Dotcom Light Sculpture On US Embassy Could Get Artist Jail Time

Karloff

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Oct 19, 2009
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Dotcom Light Sculpture On US Embassy Could Get Artist Jail Time


The United Stasi Of America, eh? Yes, I can see why some people might get upset.

A light sculpture projected onto the side of the US Embassy in Berlin could get the artist, Oliver Bienkowski, jail time, according to German newspaper Der Tagespiegel. The performance, all of thirty seconds long, featured Kim Dotcom [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/125631-Kim-Dotcom-Clashes-With-NZ-PM-John-Key] of Megaupload in all his glory, with the tagline 'United Stasi of America' - a reference to the former East German secret police - plastered over it, and a soundtrack featuring such memorable quotes as 'what about free speech, Mr. President', as sung by Dotcom himself. In so doing, the artist may have violated Paragraph 103 of the German Penal Code, which makes it an offense to insult foreign heads of state. The penalty could be as much as three years in prison, increasing to five if combined with libel charges.

The artist's lawyer, Fabien Eickstädt, is arguing that, since the art was projected on the side of the US Embassy - American soil - German laws don't apply. Moreover in order to start the prosecution, someone would have to file a complaint, and the US Embassy doesn't appear to be in any kind of hurry to do so.

"Using the satirical art form of satire," said Bienkowski's lawyer in a statement, "which has always featured exaggeration and hyperbole, Bienkowski protested in a legitimate manner against the massive reduction of civil rights, in particular the recently revealed attacks on the privacy of (not only) German citizens by intercontinental interceptions. With his light installation, Mr. Bienkowski has put his finger into the wound, making a vital contribution to the public debate and public opinion."

Source: Ars Technica [http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2013/07/after-shining-kim-dotcom-light-art-on-us-embassy-artist-now-under-investigation/]


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loa

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Jan 28, 2012
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The irony would be too delicious if that gets the artist jailed.
 

Evil Smurf

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Nov 11, 2011
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It's illegal to insult foreign heads of state in Germany? DAMNIT OBAMA!
 

Scars Unseen

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May 7, 2009
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He didn't just use satire; He used satirical satire. That's like satire[sup]2[/sup].
 

Charli

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Oh for the love of pete Germany... Shouldn't you just turn your blind eye to this one. Your amiable relationship with america hasn't exactly been broadcast from the rooftops, it's a fucking piece of satire that's fairly relevant that went on for a grand total of half a minute.

Oh wait... Germany. Jokes. Welp good going artist, you tried. Sadly you tried in the wrong country.

Fuck even the American Embassy doesn't seem to care.
 

lacktheknack

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Jan 19, 2009
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Scars Unseen said:
He didn't just use satire; He used satirical satire. That's like satire[sup]2[/sup].
This. How can you jail him for using ascended satire?

OT: Well, Diplomacy 101 rule number one: "Don't poke the bear". The guy went and poked the bear, which, considering the country-affecting diplomatic consequences that can come from poking the bear, is a ludicrously stupid thing to do. Keep it in the art galleries and on the internet, dude. Taking it to the bear den is just asking for all of the trouble.
 

el_kabong

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Since when did we start calling projector slideshows "light sculptures"? Seems a bit self-aggrandizing.
 

Zhukov

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el_kabong said:
Since when did we start calling projector slideshows "light sculptures"? Seems a bit self-aggrandizing.
I know, right?

With a term like that I was expecting something like a hologram.
 

Evil Smurf

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DVS BSTrD said:
Evil Smurf said:
That's right Germany, give John Stewart and Craig Ferguson another reason not to like you.
I read that as John Stewart and Craig Ferguson don't like me, then I re read it. Also my iPhone 5 autocorrects "reread" to "redhead" ;D
 

Trasch17

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Halyah said:
The germans have a law like that? Seriously? Really? I'm just hallucinating now right? ...Right?

Captcha in the meantime seems to think it's all about pie charts.
I didn't know, we had such a law... it just seems like a(nother) no-brainer to me.
Germany has many of those unfortunatley. On the other hand: not really a suprise in a country ruled by (ex-)jurists and lawyers...
 

Kyrdra

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Halyah said:
The germans have a law like that? Seriously? Really? I'm just hallucinating now right? ...Right?

Captcha in the meantime seems to think it's all about pie charts.
most of those laws come from the time of the postwar and the anti-nazi laws.

I actually never heard of it before

Edit: Also I think The United Stasi of America is fitting. After all they do it even better than the Stasi and those were the best at what they did.
 

Genocidicles

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Zhukov said:
With a term like that I was expecting something like a hologram.
I was expecting something cheap and tacky, like light-brite



Instead it looks like an internet meme put through a projector. Which is also cheap and tacky, but with none of the charm.
 

Thaluikhain

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Jan 16, 2010
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Gaol time for insulting a head of state is absurd.

OTOH, might be a rule against doing that to embassies instead of some random wall.