Topless art history
August 19 2012
In Caracas, topless protesters have assembeled outside the Museum of Contemporary Art to demand the swift return of the museum's prized but missing Matisse. The painting, Odalisque in Red Trousers, was recently recovered by the FBI in the US. From The Guardian:
The women were photographed by the Venezuelan artist Violette Bule in poses reminiscent of the 1925 post-impressionist work that was replaced with a fake over a decade ago.
"My main goal is to have the original returned but I also want to call attention to the irony behind the way the art market works," said Bule, who masterminded the ensemble. "After this scandal, the Odalisque will surely be worth much more," she added.
Probably not. But it's an interesting way to protest, and has hopefully set a new precedent - if so one might almost wish that the Rokeby Venus be stolen. Imagine the scene in Trafalgar Square. Meanwhile, there are alarming reports that quite a few more pictures from the Caracas museum have gone missing.
