Candace and list,
If I may chime in...I think the topic of this thread, as many have noted,
is censorship. Good or bad, is not the issue, nor the nature of the
exhibited materials.
I think the only point I would propose, not having seen it elsewhere yet,
is that the decision must be yours and only yours(your institution). Most
importantly, you can not be perceived as bending to the will of one PAC or
another, just because the issue is divisive.
The decision to leave it or not must be made and then defended for specific
reasons. I do not think there is any way for you to please everyone on this
one, and taking actions just to cut your losses can be perceived just as
badly.
Do not defend the artist's political or personal objectives, nor bend to
the will of the mindlessly fundamental. Defend your institution and its
purpose, as well as the right of people to present and to view such things
if they chose to do so.
In my personal and always biased opinion, if you lose members over this,
then you did not need/want them in the first place. You will gain
significantly more useful members as a result. I also think the artist is a
little out of line for putting you in the position, but then your community
should support you none the less.
Sorry if that is not particularly helpful.
Mark Janzen
Registrar/Collections Manager
Edwin A. Ulrich Museum of Art
Martin H. Bush Outdoor Sculpture Collection
Wichita State University
(316)978-5850
Candace Perry
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Re: Help...sticky situation
03/09/2004 10:52
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Ms. Hennessey et al:
Actually, you hit the nail on the head -- we are providing space, allowing
him to hang his own show. To tell you the truth, despite the red flags, it
didn't occur to any of us that this might become a problem...it seems to me
that he is in some way trying to tell his life story...perhaps it's
cathartic for him. We are a very quiet place, as you might imagine, and
heretofore our exhibiting artists have only shown lovely PA landscapes and
non-controversial pieces of that nature! We've had "difficulties" with
artists in the past that I attribute to artistic temperment (sorry to you
non-tempermental artists) and I had planned to create artists'
guidelines...but this situation sort of crept up on me.
I very much appreciate everyone weighing in. Please continue to do so. I
have learned my lesson, I fear, and after the show opens, I'll post and let
you know if anything occurs (as it looks like I can't pull the pieces at
this point).
Actually, at the risk of being cavalier, it's all a bit wacky. The fellow
has evolved from a plain person with chest length beard (ala Rasputin) to
this very, very different individual.
Candace Perry
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