“Portuguese sailors brought to Europe the first feitiços, African objects supposedly having mysterious powers, in the late fifteen century. One finds them mostly in well-organized curio cabinets along with Indian tomahawks or arrows, Egyptian artifacts, and Siamese drums…It is not until the eighteenth century that, as strange and “ugly” artifacts, they really enter into the frame of African art….” [Mudimbe, The Invention of Africa: Gnosis, Philosophy, and the Order of Knowledge]
From Le Onoeva – Misunderstood Aitu by artist Andy Leleisi’uao—censored and rejected for display.
“They told me ‘Street Fighting Man’ was subversive. Of course it’s subversive…” Mick Jagger
“Street Fighting Man” was banned in Chicago, 1968–there were concerns it would cause a riot.
The Rite of Spring ( Le Sacre du Printemps) did cause a riot when it was first performed in 1913. People began to protest from the opening notes of Stravinsky’s music and were disturbed by the powerful choreography and dancing of Nijinsky.
How can anyone be frightened by what they know does not exist?
Why would anyone ever be interested in horror, since being horrified is so unpleasant?
Study Goya’s “Black Paintings” as you consider these two questions raised by Noel Carroll in his work, The Philosophy of Horror.
Listen to a sample of the great Marian Anderson, banned by the DAR from singing in Constitution Hall–do you know why?
All of these books have been banned–do you know why?
Check out the American Library Association’s resources for Banned Books Week for information, including an extensive list of banned books for the past ten years–and the new kid video:
This is the work of Muto–including a film.
“Graffiti is not art…
Graffiti is not just an isolated nuisance but linked to other forms of enviro-crime that demean and spoil our streets, town centres and open spaces. Graffiti is a costly and annoying expression of anti-social behavior that can undermine our sense of well-being, making us feel uncomfortable in our own neighbourhoods…
Graffiti can be defined as any informal or illegal marks, drawings or paintings that have been deliberately made by a person or persons on any physical structure in the outdoor environment, usually with a view to communicating some message or symbol, etc. to others. The terms ‘graffiti’ and ‘sign’ are used interchangeably in the Code of Practice…
A ‘graffiti removal notice’ is served on the occupier, or, if there appears, through reasonable enquiry, to be no occupied, it is fixed to the surface of the offending premises, apparatus or plant. The notice requires the occupier (or alternatively, the occupier or owner where a notice is affixed) to remove or obliterate the sign within a period specified in the notice…If this is not done within the specified time the council has the power to remove or obliterate the sign themselves and recover the reasonable costs of doing so…
References to ‘owners and occupiers’ in this CoP refers to those persons who legally own or occupy premises, apparatus or plant, and includes undertakers and statutory undertakers…
‘Offensive’ applies where graffiti is racially offensive, sexually offensive, homophobic, depicts a sexual or violent act or is defamatory…”
Code of Practice for Graffiti RemovalCode of Practice for exercising the powers set out in Sections 12 and 13 of the London Local Authorities Act 1995 (as amended) Published by the Association of London Government, Transport and Environment Committee
21 July 2005
Photo above, Banksy. For more see http://www.banksy.co.uk/outdoors/horizontal_1.htm
”But shall our superintendence go no further, and are the poets only to be required by us to express the image of good in their works, on pain, if they do anything else, of expulsion from our State? Or is the same control to be extended to other artists, and are they also to be prohibited from exhibiting the opposite forms of vice and intemperance and meanness and indecency in sculpture and building and the other creative arts; and is he who cannot conform to this rule of ours to be prevented from practising his art in our State, lest the taste of our citizens be corrupted by him?”
Plato, Republic Bk. III, 401.
Why was the artist told she could not perform this song on David Letterman?
Are there conditions that justify the ban or censorship of works of art?
If so, what are they? If not, why not?
” ‘Art’ disappears as society thrashes in reproducible culture.”
Baudrilliard, Beyond the Vanishing Point of Art
Patti Smith sings Cobain
Banned and Dangerous Art will be offered again Fall 2010.
Spring 2010 is Aesthetics.
______________________
Is this a Dangerous Poem?
THE POOL PLAYERS.
SEVEN AT THE GOLDEN SHOVEL.
We real cool. We
Left school. We
Lurk late. We
Strike straight. We
Sing sin. We
Thin gin. We
Jazz June. We
Die soon.
[From The Bean Eaters by Gwendolyn Brooks, Harpers. 1960.]
This poem, by Gwendolyn Brooks, was banned in West Virginia and Nebraska schools. Listen to Gwendolyn Brooks reading her poem–should it have been banned?