Censored Art Video Protest at National Portrait Gallery

Documentation and Interviews with demonstrators organized by the Transformer Art Space in Washington, DC against the Smithsonian Institution decision to remove the video by David Wojnarowicz.
The video imaged ants crawling over a reclining Jesus paired with homo-erotic images to represent the devastation of the AIDS epidemic on the body and on the Gay community. After a story appeared in the conservative Cybercast News (a project of the L. Brent Bozell III and the Media Research Center), the Catholic League complained that images were offensive to Catholics and other conservatives took up the crusade against the Video. In no time the National Portrait Gallery removed the video.

Though Watermarked, (to discourage commercial use), the demonstration video may be freely redistributed and/or screened for non-commercial purposes.

News Clips http://www.hideseek.org/print-news/

Transformer Art Space DC responds to censorship with screening of A Fire in My Belly
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=174904725862683
Transformer Web Page
http://www.transformergallery.org/

Transformer Washington Dc Facebook Page
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1202592594


Also see http://www.transformergallery.org/
Transformer Board President and Executive Director calls on Smithsonian to reinstate David Wojnarowicz's artwork
The Honorable G. Wayne Clough
Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution
Dear Secretary Clough,
We recognize your leadership and courage in deciding some months ago to support the National Portrait Gallery leadership and curators in exhibiting "Hide/Seek: Difference and Desire in American Portraiture." However, we are deeply troubled by your decision to remove the David Wojnarowicz piece from the exhibit.
As you may know, the "controversy" over this video art began earlier this week in an article published by the Conservative News Service, a disreputable right-wing on-line publication. The piece objected to what was described as an "ant-covered Jesus" and denounced the Smithsonian itself for referring to the art as "homoerotic." Republican leaders John Boehner and Eric Cantor suggested the entire exhibit be cancelled, and threatened the federal funding of the Gallery unless the Smithsonian pulled the Wojnarowicz piece. William Donohue of the Catholic League initiated a right-wing action campaign directed toward your email address.
The Smithsonian then pulled the Wojnarowicz video. We believe this decision is wrong and should be reversed immediately.
The National Portrait Gallery is supported by U.S. taxpayers and, according to press reports, it features signage saying it is committed to "the struggle for justice so that people and groups can claim their full inheritance in the American promise of equality inclusion and social dignity." The Gallery has described the exhibit as "the first major exhibition to examine the influence of gay and lesbian artists in creating modern American portraiture."
Wendy Olsoff, who represents the Wojnarowicz's estate, said: "David believed the imagery of ants' society was parallel to human society."
You must know -- but in the event you do not -- we the undersigned are here to tell you that your right-wing critics, including in the Congress, know nothing and care nothing about art. They care not a wit about freedom of expression, or free speech, or "the American promise of equality, inclusion and social dignity."
Do not be afraid of the ants. Artists and academics promote culture in America, political activists do not. Americans are facing unprecedented challenges right now at home and abroad, we do not need another phony "culture war" distraction.
We agree with the statement of Rep. James P. Moran, chairman of the subcommittee that provides funding for the country's major art institutions, in today's Washington Post. "The whole point is that we should not be censoring we should be discussing." Moran went on to say that right-wing critics are using the 11 seconds in Wojnarowicz's work involving the ants to undermine your entire exhibit for partisan gain.
Given your position representing American culture to the world, we are ready to stand with you, if you do the right thing for art and artists around the world and reverse your mistaken decision in this matter immediately.
Sincerely,
James Alefantis, Board President of Transformer
Victoria Reis, Co-founder and Executive & Artistic Director of Transformer

Smithsonian Christmas-Season Exhibit Features Ant-Covered Jesus, Naked Brothers Kissing, Genitalia, and Ellen DeGeneres Grabbing Her Breasts
WARNING: This story contains graphic photographs of items on display in an exhibit at the Smithsonian Institution's National Portrait Gallery.
Monday, November 29, 2010
By Penny Starr
http://www.cnsnews.com/news/article/smithsonian-christmas-season-exhibit-fea

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[LucyRochafication]

this makes no sense, if someone made a video of how gays shouldn't exist or something wouldn't gay people (or people who support them) also protest about taking it down? i think so

[ebecker2000]

@LucyRochafication What is it that you think that the artist thinks should not exist?

[deedeehalleck]

thanks eddie. thanks for not water marking it.

[ebecker2000]

@deedeehalleck Faint Water Mark - solely to discourage commercial use - all others may freely repost.

[johnfromberkeley]

i'm amused by what scares conservatives. what a bunch of scaredy-cats!

[ebecker2000]

@Myaka2001 Well not according to the Communists. Take a look at "Communists Talk About Obama's Policies" at on ebecker200 youtube channel or just add this to youtube.com

/watch?v=WHhwghsUFfs

Then let us know what you think.

[pobio111]

Censorship is wrong, but I don't get how ants crawling over Jesus is gay sex.

[definingimage]

Do a video like this about Muhammad... The President would get pissed and the US would get bombed

[Inbreederkiller4444]

That makes sense to me and I'm a Christian. For one the image the ants are engulfing is that of Cesar Borgia not Jesus, and the ants are an analogy of all the gullible closed minded members of my faith who still believe Jesus is a white hippie and forget that God demanded we not have an image of the creator!

[actionsauce5]

Some people today seem to think that great art is pissing in the snow.

[flyingsaucer66]

Um...aren't ants God's creatures too? I'm thinking Jesus himself would not have much problem with this.

[deecee10000]

The artist had every right to be hateful towards the self-righteous bigot christians. In fact, I'm covering a picture of Jesus with shit right now. If Christians care so much about cheesy pictures and cheap plastic images of their "God", maybe they should think twice when picking their enemies.

[Mikkicarlexi]

this is all stupid..as a Catholic the only thing I see out this video is the need to pray for these people....and you wonder why when disasters happen they say its mother nature and science...well just so you know your punishment is coming and it won't be long now....but Jesus is merciful and he still loves you all you need to do is repent!