Hi Candace,

--- Harry Needham <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

> While your museum is not run by the denomination, it DOES interpret that
> denomination and I think you owe the denomination the courtesy of not
> publically rubbing its nose in the dirt.
>
> I would insist on the artist removing the commitment AND marriage
> certificates.

I'll have to agree with Harry on this one. Undoubtedly, you are probably
kicking yourself for not requiring a review of all of the pieces before they
were put up. But your museum does interpret the denomination and the board
members are of this same denomination. Thus I think you should politely open a
discussion with the artist and ask him to remove the pieces that are not in
line with the beliefs of the denomination.

Is it censorship - probably. But is it necessarily a bad thing? No. The museum
is not a "public" museum run by tax-payer dollars so you have a right to
exhibit whatever you feel is in line with your museum's philosophy and reject
anything that isn't. You wouldn't expect a Quaker museum to allow exhibits on
modern warfare, a Kosher Jewish museum to allow exhibits on pork, or a Muslim
museum to allow exhibits on portrait paintings.

You might be able to compromise and allow the certificates if the artist agrees
to cover up the names involved as a "privacy" issue. Thus the emphasis would be
on the art itself and not the subjects of the ceremony. After all, this is an
exhibit hosted by your museum about fraktur, not commitment ceremonies. It is
not the place to make a political or personal statement. Let him display his
certificates in another venue not sponsored by his old denomination.

Deb Fuller

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