Spanish Artist Seeks To Bring Attention To The Dreadful Practice Of Stoning
The execution method still takes places in parts of the Middle East and Africa.
Carmen Rengel— HuffPost Spain
In an art piece by Madrid-based sculptor Pablo Camps, coarse rope is tied around a woman’s bust, as blood-red drops stain the white cloak covering her hair and body. Uneven blocks of marble the surround the figure. Camps seeks to use this piece -- exhibited at the San Javier Town Hall, in Murcia, Spain, until May 2 -- to draw attention to the practice of stoning.
Stoning, a practice in which stones are tossed at a person until they die, still takes place in parts of the Muslim world, including Afghanistan, Somalia and Sudan. The form of execution is mostly conducted as a punishment for adultery or involvement in gay relationships. According to human rights organizations, most of the stoning victims are women.
Advertisement
There is no mention of stoning in the Quran, but the practice is considered a legitimate punishment for adultery under some interpretations of Sharia law.
In some Muslim countries, such as Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia, stoning is legal but rarely — if ever — carried out. Stoning is much more common in Somalia, particularly in areas controlled by Islamist groups such as al Shabaab and Hizbul Islam. In Afghanistan and Iraq, the practice is illegal, but is still carried out by militants and tribal leaders.
"I got the idea after reading about the practice. What I read had a great impact on me,” Camps told HuffPost Spain. “How can such a practice be acceptable?"
Advertisement
Camps’ piece, which has been selected for the eighth edition of the Imagina Festival for young artists in San Javier, covers a total area of 9 square meters. Slabs of white marble are spread out around the cloaked woman, as if she has been stoned.
He explains that his original idea for the piece was more abstract, but then he switched gears and decided to create a “more realistic” artwork that “better captures the reality” of the practice.
Around the sculpture, there is a large area of yellow sand, intended, Camps says, to highlight the “silence and indifference” that shrouds the practice.
Advertisement
"I really wanted to convey solitude and powerlessness,” Camps says. “[The practice] shows a lack of respect for human life.”
In his research, it struck him how little attention the practice had received in the media, he said.
“I hope this piece serves to rouse spectators from their slumber,” Camps told HuffPost Spain.
This post originally appeared on HuffPost Spain and has been translated into English and edited for clarity.
Support HuffPost
Our 2024 Coverage Needs You
Your Loyalty Means The World To Us
At HuffPost, we believe that everyone needs high-quality journalism, but we understand that not everyone can afford to pay for expensive news subscriptions. That is why we are committed to providing deeply reported, carefully fact-checked news that is freely accessible to everyone.
Whether you come to HuffPost for updates on the 2024 presidential race, hard-hitting investigations into critical issues facing our country today, or trending stories that make you laugh, we appreciate you. The truth is, news costs money to produce, and we are proud that we have never put our stories behind an expensive paywall.
As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.
Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. Would you consider becoming a regular HuffPost contributor?
Dear HuffPost Reader
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. If circumstances have changed since you last contributed, we hope you’ll consider contributing to HuffPost once more.