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| Liberal MP Craig Kelly rages against 'appalling' Parliament House artwork | Liberal MP Craig Kelly rages against 'appalling' Parliament House artwork |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Double, double toil and trouble; art is hung and anger does bubble. | Double, double toil and trouble; art is hung and anger does bubble. |
| A storm is brewing over the paintings placed in the public areas of Parliament House in Canberra, with a federal government backbencher singling out a Shakespeare-inspired depiction of a partially nude witch. | |
| In a Facebook post, the Liberal MP for the Sydney seat of Hughes, Craig Kelly, fulminated against the quality of artwork on display in the people’s house. | In a Facebook post, the Liberal MP for the Sydney seat of Hughes, Craig Kelly, fulminated against the quality of artwork on display in the people’s house. |
| Related: Craig Kelly sends Facebook love letter to prime minister: 'I'm sticking with Tony!' | Related: Craig Kelly sends Facebook love letter to prime minister: 'I'm sticking with Tony!' |
| “Call me a philistine, but I think most of the artwork around Parliament House is appalling,” he mused. | “Call me a philistine, but I think most of the artwork around Parliament House is appalling,” he mused. |
| Kelly singled singled out The Witches, by Wendy Sharpe, which forms part of the temporary Art of Shakespeare exhibition that runs from 8 to 25 October. | |
| “The picture attached is a piece of artwork that greets all visitors as they walk into Parliament to visit the House of Representatives Chamber. Do you think this painting is suitable for Parliament House?” | “The picture attached is a piece of artwork that greets all visitors as they walk into Parliament to visit the House of Representatives Chamber. Do you think this painting is suitable for Parliament House?” |
| In response to the post, one Facebook user tried to link the choice of painting to the recent leadership change: “This is what happens when the Progressives take control. Standards slip.” | In response to the post, one Facebook user tried to link the choice of painting to the recent leadership change: “This is what happens when the Progressives take control. Standards slip.” |
| Another user asked aloud: “What’s wrong with borrowing some from Australian art galleries such as works by Pro Hart?” | Another user asked aloud: “What’s wrong with borrowing some from Australian art galleries such as works by Pro Hart?” |
| Sharpe was one of 14 artists commissioned by the theatre company Bell Shakespeare to create works that responded to the words of William Shakespeare. The travelling exhibition will soon move from Canberra to the Sydney Opera House. | |
| Kelly’s criticism may be seen as curious because his previous expenses disclosure forms reveal a certain liking for The Bard. In 2013 he purchased 25 copies of The Complete Works of William Shakespeare. | Kelly’s criticism may be seen as curious because his previous expenses disclosure forms reveal a certain liking for The Bard. In 2013 he purchased 25 copies of The Complete Works of William Shakespeare. |
| Of course, questions of taste in art are not a new phenomenon. Tony Abbott was reported to have once described parliament’s art collection as “avant-garde crap”. | Of course, questions of taste in art are not a new phenomenon. Tony Abbott was reported to have once described parliament’s art collection as “avant-garde crap”. |
| And the National Gallery’s acquisition of Jackson Pollock’s Blue Poles No. II for $1.3m in 1973 caused a conservative outcry. The then prime minister, Gough Whitlam, had the last laugh, though, with the value of the painting surging in the decades since and the decision now widely applauded. | And the National Gallery’s acquisition of Jackson Pollock’s Blue Poles No. II for $1.3m in 1973 caused a conservative outcry. The then prime minister, Gough Whitlam, had the last laugh, though, with the value of the painting surging in the decades since and the decision now widely applauded. |
| Any time a conservative MP weighs in on artistic merit, I'm recall this classic exchange between Whitlam & Anthony pic.twitter.com/7T0wuppr9R | |
| Kelly, perhaps sensing the need to elaborate on his concerns, posted a second item on Facebook on Wednesday containing four further examples of “the ‘artwork’ of parliament house”. | Kelly, perhaps sensing the need to elaborate on his concerns, posted a second item on Facebook on Wednesday containing four further examples of “the ‘artwork’ of parliament house”. |
| “Am I missing something?” he asked his followers. “Perhaps I didn’t pay attention in arts classes at school.” | “Am I missing something?” he asked his followers. “Perhaps I didn’t pay attention in arts classes at school.” |