February 17, 2008: Art?
 

Cellerite Kirk Israel, once said, "Art is whatever you can get away with".
Katinka Simonse, who works under the name of Tinkebell, has been rattling the art world for awhile, most notably when she made a purse out of her dead cat.

Her latest, dog/cat doll, at an art fair opening in Rotterdam today, has been stirring up a storm of response in the Dutch media.

http://cellar.org/2008/popple.jpg
I believe its made from a dead dog and a dead cat.
Is it art?

no its GROSS !!!

I think it's a handbag. The reason it's gross is because we consider dogs and cats pets.

There's no difference between a dog pelt purse and a fox pelt purse for example. It's just that one is more acceptable.

I don't think it's art though.

Pardon my French.

But that shit is messed up.

Well, mostly I don't believe there is such a thing as an 'official' art-label.

Personaly I consider calling those hypo-allergenic cats "lifestyle pets" quite offensive as well.

It's a Popple!

Funny - I ready pardon my fresh.....

There might be a difference -the cat and dog probably weren't killed specifically for that project. Which imo would make it more acceptable than the fox purse.

Is it art? Not to me. It might have been if the artist had simply made the product and started using it, but putting an object on display and stating "THIS IS ART" is more likely to have the opposite effect, in my opinion. If you have to tell people it's art, it probably isn't.

Sort of the reverse effect of comments that start with "no offence, but....."

It's a creative way to stuff a dog into a cat, and i do admit there is a lot of effort going into it, but art? I don't think so. A memorial to two pets maybe, but not art.

While I own several purses made of animal hide (cow) I have never owned a bag that had a head still attached. Or legs, or tails... I would think it was a little gross and a lot creepy no matter what kind of animal it was made from.

The fact that it is reversible, while usually an attractive feature, just makes it double, no, triple creepy.

It's not a handbag.

Leaving the head on the fox fur stole was considered the height of fashion at one time. I think it's a matter of perspective. I'm with you though, I don't think I'd be interested in it.

Yes Bruce, I know it's not a handbag as such, but it's some kind of bag in my opinion because she's carrying one thing in another.

No, it's not a bag. The zipper allows her to turn it inside out, to make the transformation from dog to cat. The only thing on the inside is the other side of the doll.

whatever you say. I was simply giving my impression of the item that's all. I'm not saying I'm right or wrong. Just what I think of it.

Bruce!!!! Dont call it a *doll*