Wagga graphic design studio Advision has once again stirred up controversy, with its new image parodying the famous painting The Creation of Adam. Photo: Supplied.
Political artist and Advision owner Michael Agzarian has explained the meaning behind his most recent artworks and why he continues to showcase them, despite local criticism.
Mr Agzarian has a history of displaying provocative imagery – often depicting international affairs – within the shopfront of his Wagga-based graphic design studio.
Last year he displayed images of conservative politicians – including Riverina MP Michael McCormack – in what he described as outfits from the World War II-based sitcom Hogan’s Heroes, a display that provoked outrage from Mr McCormack himself.
He has also showcased artworks critical of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the fighting in the Middle East.
In February he displayed a parody of The Creation of Adam by Michelangelo in his shopfront window.
In the parody piece, God is instead shown as several conservative politicians from around the world, including United States President Donald Trump, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, One Nation leader Pauline Hanson, Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong, and the aforementioned Benjamin Netanyahu, among others.
Adam has been depicted wearing headphones and showing God/the politicians the middle finger, with a kufiya, a traditional Middle Eastern headdress, in his lap. The caption ‘F*** U’ is in the middle of the work.
Mr Agzarian’s artwork, which also includes Russian President Vladimir Putin among the politicians. Photo: Supplied.
Mr Agzarian said the artwork was meant to display young people, as shown by the headphones, and people of Iran, as shown by the kufiya, demonstrating their disapproval and distaste towards global leaders and their actions.
“It’s a parody of the Creation of Adam,” he said.
“I’ve got a lot of white world leaders who are destroying this planet, and they are put in place of God.
“On the side, Adam represents people trying to make a change, as well as those who are oppressed. I suppose giving the bird is a way of a non-violent way of telling those people, ‘We’ve had enough. It’s time you guys just go”.
Similar to his previous work, Mr Agzarian’s latest parody has caused some locals to question whether he has crossed a line.
Former Wagga councillor and One Nation spokesman Paul Funnell called out the work, stating that satirising a famous Catholic painting was in poor taste, and if it were reversed with Islam as the focus, there would be public outrage.
“I find it astonishing that these people who claim to be moderate, while being fair and reasonable, post things like this,” he said.
“I actually found his artwork and everything quite clever and quite amusing. And as I’ve said in the past, I’ll defend his right to do satire. However, as a Christian, can you imagine if we did that to Islam, the outcry?
“That is Michelangelo’s famous Christian painting, and to tell people to f*** off while wearing a kufiya, it’s quite clearly Islam telling Christian nations to f*** off.
“If he would just remove the language, there wouldn’t be a problem in the world, but the use of language by people who claim everything is hate speech, what do you call this?”
Mr Agzarian responded to Mr Funnell’s comments, claiming that the image was not hate speech but instead a voice for those who felt oppressed.
“What is hate speech?” Mr Agzarian said.
“What is hate speech to somebody is actually seen by others as a voice in a wilderness.
“Pauline Hanson and right-wing media love jumping on the bandwagon because it’s so easy, so easy to pick on those who can’t defend themselves.
“It’s easy to say something’s hate speech if you don’t like the message, but what is hate speech?”
Mr Agzarain has removed The Creation of Adam parody from his shop window and replaced it with artwork criticising the US and Israel’s bombing of schools in Iran.
Advision’s most recent artwork reads, “This is what Albanese and Wong are supporting … the bombing of schools and the killing of kids by the United States of Israel”. Photo: Jarryd Rowley.
Mr Agzarian said it was important to highlight these issues that he believed would be forgotten otherwise.
“We’re living on a pretty volatile planet at the moment – so much so that a school in Tehran was bombed and 160 children were killed by American missiles,” he said.
“If that were Iran and it had killed 160 American kids, or 160 Jewish kids, imagine the coverage. It would be wall-to-wall coverage for months.
“Yet, some lives are obviously not worth anything, according to the West, and other lives are obviously more valuable.
“The most recent work is basically commenting on the fact that our government is just completely lacking any backbone and has supported Trump and Israel in what they’ve done recently.”
Original Article published by Jarryd Rowley on Region Riverina.
