Contemporary 'censorship(s)' of artistic productions are more ordinary than you imagine... More than 40 cases of censorship(s) were mapped in the last 6 years in Brazil.
Photography of performance ‘La Betê’ II, by Humberto Araujo (2016) by Wagner SchwartzFaculty of Arts and Humanities of University of Porto
In 2017, artist Wagner Schwartz opened the 35th Panorama of Brazilian Art at the Museum of Modern Art (MAM), in São Paulo, with his performance La Bête.
Photography of performance ‘La Betê’ II, by Humberto Araujo (2016) by Wagner SchwartzFaculty of Arts and Humanities of University of Porto
His performance consisted in handling a plastic replica of Lygia Clark's artworks, while he invited the audience to do the same with him. Unfortunately, his performance was reduced to one scene in which the naked artist interacted with a child.
Although the scene was brief, a video was recorded and went viral.
Several violent episodes targeted Wagner: politicians made cruel statements, fundamentalist religious leaders sowed hatred, and the artist received death threats.
Photography of performance DNA of Dan I, by Humberto Araujo by Maikon KFaculty of Arts and Humanities of University of Porto
The Military Brazilian Police interrupted the artist Maikon Kempinski during his performance of artistic nude at the National Museum of the Republic. The Police claimed the artwork did not take the necessary procedures, as to establish a 16+ classification for the entrance.
Photography of performance DNA of Dan II, by Humberto Araujo (2016) by Maikon KFaculty of Arts and Humanities of University of Porto
Photography of The Gospel According to the Heaven Queen II, by Humberto Araujo by Renata CarvalhoFaculty of Arts and Humanities of University of Porto
The play O Evangelho Segundo a Rainha dos Céus was censored and raised an intense discussion in Brazilian courts. The script is about the story of Jesus Christ, who returned to Earth in the body of a cross-dresser, played by actress Renata Carvalho.
Photography of The Gospel According to the Heaven Queen I, by Humberto Araujo by Renata CarvalhoFaculty of Arts and Humanities of University of Porto
Issues of sexuality and religion are recurrent themes of 'censorship(s)'.
Crossing Jesus Christ with Shiva (1996) by Fernando BarilFaculty of Arts and Humanities of University of Porto
In 2017, the exhibition Queermuseu was closed following accusations of apology for pedophilia, zoophilia, and religious neglect. With 270 works by 85 artists, including Lygia Clark, Cândido Portinari, Alfredo Volpi, and Adriana Varejão , the exhibition portrayed queer themes.
The exhibition instigated extensive debates between artists and intellectuals versus conservative fundamentalists and politicians. Death threats, protests on social media and on the streets were part of this episode. Fernando Baril's painting was one of the controversial works.
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In 2017/18, the blockbuster exhibition Histórias da Sexualidade , in the Main Art Museum of São Paulo, Brazil (MASP), involved controversy, protests, and censorship. For the first time, MASP imposed an age range.
Little Dancer Aged Fourteen (1878-1881) by Edgar DegasNational Gallery of Art, Washington DC
This is a canon piece of Degas made in the 19th century. Since that period, Art History studies its elements, such as the combination of bronze and fabric, and the steady position of the dancer.
A version of Degas's artwork became controversial in this context. Media and conservatives claimed the piece encourages pedophilia since the artist's models were underage.
What happened in MASP was self-censorship?
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Self-censorship happens when an institution itself prior prohibits an exhibition or artwork to avoid legal, financial, or image problems.
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A similar episode of 'self-censorship' happened at the Serralves Museum of Contemporary Art, Portugal (2018). In a controversial circumstance, a room of Mapplethorpe’s photographs has delimited an age range.
X Portfolio (1984) by Robert MapplethorpeFaculty of Arts and Humanities of University of Porto
Mapplethorpe's photographs raised the issue of self-censorship at various times (like in the United States in the 80s/90s). They represented the male nude, and different institutions had internal issues related to self-censorship.
Final thoughts
Although not institutionalized, acts of 'censorship(s)', unspoken and little academic debated, are happening in the Artworld. They are silencing artists, works, curators, and museums.
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Sam Durant's artwork was a replica of slavery gallows trees (Scaffold, 2017). His first intention was to show the memories of the pain of that time. But it was not well received by the community, which asked the public service to remove it.
Scaffold (2017) by Sam DurantFaculty of Arts and Humanities of University of Porto
This situation is an example that points out our studies: 'censorship(s)’ are complex, controversial and need to be interpreted with diverse spotlights.
Free Speech (2014-12-08) by UnknownFaculty of Arts and Humanities of University of Porto
'Censorship(s)' are intrinsically linked to the discussion about limits and nuances. Each case involves political, moral, and ethical issues and it should be analyzed carefully since the acceptable and coherent are not always clear and evident.
CURATORSHIP: Mariana Eça Negreiros under the supervision of Hugo Barreira and Diana Felícia.
TEXTS: Mariana Eça Negreiros with scientific review by Hugo Barreira, Inês de Carvalho Costa and Maria Leonor Botelho.
PRODUCTION: This work results from a project by Mariana Eça Negreiros for the master's Degree in Art History, Heritage and Visual Culture at the Faculty of Arts and Humanities of the University of Porto, developed at CITCEM/FLUP during 2020/2021 and approved by the scientific committee in office.
PROJECT REPORT: https://repositorio-aberto.up.pt/handle/10216/139719
SPONSORS: CITCEM/FLUP.
TRANSLATION REVIEW: Isabel Silva (« Financed by FCT - National Foundation for Science and Technology, under the project UIDB/04059/2020»).
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