Helleland deleted tweet because of its misinterpretation in Israel

Culture Minister, Linda Hofstad HellelandCulture Minister, Linda Hofstad Helleland.Photo: Cornelius Poppe / NTB scanpix

Culture Minister, Linda Hofstad Helleland, denies that she has congratulated a Norwegian clothing designer who will display a ‘Holocaust’ collection in New York.

Designer, Siri Sveen Haaland, is attending the catwalk display during New York Fashion Week next week.

She has recently been criticised for the collection, which is inspired by the life of the Jewish tailor, Moritz Rabinowitz, who lived in Haugesund, wrote Vårt Land newspaper. Each of the collection’s garments are marked with small Stars of David and triangles.

Culture Minister, Linda Hofstad Helleland, wished Sveen Haaland luck in tweet, but later deleted it. This was perceived as if she had withdrawn the ‘good luck’
greeting, but that interpretation was rejected by the Ministry of Culture on Saturday.

‘I decided to delete my ‘good luck’ tweet because the headlines on the matter led to adverse reactions, and divisiveness, including in Israel, where tweet had been completely misinterpreted, and where it was perceived as if I take a position on the artist’s inspirations. I don’t, of course, as Minister of Culture.

I do not want that good luck wish for an artistic achievement being abused on Twitter’, the minister said.

She added that it was great that Siri Sveen Haaland will show her collection during the New York Fashion Week.

‘Distasteful’

The ‘Holocaust Center’s’ director, Guri Hjeltnes, is among those who have criticised Sveen Haaland’s clothing collection.

‘My spontaneous reaction is that it’s distasteful, insensitive and not well thought out’, she said to Vårt Land newspaper.

‘One really believes that there was a break in the long journey from the sewing table in Norway and the catwalk in Manhattan’.

Haaland replied that she feels misunderstood, since it is not fashion that will be mass produced, but a representation of her artistic expression.

‘I want to illustrate the story of one man, so that it is not forgotten. It’s about respect. I think it is disturbing that the reactions have been what they have been’, said Siri Sveen Haaland.

 

Source: NTB scanpix / Norway Today