Blair Photo Op Banned

[Gromit]

http://www.kennardphillipps.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/26-photo-opkennardphillippspigment-print-2005.jpg

It was chosen by the Imperial War Museum North in Manchester as the image for a poster campaign to promote a new exhibition about modern art and war.

But two of the UK's biggest advertising companies refused to carry the image.

A spokesman for the Advertising Standards Authority, which operates the Committee of Advertising Practice, said the ad companies "would have been mindful of the advertising rules that require ads are prepared responsibly and do not contain anything that is likely to be misleading, harmful or offensive".

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-24565194


Censorship or Not?

[emmie]

is this a photoshopped picture of Blair, not sure the point of it.
Blair equates warmonger, possibly, should it be shown, don't see why not.

[emmie]

from your second link

It has previously been exhibited at Tate Britain and was recently described by The Guardian as "the definitive work of art about the Iraq war".

[youngmafbog]

Who cares?

[jno]

advertising companies refuse to show a lot of ads (eg in Tube stations). This one is clearly propaganda, but so is a lot of war art, and I would have thought it was within the remit of the exhibition itself. However, if the regulations disallow ads that are likely to be offensive, I guess that would cover this one.

If the picture had been of Maggie and the Falklands, I imagine all the answers you'll get would have been completely reversed.

[FredPuli43]

The Imperial War Museum has a large collection of cartoons and posters which are intended to put war leaders, generals and politicians in a bad light. But they would not usually use such works for posters, unless the events were distant in time. Manchester's branch has produced a piece of political commentary. The ASA may well consider this fictional depiction unsuitable, though which of the three heads given this one falls under is open to debate: misleading, harmful or offensive or any two or all three ?

[jomifl]

Just a touch of the Jack Nicholson about the grin....creepy.

[FredPuli43]

Let's see. Jack Nicholson is a great actor, who does not, of course, believe everything he is required to say in the role....

[DaisyNonna]

Not offensive, just tasteless.