VOA常速英语2007年-Abu Ghraib Art Exhibit Opens in Washington, DC

By Zulima Palacio
Washington
08 November 2007
 

The American University Museum in Washington. D.C. is hosting an exhibit (through December 30, 2007) that depicts¹ the abuse of prisoners by American soldiers at Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq. The exhibit by Colombian artist Fernando Botero consists of numerous paintings and drawings . Producer Zulima Palacio talked to the artist and prepared this report. Ruth Reader narrates² the story.

Through history countless³ artists have made antiwar statements and protested political and human rights abuses in their work. Fernando Botero painted "Abu Ghraib."

Artist Fernando Botero talks about the inspiration of the photos, he says, "These paintings are the result of the rage I felt when I learned about the tortures in Abu Ghraib."

Botero never viewed the graphic⁴ pictures of abuse seen around the world. His paintings were inspired by press accounts of what took place at Abu Ghraib. Seven U.S. soldiers were eventually convicted of abuse-related crimes.

The exhibit includes 80 paintings and drawings in Botero's distinctive⁵ style. He has donated the entire collection to the University in California Berkeley where he first had a partial show of the works.

"I never thought I would (sell) these paintings. It would be immoral⁶ to make money based on human pain," says Botero.

Botero says he created these works as a condemnation⁷ of violence. "I hope that when the newspapers and the people stop talking about this, my paintings will be there to remember an unacceptable moment in the history of the United States."

Jack⁸ Rasmussen is the director and curator of the American University Museum. "Fernando is maybe the best-known Latin American artist and the most successful but is also one of the most important artists in the world," he said.

Rasmussen says the combination of political message and great art makes this a very powerful exhibit that is hard to ignore. The exhibit will be on view through the end of the year. It is then scheduled to be shown in Mexico.

1 depicts   

描绘，描画( depict的第三人称单数 )； 描述

参考例句：

• The book vividly depicts French society of the 1930s. 这本书生动地描绘了20 世纪30 年代的法国社会。
• He depicts the sordid and vulgar sides of life exclusively. 他只描写人生肮脏和庸俗的一面。

2 narrates   

v.故事( narrate的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• It narrates the unconstitutional acts of James II. 它历数了詹姆斯二世的违法行为。 来自辞典例句
• Chapter three narrates the economy activity which Jew return the Occident. 第三章讲述了犹太人重返西欧后的经济活动。 来自互联网

3 countless   

adj.无数的，多得不计其数的

参考例句：

• In the war countless innocent people lost their lives.在这场战争中无数无辜的人丧失了性命。
• I've told you countless times.我已经告诉你无数遍了。

4 graphic   

adj.生动的，形象的，绘画的，文字的，图表的

参考例句：

• The book gave a graphic description of the war.这本书生动地描述了战争的情况。
• Distinguish important text items in lists with graphic icons.用图标来区分重要的文本项。

5 distinctive   

adj.特别的，有特色的，与众不同的

参考例句：

• She has a very distinctive way of walking.她走路的样子与别人很不相同。
• This bird has several distinctive features.这个鸟具有几种突出的特征。

6 immoral   

adj.不道德的，淫荡的，荒淫的，有伤风化的

参考例句：

• She was questioned about his immoral conduct toward her.她被询问过有关他对她的不道德行为的情况。
• It is my belief that nuclear weapons are immoral.我相信使核武器是不邪恶的。

7 condemnation   

n.谴责; 定罪

参考例句：

• There was widespread condemnation of the invasion. 那次侵略遭到了人们普遍的谴责。
• The jury's condemnation was a shock to the suspect. 陪审团宣告有罪使嫌疑犯大为震惊。

8 jack   

n.插座，千斤顶，男人；v.抬起，提醒，扛举；n.（Jake）杰克

参考例句：

• I am looking for the headphone jack.我正在找寻头戴式耳机插孔。
• He lifted the car with a jack to change the flat tyre.他用千斤顶把车顶起来换下瘪轮胎。