief Minister (5k+ posts)
Protesters later on toppled down the statue
Artist's statue of Netanyahu causes a stir outside Tel Aviv city hall
The four-meter tall structure was constructed in the likeness of monuments erected by despotic leaders; artist says he sought to test limitation on freedom of expression with the creation.
[FONT=&]Tel Aviv artist Itay Zaliat, 37, caused a stir on Tuesday after placing a golden statue of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in front of the Tel Aviv Municipality building. [/FONT]
[FONT=&]Overlooking Rabin Square, the four-meter (13-foot) tall structure twinkled as the morning sunlight hit the glossy, golden paint. Onlookers squeezed past to take pictures in front of the statue and debated freedom of expression in public space.
[/FONT][FONT=&]Speaking to [/FONT]The Jerusalem Post[FONT=&], Zalait said he was hoping to provoke public debate. "The most important thing is to make people think and to not take things for granted. To imagine - without saying its good or bad - how does it feel to live in a country where a statue of the leader is in the center of the town? said Zaliet, Right now this feels like provocation but it could become reality.[/FONT]
[FONT=&]Zalait, standing triumphantly near his statue, which took three months to make, was accosted by supporters and detractors, one man shouted, he is seeking to destroy the country! others yelled, well done! well done! [/FONT]
[FONT=&]The purpose is to put [Netanyahu] in a gold dress like he sees himself, like a king, said Tel Aviv resident Rafael Gordin, 76, so we say well you are a king and here we will put you. [/FONT]
[FONT=&]The statue, which sat upon a white pedestal, and was surrounded by red velvet rope was slapped with an evacuation notice by the Tel Aviv municipality early Tuesday morning. [/FONT]
[FONT=&]In a statement provided to the [/FONT]Post[FONT=&], the Tel Aviv Municipality said, the statue was placed in Rabin Square without authorization from the Tel Aviv-Yafo Municipality. The Municipality placed a demand to evacuate the statue, as is done when anything is placed in the public sphere without coordination or authorization. [/FONT]
[FONT=&]Among those who gathered to view the spectacle was Tel Aviv Deputy Mayor Arnon Giladi, who condemned the statue telling [/FONT]The Jerusalem Post[FONT=&]'s sister Hebrew publication [/FONT]Maariv[FONT=&], that it is "cheap provocation of senseless people who are not willing to accept the decision of the voter."[/FONT]
[FONT=&]"The same artists always make sure to speak loftily about freedom of expression, but only when it concerns a political position they support," he added. [/FONT]
[FONT=&]Meanwhile Zalait was reticent about the future of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus political career, Lets see, maybe [Netanyahu] will pass on maybe this statue is a prophecy," he said.[/FONT]
[FONT=&]City workers later took down the statue and removed it from the vicinity.
[/FONT]Source
Last edited by a moderator:
