Artist: Marlène Dumas
Confronting Bodies: cultural clash between context and content
Date of Action: 23 February 2011
Specific Location: Abu Dhabi art fair 2011
Description of Artwork: Stressing both the physical reality of the human body and its psychological value, Dumas tends to paint her subjects at the extreme fringes of lifes cycle, from birth to death, with a continual emphasis on classical modes of representation in Western art, such as the nude or the funerary portrait. By working within and also transgressing these traditional historical antecedents, Dumas uses the human figure as a means to critique contemporary ideas of racial, sexual, and social identity.
Description of Incident: At Abu Dhabi art fair, one day of the event was reserved for women, despite the nudity featuring in some of the works. This concession has not reassured public opinion. It has been seen as the symptom of the moral censure inherent to the countrys culture and a precursor of censorship.
Results of Incident: the eminent broker David Zwirner was not allowed to display the work of Marlene Dumas, as the content was deemed too provocative.
Source: http://www.artmediaagency.com/en/17618/will-abu-dhabi-censor-museums/
Date Input: Sunday, October 27, 2013
Date Edited:
Name: CONTENT
[ Edit ]
Date: 2006-present
Location: Europe
Subject: Political/Economic/Social Opinion
Medium: Design
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Artist: OMA/Rem Koolhaas published by Taschen
Confronting Bodies: OMA/Rem Koolhaas vs Chinese corporations
Date of Action: 2004
Specific Location: OMA/Rem Koolhaas offices, Beijing (China) and internet
Description of Artwork: Content is a follow-up to SMLXL, an inventory of seven years of OMA's tireless labour. In many ways it is structured according to what its predecessor is not - dense, cheap, disposable. The relentless internal logic that propelled SMLXL is here counteracted by the incorporation of critical, external voices.
Description of Incident: the designers of CONTENT's publication proposed polemical cartoons/caricatures of OMA's projects for the cover. OMA rejected these proposals and instead chose a version in which the CCTV building is presented as the positive and shining symbol of a changing world order - which reflects our sincere intention with the design. The designers of the book included the rejected covers in miniature as an appendix. In 2005, some of the rejected images circulated on internet in China. Now, the same images re-circulate on the internet, causing upset and speculation. OMA did not produce the images and their content does not represent their opinion in any way.
Results of Incident: Statement regarding the publication Content (2004) by OMA/Rem Koolhaas and their final sentence about: "We regret the renewed attention, and distance ourselves emphatically from the interpretations attributed to these images" (In a way a case of self-censorship related to their image as a company)
Source: http://oma.eu/publications/ content
Submitted By: Sabrina Fernandez Casas
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Date Input: Sunday, October 27, 2013
Date Edited:
Name: The Three Graces by Cranach
[ Edit ]
Date: 2006-present
Location: Middle East and Caucasus
Subject: Nudity
Medium: Painting
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Artist: la tribune de l'art
Confronting Bodies: Louvre Paris vs Louvre Abu Dhabi
Date of Action: on 23th or 24th November 2010
Specific Location: Abu Dhabi's airport
Description of Artwork: Three nude Graces by Lucas Cranach,
Description of Incident: Announcement of the subscription for the purchase of Three Graces by Lucas Cranach the Louvre in Le Monde on 23th or 24th November 2010 censored by officials in Abu Dhabi
Results of Incident: Minor incident who didn't had repercutions but which is telling a lot about the same content in different context and possible cultural clashes.
Source: http://www.latribunedelart.com/les-trois-graces-de-cranach-du-louvre-censurees-a-abou-dhabi
Submitted By: Sabrina Fernandez Casas
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Date Input: Monday, October 14, 2013
Date Edited:
Name: Ahlam Shibli at Jeu de paume Paris
[ Edit ]
Date: 2006-present
,2006-present
,2006-present
Location: Europe
,Europe
Subject: Political/Economic/Social Opinion
Medium: Photography
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Artist: Ahlam Shibli
Confronting Bodies: The exhibition Phantom Home is the first complete survey dedicated to this Palestinian artist´s practice.
Date of Action: 15/06/2013 bomb alter in jeu de paume
Specific Location: Jeu de paume paris
Description of Artwork: Today we received a call to support Marta Gili, Director of Jeu de Paume, and the staff at the Jeu de Paume who have received threats by groups and individuals who oppose the presentation of Ahlam Shiblis work. I am against such pressures on any cultural institution dedicated to promoting the principles of artistic expression and freedom.
Description of Incident: bomb alter, to close an exhibition
Results of Incident: Aurélie Filippetti, French Minister of Culture and Communication ask to jeu de paume to preserve communities, what does it really mean, does it mean that this exhibition is unappropriate ?
Source: http://www.change.org/petitions/support-marta-gili-director-of-jeu-de-paume
Submitted By: Valerie Riant
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Date Input: Wednesday, June 19, 2013
Date Edited:
Name: Married Couple in a Church Group Slanders and Forces Sculptural Illustrator to Remove Non-Pornographic Nudes, Books & Websites from the Internet
[ Edit ]
Date: 2006-present
,1995 - 2005
Location: North America
Subject: Nudity
,Religious
,Explicit Sexuality
Medium: Electronic Media
,Photography
,Mixed Media
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Artist: Michael A. McGrath
Confronting Bodies: An offended married couple.
Date of Action: Past event: 2004; Current event: between 01/20/2013 & 01/30/2013.
Specific Location: Lakewood, Colorado, USA.
Description of Artwork: Book cover with nude backside of human male, images of human sexuality used for instructional purposes only, writings by artist talking about different subjects related to human sexuality from (in his opinion) a biblical perspective.
Description of Incident: Married couple slandered and performed copyright infringement against artist/author named Michael A. McGrath, several years years ago, and had Michael and his wife removed from a church group. Church group rallied and invited Michael and his wife back into fellowship. This married couple followed Michael and his wife to another church group in late 2012, and have started slandering Michael's name, religious beliefs and his artwork. Church's pastor asked Michael to take down three of his websites because of the content, refused to allow Michael to function in leadership within the church group(s) the church is affiliated with, and has asked Michael to meet with him to explain his "theology of the body."
Results of Incident: The meeting with the pastor, and the realization that the married couple had slandered his work and ministry, forced Michael to shut down his three websites (tarnochtai-publishing.com, tarnochtai-e-zine.com and tarnochtai.net), stop doing prophetic sculptures for the church network's men's groups and Art & Worship Sessions, and to stop teaching those same men's groups. Michael A. McGrath is a retired, disabled U.S. Navy veteran, having spent 21years on active duty as a Navy artist. This incident nearly sent him to the hospital from depression and a Post Traumatic Stress Disorder relapse. Michael contacted the National Coalition Against Censorship and is awaiting their response.
Source: Michael A. McGrath
Submitted By: Michael A. McGrath
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Date Input: Thursday, January 31, 2013
Date Edited:
Name: Removal of 'LACK' fly-posters/artwork from Gallery frontage in Malvern
[ Edit ]
Date: 2006-present
,2006-present
,2006-present
Location: Europe
Subject: Political/Economic/Social Opinion
Medium: Installation
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Artist: Artist: Craig Barnes
Gallery: Division of Labour
Confronting Bodies: Great Malvern community groups and local residents, Gallery landlord, Gt. Malvern conservators
Date of Action: October - 2012
Specific Location: Unit 1 Cowleigh Rd, Gt. Malvern, Worcestershire, WR14 1QD UK
Description of Artwork: Posters in three colours fly-posted over the whole frontage of Gallery
Description of Incident: The exterior works were removed following pressure from local residents and community council groups.
Results of Incident: The results are interesting within the political and social context of the area in Gt. Malvern. The imagery on the posters is inoffensive. At the root of the complaints the issue was colour (too bright) and the nature of the process of fly-posting onto a listed building in an area of "Outstanding Natural Beauty" as recorgnized by the the government institutional bodies. The conservative sensibilities of the local population are being challenged by a new contemporary art gallery which has an international reach but is operating out of a small English market town in a rural area. The philosophy of the gallery is centred in Worcestershire in the UK where the gallery director has chosen this location as his family residence. The ethos of the gallery is to grasp the nettle and forge new audiences in critical contemporary art and the artists represented all share common themes in a continuation and appreciation of institutional critique, and dialogue surrounding conceptual art practices. A tough sale in rural conservative England where tradition and representational art works are prevalent and the desirable face of fine art. In this particular censorship (which we recorgnize is not of big political note) is the idea of the 'fall' in relation to use of colour as being the offensive driver behind the removal. Artist and writer David Batchelor talks about the 'fall' in relation to his colour fields and installations. David references Alice in Wonderland as a literary exploration of how colour is perceived as an evil or source of corruption. David explores these ideas in Chromophobia; "The central argument of Chromophobia is that a chromophobic impulse - a fear of corruption or contamination through color - lurks within much Western cultural and intellectual thought. This is apparent in the many and varied attempts to purge color, either by making it the property of some "foreign body" - the oriental, the feminine, the infantile, the vulgar, or the pathological - or by relegating it to the realm of the superficial, the supplementary, the inessential, or the cosmetic." (Reaktion Books synopsis)
Source: Nathaniel Pitt : Gallery Director
Submitted By: Nathaniel Pitt
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Date Input: Tuesday, October 23, 2012
Date Edited:
Name: censure des dessins de Atelier Van Lieshout dans l'exposition 'Actualites' au Rectangle, a lyon
[ Edit ]
Date: 1995 - 2005
Location: Europe
Subject: Explicit Sexuality
,Sexual/Gender Orientation
Medium: Painting
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Artist: Atelier van Lieshout
Confronting Bodies: la marie du 2e arrondissement de la ville de Lyon et le rectangle et AVL
Date of Action: 2002?
Specific Location: Lyon, France
Description of Artwork: 6 dessins représentant des personnes ayant des rapports sexuels a plusieurs tout en cuisinant, menant d'autres activités. dessins très naifs et illustratifs.
Description of Incident: les dessins furent censurés suite au vernissage (gommettes blanches placées sur les zones 'indécentes') suite à une demande de la mairie du 2e pour cause d'atteinte à la dignité morale.
Results of Incident: des gommetes blanches ont été placées sur les zones a censurer.
Source: Alice Vaganay
Date Input: Monday, October 15, 2012
Date Edited:
Name: Mrs
[ Edit ]
Date: 2006-present
,2006-present
Location: Europe
,Europe
Subject: Other
Medium: Installation
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Artist: Everita Dave
Confronting Bodies: Ogre municipality - city council & local police
Date of Action: July 13, 2012
Specific Location: Ogre, Latvia
Description of Artwork: outdoors design object - instalation
Description of Incident: local municipality in Ogre town required to remove the objectfrom the teritory of my OWN / PRIVATE PROPERTY!!!
Results of Incident: searching for protection
Source: EVERITA DAVE
Submitted By: Everita Dave
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Date Input: Thursday, August 9, 2012
Date Edited:
Name: Myra
[ Edit ]
Date: 1995 - 2005
Location: Europe
Subject: Political/Economic/Social Opinion
Medium: Painting
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Artist: Marcus Harvey
Confronting Bodies: Tabloid press and a few Royal Academy members
Date of Action: 1997
Specific Location: Royal Academy of Arts, London.
part of the exhibit Sensation: Young British Artists from the Saatchi Collection
Description of Artwork: painting of imprisoned child murderer Myra Hindley, was created from childrens handprints
Description of Incident: Protesting against the paintings inclusion, a tabloid newspaper paid a mother of Hindleys victims to attend the show whilst Mothers Against Murder and Aggression picketed the exhibition. A member of the public threw ink and eggs at the painting. The work had to be removed and cleaned and then placed behind glass in order to protect it.
Results of Incident: In protest against its inclusion in the show, four academicians of the Royal Academy resigned.
Source: BBC
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/43401.stm
Submitted By: M. Macdonald
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Date Input: Tuesday, March 6, 2012
Date Edited:
Name: I like America, America doesn't like me
[ Edit ]
Date: 2006-present
Location: Europe
Subject: Political/Economic/Social Opinion
Medium: Painting
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Artist: Pau Figueres
Confronting Bodies: Universidad Miguel Hernandez Altea
Date of Action: May 15 2011
Specific Location: Altea
Description of Artwork: Bin Laden crucified. Sfencil wall mural
Description of Incident: Proffessor of University thought the artwork was politically incorfect to be shown in th university
Results of Incident: Artwork erased
Source: Youtube
Submitted By: Pau
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Date Input: Wednesday, February 8, 2012
Date Edited:
Name: Rancho Shock
[ Edit ]
Date: 2006-present
,2006-present
,2006-present
Location: Middle East and Caucasus
,Middle East and Caucasus
,Middle East and Caucasus
Subject: Nudity
,Religious
,Political/Economic/Social Opinion
Medium: Performing Art
,Painting
,Installation
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Artist: Vreni Michelini Castillo
Confronting Bodies: Virginia Commonwealth University in Qatar administration, small portion of student body and fundamentalist media
Date of Action: Nov. 15th-23rd 2011
Specific Location: VCUQ campus, Doha, Qatar
Description of Artwork: This installation is a multimedia, performative and time-based narrative of my migrations this year (Peru, Ecuador, Mexico, U.S.), specifically my cultural transition into Qatar. The images I am utilizing as the base of the work were created during my first weeks, which I believe capture my raw impressions of my current geographical and cultural absorption.
In a lot of my work the female body is the locus of contest, in this particular piece it represents aspects of myself, as well as, larger societal views. I try to describe the sacrifices, pleasures, problems and shifts I see women face. I also perceive this as a larger metaphor that expresses global generational shifts. In all of my experiences in different locations this year I have been most impressed by the fights and achievements of girls and the women I've met. I wish to represent the female power I saw in the little girls I taught in Peru as well as of the women I've met throughout my journey this year.
***It is important to note that I cannot include a finalized image of the work because of the essence of this piece. The final installation will include sculptural elements, vinyl stickers on top of the painting and a 1 hour sound performance of the songs I've created here. (Didn't finish)
Description of Incident: An email was sent by a group of students to the Dean, stating the painting was indecent and went against Islamic traditions. The following day moving walls were placed around it along with 2 "WARNING, inappropriate drawing" statements near its entrance. The following day one gigantic white curtain was placed to veiled the painting, as well as a black small curtain placed at the entrance. Calling this "cultural sensitivity".
Results of Incident: 1. Throughout the installation I was called a slut, and received pro and con letters from students.
2. Posters of Qatari law put up.
3. After being veiled, I (the artist) decided the piece was done, so I painted over it.
4. A general statement regarding the matter was released by the school.
5. A professor answered the email, explaining his disagreement and disappointed. Later instructed not to do so again.
6. Following the de-installation the whole matter was twisted and published in a little inflammatory news article.
7. I received emails concerning interested reporters, who I cannot answered (instructed by the institution)
8. Posters of art censorship were anonymously created and put up in the school, referring to library call numbers.
Source: Images of work (pictures, video, notes, scanned posters) to be put up on:
www.vrenimichelinicastillo.com
Submitted By: Vreni Michelini Castillo
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Date Input: Saturday, December 3, 2011
Date Edited:
Name: A Fire in My Belly
[ Edit ]
Date: 2006-present
Location: North America
Subject: Religious
Medium: Film Video
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Artist: David Wojnarowicz
Confronting Bodies: Smithsonian Secretary G. Wayne Clough
Date of Action: November/December 2010
Specific Location: National Portrait Gallery in Washington, D.C.
Description of Artwork: Protest work to the social indifference toward AIDS
Description of Incident: Video removed from exhibition due to manufactured Republican outrage
Results of Incident: Work removed from exhibition
Source: NY Times, NPR
Submitted By: Ricardo Miranda Zuniga
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Date Input: Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Date Edited:
Name: Opera Sextronique
[ Edit ]
Date: 1951 - 1975
Location: North America
Subject: Nudity
Medium: Music
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Artist: Nam June Paik
Confronting Bodies: Charlotte Moorman versus New York
Date of Action: 1967
Specific Location: Filmmakers' Cinematheque, New York City
Description of Artwork: An opera in four movements, performed by violoncellist Charlotte Moorman. The composer's instructions required Ms. Moorman to play in various states of partial and total nudity.
Description of Incident: The NY premiere performance was interrupted midway by the arrest of Ms. Moorman by NY police.
Results of Incident: The performance was canceled; a trial found Ms. Moorman guilty; she received a suspended sentence. The trial was reenacted 10 years later at Carnegie Hall.
Source: Andrew Gurian
Submitted By: Andrew Gurian
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Date Input: Friday, October 15, 2010
Date Edited:
Name: Malta sponsoring extreme censorship
[ Edit ]
Date: 2006-present
Location: Europe
Subject: Political/Economic/Social Opinion
Medium: Literature
,Painting
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Artist: Alex Vella Gera, Mark Camilleri, Alexander Stankovski
Confronting Bodies: Maltese government
Date of Action: 2009-present
Specific Location: Malta
Description of Artwork: "Fix What Your Break" was a piece of fiction that became controversial over its frank dialogue, use of profanity, and discussion of sex.
As for the paintings of Stankovski, some of the painting have nude women on them.
Description of Incident: Gera wrote a work called "Fix What You Break," and was promptly arrested for it, along with his publisher in a leftist student-run newspaper, Camilleri. Another instance of censorship were the paintings of Alexander Stankovski, which contained some nudity in them.
Results of Incident: The Maltese Front Against Censorship staged a mock funeral for art. Mourners marched with a black coffin, which symbolized the demise of free cultural expression in the country. However, the government has yet to soften its restrictions.
Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/libertycentral/2010/aug/05/an-obscene-crackdown-on-maltese-culture
Date Input: Friday, August 6, 2010
Date Edited:
Name: Two Men Found Guilty in Russia Over Art That the State Deemed to Incite Hatred
[ Edit ]
Date: 2006-present
Location: Russia and Central Asia
Subject: Political/Economic/Social Opinion
,Religious
Medium: Painting
,Photography
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Artist: Yuri Samodurov and Andrei Yerofeyev
Confronting Bodies: The Russian Government
Date of Action: 2007-July 12. 2010
Specific Location: Sakharov Museum, Moscow, Russia
Description of Artwork: The art exhibit in question was entitled "Forbidden Art." There were many different pieces of art that were considered too dangerous. They included: a piece showing Mickey Mouse as Jesus Christ, a painting of the crucifixion with the head of Christ replaced by the Order of Lenin medal, an image of the Virgin Mary made out of caviar, and another of a Russian army general raping a soldier.
Description of Incident: The state charged the curators in 2007 with inciting hated.
Results of Incident: On July, 12 2010, they were found guilty of inciting hatred and were ordered to pay fines totaling over $11,000.
Source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/world/europe/10595903.stm;
Submitted By: Paul
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Date Input: Monday, July 12, 2010
Date Edited:
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