Scandal in Austria: Art or Porn?

[Kellanved]

Posters designed by a group of artists are causing quite a stir in Vienna. The image of three people having sex while wearing nothing but masks of Bush, Chirac and Queen Elizabeth is proving particularly controversial. Politicians are outraged and artists have offered to withdraw the two most shocking posters.

Just as Austria takes over the rotating presidency of the European Union, a dispute about good taste is raging in the country's capital. The art campaign "euroPART" has landed the group, named "25 peaces" and led by former Austrian Broadcasting Corporation culture boss Wolfgang Lorenz and federal theater boss Georg Springer, in hot water.

A topless woman sprawls on a bed with her legs spread wearing blue panties decorated with the EU's symbol, a circle of yellow stars. A few streets away three individuals are hard at it: their unambiguous, naked poses show them indulging in a menage à trois. The participants wear masks of France's President Chirac, the British Queen and US President George W. Bush. The images have caused an uproar among the Viennese since they were put up on Dec. 27.

Criticism has been flooding in from all sides. Gabi Burgstaller, governor of the state of Salzburg, is appalled: "It is disgusting and sexist." And she's not alone: the 150 posters by 75 artists from 25 countries are also drawing fire from opposition politicians.
...
http://service.spiegel.de/cache/international/0,1518,392803,00.html

http://www.spiegel.de/img/0,1020,559182,00.jpg
The pictures: (warning, might be porn (or art))
http://service.spiegel.de/cache/international/0,1518,grossbild-559181-392803,00.html

[ragin_acadian]

1. i would say: art

because there is social commentary.

there is no message in porn.

[tuvor]

2. Porn's intent is to arouse, no?

It may not be great art, but it's art.

[Deja Q]

3. Here's a pic with the extra needed detail:

http://www.spiegel.de/img/0,1020,559181,00.jpg

Controversial, but it's art. Metaphor.