An Inescapable Irony?

[John Cole]

Well, almost. Although U.N. representatives spoke to the cameras in front of the reproduction freely a few days ago, for Powell's speech on 5 February, someone felt it necessary to drape a blue curtain over Picasso's work:

http://www.pbs.org/treasuresoftheworld/guernica/gmain.html

[Zeno]

Penetrating title for an interesting post. Reminds me of a pleasurable and related incident that I remember from 1987 or 1988. The Pope (the one with the funny hat, you know; a beanie (yarmulke?)) came to Phoenix around then and it was a Holy Extravaganza. His Eminence gave a free-for-all Mass to the masses at Sun Devil Stadium on the Arizona State University Campus. Now at Sun Devil Stadium, Sparky, the ASU mascot, is very prominently displayed. Sparky is a chubby little devil with horns, spiked tail, and toting a trident - at the ready to poke all adversaries. Well, portly Sparky had to be covered up when the Pope gave his Mass. I have forgotten the official explanation for his covering, but; I’m sure it was crouched in the most nauseating niceness that could be feed to the mindless masses.



A side note with moral:


I was doing some studies at the time and got to see His Holiness’ motorcade as it whizzed along a predetermined route to His Scared Shindig. Fencing was erected along the route and security was tight, manhole covers welded shut, etc. A few of us grad students ran down near the stadium to see if we could catch a glimpse of this demigod. Not much of a crowd along the route so we got a good look at all the vehicles that started going past. He, that is, The Popester, zoomed by in a big black limo.

He was in the back seat, of course. I saw only a portion of what probably is a long white nose, pale forehead, gray hairs and a white uniform. But, god bless him, he was doing a perfect “Rose Parade” wave with his arm so I got a sound look at his right hand, the very hand with the FAMOUS GOLD RING. I was dazzled and stricken with awe. Was this really the secret all-purpose decoder ring of ancient times that now encircles such holy fingers? It was. I missed most of the holy persona but got a good long look at one of the most famous pieces of jewelry in all of Christendom. I was mollified. I can now die as happy a death as any atheist in history. Including David Hume.


Shalom,

Le Misanthrope

[John Cole]

I would have gone for a glimpse, too (and I would have skipped the Mass). Don't all atheists die happy?

John

[TAFKAn]

No, atheists just die. /forums/images/icons/smile.gif

That would make a good bumpersticker.

[Zeno]

Yes, I would suppose all atheists die happy. But the forum gossip has it that this Wildbill can put a probability on it. That would be an interesting stat.

-Zeno

P.S. I skipped the Mass.

[Chris Alger]

Amazing. One quote that's missing from the linked story is something I recall from Time on the occasion when the painting was returned to Spain by MOMA. If I recall correctly, Spanish authorities informed MOMA that the political conditions necessary for Guernica's return had been met, and wanted the painting back. MOMA complied. A Spanish minister of cultural affairs commented: "the last refugee of the Spanish Civil War has finally returned."