Brussels, 30/12/2005 (Agence Europe) - An initiative by the Austrian Presidency to celebrate the start of its six-month Presidency of the Council of the EU, an exhibition of posters reproducing 150 pieces of artwork by 75 young European artists, has degenerated into bitter controversy surrounding two of the works, which have been withdrawn from the exhibition. Some commentators say it is a scandal that the Austrian Chancellor's office provided money for pornography, while others slam what they describe as censure, opining out that art is also freedom of expression. Under this initiative, known as EuroPart, Spanish artist Carlos Aires did a collage of photos with one naked woman and two naked men wearing masks representing Queen Elisabeth II of the UK, President Bush of the United States, and President Chirac of France, shown having sex. The artist says it is a protest against globalisation. The other picture, called 'L'origine du monde' after French painter Gustave Courbet, is a big picture of woman's vagina covered with a pair of blue knickers decorated with the stars from the EU flag. The organisers of the exhibition explain that the artist in question, Tanja Ostojic of Serbia, is one of the most committed feminists among the featured artists.
The Austrian Chancellor's office explains that the project was funded through company sponsorship. In Austrian newspaper Kurier, Austrian minister Franz Morak recognised the posters were not the best ones for putting across a message about Europe to citizens. OVP Austrian MEP Ursula Stenzel, who is also President of a Vienna borough, is furious. She is reported in the Kurier as commenting that as a woman, the artwork offends her sensibilities, while as a European politician, she feels the selection was a mistake and showed bad taste.