Deb, I see your points.  However, the case can be made that this artist's
entire m.o. is to employ this old, traditional technique that is linked to
this conservative religious movement in this manner that will definitely
raise eyebrows.  If he wasn't gay, then it would just be pretty pictures and
skilled craftsmanship.  Nothing wrong with that, but his background and
current situation makes it all the richer a statement.

I know a Jewish artist whose body is covered in tattoos, mostly depicting
Holocaust scenes, and she takes photographs of her body with the tattoos,
enlarges them to over life size, and shows them in Jewish museums.  This is
her work--to break the Orthodox taboos against both public nudity and
tattooing--and she chooses the venues carefully.

There was just a large article today on Roger Shimomura, a Japanese artist
who uses stereotypes about Japanese culture as his artwork. Ditto Kara
Walker.

I don't think the artist is necessarily bashing the religion, but in any
case, whoever chose the artist or scheduled the exhibition should have been
astute enough to notice the statement and work through it with the artist.

What is the artist's name?  Sounds like something I'd like to show, if he
were willing to get even edgier.

Julia Muney Moore
Director of Exhibitions and Artist Services
Indianapolis Art Center
820 E. 67th St.
Indianapolis, IN  46220
(317) 255-2464 x233
FAX (317) 254-0486
email <[log in to unmask]>
website <http://www.indplsartcenter.org>


-----Original Message-----
From: Deb Fuller [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Friday, March 12, 2004 8:12 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Censorship and respecting people's beliefs


I think the point here was not so much that the audience would be offended,
(which will probably happen) but that the piece in question is depicting
something that the organization sponsoring the exhibit is fundamentally
opposed
to. And I thought that the executive director was the only so far that has
noticed this but that the other board members are sure to raise eyebrows.

So in this case, it's not just a potential controversy with the public, but
with the sponsoring organization. And again, I think you have to look at the
motives behind putting up the pieces. This man used to be a member of their
church and left because of this issue. This is not an outside artist coming
in
who doesn't know the history of the church and its beliefs. Putting these
certificates in his exhibit is not a "ooops" but at it's mildest a
"nyaaaahh-nyaaah" and at worst a slap in the face. What would you think if a
conservative Jewish museum asked an artist to come in for an exhibit and he
put
up Nazi propaganda or Spam sculptures?

I think some on this list need to step back and think about the whole
situation. Taking a piece down because it is offensive to the group that is
sponsoring the exhibit isn't censorship, it's respect. They asked this
artist
to come in and do an exhibit. He needs to be aware of their views and
respect
them. Clearly he understands their views. And besides, it's an exhibit on a
particular art style, not on the subject of marriage or relationships. If
the
pieces aren't significantly different from the other works in the exhibit, I
believe that the artist needs to politely be told that they need to be taken
down. And maybe this might open a dialogue with the rest of the board about
his
beliefs and they can work out their differences in a constructive manner,
not
using a public display to make a point.

Deb

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