Ant-covered Jesus video removed from Smithsonian after Catholic League complains

Fire in My Belly
David Wojnarowicz, USA, 1987, 4 min

 

This is the David Wojnarowicz’s video that was removed from an exhibition called “Hide/Seek: Difference and Desire in American Portraiture” at the National Portrait Gallery of the Smithsonian in Washington after it was criticized by the Catholic League and members of the House of Representatives for being offensive to Christians

 

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National Portrait Gallery on Tuesday removed a work of video art depicting Christ with ants crawling over him after complaints from a Catholic organization and members of Congress

The four-minute video, created by the late artist David Wojnarowicz, had been on exhibit since Oct. 30 as part of a show on sexual difference in American portraiture.

The piece was called « hate speech » by Catholic League president William Donohue and a misuse of taxpayer money by a spokesman for Rep. John A. Boehner (R-Ohio), the presumptive incoming House speaker.

Officials at the museum and the Smithsonian Institution, which includes the Portrait Gallery, said they had not intended to be offensive by showing the work and removed it to better focus on the exhibit’s strengths.

« The decision wasn’t caving in, » said Martin E. Sullivan, the museum’s director. « We don’t want to shy away from anything that is controversial, but we want to focus on the museum’s and this show’s strengths. »

An 11-second portion of the video shows a small crucifix covered with ants. The video is included in the exhibit, « Hide/Seek: Difference and Desire in American Portraiture« .

Boehner’s spokesman, Kevin Smith, said in a statement that the congressman was monitoring the episode. « American families have a right to expect better from recipients of taxpayer funds in a tough economy, » Smith said. « While the amount of money involved may be small, it’s symbolic of the arrogance Washington routinely applies to thousands of spending decisions involving Americans’ hard-earned money. »

« Hide/Seek » is the first survey at a national museum to examine same-sex portraits and intimacy. Artists represented include contemporary names such as Andy Warhol and Annie Leibovitz as well as works from 19th-century artists including Thomas Eakins …

 

Read the full story in the Washington Post.

 

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Diamanda Galás Responds to the Smithsonian’s Removal of David Wojnarowicz’s Work

Jonathan L. Fischer, Washington City Paper, Dec. 3, 2010

The avant-garde composer and artist Diamanda Galás was an inspiration for David Wojnarowicz’s video artwork A Fire in My Belly, and her music was part of a seven-minute edit of the 13-minute work made after Wojnarowicz died in 1992. Galas wrote a statement responding to the Smithsonian’s removal this week of a four-minute version of A Fire in My Belly. She had hoped the statement would be read aloud at a protest Thursday night outside the National Portrait Gallery, although it was not read. She permitted Arts Desk to publish it.

I am the composer and librettist for THIS IS THE LAW OF THE PLAGUE, the work from my mass for PWA’s, performed at ST JOHN THE DIVINE’S in 1991 against the wishes of John Cardinal O’Connor, who tried to prevent its performance.

THIS IS THE LAW OF THE PLAGUE was composed in 1986. I will presume this is the music composition upon which David’s film FIRE IN THE BELLY was based, or with which he felt a strong affinity, because I have been asked to defend our work, this collaboration. And I shall do so now.

 

Read the full article here.

Culture populaire : ‘Atheism Campaign’ p.V


November 30, 2010 on The 33 News:
Fort Worth Buses: Good Without God


Advertisements on buses deliver all sorts of messages like « Hunger is here, » or Hot & bothered. » Starting next week a controversial ad will be zipping around Fort Worth on the sides of buses. It will read « Millions of Americans Are Good Without God. »


« Kids are riding the bus and that is not showing a good thing for the kids. » Denise Harvard said. She frequently rides buses with her son and believes the city made a mistake allowing four buses to carry the ad. The Dallas-Fort Worth Coalition Of Reason paid $2500 to have the ads run for 30 days. Coalition spokesperson Terry McDonald says the ads are designed to encourage non-believers to feel comfortable and come out of the closet.


Read more about the campaign here.




Christians Hire Stalker-Truck for Atheist Bus Ads
December 6, 2010 on Fox


An anonymous group is trying to draw attention away from atheistic billboards posted on Fort Worth buses.


There are four Fort Worth T buses bearing the banner that says, « Millions of Americans are Good without God » on the streets of the city.


But behind one of the buses is a mobile billboard truck with a message reading, « I still love you. -God »


The pro-Christian ad is paid for by a group of pastors and businessmen who don’t wish to be identified.

Det Svarte Alvor (1994) A Black Metal Documentary


Det Svarte Alvor
NRK, Norway, 1994, 34 min



Det Svarte Alvor (« The Black Seriousness ») is a Black Metal documentary from NRK, the Norwegian Television, from 1994. It contains interviews with Kris from Ulver, Ishan from Emperor, Hellhammer from Mayhem, concert recordnings of Immortal, a short glimpse in Satyricons rehearsal room and many more interesting scenes.’

The Color of Pomegranates (1968) by SERGEI PARAJANOV

The Color of Pomegranates
Sergei Parajanov, Soviet Union, 1968, 78 minutes (Armenian release), 73 minutes
Soviet release : Five minutes were cut mainly due to religious censorship for release in the Soviet Union beyond Armenia

 

Steeped in religious iconography, The Color of Pomegranates is a deeply spiritual testament to director Sergei Parajanov’s fascination with Armenian folk art and culture. It is also a controversial work, which, coupled with another of his films, Shadows of our Forgotten Ancestors, led to his arrest and imprisonment in a Soviet Gulag for four years. The Soviets insisted he was guilty of selling gold and icons illegally and committing “homosexual acts.” In reality, his only crime was offending the tenets of socialist realism, both in his daring surrealistic form and in his choice of subject matter. While many of the popular films of this era in Soviet cinema were largely propaganda designed to serve the ideological interests of the regime, Parajanov chose to focus on the ethnography and spirituality of the Ukraine, Armenia, and Georgia.


The Color of Pomegranates (1968) by SERGEI PARAJANOV