National Portrait Gallery Denies Artist's Request to Remove His Artwork from Hide/Seek Show in Censorship Protest
AA Bronson, an artist whose work appears in the National Portrait Gallery's Hide/Seek exhibit (which recently censored a David Wojnarowicz video piece from its show over conservative complaints that the work constituted 'hate speech'), tells Modern Art Notes that he asked the NPG to remove his work from the show.
"My piece in the show, the Felix portrait, is built around the same subject matter as the Wojnarowicz. I realized that just from a position of solidarity with an artist who’s not here to defend himself I had no choice but to withdraw the piece from the show. I was hoping for reconciliation and I was trying to hold back from doing anything too extreme. I haven’t seen the exhibition but I’ve heard how wonderful and groundbreaking it is. I value that, but on a personal level I can’t support what’s happened at the Smithsonian, which I feel as also a personal affront to edit out that aspect of queer history. I can’t stand for that. So I made the decision to withdraw the work based on that."
The museum is refusing to do so, Tyler Green reports:
“The Smithsonian and the Portrait Gallery are committed to keeping all of the works currently in the exhibition on view through February 13,” Bentley said. “We will adhere to the loan agreement.”
I asked Bentley if the NPG would decline to remove the piece even if the National Gallery of Canada asked for it.
“The loan agreement is a legally binding document,” Bentley said. “So yes.”
The Warhol Foundation recently wrote the Smithsonian and threatened to cut off hundreds of thousands of dollars in future donations if the NPG did not restore Wojnarowicz's video work to the exhibit.
I wonder if the artist has any VARA rights that could address this. The removal of another piece for political purposes could be considered a distortion of the meaning of the piece. He should look into it.
Posted by: Jon B | Dec 16, 2010 1:57:59 PM
Which begs the question, what is in the loan agreement between whomever owns Wojnarowicz's video piece and the Smithsonian. What "legally binding" details are being left out of this story?
Posted by: Jonathan | Dec 16, 2010 1:59:44 PM
It's a portrait of a 1980s gay man dying of AIDS in his bed, Tank. You really are a vile excuse for a human being.
Posted by: MrRoboto | Dec 16, 2010 2:03:35 PM
Bronson should go into the museum to take the painting down himself. The guards will of course stop him and probably have him arrested.
It could be a great demo.
Posted by: David Ehrenstein | Dec 16, 2010 2:10:43 PM
I'm glad to see the Warhol Foundation pushing back against this censorshit. Kudos to them.
Posted by: TANK | Dec 16, 2010 3:30:39 PM
@DAVID, yes!
I can't believe they would have the gall to tell an artist, admist all of this controversy, that they will keep up a work of someone he loved even though he doesn't want them to.
Leglally they are right, but their press team really has no idea how to handle this shitstorm they've gotten themselves into. They just keep making themselves look worse. Once this controversy dies down (and it will, as the phobes in congress are just raising culture wars so they can avoid actually dealing with the deficit like they promised) I expect we will hear about a ton of "resignations" at the NPG.
Posted by: Joe | Dec 16, 2010 4:24:30 PM
I hope someone saved the urine-soaked books from the Harvard library, and will use them to construct a piece of art in the shape of a cross, to be donated to the National Portrait Gallery.
Posted by: FixItAgainTony | Dec 16, 2010 4:29:35 PM
A(nother) reprehensible response from the Irrational Portrait Gallery.
Allan Kaprow's position -- that showing inside a museum is one of the worst things an artist could do -- is making perfect sense, whether the artist is alive or not.
Posted by: D/NO | Dec 16, 2010 6:47:49 PM
Um..what does the loan agreement say about leaving the exhibit intact versus selectively censoring portions of it to conform to the Gallery's own viewpoint?
Posted by: JJ | Dec 16, 2010 6:54:10 PM
prob is, people need to see this work. don't close the show. the smithsonian did show bad judgement in withdrawing David's work, (on world's aids day no less), but isn't taking the work out of the public view exactly what THE BAD GUYS WANT? Time to go after the catholic league, boehner, etc. Funny how sensitive the institution is to crackpots, but not to those possessed by reason. Politics.
Posted by: kodiak | Dec 16, 2010 9:55:57 PM
Just to correct some misperceptions about the piece:
1. It is a photograph of Felix Partz, the artist's partner...
2. taken immediately after he had died of AIDS...
3. on June 5th, 1994.
http://www.aabronson.com/art/mirrormirror/lookingglass/felix2.htm
Posted by: Smokey | Dec 16, 2010 11:12:19 PM