Lars Vilks in North America
Lars Vilks, of Sweden, is an academically trained art theorist having earned a PhD in art history from Lund University in 1987. In 1988 he moved to Norway and worked at the Oslo National Academy of the Arts until 1993. From 1997 to 2003, he was a professor in art theory at the Bergen National Academy of the Arts. A self-taught artist and mostly an outsider in the Swedish art scene, he creates various types of art ranging from sculptures and paintings to drawings. When his work is discussed by media and art world insiders, it is seen as deliberately provocative.
He has described himself as an equal opportunity critic of religion having criticized all religions in one way or another in his work but in 2007, he crossed the rubicon when he produced a series of drawings depicting the prophet Mohammad as a roundabout dog.
Since that time, he has received death threats, protests have occurred during his speaking engagements, his home was the site of an arson attempt and authorities discovered an international plot to murder him. The revelation of Philadelphia’s own Jihad-Jane’s assassination plot against Vilks in October 2009 leaves no doubt that his life is threatened. And for what? For having drawn a picture!