Uruguay’s Genesis (painting)
Artist: Julio de Sosa
Year: 2016
Date of Action: October 2016
Region: South America
Location: Diana Saravia Art Gallery in Montevideo
Subject: Nudity, Political/Economic/Social Opinion
Medium: Painting
Confronting Bodies: Former president of Uruguay and current Senator José “Pepe” Mujica and his wife, Senator Lucía Topolansky
Description of Artwork: Uruguayan artist Julio de Sosa painted former president and current Senator José “Pepe” Mujica and his wife, Senator Lucía Topolansky, naked, in the form of Adam and Eve, and titled the work ‘’Uruguay’s Genesis.’’
The Incident: Mujica and his wife censored the painting, despite it supposedly being an alleged tribute to the couple. The police came to the gallery without a warrant and removed it. The work was on display from Friday Oct 14 until Tuesday Oct 18, when police arrived at the gallery to ask Diana Saravia, the gallery manager, to come to the police station.
Results of Incident: BBC World contacted the office of Senator Topolansky, but accordi ng to their article (below) his assistant said the congresswoman did not want to talk about it because it seemed "irrelevant". That same day, local newspaper The Daily published Topolansky statements criticizing the work: "Now you grab for chijete (mockery). They put in the window of a gallery and people do not know if you placed you for that, or if you authorized or not," said the senator. Saravia says he is awaiting a decision from the authorities
Source:
• http://www.bbc.com/mundo/noticias-america-latina-37723157
Not so Humble: Pepe Mujica, the Left’s Most Beloved Leader, Is Censoring Art in Uruguay, BY PRISCILA GUINOVART, OCT 28, 2016
Uruguay: la polémica pintura bíblica del expresidente José Mujica y su esposa desnudos que fue retirada por una "orden de arriba, BBC Mundo 20 octubre 2016