Student's anti-Santa poster scrapped

[Mikeyjay]

Plans to mount a piece of student artwork that attacked the commercialisation of Christmas on a billboard in Glasgow city centre have been scrapped.

Glasgow School of Art student Darren Cullen was to unveil an advertising billboard in the city today featuring the slogans

"Stop Lying To Your Children About Santa Claus"

and

"Santa Gives More To Rich Kids Than Poor Kids".

The final-year student said the aim of the project was to highlight the dangers of consumerism and the way the advertising industry targets children.

However, today it emerged that the sign company, Maiden Outdoor, decided not to carry the work in the Possilpark area of the city.

Mr Cullen said the firm decided the poster was too contentious to display following media interest in the project.

He said today: "The company was contacted by a newspaper and I think they felt it was too contentious a theme.

"I am disappointed but I am going to be contacting other companies to see if they can help.

"I hope to get the project up and running some time soon."

Mr Cullen denied he was attempting to ruin the magic of Christmas through the controversial stunt.

The 22-year-old said: "Santa Claus is a lie that teaches kids that products will make them happy.

"Before they're old enough to think for themselves, the story of Santa has already got them hooked on consumerism.

"I think that's more immoral than this billboard."

The environmental art undergraduate said his work is influenced by a four-year stint on advertising courses in Leeds, his home city, and Glasgow.

Outlining his philosophy, Mr Cullen said: "Today people are living far beyond their means, going into debt, buying things they can't afford, because they have this belief that any problem can be solved and happiness can be achieved through the buying of products.

"Now that, for the most part, is down to advertising, which manipulates people's desires and keeps them reliant on purchases for satisfaction.

"But when those consumers were children, instead of Christmas being a celebration of Jesus, who was quite a vocal opponent of materialism and, therefore, a rubbish spokesman for Christmas - they were told about Santa Claus and all the amazing shiny products he was going to bring them, all for free."

The billboard is part of a public art project that students on Mr Cullen's course are required to do each year.

Father Christmas has is the focal point of some of Mr Cullen's other work in preparation for his course degree show in June.

His portfolio includes a drawing of Santa admitting "I Killed Jesus", smaller posters and stickers reminding parents to "Stop Lying To Your Children About Santa Claus" and a page on his website that calls for Santa to be kept as far away from children as possible.

Tanya Eccleston, the head of environmental art and sculpture at the art school, said before the cancellation of the project: "Our students work with public spaces and unconventional sites as a means of creating dialogue about the things that matter to them and to all of us." "In Darren's case, the current adversarial political climate and its use of language and promise offer a perfect backdrop to the work."

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[elkieDannsa' Air An Drochaid]

OH this is great!

The Father gave us something and it was not for nothing either! It was certainly paid for!

Christmas dialogue is a good thing.

products, have nothig to do with Christmas.

memory of the oNE who matters does! and love for HIM!

The St.Nick who helped orphans was alot different thatn the santa of today.

thought provoking art ideas........

thanks for saheing this,

elkie

[apothanein kerdos]

Very good article. I think he actually has a very valid point.

[Mikeyjay]

Hey just to let you's know that if you go to the more link in the above post you can even download a printable poster that you can use to help the cause of the good riddance of Satan Clause !!!

[Khristeeanos]

There is a billboard out now that has a picture of a pig and says:

He died for your sins.

It is put up by PETA I believe.

It is quite offensive.

[Mikeyjay]

There is a billboard out now that has a picture of a pig and says:

He died for your sins.

It is put up by PETA I believe.

It is quite offensive.

Yes it is !!! Who is P.E.T.A ???

[Khristeeanos]

There is a billboard out now that has a picture of a pig and says:

He died for your sins.

It is put up by PETA I believe.

It is quite offensive.

Yes it is !!! Who is P.E.T.A ???

I think it is PETA.

People for the Equal Treatment of Animals (or something like that maybe?)

[apothanein kerdos]

There is a billboard out now that has a picture of a pig and says:

He died for your sins.

It is put up by PETA I believe.

It is quite offensive.

Yes it is !!! Who is P.E.T.A ???

I think it is PETA.

People for the Equal Treatment of Animals (or something like that maybe?)

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals

To compare Christ, our Lord, Savoir, and by chance a Jew....to a pig.......I'm just going to bite my tongue on this one. I can't stand PETA

[Giaour]

People Eating Tasty Animals

[Khristeeanos]

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals

To compare Christ, our Lord, Savoir, and by chance a Jew....to a pig.......I'm just going to bite my tongue on this one. I can't stand PETA

I agree. Reprehensible!

(BTW: thanks for the correction. )