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“Dirty Sleep

The opposition Minjoo Party decided at an emergency supreme council meeting on Jan. 24 to refer lawmaker Pyo Chang-won to its ethics committee for possible disciplinary action over a controversial exhibition of satirical artwork that included an image of President Park Geun-hye’s face transposed on a nude painting.

“The decision was based on the determination that it was inappropriate for a lawmaker to stage an exhibition at the National Assembly showing artwork with anti-woman aspects,” said party spokesperson Park Kyung-mee.

” a work of parody by artist Lee Gu-yeong combining the French painter Edouard Manet’s “Olympia” with Italian painter Giorgione’s “Sleeping Venus

” with Park Geun-hye’s face transposed onto the originals showing reclining female nudes.

In a Facebook post, Pyo wrote, “Obviously, this is just my taste, but I felt it was included in the category of ’artistic freedom.‘”

“Many people have remarked that [the exhibition] produced unintended side effects. I respect that, and if I must take responsibility, I will accept it,” he added.

On Jan. 20, Pyo staged an exhibition titled “Got, BYE!” [got is the Korean word for “soon”] in the lobby of the National Assembly Members’ Office Building together with the group Satire Alliance of Artists for Freedom of Expression. The work that proved controversial was “Dirty Sleep,” a work of parody by artist Lee Gu-yeong combining the French painter Edouard Manet’s “Olympia” with Italian painter Giorgione’s “Sleeping Venus,” with Park Geun-hye‘s face transposed onto the originals showing reclining female nudes. The work prompted an outcry from the Saenuri Party and female lawmakers with the People’s Party, who demanded the removal of “artwork containing hateful messages about female politicians.”

French painter Edouard Manet’s “Olympia”

Former Minjoo Party leader Moon Jae-in also criticized the exhibition in a Facebook post, writing that “criticism and satire are important in art, but I also feel that dignity and restraint are important in politics.”

Italian painter Giorgione’s “Sleeping Venus”

The satirical artwork also became the target of attack by conservative groups. On the afternoon of Jan. 24, Yeongdeungpo Police Station announced that it was investigating two individuals without detention on charges of property destruction for allegedly picking up and throwing “Dirty Sleep” from its position in the Members’ Office Building first-floor lobby in Seoul’s Yeouido neighborhood. One of the two individuals, a 63-year-old surnamed Sim, is a member of the right-wing group Citizens’ Alliance to Protect Liberal Democracy.

Both reportedly admitted to the crime, telling police under questioning that they had damaged the painting because they were “upset about a nude [of the President] being put on display.”

Visitors take photos at an exhibition of satirical art titled “Got

By Lee Jung-ae and Park Su-ji, staff reporters

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