How This Artist Pissed Off George Christensen And Kicked Off A Debate About Free Speech
“Freedom of speech doesn’t mean freedom of speech for everybody, just for them to say what they like.”
A Sydney artist has had his artwork removed from a central Queensland gallery after George Christensen — the conservative pollie who’s made a name for himself for loudly defending free speech — deemed it “offensive”.
The artist in question, Abdul Abdullah, summed the situation up nicely.
“Freedom of speech doesn’t mean freedom of speech for everybody, just for them to say what they like,” he told Junkee.
It’s actually all about free speech. @farrm51
— George Christensen (@GChristensenMP) March 2, 2017
I support right to all free speech that isn’t defamatory. Even things I hate to hear. That is the essence of free speech. @GreenCap13
— George Christensen (@GChristensenMP) November 22, 2016
Abdul is a three-time Archibald Prize finalist who had two artworks featured in the travelling exhibition Violent Salt, which aims to give a voice to underrepresented Australians and discuss issues around racism and discrimination.
His works were removed from the first exhibition in Mackay after a series of complaints that escalated into threats to gallery staff and racist trolling of Abdul.
“The whole situation has been pretty disappointing … how people have been so mislead by this mischaracterisation,” he said.
“There’s a lot of people I’d like to say ‘go fuck yourselves’ to”.
Why Are People So Mad?
The artworks, entitled All Let Us Rejoice and For We Are Young And Free, feature anonymous soldiers with an outline of a smiley face over the top.
The accompanying label said the work is about what the soldier represents and how that ties to Australia’s national identity, particularly when they’re involved in destructive conflicts overseas.
Abdul says his art was an anti-war statement; but his email has been flooded with racist abuse after George Christensen and a Mackay councillor, Martin Bella, accused him of disrespecting Australian soldiers.
“I don’t agree with their interpretation, but artwork is designed to be open to interpretation,” Abdul said.
“It wasn’t ever a criticism or judgement on the soldiers. If it was critical of anything, it was critical of the government for sending them to war.
Let Us Rejoice and For We Are Young And Free by Abdul Abdullah
“It’s very frustrating I have to justify my pretty non-controversial political comments alongside my position or my legitimacy as an Australian … not that it matters, but my family have been here for 200 years, but I’m still getting emails telling me to go back to where I came from.”
George trying to distract from the being-nonce-most-of-the-year-in-the-phillipines issue. Handy to have some belligerent racists to hand in this case.
— A formal beer (@formalbeer) December 9, 2019
Christensen used his official Facebook to justify silencing an artist he doesn’t agree with while simultaneously arguing for free speech.
“I am all for free speech and freedom of expression,” he said.
“But free speech and freedom of expression do not mean that taxpayers and ratepayers have to subsidise someone’s political message, especially when it’s one that attacks soldiers that are sent by our country to fight on its behalf.”
But people are accusing him of double standards.
Another reminder that there’s no good faith in the free speech debate, it’s entirely about ideology. Conservatives are shutting down art exhibitions and getting journalists fired while we’re forced to endure absurd debates about political correctness gone mad.
— Osman Faruqi (@oz_f) December 8, 2019
Some members of that RSL also complained about the artwork, saying it could be damaging to veteran’s mental health. Abdul said he acknowledged their concerns, but wished he had been given an opportunity to discuss them before things escalated.
Mackay Mayor Greg Williamson initially said the art should stay in the gallery, telling the Mackay Daily Mercury it was an issue of freedom of speech.
“It would be a nail in the coffin of democracy in Australia if we were to take this artwork down,” he said. “We need, as a democracy, to allow this sort of discussion to happen. That is what art enables us to do.”
However, last month he changed his tune, saying if the artwork was damaging to anyone’s mental health “it just wasn’t worth it“.
Art Under Attack
The exhibition, Violent Salt, was named after a quote by Australian author and activist Tony Birch, which states: “any dictatorship worth its violent salt executes the poets first”.
Abdul can see the irony, not just in relation to the censorship he’s facing but to the government’s wider attitude to art in general.
He was especially critical of their decision to scrap the federal arts department and merge it with transport.
“The arts ministry getting scrapped reflects the government’s position on creative industries and creative thought. It’s quite disgusting to see how they’re treating art, treating artists, treating refugees and poor people, it’s pretty horrendous.”
You can (potentially) see Abdul Abdullah’s artworks as part of the touring Violent Salt exhibition.
Feature image courtesy of Abdul Abdullah.