Islam and Homosexuality still can't mix in the Netherlands.....

They still can't find a museum willing to show these photos....

MuseumgoudA is withdrawing its offer to exhibit artist Sooreh Hera's photos about Islam and homosexuality. Earlier, the museum in the town of Gouda had explicitly presented itself as a champion of free expression.

Hera took pictures showing two men in a homosexual context whilst wearing masks representing the prophet Mohammed and his nephew. The municipal museum of The Hague (Gemeentemuseum Den Haag) selected Hera's work for an exhibition last autumn, only to withdraw its decision within days. The given reason was that upon closer inspection, the quality of the photographs was not sufficiently high and that the museum did not feel like "needlessly offending certain groups".

MuseumgoudA criticised the Gemeentemuseum and offered to show Hera's work. "If Hera accepts our invitation, then we will certainly exhibit the photos here", as the museum's manager Ranti Tjan stated in November. He emphasised that his museum was a free port, "also for art that is experienced as offensive".

But Tjan is now going back on his promise, according to Hera. "He says he first needs to work on 'sentiments' in Gouda. Several Moroccans have already visited the museum in search of the photos. He says he wants to exhibit them, but cannot. First he wishes to teach the Muslims in his municipality how to look at art. But how long will that take?", Hera wondered rhetorically in newspaper De Pers yesterday.