"But arts professionals need to be proactive now if they want to forestall a new culture war. Anti-censorship statements on websites are fine—the AAMD released one condemning "unwarranted and uninformed censorship from politicians and other public figures"—but does the general public read such statements? So far, the opponents of "Hide/Seek" are getting most of the media attention. While bloggers and newspaper cultural critics have kept the story alive online, why aren't museum directors showing up on op-ed pages and talk-show stages? After all, Ellen DeGeneres herself is a protagonist in the controversy. If museum advocates want to change the public conversation, they have to become part of it." (my emphasis)
Thursday, January 6, 2011
If the CAC Doesn't Want to Listen to Me, Perhaps They'll Listen to ArtNews
Robin Cembalest's letter, Between a Cross and a Hard Place in the current edition of ArtNews recounts the controversy surrounding the removal of David Wojnarowicz from Hide/Seek and calls on art professionals to be more proactive in this debate:
"But arts professionals need to be proactive now if they want to forestall a new culture war. Anti-censorship statements on websites are fine—the AAMD released one condemning "unwarranted and uninformed censorship from politicians and other public figures"—but does the general public read such statements? So far, the opponents of "Hide/Seek" are getting most of the media attention. While bloggers and newspaper cultural critics have kept the story alive online, why aren't museum directors showing up on op-ed pages and talk-show stages? After all, Ellen DeGeneres herself is a protagonist in the controversy. If museum advocates want to change the public conversation, they have to become part of it." (my emphasis)
"But arts professionals need to be proactive now if they want to forestall a new culture war. Anti-censorship statements on websites are fine—the AAMD released one condemning "unwarranted and uninformed censorship from politicians and other public figures"—but does the general public read such statements? So far, the opponents of "Hide/Seek" are getting most of the media attention. While bloggers and newspaper cultural critics have kept the story alive online, why aren't museum directors showing up on op-ed pages and talk-show stages? After all, Ellen DeGeneres herself is a protagonist in the controversy. If museum advocates want to change the public conversation, they have to become part of it." (my emphasis)
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2 comments:
Being that the CAC usually comes off to me as pretty corporate minded and driven solely by money, you would think that they would be jumping at the opportunity to get involved in controversy for exposure. Maybe they don't believe that in conservative cincinnati, this is the way to go? You think the CAC even knows whats going on with this story right now?
They know about it. I posted not long ago a quote by them.
A few people have compared this to the Mapplethorpe debate and still the CAC sees no reason to be part of this conversation...a conversation that belongs to them.
Cincinnati may be conservative, but even conservatives don't like to be left out of a conversation.
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