Last week, we told you that an artist called XVALA was planning on adding stolen nude photos of Jennifer Lawrence and Kate Upton to his gallery display in Florida. Now, thanks in part to the massive online outcry against this actually vile idea, the artist and gallery have decided to scrap the whole plan.
The “No Delete” art exhibit was going to make life-sized canvas prints of JLaw and Kate’s photos—along with many other stolen celebrity nudes that he found on Google—to impart commentary on how nothing is truly private in the digital age. Or something like that; honestly, all I heard was “opportunistic art dude wants to perpetuate this sex crime to get on the news,” but, you know, six of one, half dozen the other.
XVALA told Page Six that “[i]t wasn’t just about being ‘hacked’ images anymore, but now presented in the media as stolen property.” Because they were stolen property. “People were identifying with Jennifer Lawrence’s and Kate Upton’s victimization, much more than I had anticipated, which is powerfully persuasive.” Because some people have empathy.
Cory Allen, the owner of the St. Petersburg, Florida gallery that will be displaying “No Delete,” added that “[i]t was inspiring to see people take action through a petition, signing their name and not just commenting on a thread.” He didn’t add, “Also, we’re terrified of legal action from big Hollywood lawyers,” but I’m sure it was on the tip of his tongue.
The press release from Cory Allen Contemporary Art (known, somewhat ironically, as CACA), reads:
The public’s response to cancel the event wasn’t just about invasion of privacy, but becoming more of an issue of the exploitation of women; specifically the two celebrities. Empathizing with these real concerns, the artist decided to turn the cameras around on him; wanting the focus to be about an individual’s privacy and not just the exploitation of women.
Instead of displaying stolen celebrity nudes, XVALA will be photographing and displaying life-sized images of his own naked body. Which probably won’t wind up on Google image search, or on the hard-drives of thousands of creepy internet dudes.
(via Time, image via Martin Eckert)
- Large-Scale Hack Lands Stolen Nude Photos Of Jennifer Lawrence & Other Celebrities Online
- CNN Asks Tough Questions About The Nude Hacking Scandal, Like “Who Is This Four Chan Person Anyway?”
- Charities Reject Donations From Scumbag Redditors Who Posted Nude Celeb Photos
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