Artist Mom Dressed Baby as Hitler for Show on Evil

Norwegian-Danish artist Nina Maria Kleivan ditched the baby bonnet and rattle and opted for a mustache and swastika for a photograph of her infant daughter. She depicted the baby as Adolf Hitler as part of a photo exhibit on the nature of evil.

"We all have evil within us. Even small children are evil towards each other," Kleivan tells Israel's Haaretz newspaper. "Even my daughter could end up ruling Denmark with an iron fist. The possibility is still there."

Kleivan said she was inspired to begin sewing infant-sized costumes soon after the birth of her daughter, who is now 11 years old. She said complications from her pregnancy had left her and the baby sitting at home. Looking at her daughter, she recalled, she considered that each human life begins as a blank slate, with opportunity to do good or evil.

Other depictions of the girl include Josef Stalin, Benito Mussolini, Saddam Hussein and Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini. (You can see more of Kleivan's work at her Web site.)

"Nobody reacts to any picture other than the one of 'mini-Hitler,'" Kleivan told Haaretz. "Even though my generation doesn't speak out about the war, silently our cultural circle sees Hitler as evil incarnate. ...

"You need to be conscious that your actions have consequences that impact on your fellow human beings," Kleivan said. "You can't throw it away -- as a parent, as human beings -- and say that you just followed orders."

And so Kleivan toiled on what would become an exhibit called "Potency," stitching mini military fatigues and even affixing mock mustaches to her daughter's face for Hitler, Saddam and Stalin.

Her husband was supportive -- until he spotted a tiny swastika armband.

"'I'm aware that you're an artist, but this is wrong,' he told me," Kleivan recalled him saying. "I've pondered that a lot myself: Could I really do this? I agree it's on the verge, especially Hitler, whom I and most others view as the incarnation of evil. He and Stalin were the hardest to do. It hurt."

She admitted that it was difficult explaining the work to her Jewish aunt, who lost much of her family in World War II concentration camps and saw the photos at an exhibition in Sweden.

"I felt so bad telling her it was my work, because she didn't know, and was sickened by it," Kleivan told Haaretz. "But this is not a deliberate provocation. It calls for reflection. Even though comical, you're not supposed to only laugh at these pictures. You need to contemplate them, ponder where this evil comes from."

Though many observers will not be laughing, they may take comfort in knowing that Kleivan's daughter is no longer dressing in dictator's clothing. Her mother reports she shows "remarkable talent" for the violin.

Her name?

Faustina, the feminine version of the doctor who made a deal with the devil to sell his soul for knowledge in the German legend.

http://www.aolnews.com/world/article/scandinavian-artist-dresses-her-daughter-as-hitler-stalin/19403134

 

That's not artistic, that's disgusting. I'm all for artistic freedom, but that's in incredibly poor taste, even more so because she used her own child to represent that evil exists in everyone.

 

What next?

Baby posing with a rifle?


No matter what kind of point you're trying to make, its a terrible idea.

 

Gotta disagree babe. I don't like it but I know I can't say its not art. It might be art to someone else.

 

This IS art and it's brilliantly thought provoking.

Adolf Hitler, Josef Stalin, Benito Mussolini, Saddam Hussein and Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini were all someone's beloved baby at one point. I think this is a great way to get people to see that they were human beings, before they were evil.
She's right, we all start off with a clean slate and who knows what will happen or what we will do in the future? One baby might grow into a great humanitarian, another could end up a serial killer or dicator.
:smt038 Bravo to her for making us react and think about this...that's what art is all about.

 

Yeah, I'm not really down with that.

 

I love that someone else thought the way I did one this Sin

 

Yep another agree to disagree post for us Andrae. I can't see that as anything but disgusting. The only thought it provokes in me is WTF.

 

i would have never thought of that angle had you not pointed it out...very interesting...hmmmm, not sure that i like it but i do appreciate the side of you that dances to the beat of her own drummer...you are quite unique sin mari...just so there is no question...that's a compliment

 

It´s correct and your interpretation is brillant, Sin Mari. But the theory "We all have an evil within us" combined with a living Baby, which is not able to defend,is disgusting and reminds me of "burning of a witch". If we are born with an evil in us, the next questions are , how intense, who is in jeopardy most, how can we identify them and the hunt will start.. We are talking about human beings, it´s very critical. I don´t believe that dictators or murderers are born as that or they have to become like that because it´s in their blood. Circumstances, education,experiences and other people make them to that kind of persons.

Would she had used a doll and would have said "we all can be made to evils"- I maybe could follow her thought.

 

The baby isn't being harmed in any way. She was dressed in clothes, nothing more (ok..a moustache too, but that's nothing LOL). As far as that kid is concerned, it may as well have been wearing a pretty pink dress. So, not at all like witch burning.
Also, the child was photographed...so dressed, photographed and then she changed the clothes. The child wasn't actually put on display herself. Just photos. Again, the child isn't harmed.

I think using a real baby is what was needed for this particular project. Had she used a doll, no one would have paid attention. Just look at us here, would we be talking about it if it had been photos of a doll? I doubt it.

The idea that we all have evil inside us is a very christian one, and something I despise about religion. I agree that we are not born with evil in us. However we all hold the potential to become "evil", or to do "evil" things.

Although the artist says "We all have evil within us", I think her work here more accurately portrays the potential, rather than something that lays within us from birth.

Again, I say that this is an amazing piece of work, simply because of how much of a reaction it gets from us. Either positive or negative, it effects us and that's, again, what art is about.

 

That´s exactly the point I don´t agree..For sure, nothing happens physically to the baby, but the using , the taking out of the advantage..it´s not only the clothes- the thought Baby and evil is the point, underlined by the clothes.

And btw, not many artist use living human beings for their exhibitions.. but to become famous- you have to be provoking, in all kinds of arts.

 

I wondering how the kid will react when he is old enough to know about Hitler, and everything else. That's a picture I ain't framing in my house. The baby may not disagree now, but he may in the future.

 

Imagine, you take a person, a murderer, out of jail, force him to wear that uniform and paint that beard in his face,with the headline "the evil in me was too strong" -and sell it as art-what would you think?

 

Actually a lot of artists use living humans, they're called performance artists and there is a multitude of them.

back to the baby...

The idea is not that babies are evil...the idea (from the artists point of view) is that we all have good and evil within us, which side will win out in the end?
I think it's a very interesting question and her method is brilliant, brutal (in some people's opinion) and sets the mind thinking.
She wanted to stir up emotions and get us thinking and she has succeeded.

 

Her daughter is 11yrs old now, so I think she'd get it.

Actually, you could easily do that without taking him out of jail. Just photograph him in jail or use his mugshot and photoshop the uniform and mo.

But that isn't anything like what this artist has done. :smt011 I think people are missing the point. It's not the baby who is being called Hitler, it's the fact that Hitler (and the others depicted) were all once babies, just like us...but look what they became.

 

I would consider that messed up, even if it was a murderer. Being forced to dress up as Hitler shouldn't be part of dude's punishment.

 

Again mari- I understand your point, my doubt in that story is the using.. performance artists use people, who can decide,if they are willing to do it. It´s their free will.

Performance art for me,can be any situation that involves four basic elements: time, space, the performer's body and a relationship between performer and audience.

She showcased the kid..

But really I appreciate your opinion..

 

I get the point. I never saw the baby as the actual Hitler(who would?). I just don't like the whole thing. It's just some shit I ain't for. She ain't breakin' the law, so I'm not expecting her to be in some deep trouble with the law. I just don't like it.

 

*shrugs* Babies are used all the time in regards to photographs, film, television and journalism.
Anne Geddes is a good example of babies being 'used' (wanna talk about something I hate...lets talk about her! LMAO! No, let's not :smt016).

However, we all think differently and that's a wonderful thing. The world would be a sad place if we all were the same. There is no reason for us all to like this particular expression of art. To tell the truth, I think it's shitty photography, but the idea is something I find intriguing.

Anyhoo..I guess we've exhausted this. LOL! Glad to have intelligent people to discuss things with though. It makes a great change.