Artist faces prosecution for painting beer cans

Artist Michał Ogiński has been warned he could prosecuted after painting cans of beer. Police in Cieszyn, Poland, have seized canvasses claiming they breach the country's tough alcohol advertising laws and could encourage young people to take up drinking.


Photo from here.

The 25-year-old said: "I was told by police that my work corrupts youth and promotes alcoholism. But it’s just paintings of some beer cans. It’s part of a series of paintings depicting supermarket products. I’ve got others of washing powder and sugar. There’s nothing sinister or corrupting about it."

His lawyer Beata Lejman said: "This is absurd and I’ve never heard of such a ridiculous law. Are they going to confiscate Rembrandt’s pictures which show casks of wine?"



Now officials are waiting for prosecutors to say if Ogiński has a case to answer. Local police chief Kazmierz Plus said: "I don’t make up the law - I just uphold it. And these paintings break the Act of Upbringing in Sobriety and Couteracting Alcoholism law, which is universally binding."

There's a news video in Polish here.