How many of you know about the witch hunts launched by the US House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC)? If the committee called an actor, director, writer “Communist,” Hollywood blacklisted them and refused to hire or work with those artists. People were scared, but a group of Hollywood “A listers” formed The Committee for the First Amendment and went to Washington protesting the HUAC. Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall recanted and most of the remaining members of The Committee for the First Amendment were blacklisted. But what does 1940s blacklisting have to do with art and artists now?
Censorship of visual artists and musicians in the 21st century is alive and growing. Congress is constantly threatening to defund the National Endowment for the Arts, established in 1965 by President Lyndon Johnson. Art galleries are self censoring. Since Andres Serrano’s “piss Christ” and Mapplethorpe’s homo erotic art caused outrage by conservative Republicans, some artists are afraid to use their first amendment right to freedom of speech. Courageous artists like Rose Bochowshki, witnessed her Second Life computer graphic 3D film “Susa Bubble” removed because of nudity. Yet you can go on the internet and see as much hard core pornography as you want. Some of the most holier than thou, vocal critics of artists are regular customers on porn sites.
Retailers chattered about not selling Kanye West’s “My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy” album because NYC artist George Condor’s paintings on the cover were
“obscene.” (Since most brick and mortar retailers have either gone out of business or represent a minimal amount of music sales, their opposition was like a lost bird whispering in the wind.) However, there are powerful opponents of artists intent on turning back the clock on freedom of speech. I’m not a fan of Kanye, Serrano or Mapplethorpe, but I support their right to express themselves artistically. I wish more of our tax money went to National Endowment of the Arts and artists instead of $387,000 spent by National Institutes of Health for Swedish massages for rabbits.
One Love,
Aria