One man's art is another man's cruelty to animals.
The $45 million Aspen Art Museum is coming under fire for an art installation it has planned for this weekend's grand opening. Desert tortoises with iPads mounted on their backs will wander around the gala, displaying images of local ghost towns on the tablets. The pictures were actually taken by the tortoises during recent trips to the ghost towns.
Critics have started a petition to stop the "barbaric" project, and it has already been signed by 1,000 people. Aspen resident Lisbeth Oden said she was disturbed by the photo she saw of a tortoise with an iPad; she used to work with tortoises and learned about the sensitivity of their carapaces. "To have anything attached to them is just not right," she told The Denver Post. "It is exploitation of animals for human enjoyment."
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
The museum is defending itself; spokeswoman Sara Fitzmaurice says that the tortoises were saved from an irresponsible breeder who had them living in harsh conditions. She also said the tortoises will be moved to educational and conservation facilities after the exhibit closes on Oct. 5, and that in the meantime they are being closely monitored by a veterinarian. That vet, Dr. Elizabeth Kremzier, released a statement supporting the project: "In my opinion, the tortoises have adapted well to their new habitat, and the iPads have not interfered in any way with their natural behavior."
-
Can US tourism survive Trump's policies?Today's Big Question The tourist economy is 'heading in the wrong direction'
-
September's books tell of friendship in middle age, teachers versus fascists, and Covid psychosisthe week recommends September books include Angela Flournoy's 'The Wilderness,' Randi Weingarten's 'Why Fascists Fear Teachers' and Patricia Lockwood's 'Will There Ever Be Another You'
-
'Total rat eradication in New York has been deemed impossible'Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
Florida erases rainbow crosswalk at Pulse nightclubSpeed Read The colorful crosswalk was outside the former LGBTQ nightclub where 49 people were killed in a 2016 shooting
-
Trump says Smithsonian too focused on slavery's illsSpeed Read The president would prefer the museum to highlight 'success,' 'brightness' and 'the future'
-
Trump to host Kennedy Honors for Kiss, StalloneSpeed Read Actor Sylvester Stallone and the glam-rock band Kiss were among those named as this year's inductees
-
White House seeks to bend Smithsonian to Trump's viewSpeed Read The Smithsonian Institution's 21 museums are under review to ensure their content aligns with the president's interpretation of American history
-
Charlamagne Tha God irks Trump with Epstein talkSpeed Read The radio host said the Jeffrey Epstein scandal could help 'traditional conservatives' take back the Republican Party
-
CBS cancels Colbert's 'Late Show'Speed Read 'The Late Show with Stephen Colbert' is ending next year
-
Shakespeare not an absent spouse, study proposesspeed read A letter fragment suggests that the Shakespeares lived together all along, says scholar Matthew Steggle
-
New Mexico to investigate death of Gene Hackman, wifespeed read The Oscar-winning actor and his wife Betsy Arakawa were found dead in their home with no signs of foul play
