Art: Removed Artwork Causes Censorship Controversy
As many of you guys already know, the Smithsonian decided to take out a piece from the National Portrait Gallery because it was deemed “offensive.”
The artwork in question was David Wojnarowicz’s “A Fire in My Belly,” which includes 11 seconds of ants crawling on a crucifix. The piece was part of a larger exhibit titled “Hide/Seek: Difference and Desire in American Portraiture.”
The removal came after the NPG received pressure from Rep John Boehner, who read an article published by a Catholic news organization about the exhibit. The article, which mentions the crucifix, also condemns the exhibit for its portrayal of LGBT-themed artwork. In fact, the gallery’s theme is on the “sexual difference in the making of modern American portraiture,” according to their website.
“I regret that some reports about the exhibit have created an impression that the video is intentionally sacreligious,” National Portrait Gallery Director Martin Sullivan said in a press release. “In fact, the artist’s intention was to depict the suffering of an AIDS victim. It was not the mueum’s intention to offend.”
The removal of Wojnarowicz’s work did not come without backlash, even from our own readers and contributors. The topic of censorship and Congress’ priorities come to mind for most commentaries.
An email to the NPG and the Smithsonian Institute elicited no personal responses on the ordeal.
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