Christian, 

Indeed, those who put on provocative exhibits should understand, to some degree, the political and social "risks" involved. Does that mean the discussion they seek to generate is any less valid? As I understand it (and I admit I'm no expert), Ukraine has seen a troubling pattern of challenges to basic rights very recently. Consider how Freedom House downgraded Ukraine from "Free" to "Partly Free" last year.

Now perhaps more than ever, Ukrainians have to test the limits of their freedoms. This exhibit is one way to do that. So while the exhibit organizers may have to face consequences, that doesn't mean their work is invalid. On the contrary, I think they've helped expose a big challenge not just to museums but any democratic society—the limits of speech. And it gets stickier in the public/private realm.

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