Monday Morning Coming Down

at

Above: Maser with his Repeal mural at the Project Arts Centre , Temple Bar

It went up.

It went down.

It went up again

Via The Project Arts Centre

The Charities Regulator has informed Project Arts Centre that the display of Maser’s ‘Repeal the 8th’ artwork is ‘political activity’ and that Project is therefore in breach of the Charities Act 2009 and not in line with Project’s ‘charitable purpose’.

Should the artwork not be removed, Project risks losing its charitable status. Project Arts Centre respects the authority of the Charities Regulator and will comply with their order to remove Maser’s artwork.

Fiona Slevin, Chair of Project Arts Centre said:

“We strive to sustain Project’s stated purpose and objectives, namely to remain Ireland’s leading centre for the presentation and development of contemporary art, and to work with artists across all art forms to make and present extraordinary works that inspire and provoke.

The artwork by Maser fits precisely with this remit. In presenting Maser’s work, we are facilitating the presentation of art by a highly regarded, award-winning street artist who has displayed artworks across Ireland, Europe and the United States.”

Maser’s artwork will be painted over by the Artistic Director of Project Arts Centre, Cian O’Brien at 11am at the centre on Monday.

All welcome.

Previously: It’s Back

Meanwhile, In Temple Bar

Top pic: Ste

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54 thoughts on “Monday Morning Coming Down

  1. newsjustin

    Haha

    (Fair play to them for acting responsibly within the law though. Amnesty Ireland should take note.)

  2. Daisy Chainsaw

    I think I’ll report a few churches for hanging posters on their railings. After all, they’re charities too and the shouldn’t be jeopardising their charitable status by interfering in political affairs!

    1. newsjustin

      I saw someone else on journal.ie making a similar point. I’d actually be interested in knowing if a similar case might be made here. It’s a fair point.

    2. ReproBertie (SCU)

      Never mind the posters. Church leaders are giving political speeches and inviting Pro Life campaigners to do the same. That’s political activity.

      1. jusayinlike

        And paying for the whole campaign, all without paying redress or apologising for inflicting untold misery..

        1. newsjustin

          How do you make out that catholic church leaders are paying for the whole (no) campaign?

  3. david

    This mural is not art it is about a political view as in repeal the eight amendment
    If it was art it would also display the opposite view so mouser get your brush and balance your political poster
    Sorry a referendum is pending and it must be taken down. If not they are in violation of the charities act
    And withdraw their funding

    1. Frilly Keane

      Be smug and gloat all you like
      But ye triggered a very dangerous precedent
      Any property owned by a registered charity
      Including those treated as investment / pension assets
      Assets in trust – stuff they’ve been donated or left in wills
      Vincent d’ Paul, Red Cross, Cats n Doggie rescues, Religious groups and Orders, Friends of etc, Arts Centres, Theaters, Schools and Colleges, Opus Dei and the likes
      Better get their facilities managers out on the road over the weekend
      Priests Nuns Preachers Pastors and Bishops better keep their traps shut

      Cause you’ve just put them into the poop

      I know for a fact some of these mentioned above have commercial lettings and public access / public right of way lands

      Get busy

          1. ReproBertie (SCU)

            Whoever reported it to the charities committee and the members of the charities committee that didn’t look at other charities and what they may be doing.

          2. newsjustin

            Interesting piece on the RTE News there Repro. Apparently, the catch is that charities may not:
            “promote a political cause which does not directly advance its charitable purpose.”

            So there’s a certain room for manoeuvre there for e.g. churches.

            It kind of makes sense really…..otherwise no charity could campaign for anything political. Like e.g. Focus Ireland couldn’t campaign for housing reform.

          3. ReproBertie (SCU)

            Just saw that on the +1 and yes, what you say about Focus Ireland makes sense.

            I’ve no doubt someone else will find a wall for Maser.

      1. david

        Not me
        I pointed it out
        Organisations getting funding from taxpayers funds have rules to follow
        They must be impartial
        I for one do not like that my taxes funding an organisation promoting abortion on demand just like you would also not like it if they had artwork of a foetus with a knife through it saying no to repeal the eight ammendment

        1. Nigel

          No they mustn’t. For the arts? If anything it’s the opposite. The supplier of funds mustn’t try to impose or preclude viewpoints on the artist, unless soliciting a project with some specific remit clearly outlined at the start.

          1. david

            Bullocks and plenty of them
            The artist infringed copy right by copying the repeal logo
            Hardly Andy Warhol
            Jesus you really are just a bunch of nutters
            Sorry just cannot stop laughing at you all
            You know if I had one wish before I die it would be to make up Tracy Emmin’s bed
            If this advert for repeal the eight is art well art is dead

          2. ReproBertie (SCU)

            “The artist infringed copy right by copying the repeal logo”
            What are you talking about? This is pure pigeon chess.

    2. david

      And to further my point the arts centre will take it down rather than risk loosing tax payers money ,their feeding at the public purse is an example of their beliefs the whole hypocrisy of it all

      1. Kevin Doyle

        Hi David how do you feel about groups being tax exempt and receiving state funds and land, then turning around and spending untaxed revenues from income and sale of said lands to engage in political activity?

        1. Rob_G

          I hate to agree with david, but in this instance, I think he is correct.

          If the organisation is in the receipt of state monies for promotion of the arts, it shouldn’t take a position on political campaigns. Imagine the uproar if they decided to create a ‘Welfare cheats cheat us all’ mural.

          1. Frilly Keane

            Well that assertion turned out to be fairly weak
            And totally unreliable

            So whatever about your argument or point
            That was a pretty s h one t example

            In fairness like

          2. Bob

            Don’t get carried away, david can be wrong and the painting can be wrong too.

            > This mural is not art it is about a political view

            The mural is both political and art.
            All art is political on some level isn’t it.

            Censorship is a tricky business, how far can we restrict political advertising to keep campaigns fair without restricting freedom of speech and artistic expression?
            I dunno.

      2. italia'90

        Thank Cod you weren’t around before 1916.
        Would a play about a social issue/political issue being staged in say, The Abbey, would that be the kind of beliefs and hypocrisy you object to? Or is it OK just for issues you agree with?
        Go and read a book about how the arts plays a significant role in social change.

    3. TheRealJane

      Art shows opposing views rather than making an argument or else it’s not art? You crazy.

        1. Nigel

          Honestly looking forward to this being over so we can go back to being in broad agreement about some stuff.

  4. Ciaran Adamson

    They should just remove the word ‘repeal’ and leave the heart shape… I think it would be an even more powerful graphic, the fact that it had been censored and if the powers to be have a problem with love hearts… I don’t know…

    1. david

      No its the logo for the repeal the eight
      Nice try bit like the mc Donald logo advertising supermacs

    2. Spud

      Should paint over half of it and leave a broken heart logo left.
      Now that would confuse both sides!

    3. The Ghost of Starina

      I was thinking that, too. Would be a great statement if they only erased the part that said “Repeal the 8th”

    1. The Ghost of Starina

      Mr John Farrelly, the CEO of the Charities Regulator, has written books published by Veritas, formerly the Catholic Truth Society.

  5. Frilly Keane

    Tell ye one thing
    Whether tis up or down
    Everyone still knows that Repeal ad placement
    The entire country has seen it
    And not just the crowd that have walked past it

    The Yes side’s best asset is the No crowd

  6. Sentient Won

    The mural is not art – it’s propaganda directing the viewer towards a specific conclusion rather then inviting reflection on a particular aspect of the human condition.

    Charities are supposed to promote a public benefit but this blatantly undermines a constitutionally protected public good: the right to life of the unborn and their mothers.

    But you all knew that anyway.

    1. Nigel

      The charity is probably in the best position to judge what art best reflects it’s own ethos.

      1. david

        The ethos of killing the unborn
        Last country to endorse that was hitlers Germany and other despot regimes

        1. Nigel

          The ethos of not denying women access to health care and the right to bodily autonomy,which is opposing the ethos of the people behind what you called a ‘holocaust.’

  7. Gabby

    The Repeal mural has a touch of an Andy Warhol canned soup label. The wall could be auctioned and placed in a museum of modern art.

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