<\/a>https:\/\/secure.avaaz.org\/en\/petition\/El_Salvador_Legal_Authorities_Keep_Victor_Rodriguez_out_of_jail\/?fbss<\/a><\/p>\n

V\u00edctor \u201cCrack\u201d Rodr\u00edguez is facing up to six years in prison for a performance piece. \u00a0 After the general election in El Salvador that split the winning left party from the right by a margin of less than 1% percent, tensions in the country are high, especially amongst the nation\u2019s community of artists, who are rallying to defend Rodr\u00edguez, one of San Salvador\u2019s celebrated contemporary artists.<\/p>\n

On March 9th, 2014 Rodriguez walked in to a ballot station and announced, \u201cthis is an artist action,\u201d then proceeded to eat half of his ballot in front of polling station onlookers before casting the remaining half.\u00a0 A video of the artist\u2019s performance went viral. \u00a0But the situation quickly turned ugly as the Salvadoran legal system reacted, accusing the artist of electoral fraud \u2014 a criminal offence punishable by up to six years in prison.<\/p>\n

Renowned Salvadoran artist Simon Vega is appalled by the charges:<\/p>\n

The fact that many of us feel there is not one political party or candidate in which we can believe or respect yet having the authorities tell us that the vote is \u201cthe people\u2019s most powerful weapon,\u201d makes many of us identify with his action. According to the law, \u201cCrack\u201d could be facing from 2 to 6 years in prison for expressing himself in this way, how senseless! We won\u2019t allow it.\u00a0I think the action is one of the most important, consequent and effective works of contemporary art in Central America\u2019s history, no doubt.<\/i><\/p>\n

The artists\u2019s collaborators Ernesto Bautista, Mauricio Kabistan, and Melissa Guevara, fellow members of the collective <\/span>The\u00a0Fire Theory<\/a>,\u00a0have <\/span>created a petition<\/a>\u00a0in order for the art community at large to show their appreciation for the artist\u2019s intention. The artists are hoping to use this petition as evidence to show that Rodr\u00edguez is a seasoned artist and that this \u201ccall to action\u201d forms part of his practice and is not a crime.<\/span><\/p>\n

see the whole article here: http:\/\/hyperallergic.com\/116387\/salvadoran-artist-faces-prison-after-eating-voting-ballot\/<\/a><\/p>\n

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