Flags of Our Fatties

Kerry Howley | November 20, 2006

Inspired, perhaps, by some CSPI-quoting muse, a Tennessee art student unleashes his talent upon the world:

Art student William Gentry said his piece, "The Fat Is in the Fire," was a commentary on obesity in America. "I deep-fried the flag because I'm concerned about America and about America's health."

The Customs House exhibit featured three U.S. flags imprinted with phrases such as "Poor people are obese because they eat poorly" and more than 40 smaller flags fried in peanut oil, egg batter, flour and black pepper.

If reading that has somehow left you with any remaining dregs of respect for humanity, consider the reaction: fury over flag desecration.

Ned Crouch, the Customs House Museum's executive director, took down the artwork on Nov. 15, less than 18 hours after it went up in this community next to Fort Campbell.

"It's about what the community values," Crouch said.

Comments

Paul|11.20.06 @ 5:08PM|#

/sigh

|11.20.06 @ 5:10PM|#

Crouch was quoted in The Tennessean as saying: "Over half my funding is public funding. … I don't want to rock a boat that's hard to keep floating. It's not worth jeopardizing for an exhibit."

Government funding equals self censorship. And why the hell are the taxpayers even paying for anything in that museum?!

|11.20.06 @ 5:15PM|#

I wonder if the golden brown, salted & peppered flags were edible, because they sound delicious.

|11.20.06 @ 5:24PM|#

In other arsty food-related nooze, art display with gingerbread Nazis pulled from display.

|11.20.06 @ 5:28PM|#

Mr. Show was way ahead of this guy:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=WPTtwImlvYI

|11.20.06 @ 6:15PM|#

Rule of thumb:

If your object d'art involves an American flag, and it is neither as interesting nor as pleasing to look at as an American flag, you probably shouldn't even bother.

|11.20.06 @ 6:23PM|#

joe: I used to think art had to be pleasing to be good. Now, I find my younger, immature self, wrong.

|11.20.06 @ 7:18PM|#

I used to think art had to be tasty to be good. Now,...

|11.20.06 @ 7:19PM|#

"Ned Crouch, the Customs House Museum's executive director, took down the artwork on Nov. 15, less than 18 hours after it went up in this community next to Fort Campbell."

Doesn't that kid know there's a war going on?

"Art student William Gentry said his piece, "The Fat Is in the Fire," was a commentary on obesity in America. "I deep-fried the flag because I'm concerned about America and about America's health."

Doesn't he know there's a war on obesity going on?

|11.20.06 @ 7:39PM|#

J sub D,

I did write "neither...nor..."

|11.20.06 @ 8:25PM|#

i always knew governments had a bad taste in art.



sorry.

|11.20.06 @ 8:39PM|#

This just reminds me of the big media hoo-ha that ensued after Karen Finley breaded and deep-fried herself as a shocking metaphor for our nation's oil dependency.

Or maybe I'm thinking of the fried butter balls episode on TV Food Network series Paula's Party.

Either way, it was delicious.

(And isn't Ned Crouch a character in the Harry Potter books?)

edna|11.20.06 @ 8:40PM|#

this is art?

hey, i've got an idea- deep fry a picture of muhammed. see how far that gets you.

|11.20.06 @ 8:48PM|#

You could probably make a Muhammad out of funnel cake batter if you had a very steady hand.

|11.20.06 @ 9:17PM|#

Truly this is the great gulf between the West and the Umma. Here the appearance of holy figures in pastries is a miracle.

b-psycho|11.20.06 @ 9:56PM|#

"It's about what the community values,"

Fuck the "community".

The Wine Commonsewer|11.20.06 @ 10:33PM|#

What, no picture of the deep fried flag? What, no picture of the gingerbread Nazis?

|11.21.06 @ 1:36AM|#

Can I claim flag desecration too when it is used in those awful painted-on-black-velvet, eagle-crying-a-crystal-tear, god-bless-America monstrosities that occasionally find their way to my inbox? I mean, Jeebuz, that shite is horrid.

Todd Frye|11.21.06 @ 8:22AM|#

I used to think that art had to be good to be good. Apparently - judging by the few pieces of such stuff that ever get headlines - I'm completely wrong. From the art world's point of view, anyway.

Wellllllll, gotta go take a leak into a jar with a crucifix in it...

dagny|11.21.06 @ 9:49AM|#

I second The Wine Commonsewer.

This thread is worthless without pics.

|11.21.06 @ 11:41AM|#

If a Flag Desecration amendment passes, will sheet cakes topped with red, white and blue frosting be illegal if shaped into a fascimile of Old Glory....and eaten? The same for patriotic-themed strawberry/blueberry shortcake and whipped creme concoctions? Sugar cookies with red and blue sprinkles?

Nutbars, all of them.

Kevin

|11.21.06 @ 1:42PM|#

here I was wondering what sort of xmas treat to have for people dropping by.....and GINGERBREAD NAZI's!! I guess they are gingerbread men in.....chocklit brownshirts and....damn, I need a pic!

|11.23.06 @ 11:38PM|#

Wow, if this is government sponsored art, we should definitely get the government involved with religion.