Robert Atkins: to Queer Caucus for Art Discussion List, December 2, 2010

Atkins, Robert, to Queer Caucus for Art Discussion List.

Re the situation at the National Portrait Gallery, history suggests that letters of protest to the NPG director are good, but not enough. (Directors of the Smithsonian museums are even more insulated from public pressures by layers of bureaucracy than typical museum directors.) Likewise for discussions in February at CAA etc. Given the recent elections, it is a particularly appropriate time for direct action and drawing lines in the sand about what we queers will tolerate. Consider the below a few suggestions for how to do so. Because some of what I write below involves both the exhibition and our community, perhaps curator Katz might express and discuss his preferences regarding the organization of initiatives involving the show (see NPG below):

Consider initiatives involving the following:

MEDIA Editorials in newspapers and general media linking this censorious act with the additional outrage of it taking place on World AIDS Day/Day Without Art. Collective action by art media editors—eg linked editorials in their pubs and general media. SOCIAL MEDIA campaigns reaching hundreds or thousands--or millions--of respondent/protesters. Pressure on editorial boards (eg Village Voice) for investigative reporting. Personal contacts to presumably sympathetic writers such as Holland Cotter to enlist their voices. Contacts/Liasing with former censorship victims—eg NEA 4, Andres Serrano—whose editorial input or statements might carry additional weight with editors.

ORGANIZATIONS/INSTITUTIONS Where is the ACLU? National Coalition Against Censorship? Visual AIDS? CAA? PEN? Museum Associations? Every progressive gay and/or arts org?

NPG Given how much private gay money was involved in mounting this exhibition, mightn’t the donors be interested in expressing their opposition to such censorship? Mightn’t the living artists in the exhibition be similarly interested in expressing their views? Shouldn’t the institution be pressured to account for its actions? Hold a public meeting to discuss it? Are there sympathetic Congresspeople like Jerrold Nadler who might pressure the NPG about holding such a meeting?

PUBLIC MEETING in NYC Perhaps such a meeting needs to be prioritized asap to enable folks to step up to the plate and to receive support for doing so. Obviously, none of this will happen on its own. Nor should such organizational actions be considered part of the curator’s role.