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Little Bear Guy Mar 15, 2010

US Bears just by responding to the post you have in some way validated this artist..  As said in previous post ART is suppose to start a dialogue and he certainly has. He has many many people who like and even love his artwork, people want one. As I said in my previous post, abused children carry physical and mental scares with them all their lives, these teddy bears show off their own scars when they are turned inside out and you get to see their soul that has been battered and beat around showing that it's not perfect on the inside even though it may look perfect and beautiful on the outside.  It's ok to be offended and shocked and upset, most artist want that that's what starts discussions.  I don't think it's alright to call someone names and verbally assault them just because you don't understand or like the art.

jenny Mar 16, 2010

I agree. This is not about teddy bears...it is about a deeper message. It's not right to point fingers at someone expressing pain that very few of us will thankfully not have experienced..whatever means they choose to express it. Teddy bears are inanimate objects and while we breathe life into them and they can offer comfort in many ways I think his shocking message is made clear by the use of this usually passive friend to show his experience of childhood. I think he says it very clearly and  has designed  them to shock and it obviously works!!!

The Rabbit Maker Mar 16, 2010

These bears, which have lived and loved and lost as much as their owners, have suffered and endured through it all. It is by virtue of revealing their inner core might we better understand our own.

I am not sure if trying to show the inside of the teddy is the right place to be looking.

As regards to the above quote I agree that they may have lived and lost as much as their owners but I actually think it is the outside of the childhood  teddy that shows it has suffered and endured through life.

A childhood teddy will have been hugged through happy times and sad times, maybe thrown around by a sibling or cast aside at various times in its life.

I'm sure we all have teddys etc with defects on the outside that we can all relate to a time or memory in our lives good and bad ?
And that memory can take us straight back to our childhood.

I like tatty old teddys/rabbits because  I know they have been part of someone's life good and bad I don't need the inside to see that even if they are trying to make an 'artistic' point.

Citico Ridge Bears Mar 17, 2010

I agree with both sides on this one ...Not my cup of tea! but seems to be an inner healing for this guy ,if it is -good for him..
I really and truly try not to judge  people and why they do the things they do .But, of course that's not always so easy and I  DO judge child molesters and child abusers .So to say I don't judge at all is a false statement..I do on the other hand applaud anything that brings notice to child abuse, and gets people involved in a positive way..
We have fund raisers in my area once a year for abused children . and It's the  big  tattooed and "perceived" gunslingers & unlawfuls that that have started this and raise funds and awareness to this issue each and every year . Alot of the pictures used  for this fund raiser are horrifying and shocking (BUT TRUE PICTURES). And it also gets people involved..Same as animal abuse -I can't handle watching those commercials it horrifies me and brings me to tears every time . BUT, it get me involved and makes me want to help even in just a small way..
I do have to say this though, He better not adopted one of my bears and murder him -I would be devastated!

Little Bear Guy Mar 17, 2010

I don't think he would ever rip apart one of your bears Heidi they are far to beautiful  . 

big hugs

Shane

Stellajella Mar 20, 2010

Peter, I´m on your side about this!
Art more and more needs to be provocative, otherwise it´s not called art anymore. Some turn tedy bears inside out, some plastinise human bodies and show them as pieces of art, others produce disgusting live size models of skinned dogs or bitten to death dogs and sell them on amazon, which does not mind at all, after several complaints.
A " normal" pretty piece of art is obviousely not interesting...what a shame...
Best regards
Gaby

The Geekest Link May 22, 2010

Yowch! How horrific! 

rkr4cds May 23, 2010

I'll say it here, for probably the first time in print, because none of you would ever be involved with those involved - I had an abusive time in my childhood past. I deal with it in my own way. These bears don't 'speak' to me in any way at all of that.

I think that The Rabbit Maker alluded most closely to the point that abuse is a sign of extreme wear; on a ted it's on the outside, in a human it's on the inside.....and that's mostly where it doesn't show here—the bears' inside seams are pristine? That doesn't represent wear & tear... His message is confusing and a little esoteric, but I guess that could be said of many artists!

What I am still upset about is that it hasn't been made clear (does anyone know, PLS??) - are these his own work or are they manufactured bears? They look like manufactured pcs which have just been turned inside out, the eyes moved to the new outside and lightly re-stuffed. They haven't been destroyed, the seams are intact and the fabric is whole cloth.
Credit should be given, whether they are his own or someone elses.

amber May 25, 2010

Personaly I agree that some of them are cute. And as we are granted our freedom of expression through our art so should he. If you find it shocking and horrible he's made his point well. It is a very shocking and horrible thing to happen to a child. And if the point was to show the opposite of what a childhood should be, happy safe secure. Then what better to use as a sample of it being destroyed then the ulimate symbol of just that a Teddy bear.

An artists job is to evoke a feeling wheither postive or negative with their work. To grab your intrest. Like it or not that is just what this artist has done with each and everyone of you. And props to the magazine for having the guts to pulish this. People turn a blind eye to child abuse everyday it's about time someone stood up and made a bold statement.  And good for the magazine publisher of symbols of childhood security and everything a Teddy bear sybolizes for standing behind him.

The day an artist like this can't or isn't allowed to show is work is a day that every artist everywhere loses freedom.

I apologize if anyone is ofended.