Latest news with #InGodWeTrust
Gulf Today
24-06-2025
- Politics
- Gulf Today
World's top contemporary art fair paints a portrait of a troubled planet
This year's Art Basel, the world's top contemporary art fair, painted a portrait of a troubled planet, with works embodying the relentless pursuit of happiness and the fragility of democracies. The four-day event in the northern Swiss border city of Basel, which closed on Sunday, featured more than 280 galleries presenting works by around 4,000 artists. The monumental works section featured an 85-metre-long installation entitled 'The Voyage — A March To Utopia'. Created by the studio of Dutch artist Joep van Lieshout, it featured 80 large sculptures forming a procession of absurd objects, where 'everybody walked in the same direction... on their way to a happy place', the artist said. The journey begins with a team of oxen, followed by all means of getting to that better world, including a walking stick, a cart, a toilet on wheels, a wheelchair and a mobile surgical theatre for those struggling to keep up. Next came objects representing everything the convoy was carrying, followed by sculptures of ghosts symbolising those who didn't make it to the end. It ended with machines set to destroy the road behind them, so that 'there was no going back', the artist explained. A visitor walks past 'Gobbler, 2025' by French artist Caroline Achaintre. A stone's throw away, Spanish artist Jaume Plensa presented a work composed of 21 aluminium doors engraved with the articles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 1948. Entitled 'Forgotten Dreams', it invited viewers to contemplate collective aspirations and not forget the horrors of the past. Vietnam-born Danish artist Danh Vo had installed a huge US flag made from hundreds of logs and 13 steel stars, referencing the first version of the flag from 1777. Reconstructed at Art Basel, 'In God We Trust' was first created in 2020, during the presidential election campaign between Donald Trump and Joe Biden. The logs were removed one by one and burned in fireplaces, gradually causing the flag to disappear. The work served as an allegory of the fragility of US democracy. Visitors walk past the artwork 'In God We Trust, 2020' by Danish contemporary artist Danh Vo. Art Basel is above all a commercial event, where artists and galleries come to meet wealthy collectors. But the fair is also very popular with art lovers who come for the simple pleasure of browsing the works on show. Its 'Unlimited' section brings together monumental pieces intended for museums and major collections. It included recent as well as older works, including a performance created in 1991 by Felix Gonzalez-Torres, a US artist from Cuba who died of AIDS in 1996. Called ''Untitled' (Go-Go Dancing Platform)', it featured a man dressed in silver shorts dancing on a podium for a few minutes, twice a day. 'It was an interesting moment to revisit it,' said the 'Unlimited' section's curator, Giovanni Carmine, recalling that the artist created the performance shortly after the death of his partner from AIDS, 'in a context that was also very reactionary'. Gonzalez-Torres responded with 'a very political gesture' with a performance that is 'a celebration of life'. Visitors walk past the artwork 'Testimoni (2009)' by Italian sculptor, painter and printmaker Mimmo Paladino. The 'Unlimited' hall featured 67 works, including three angels by German sculptor Thomas Schutte, which foster 'a certain ambivalence', said Carmine. With 'their wings resembling razors', are they 'protective angels or angels of the apocalypse?', he asked. Japanese artist Izumi Kato brought a touch of poetry with his stone structures, painted with enigmatic faces, drawing on the Japanese tradition that each stone contains a spirit. US artist Arlene Shechet played on contrasts, with a heavy orange abstract sculpture designed to give an impression of lightness despite its weight. 'The current political situation is dark and so bringing light and colour and joy and spirit and art is very meaningful,' she said. A fixture since 1970, Art Basel is widely viewed as a key barometer for the health of global art sales. Works by over 4,000 artists are on show, including a Pablo Picasso painting valued at over $30 million shown by US gallery Pace. Global art sales fell 12% last year, the second annual decline in a row, according to a report by UBS. The drop was particularly sharp at the top end — defined as works selling at auction for over $10 million — where sales tumbled by 39%. 'It's true the galleries are bringing material that is in a different price point to what it used to be,' said Vincenzo de Bellis, Chief Artistic Officer and Global Director of Art Basel Fairs. 'And it's natural, there's a different expectation.' The artwork 'Professional Painter and a Mysterious Horizon' (2024) by Iranian artist Hadi Falapishi. 'We've seen a lot of European curators,' said Georgia Lurie, a director of the Pippy Houldsworth gallery. 'But Americans are thin on the ground, both collectors and museum people.' Regarded as one of the most influential artists of the 20th century, Pablo Picasso died at the age of 93 in 1973 but seven years before that he fell in love with this cultural capital of Switzerland. For centuries, Basel has been the perfect place to embark on a fascinating journey through the world of art. An exceptional density of museums, the world's largest art fair and a lively, young art scene make Basel a vibrant city of culture with an appeal that reaches well beyond Europe. But this is not the only reason that Picasso fell in love with this beautiful city. Tunisian art expert Amina Debbiche, who co-founded digital art platform The Open Crate alongside Nora Mansour, shares her top artworks from Switzerland's Art Basel contemporary art fair, which concluded on Sunday. The Open Crate allowed clients to digitalize their entire collection, whether it be artwork, design objects or luxury items. Agencies
Miami Herald
16-06-2025
- Politics
- Miami Herald
Seven families sue to block AR law requiring Ten Commandments display in schools
Seven Arkansas families of varying faiths are suing the state to block a new law requiring public schools to display the Ten Commandments in classrooms and libraries. The families said the new law 'pressures students into religious observance' of the state's preference and sends a 'religiously divisive message' to students, according to the complaint, filed June 11 in the Western District of Arkansas. Four Northwest Arkansas school districts — Fayetteville, Springdale, Bentonville and Siloam Springs — are cited as defendants in the complaint. 'We are reviewing the lawsuit and considering our options,' a spokesperson for the attorney general's office told McClatchy News in a June 13 email. In April, Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders signed a bill ordering the display of a Protestant version of the Ten Commandments and the motto 'In God We Trust' into law. The complaint asks for an order declaring the law a violation of the First Amendment and an order to enjoin the school districts from complying with the act. 'This law is part of the nationwide Christian Nationalist scheme to win favor for one set of religious views over all others and nonreligion — in a country that promises religious freedom,' Rachel Laser, president and CEO of Americans United for Separation of Church and State, said in a June 11 news release. AU is one of the organizations representing the families, according to the lawsuit. What families said about the new law The families bringing the lawsuit represent several differing religious beliefs, including Judaism, atheism and Unitarian Universalism, according to the complaint. Many of them believe the required display will signal to their children that it is wrong to not be Christian or that they are outsiders for not sharing the same faith, attorneys said. One of the families of Jewish background said the display will make it difficult for their children to 'maintain and express their Jewish identity.' While they recognize the Ten Commandments as part of their faith, the Protestant version lawmakers want displayed in public schools is contrary to their beliefs, according to the complaint. 'They believe strongly that it is important to teach their children about the Ten Commandments within the context of the Jewish faith,' attorneys said. Another family, who practices Humanist and atheist traditions, said the displays will remind their child of previous trauma experienced at school due to religious proselytizing. According to the complaint, a teacher at a different public school got mad at their child 'for not believing in God' and told them 'the family's beliefs were wrong.' This caused the child to feel pressured to 'pretend to believe in God while at school,' attorneys said. 'Being subjected every day to the Ten Commandments in every classroom and the library will remind (the child) of this trauma and further pressure (them) to observe, meditate on, venerate, and adopt the religious directives, as well as to suppress any expression of (their) nonreligious beliefs and background,' attorneys said. While the new law is set to take effect Aug. 5, the families have also filed a motion for preliminary injunction asking the court to temporarily prevent implementation while the lawsuit is pending, according to a news release. Similar lawsuits filed The Arkansas lawsuit is the latest in a string of federal cases examining the constitutional separation of church and state. In May, groups sued the state of Texas over a similar law requiring public schools to display the Ten Commandments, according to a May 29 American Civil Liberties Union news release. In November, a federal district court blocked a Louisiana law ordering the Ten Commandments to be shown in public schools after nine multi-faith families filed a lawsuit, according to a Nov. 12 ACLU news release.
Yahoo
13-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Lawsuit filed over Arkansas Ten Commandments in classrooms law
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – Families of students at some school districts in northwest Arkansas are suing over Act 573 of 2025, a law mandating the Ten Commandments be displayed in public school classrooms. The plaintiffs come from diverse backgrounds, some of which are very religious, while others are not, but all argue that the law is unconstitutional. Ten Commandments, 'In God We Trust' in classrooms is now Arkansas law When school starts, the Ten Commandments are to be displayed in classrooms across the state. However, the lawsuit seeks to stop the law from taking effect. John Williams, legal director for the ACLU of Arkansas, said the plaintiffs believe the law violates the U.S. Constitution. 'We think that by posting a religious document for students to view every day when they're in school, that that is an establishment of a preferred religion, and that's against the Establishment Clause,' Williams said. Williams also said the law violates the free exercise of religion. USDA approves Arkansas Gov. Sanders' waiver to ban soda, candy from SNAP Jerry Cox, executive director of the conservative Family Council, supports the law. 'We think that this is a very good law; the purpose of school is to teach young people good values and to teach them about our history,' Cox said. Cox says that the Ten Commandments are also historical and foundational to Western civilization. 'I think it's undeniable that the Ten Commandments formed the basis for all Western civilization, our laws, our morals, our society,' Cox said. Williams disagreed, emphasizing the religious nature of the commandments. 'Ten Commandments are not really a basis for law in the United States,' he said. Cox noted that the commandments are already displayed in various public places. 'We display the Ten Commandments in a lot of public places. They're over there on the grounds of the Capitol, you can find them at the U.S. Supreme Court,' he said. Lawsuit filed to halt Arkansas law putting 10 Commandments in classrooms The law is scheduled to take effect Aug. 5, before the new school year begins. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
12-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Arkansas families sue to keep 10 Commandments out of classroom before new law takes effect
Arkansas families are suing to block the 10 Commandments from being displayed in public school classrooms as required by a new state law. Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders signed a bill into law in April requiring the Ten Commandments and the "national motto, 'In God We Trust'" to be "prominently" displayed on posters in Arkansas classrooms and public buildings. The school mandate takes effect in August. The posters, which must meet a certain size requirement, must be donated or funded through private donations, the law states. Schools are allowed to use public funds or donations to replace any noncompliant display with a compliant display. A coalition of multi-faith families argued in their legal challenge that the religious display requirement violates their religious freedom and parental rights. Supreme Court Likely To Side With Parents In Letting Them Opt Out Of Lgbtq Storybooks, Expert Says "Permanently posting the Ten Commandments in every classroom and library — rendering them unavoidable — unconstitutionally pressures students into religious observance, veneration, and adoption of the state's favored religious scripture," the lawsuit states. Read On The Fox News App "It also sends the harmful and religiously divisive message that students who do not subscribe to the Ten Commandments—or, more precisely, to the specific version of the Ten Commandments that Act 573 requires schools to display—do not belong in their own school community and pressures them to refrain from expressing any faith practices or beliefs that are not aligned with the state's religious preferences." The lawsuit was filed on behalf of the families by the American Civil Liberties Union, Americans United for the Separation of Church and State and the Freedom from Religion Foundation. "As American Jews, my husband and I deeply value the ability to raise our children in our faith, without interference from the government," Plaintiff Samantha Stinson said in a press release. "By imposing a Christian-centric translation of the Ten Commandments on our children for nearly every hour of every day of their public-school education, this law will infringe on our rights as parents and create an unwelcoming and religiously coercive school environment for our children." Scotus Rulings This Term Could Strengthen Religious Rights Protections, Expert Says It names four school districts in northwest Arkansas — Fayetteville, Bentonville, Siloam Springs and Springdale — as defendants. The plaintiffs are asking for a preliminary injunction to pause the implementation of the law while the lawsuit is pending, according to the ACLU. Fayetteville Public Schools, Bentonville Schools and Siloam Springs School District told Fox News Digital they do not comment on pending litigation but "it appears after reviewing the court filing, that the lawsuit aims to challenge the constitutionality of a new Arkansas law that will take effect in August rather than challenging any action taken by [the school districts named in the lawsuit]." Springdale Schools did not immediately return a request for comment. Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry signed a similar bill into law last year which has also faced legal challenges. A federal judge temporarily blocked the measure before it was to take effect in January, calling it "unconstitutional on its face." Louisiana defended the religious display in a federal appeals court in January. The Associated Press contributed to this article source: Arkansas families sue to keep 10 Commandments out of classroom before new law takes effect
New York Post
12-06-2025
- Politics
- New York Post
Arkansas families sue to keep 10 Commandments out of classroom before new law takes effect
Arkansas families are suing to block the 10 Commandments from being displayed in public school classrooms as required by a new state law. Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders signed a bill into law in April requiring the Ten Commandments and the 'national motto, 'In God We Trust'' to be 'prominently' displayed on posters in Arkansas classrooms and public buildings. Advertisement The school mandate takes effect in August. The posters, which must meet a certain size requirement, must be donated or funded through private donations, the law states. Schools are allowed to use public funds or donations to replace any noncompliant display with a compliant display. A coalition of multi-faith families argued in their legal challenge that the religious display requirement violates their religious freedom and parental rights. Advertisement 'Permanently posting the Ten Commandments in every classroom and library — rendering them unavoidable — unconstitutionally pressures students into religious observance, veneration, and adoption of the state's favored religious scripture,' the lawsuit states. 'It also sends the harmful and religiously divisive message that students who do not subscribe to the Ten Commandments—or, more precisely, to the specific version of the Ten Commandments that Act 573 requires schools to display—do not belong in their own school community and pressures them to refrain from expressing any faith practices or beliefs that are not aligned with the state's religious preferences.' 3 Families in the state of Arkansas have filed a lawsuit to prevent the display of the 10 Commandments in public schools across the state, citing a new law that is set to take effect. Getty Images The lawsuit was filed on behalf of the families by the American Civil Liberties Union, Americans United for the Separation of Church and State and the Freedom from Religion Foundation. Advertisement 'As American Jews, my husband and I deeply value the ability to raise our children in our faith, without interference from the government,' Plaintiff Samantha Stinson said in a press release. 'By imposing a Christian-centric translation of the Ten Commandments on our children for nearly every hour of every day of their public-school education, this law will infringe on our rights as parents and create an unwelcoming and religiously coercive school environment for our children.' 3 The bill, which was signed by Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders, will take effect in August. AP It names four school districts in northwest Arkansas — Fayetteville, Bentonville, Siloam Springs and Springdale — as defendants. Advertisement The plaintiffs are asking for a preliminary injunction to pause the implementation of the law while the lawsuit is pending, according to the ACLU. Fayetteville Public Schools, Bentonville Schools and Siloam Springs School District told Fox News Digital they do not comment on pending litigation but 'it appears after reviewing the court filing, that the lawsuit aims to challenge the constitutionality of a new Arkansas law that will take effect in August rather than challenging any action taken by [the school districts named in the lawsuit].' 3 The families who filed the suit claim that the new law violates their religious freedom. AP Springdale Schools did not immediately return a request for comment. Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry signed a similar bill into law last year which has also faced legal challenges. A federal judge temporarily blocked the measure before it was to take effect in January, calling it 'unconstitutional on its face.' Louisiana defended the religious display in a federal appeals court in January. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
