“This is an excessive and misuse of power.” In these words, playwright and graphic artist Diana Raznovich (Buenos Aires, 1945) describes the removal of her vignette from a palm exhibition in which she focused on justice in Machism. The Balearic government made the decision following complaints from the main associations of judges, the Minister of Justice and the General Council of the Court (CGPJ) themselves, who did not explicitly demand the withdrawal but criticized the work as restoring the image of justice. “Fake” and “stigmatized”. The famous artist, who has been exiled to Spain since 1976, demands his return and claims that his withdrawal “sets a dangerous precedent”.
In the vignette is shown a judge looking at a woman in his arms to whom he says: “How can I believe that your husband will treat you badly if you are alive!”. It is part of a broader exhibition against sexist violence promoted by the Institut de la Dona and funded by the State Pact against Gender-Based Violence, for which it bears the logo of the Ministry of Equality. “I had to emigrate because the Argentine dictatorship banned my work and my humor. The difference is that now it comes from democracy,” said Raznovic, who was a Clarin cartoonist and whose work has been translated into many languages. languages.
What did you think of the decision?
It has no name other than censorship. If an institution removes a vignette from an exhibition because the group feels insulted and makes a decision to remove it on its own, what can it be called? Humor is the first thing that falls into intolerance. In my country, the first thing the dictatorship forbade was humor, and Quinio Mafalda had to go into exile in Spain. me too. It is a very dangerous precedent.
In that sense?
This is a very bad sign that humor is subject to censorship. Humor in itself is disrespectful, because if we comedians are going to spend time in front of everyone for arrogance, we will disappear. In addition, gender humor is scarce and there is no place for female comedians in the press. The little things that are addressed are censored, it seems like a terrible precedent to me. I am forbidden to speak to a judge who does not believe in a violent woman, but also where are the other comedians who try to question some aspects of the judiciary protected?
The government apologized to those who might have considered it. And you?
I should not ask for any forgiveness. I make jokes about truth judges who do not believe in victimhood, which is in the public domain. Not particularly the judiciary or all judges. I know there are excellent judges who do a great job with sexist violence, but I do not need to apologize. What apology should I make to a dissident judge in La Manada who found pleasure in pleasing the victim and in expressing pleasure?
What was your goal with this vignette? What did you want to show?
I did this exactly when a dissenting opinion of Judge Ricardo Gonzalez was published. There are isolated cases where judges do not believe there is a crime and suggest that the violation was caused by the victims themselves. The reality is that in every institution there are sexists, misogynists and machos. As if I am talking about an abuser. I am not saying that all men are abusers, but we are not going to deny that there are even petitions by international organizations demanding that Spain reconsider the sexist aspects of justice.
The work has spread virally in isolation, but it is part of the exhibition. What does it consist of?
The exhibition has 32 vignettes and the theme that unites them is sexist violence in all aspects. This is the only one that indicates the unreliability of a woman being abused by a judge, but the show also questions pornography, prostitution and sexual exploitation or sexist violence in the private sphere, among others.
The exhibition has institutional support and that was one of the reasons why most of the judges were outraged.
Cultural support is essential. If culture, art, creativity, intellect and interrogation are not supported, what are the state funds for? The only way to eliminate violence is to change the culture, the cultural parameters.
Is this an unfair portrait of the achievements that have been made in the judiciary in recent years, as the associations attest?
There has been tremendous progress in terms of justice, there are many trained judges who have a gender perspective, but that does not preclude exceptions. Two years ago they presented me with the Meninas Award for their fight against sexist violence through art in the Valencian community, and that day I shared a space with lots of police officers doing the same thing, it was emotion and pride. But a few weeks ago, a police officer killed his wife with a service weapon. If I do a vignette about this fact, my whole body will not come out and tell me that I feel insulted. nonsense.
The judges issued appeals, but in the end, the government decided to withdraw …
Yes, I do not know why this opinion was presented. He trembled at this thought. All I ask for is a vignette recovery. We are talking about a vignette. Looks like David and Goliath … they have all the power to take away, but I have the power of humor.
An exaggerated vignette?
Humor is hyperbolic, paradoxical, questionable, and critical when it comes to thinking.
More than 80% of the 46 women killed in 2020 have not filed a complaint. Can your vignette help bring victims’ access to justice?
This made me very sad. I have been campaigning for women for a long time. Without further ado, a few months ago we published here in Alicante an instruction manual for battered women with vignettes and video resources for the victim who is now on Ambassador Buses. Reporting is not easy, but not because of my vignette. First because the victims are in a panic and then because the legal procedures are complicated. The complaint is not facilitated in terms of all the steps that need to be taken.
Is this vignette on display in other cities as well?
He was in Alicante six months ago, also with public funds and from the State Pact Against Gender-Based Violence, at the headquarters of a government sub-delegation. Also at the Palau de Les Arts in Valencia. The exhibition was requested in 2019 by Xirivella (Valencia) City Council, who first ordered and paid for it. Since then it has been circulating in schools, in the City Hall, in women’s homes … it is used as a weapon. Now I am being asked from Granada.
Has anything like this happened to you during your career?
I had to move to Madrid in 1976 because of the Argentine dictatorship because my performances and humor were banned. Then I had a ban, but it came from a dictatorship and I was afraid there. The difference is that now it comes from democracy and I’m not afraid, because we citizens have the right to express ourselves and comedians too. There is freedom of expression. It then happened again at Oviedo City Hall that a vignette like mine was exposed and the judge requested its removal, but the council refused.
Source: El Diario
I am Ida Scott, a journalist and content author with a passion for uncovering the truth. I have been writing professionally for Today Times Live since 2020 and specialize in political news. My career began when I was just 17; I had already developed a knack for research and an eye for detail which made me stand out from my peers.
