Visual Art

Terrorizing Art

By |2019-03-15T18:06:54-04:00June 23rd, 2008|Censorship News Articles|

In a highly publicized incident this March, the San Francisco Art Institute cancelled Don't Trust Me, an exhibition by Algerian-born French artist Abdel Abdessemed consisting of video footage of animals being killed by a single blow from a sledgehammer.

Art Removed from Courthouse Entrance

By |2016-01-15T15:09:52-05:00July 19th, 2007|Incidents|

by Roland Stoy for The Reporter UPDATE:  The painting was later showen at an art show less than a block away from the courthouse. According to the artist: "Everyone that saw the painting appreciated it and some folks had strong words for the courthouse officials that pulled the art from exhibit. I felt it was a real coup to display [...]

Connecticut Community Center Restores Censored Artwork

By |2019-03-08T00:02:38-05:00April 6th, 2007|Incidents|

Mansfield, CT Some decisions to take down artwork after individual complaints are made hastily and put government officials in a precarious situation. In such cases it is crucial for supporters of free expression to speak up! A recent case proves this point: In February 2007 the Mansfield Community Center in Mansfield, CT removed three pieces of art on display at [...]

Letter to the Centro Cultural Aztlan in Response to the Removal of Anna-Marie Lopez’s work

By |2016-01-15T15:06:39-05:00January 23rd, 2007|Incidents|

Below is NCAC's letter to the Centro Cultural Aztlan; for background, click here. The recent removal of Anna-Marie Lopez's work from a show at the Centro Cultural Aztlan has shaken belief in the Centro’s real commitment to the representation of a diversity of Chicano voices and has led many in the community to suspect that the Centro is censoring artists’ [...]

Of Threats, Intimidation, Sensitivity, and Free Speech: The Muhammad Cartoons

By |2017-12-04T15:51:57-05:00February 22nd, 2006|FEPP Articles|

Countless words have been spilled over the Danish newspaper JyullandsPosten's publication last September of 12 cartoons commenting on journalistic self-censorship and Islamic beliefs, including several that caricatured the prophet Muhammad. Surely, everything has been said by now. Yet the controversy rages on: Is this an easy case for freedom of expression? Should there be no acquiescence in demands by some Muslims, [...]

Will Fair Use Survive? Free Expression in the Age of Copyright Control – Intro

By |2020-01-03T15:47:35-05:00December 1st, 2005|FEPP Articles|

Brennan Center for Justice at NYU School of Law Free Expression Policy Project December 2005   Are increasingly heavy assertions of control by copyright and trademark owners smothering fair use and free expression? The product of more than a year of research, Will Fair Use Survive? paints a striking picture of an intellectual property system that is perilously out of balance. Read [...]

Letter Protesting Denver International Airport Censorship

By |2016-02-05T12:57:12-05:00August 16th, 2004|Incidents|

August 16, 2004 Mayor John W. Hickenlooper 1437 Bannock Street, Ste. 350 Denver, Colorado 80202 Dear Mayor Hickenlooper, The National Coalition Against Censorship, an alliance of 50 national non-profit organizations that collaborate to defend First Amendment rights, and the American Civil Liberties Union of Colorado, have been alerted to the recent removal of several works of art from an installation [...]

Superimposer Removed

By |2016-02-05T14:43:45-05:00November 20th, 2003|Blog|

The Super Imposer Removed from Fairfield Center for Creative Arts Fairfield, CA Jim Kimberly's sculpture, "The Super Imposer," was removed from the Juried Art Show at the gallery of the Fairfield Center for Creative Arts in Fairfield, CA because it was considered politically controversial. The interactive sculpture, a two-sided panel with the American Flag on one side and Osama bin [...]

Nude Goddesses Banned from Nevada County Art Show

By |2020-01-03T14:12:26-05:00October 1st, 2003|Incidents|

Nevada County, CA Show Cancelled Because of Nudes October 1, 2003 The work of 65 artists is to be taken down from Annual Open Studios Art show in California’s Nevada County Rood Administrative Center. The reason: the work of five of the artists contains partial nudity. Two of the paintings contain nudes viewed from the rear, the three other paintings [...]

NCAC Letter to the TN Arts Commission Protesting “No Nudes” Policy

By |2017-01-26T15:46:14-05:00March 21st, 2002|Incidents|

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE New York, NY March 21, 2001 Today, the National Coalition Against Censorship is urging the Tennessee Arts Commission to reconsider its apparent policy of banning all artwork containing nude figures from the TAC Gallery located in Nashville. The Tennessee Arts Commission and its gallery are funded by the State of Tennessee and the National Endowment [...]

Catholic League Objects to Traditional Figurines in Art Installation

By |2019-03-15T17:47:27-04:00January 7th, 2002|Blog|

Always on the alert for "offensive" art work, the Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights has once more found a target: the work of Spanish artist Antoni Miralda exhibited at Copia, Napa Valley's new food, wine and arts museum. The exhibition, "Active Ingredients," which runs through April 22, features specially commissioned food-related works by seven contemporary artists. Miralda, a [...]

Fatgirl Painting Removed

By |2016-01-15T12:26:37-05:00November 3rd, 2001|Incidents|

The Hyde Park post office started hosting the Artist of the Month program, giving local artists the opportunity to display their work for an entire month in a place that draws hundreds of people per day. The works were on display in a special window in the building's lobby.

Wait a Minute Mr. Postman: Restore Post Office Art!

By |2016-01-15T12:26:56-05:00November 3rd, 2001|Incidents|

Dear Mr Viola, We are writing to urge you to restore the Artist of the Month program to the Hyde Park Post Office. It is our understanding that you cancelled the year-old program as a way to deal with one complaint regarding Fatgirl, the painting chosen to present the work of Audrey Francis, November Artist of the Month. There are [...]

LA Art Center Pulls Paintings of Cops Dancing with Gang Members

By |2017-05-02T14:10:19-04:00October 11th, 2001|Incidents|

The National Coalition Against Censorship, the ACLU of Southern California, The First Amendment Project of Oakland, CA and a large number of local and national artists announced that they are protesting the removal of Alex Donis' exhibition, "WAR," from the Watts Towers Art Center. Alex Donis, WAR. Shadow and Sergeant Kooney (oil and enamel on plexi)   The show, which [...]

Male Nude Proves Too Realistic for California Art League

By |2019-03-07T22:43:16-05:00September 27th, 2001|Blog|

The Elsie May Goodwin Art Center, run by the Stockton Art League, rejected a sculpture by one of its members—Vincent Mazo—because the piece was too anatomically explicit. The gallery has no policy excluding nudes, but, according to Aleen Gall, the gallery manager, the nudes normally exhibited are female and show no genitals. Interesting, I thought genitals were a part of [...]

Bryn Athyn, PA – Where Artists Censor Art

By |2020-01-03T14:08:49-05:00September 27th, 2001|Blog|

Orchard Artworks, a Bryn Athyn, PA art gallery, removed six works by Linda Griffith from an exhibit that opened September 21, 2001. The work was considered "too political" for the gallery. The exhibit, "Uncertain Future: Earth Found, Used and Abused," focused on environment issues. Griffith's photographs committed the sin of bringing issues of environment abuse too close to home. The [...]

‘Butterfly’ Painting Removed in Illinois

By |2024-01-16T09:31:29-05:00April 1st, 2001|Incidents|

Michele Tuohey's painting, "Butterfly," was removed from a curated show of Cuban-American art sponsored by the Department of Agriculture during the State Fair in Springfield, IL in August 2001. The decision to remove the painting from the show was made by Joe Hampton, Department of Agriculture Director. The problem, according to a statement made by John Herath, spokesman for [...]

FL Community College Moves Art Mixing Bondage and Religion Behind Closed Doors

By |2016-01-15T12:24:35-05:00March 21st, 2001|Incidents|

Santa Fe Community College Gainesville, FL March 21, 2001 Under pressure from the Catholic League and the local community, four works in the exhibition "Pat Payne: A look at Violence in Religious and Sexual Imagery" (February 8 - March 29, 2002) at the Santa Fe Community College Gallery were moved to a professor's office. Pat Payne's work blends sexual bondage [...]

Patricia Ridenour Protests Seattle Gallery Censorship of Photographs

By |2016-01-15T12:25:24-05:00March 21st, 2001|Incidents|

The Benham Gallery Seattle, WA March 21, 2001 This February, exhibiting photographer Patricia Ridenour took her photographs down from the walls of the Benham Gallery when, at the opening, she found her work removed from the front gallery to the back room. The work in question (Ridenour's sixth show in 12 years at Benham, and decidedly not the first to [...]

NCAC and Other National Groups Oppose Censorship of Children’s Book by the NEA

By |2020-01-02T15:06:14-05:00March 15th, 1999|Incidents|

   William J. Ivey, Chairman National Endowment for the Arts The Nancy Hanks Center 1100 Pennsylvania Ave., NW Washington, DC 20506-0001 Dear Chairman Ivey, We are writing to urge you to reconsider your decision to withdraw funding for The Story of Color, the Mexican folktale for children published by Cinco Puntos Press. According to press reports, the decision was based [...]

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