Smithsonian Under Fire For Gay Portraiture Exhibit (Donohue again...)

[Blue_Tires]

The Smithsonian Institution is under fire for an exhibition called Hide/Seek that is being touted as the "first major exhibition to focus on sexual difference in the making of modern American portraiture."

There are some very famous artists represented in the show: Andy Warhol, Walt Whitman and Jasper Johns, among many others. But the work that so far has been the most controversial is a provocative video from 1987 by the late artist David Wojnarowicz called A Fire In My Belly.

Martin Sullivan, director of the Smithsonian's National Portrait Gallery, says the artist created the piece as a response to the "agony and suffering" of his partner who at the time was dying of AIDS. Using "vivid colors, and some fairly grotesque scenes, it's more a meditation on the fragility of the human flesh," Sullivan says.

But included in that meditation is a crucifix — a cross bearing the body of Christ — crawling with ants. The image, according to Catholic League President Bill Donohue, is offensive. He calls the video "hate speech" and says that "the Smithsonian would never have their little ants crawling all over an image of Muhammad."

Donohue says he complained to members of Congress and the Smithsonian's Board of Regents. "My principle is very simple," he says, "If it's wrong for the government to take the taxpayers' money to promote religion, why is it OK to take taxpayers' money to assault religion?"

Donohue admits he has not seen the exhibition Hide/Seek, but he did see the video images of the ants on the crucifix online.

Donohue's concerns echo those of others who've complained to the National Portrait Gallery, says Sullivan. So Sullivan decided to remove A Fire In My Belly from the show.

http://www.npr.org/2010/12/01/131730255/smithsonian-under-fire-for-gay-portraiture-exhibit?ps=cprs

[glinda]

1. I would like to see people protesting the accusers and all of their follies. Tit for tat.

[Stevenmarc]

2. A Fire In My Belly

is available on Youtube.

It's an incredibly powerful piece especially when you put it in the context of AIDS in the 1980's

[blondeatlast]

3. Equal time: there's plenty of goulish art representing the Inquisition and Crusades.

(FWIW, I'm a Christian, but President Donahue does not speak for me).

[Iggo]

4. And the bigots win another round.

[Stevenmarc]

6. Not really

Sure the piece isn't in the show but quite frankly any museum controversy brings in viewers in droves, and that's always a good thing for the arts community, and the piece that was taken out is available on youtube so at the end of the day more people will actually see the piece than if the assholes actually kept quiet about it.

[Skidmore]

5. Does Donohue have any outrage left for all the

children molested by the priesthood of the church?

[foxfeet]

9. Of course not. I hope the old hemorrhoid chokes on the Host.

[ehrnst]

7. So an NPR reporter being fired for doing something they like is "censorship"

but a museum removing a piece of art they don't like is "decency."

My taxpayer dollars are used to assault the careers of gays in the military, but I don't get to have any say over those decisions.

[dembotoz]

8. if you don't like it....don't go