Art censorship
Author(s): James Fitzpatrick, Norman Rosenthal and Jake Chapman
Source: RSA Journal, Vol. 149, No. 5502 (2002), pp. 53-56
Published by: Royal Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce
Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/41380441
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All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions
Lectures
inthelate1980s,withexhibitions
theRDAs wereaskedtotake Itreallystarted
bethinking
about'region- toruralrecovery
weshould
Increasingly
and
Robert
ball bytwophotographers,
andthecontribution
al agricultures'
Mapplethorpe
theymaketo thelead.Weshouldpickup thisparticular
to whichtheNEA contributed
oflifewithin
the andrunwithit.TheRDAsarenotas yetparticu- AndresSerrano,
andthequality
competitiveness
's showwasa retrobutthey'vegotsomegood somefunding.
oftheUK.
diverse
Mapplethorpe
larlywellequipped,
regions
work.
shot
of
his
life's
the
havoc
that
foot
and
and
to
Defra
then
there
are
institutional
And
Mapplethorpe
spective
changes.
people, responding
but
the
in
has
been
their
and
Rural
mouth
caused
rural
economies
Food
for
imagesthat
photographs,
(theDepartmentEnvironment,
manycelebrity
were
ones
that
dealtwith
have
created
the
But
is
it
that
rural
of
fire.
seems
to
be
a
move,
controversy
Affairs)
they
why
putting
baptism
positive
a
included
forallthefootloose
butit's responsibility
rather
thanthemargin,
affairs
atthecentre
industries,
yet racialandsexualissues,andhisoeuvre
malehomosexual
that
documented
fortheone industry portfolio
as was revealedby footand no specificresponsibility
too centralised,
life,a
andthreatening
under worldthattomanywasstrange
It is whichis screwedtothefloor?Resources
Buthavethelessonsbeenlearned?
mouth.
JesseHelms(a
thatinthewakeofthecrisiswe'vehad theEnglandRuralDevelopment
Plan,andcer- andimmoral.
TheydroveSenator
worrying
wild.
conservative
Schememoney, hardcore
oneinto tainlythe Rural Enterprise
three
oneintoanimaldiseases,
right-winger)
inquiries:
the
showin
we
them
a
When
to
the
RDAs
to
should
be
switched
lessonstobe learned andthemainpolicyone
opened Mapplethorpe
give
the
had
after
Corcoran
and
theiregional
the chancetopromote
andfood.Butdidanyoneduring
onfarming
Gallery canagricultures Washington,
the
wouldattract
intoruraland celledit,theimageswethought
themmoreeffectively
food?Orsee a integrate
crisisgo without
footandmouth
The
ones
that
didn't
urn
out
to.
most
of
economies.
in
Or
suffer
sort
of
food
controversy
regional
any
shortage
shops?
werephotographs
of
themostconcern
Yetwefocus,
provoked
postfootandmouth,
tummy
upsets?
andtheir
Eventhough
thechildren
children.
Lowe
Itwas Professor
andfood.It'sbizarre.
onfarming
Philip
parnarrowly
thoseturned
outto be the
entshadconsented,
oftheCentre
forRural
crisisandnotoneofthethree Director
a ruraleconomy
Economy
tothepeoplewho
mostdisturbing
ofNewcastle
dimen- University
is looking
attheruraleconomy
uponTyne
photographs
inquiries
theshow.
visited
whether
ornotDefra
sion.Thisis whyI worry
isa cutting-edge
Andres
Serrano
indicates
a
new
sense
of
direction.
Notes
and
photographer.
recognises
animageofa
fluids'
included
inNorwich
on
His'bodily
Delivered
totheSociety
Theunexpected
heroesoffootandmouthportfolio
urine(in
ina vialofthephotographer's
crucifix
2002.
andthey'renotmuchloved - havebeenthe 11April
facta beautiful,
rather
versions
ofthelecturers'
magicalimage)thatsetthe
agencies(RDAs). The Theseareedited
regionaldevelopment
Churchon edge. Therewas a congressional
texts.
central
couldn'tcope,andwhenitcame full
system
known
thathe
firestorm
whenitbecamepublicly
these
twoexhiwassupporting
federal
government
that
mostvigorous
bitions.
Senator
Helms,
protecthe
attack
American
led
ontheNEA,
tor
of
morals,
Art censorship
Anda classicmoment
of
callingforitsabolition.
James
Norman
Rosenthal
as
a
number
of
Senate
debate,
august
legislators
Fitzpatrick,
onthemerits
oftheart,camewhen
wereopining
and
Jake
thatall female
Senator
Helmsordered
Chapman
pagesand
because
hewasabouto
staff
leavetheSenatefloor
Parti
displaysomeoftheseimages.Thusthechastity,
find
andrectitude
ofAmerican
womanhood
In thelastdecadeof the20thcentury
theUS ment
officials
or
outrageousunacceptable. morality
4the
in
these
vil
as
The
second
factor
to
note
terms
of
arts
fundwere
known
images.
preserved
against
experienced
something
popularly
tradition
of
Foralmosta decadethere
wereannualbattles
culture
wars'. Itwasa timewhenfederal
involve- ingintheUS is thelackofa strong
fundforthearts.Federalsupport
for intheCongress
overeliminating
thefederal
mentin,andfunding
for,thearts- andwithit federal
patronage
- came theartswasonlyseriously
initiated
in1965,with ingprogramme
forthearts.Therewereattempts
freedom
of creativity
andexpression
fundonly
underextreme
fromtheconservative thecreation
oftheNationalEndowment
forthe toensurethathefederal
pressure
government
in
andfrom
thereli- Arts(NEA). Its budgetwas pitifully
small(its 'decent'art- a self-evidently
idioticstandard
wingoftheRepublican
party
itwasprompted
watermarkin the late 1980s was only a nation
as heterogeneous
as theUS, wherewhat
giousright.
Although
byoutrage highintheTennessee
atparticular
works
ofart,itwasa broader
institu- $170m),
butitwasanimmensely
successful
minister
feder- is decentfora Baptist
tional
to
the
role
the
artist
and
artists'
al
an
art
hill
is
matter
thanin the
of
to
of
venanother
challenge
programme,
leading explosion
country quite
freedom
tofollow
their
muse.
uesinthelastthird
inSanFrancisco.
ofthecentury.
minds
ofthegaycommunity
It'simportant
forthesakeoforientation
tonote
Theseefforts
at abolition
weresupported
by
twothings.First,theUS constitution
a potent
thereligious
whichfound
broadly Some ofthepeople,someofthetime
right,
political
freedom
ofspeechagainst
interferenceSo howdidartscensorship
arise?It's issuetorallyconservative
constituencies.
Indeed,
guarantees
questions
- federal,
officials
stateorlocal. important
tounderstand
thathisbattle
hadnoth- therewas immense
inthe
bygovernment
fundraising
potential
Artists
havenoconstitutional
tosupport
or ingtodo withaesthetics.
itwasa social, issue of scourging
thefederalgovernment
of
Rather,
right
but
if
the
an
In
NEA
does
establish
and
clash.
immoral
art.
the
of
all
the
class,religious,
this,
subsidy,
government
political ideological
process
artsfunding
itcan'tcensorordis- Thebasicissuewaswhether
should wasfundamentally
restructured,
programme,
publicfunds
losingmuchof
criminate
artistic
on thebasisof theviewpoint
of the be spenton worksofartthatsomepeoplefind itsability
toaffect
Notonly
development.
ifa right
butCongress
evenifthegovernment
is subsidising
them. offensive.
ofvetois wasitsfunding
cutinhalf,
alsoelimartist,
Quiteobviously,
In administering
a government
artists.
one giventoevery
viewinsucha heterogeneous
soci- inatedopportunities
to fundindividual
programme,
can makedecisionson artistic
thuscutting
willend Grants
wouldonlygotoinstitutions,
qualityanddis- etyas theUS's, anyfederal
programme
criminate
between
denominator
testfor outa significant
oftheartistic
typesofwork- so onecould upwiththelowestcommon
portion
community.
and
In
inthemidstofall this
not
It's
hard
to
that
addition
literature,publicsupport.
appropriately
sponsor
poetry
imagine
anything
inevitably,
- funding
butonecan'tsimply
themselves
thatgovern- won'toffend
someone.
saynotoworks
controversy
applications
RSAJournal
3|62002 53
This content downloaded from 130.63.180.147 on Fri, 06 Nov 2015 23:27:07 UTC
All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions
Lectures
becamesignificantly
moreconservative.
official Part II
paradigmatic
exampleofa government
therewas a majorcongressional denying
toa museum
becausehewasper- Wetakeourfreesociety
fartoomuchforgranted.
Eventually
funding
voteonwhether
theNEAshouldbeabolished.
A sonally
offended
We assumethateverybody's
allowedto speak
bya specific
pieceofart.
ferocious
withstates,
The museumpromptly
tooktheMayorto their
write
ensued,
whatever
lobbying
campaign
mind,
choose,depictas
they
citiesandcounties
downonthesideofthe court.
Thefederal
court
heldthathe theyseefit.Butthere
arepowerful
socialmores
coming
emphatically
artsagencyandrecognising
theimmense
Thejudgesaid'No whichconstrict
actionin different
impor- Mayor'sactionwasunlawful.
partsofour
tanceoffederal
fortheartstotheeco- federal
constitutional
issueismoregravethanthe communities,
on bothsidesoftheAtlantic.
It's
funding
nomic
health
oftheir
communities.
Thevotemade effort
officials
tocensorworks
of onething
totalkabouttheartworlds
ofsophistibygovernment
clearthatheNEAwouldcontinue
tofundworks expression
andtothreaten
thevitality
ofa major catedLondonandsophisticated
NewYork,but
ofart,notwithstanding
thefactthatsomepeople cultural
institution
as punishment
forfailing
to peopleinthecountry
andinother
ofsociety
parts
findsomeofthat
work
offensive.
abidebygovernmental
decisions
oforthodoxy.' areperhaps
notso involved
might
withthelanguage
of
But theintensedebateovertheindividual Thiscase,thisdecision,
willstand
as thestrongest contemporary
And
art,whichis veryparticular.
worksofarthascontinued,
andwillgo on.This foundation
to thenthere's
thewholeissueofpolitical
correctagainstanygovernment
attempts
wasmostdramatically
illustrated
inthe punishinstitutions
fordisplaying
artthatis dis- ness,which
alsoimposes
enormous
constraints
on
recently
SaatchiCollectionexhibition
at theBrooklyn tasteful
toparticular
officials.
critics
andviewers
ofart.Someofthese
artists,
government
MuseumofArt.Norman
Rosenthal's
Sensation
So whatare thelessonslearnedfromthis restraints
areproper
andsomearenot.Wehaveto
show in Londonwas a spectacular
culture
war?First,
never
for
success, decade-long
and
eachcaseisdifferent.
ourselves,
censorship
judge
theattention
of theDirectorof the works.
Onewayoranother,
ina society
ofinstant
Theexhibition
Sensation
wasa bitofaneyeattracting
wantedto communication,
Museum,whodesperately
Brooklyn
was mounted
in
peoplearegoingtoseecontrover-openerforme.Theexhibition
increasethemuseum's
TheBrooklyn sialworks- andindeedwillwantto see them threedifferent
cities:London,BerlinandNew
visibility.
Museum
hasa long,distinguished
andthe simplybecausesomeonetellsthemtheycan't. York.Therewereall theseworksofart;people
history,
collection
of
museum
inthe Second,censorship
sells.Lookat thepricesof wereinterested
inthem;
second-largest
any
theywerestimulated
by
US - butit'sonthewrong
sideoftheEastRiver, Mapplethorpe's
before
andafter
the them;theywentto see them;theytalkedabout
photographs
andit takesa hotitemto getManhattanites
to contretemps;
attheoutset,
hislargephotographsthem.
inBerlin
And,ofcourse,attheexhibition
crosstherivertoBrooklyn.
HencetheSensation weresellingforaround
Senator nobody
batted
aneyelid- norwouldtheyhadit
$3,000,butafter
show.It wasadvertised
inthemostprovocative Helmsattacked
himandhebecamethecentre
of beenheldinFrance
orItalyorHolland- incomfashion
atthemuseum:
withwhathappened
inLondonand
displayads everywhere controversy,
theyweregoingfor$30,000.Third, pletecontrast
'Healthwarning:
Thecontents
ofthisexhi- standards
ofuniversal
oracceptability
ina NewYork.
saying
decency
bitionmaycause shock,vomiting,
likethat
oftheUS aresimply
confusion, society
meaningless.
and
If
suffer
from
the
entire
reflects
thepolitical Makingthenews
panic,euphoria, anxiety. you
Fourth,
controversy
ora nervous
disorder
orpalpi- powerofthereligious
in
the
US.
highbloodpressure
between
art
right
Although Hereonehastomakea distinction
tationsyoushouldconsultyourdoctorbefore theyultimately
lostintheirspecific
to
and
and
the
thatis ina
attempts
pornography, pornography
The museumwanted destroy
theNEA,thisfight
overfunding
andcapitalised
viewingtheexhibition.'
cutting- senseencouraged,
upon,byall
attention
andcontroversy
anditgotplenty
ofboth. edgeartists
willcontinue,
inpartbecausetheUS is sections
ofthepress- notonlytheNewsofthe
Mostoftheseimagesareprobably
Ontheonehandit Worldandthepagethrees,
butthemoregeneral
quitefamil- reallya schizophrenic
society.
- DamienHirst'sliced hasa longtradition
iartoBritish
audiences
ofPuritanism,
andontheother scandal-mongering
vis-à-vis
thevisualarts,by
twopiecesbyJakeandDinosChapman, a great
tradition
animals;
offreespeech.
Thoseareorthogo- artsreporters
whotry
toimpute
scaneverywhere,
whichwerewidelyadmired,
one a verytough nalandrunintoeachother.
dalwhere
noneexists,
inaneffort
toinvent
news
Whatwillthecontroversial
areasbe in the (usuallyinthesummer).
pieceafter
Goya;DeaddadbyRonMueck;Jenny
ThefussoverMarcus
Saville'sBrobdingnagian
MarcQuinn's future?
ofheterosexual
conduct
aiegoing
woman;
to Harvey's
of
intheLondon
Images
painting MyraHindley
fromhisownfrozen be hardtoattack,
head,whichwas sculpted
as areexplicit
sexualimagesin Sensation
showstands
outas anexample
ofthis.
blood;MarcusHarvey's
Thethree
areasthatwillcon- Theexhibition
wastotakeplacein September,
imageofMyraHindley. filmandmagazines.
One particular
tobecontroversial
areimages
ofgaysex,be- andwehada pressconference
image,though,threwMayor tinue
foritinFebruary
or
GuilianiandtheCatholicestablishment
intoa causesociety
stillhasnotbroadly
that
accepted
way March,atwhichweshoweda slideofthepaint- portrayals
oftheVirgin,
in oflife;'kiddie-porn'
ofyoung
children ing.Just
rage- ChrisOfili'sdepiction
before
theexhibition
wasduetoopenthat
whichoneofherbreastswasrepresented
in
sexual
which
is
one
areawherethe August,
whileholidaying
inSpain,I gota rather
situations,
using
withspangles.
courts
theconstitutionality
ofserious
lim- hysterical
elephant
dungdecorated
call fromthePresident
oftheRoyal
recognise
itsoncreativity;
andfinally,
as
we've
about
'a
scandal
breakblasphemy,
Academy,
PhilipDowson,
Small-town
sheriff
seeninregard
toworks
andOfili.
out
in
the
The
media
had
waited
all
bySerrano
ing
press.'
The Mayorlauncheda full-scale
attackon the
Insum,themostsensible
course
istoletpeople thosemonths
tomanufacture
thisscandalinthe
Museum
forshowing
whathedescribed see artandjudgeforthemselves.
A freesociety so-calledsillyseasonabouttheHindley
Brooklyn
picture.
as 'a dung-smeared
.
The
institution
or TheRoyalAcademy
Virgin' Catholic
wasshowing
thispainting,
League cannotgrantany governmental
called it hate-speech
tojudgewhatis acceptable which
isnotonlyanincredibly
againstCatholics.Now, grouptheauthority
work
of
interesting
theChurch,
oranycritic,
hasa free-speechandunacceptable.
In a freesociety
thatmustbe artbutalsoa highly
clearly
oneinthesensethat
political
andthat's
a principle itdealswithrealissuesthatoughttohaveconrightosaywhatever
theywant,andthesecom- leftoindividual
judgement,
mentsfellintothecategory
of fairdiscussion. wellworth
for.
cerned
theaudience.
Italsohasa relationship
with
fighting
Whatmadethedifference
wasthatthegovernAmerican
on thethemes
art,beinga variation
ment
TheMayorsaidthatunlessthe James
dealtwith
gotinvolved.
Warhol.
Fitzpatrick
byChuckCloseandAndy
museum
tookdownthepainting
hewouldcutoff SeniorPartner
Butthepressgotreallyhysterical.
Theydid
and Arnold
& Porter
cityfunding,
replaceitsboardofdirectors
the
(Washington,
DC)
everything
theypossiblycouldto prevent
cancelitslease,forcing
ittomove- a classic,
exhibition
of
taking
place:ringing
up members
54 RSAJournal
3|62002
This content downloaded from 130.63.180.147 on Fri, 06 Nov 2015 23:27:07 UTC
All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions
Lectures
theRoyalAcademy
togettheanswers
of which
doesn't
inanysensedetract
from
itsquality.
theywant- worldwherewe witnessthepornography
edtohearItis a curious
form
ofcensorship
which poverty
andadvertising,
tosaynothing
ofpolitiOfcoursethedebateregarding
thenature
of
arisesfrom
thefreepress.Whenthepainting
was calpornography
suchas wearecurrently
witness- censorship
into
quicklyslips
bipolaropposites.
mostpeoplelovedit,andrecognised
that
it ingin theMiddleEast. Is pornography
in art Ontheonehandlibertarian
shown,
humanism
treats
cenwasgood.Yetthemediamanaged
tocreate
a scan- absolute
orrelative?
Shouldwecensor?
Artcan- sorship
as a fascistic
closureuponfreedom
and
- whichprobably notbe pornographic
- butthis freespeech.On theotherhandthestatepolice
dal aroundtheexhibition
by definition
- andaround forcesus toaskwhatartis,whichis verydiffi- defendthemassesfromtheir
increased
thenumber
ofvisitors
catapotentially
Charles
whoisa very
controversial
Saatchi,
figure cult.For me,artis in essencea moralthing; strophic
desire,a desirewhichtheymustnot
buta greatpatron
ofthearts,andwhohasdonea pornography,
isnot.
fortheir
owngood,a tautology
which
bydefinition,
experience
dealforthelifeofartinthiscountry.
reeksofdespotic
The
seems
tobe
great
logic. paradox
Norman
Rosenthal
onewhichFoucault
in
his
of
recognised analysis
His hypothesis
Onlyhuman
that
a
Royal
Academy
sexuality.
suggests
truly
Itis interesting
howatthemoment
weintheUK
is onewhere
freewillis ornapermissive
society
are veryconcerned(rightlyso) aboutchild
mented
withalloftheaccoutrements
oflibertarito Part III
an individualism
and is of courseabsolutely
pornography,
yetatthesametimeunwilling
think
aboutthedepiction
ofchildren.
Therewas I couldrecite
a listofartworks
I believeshould
be powerless
as a mass.
another
caseinvolving
wherethepolice censored
becausethey're
not
The main problem,then,is approaching
Saatchi,
bad,
aesthetically
turned
toanexhibition
bad.Fromthatpointof censorship
as a socialfunction
thatmayin a
upinresponse
featuring becausethey're
morally
beautiful
ofnakedchil- viewI believethereis no intrinsic
masochistic
sense
be
both
and
incredibly
photographs
relationship perverse
productive
dren.Whatis wrong
withthedepiction
ofnaked between
aesthetics
andmorality.
Monochromaticunproductive.
contributes
to
the
Censorship
children?
Whatis wrong
withthedepiction
ofthe painting
isnolessethical
thana picture
ofdogshit. theatreof living.It cannotever be deposed
nakedhumanbeing?Whatis wrongevenwith
In a commentary
on Venusinfurs, Sacher- becauseitistherepresentation
ofthepresence
of
thedepiction(in a seriousand differentiatedMasochmakesa statement
as tothenature
ofhis law,yetas a suppressive
forceitis complicit
with
4
human
andfurs
arethemeans
I theforms
ofreleasethatitunconsciously
makes
way)ofthearoused
being?It'salla ques- pleasure:Whips
bywhich
tionofcontext,
a questionofplace,a question terrorise
andviaFreud,
Masoch'sname available.
isgenerous.
Inaninfamous
myself,'
Censorship
ofdifferentiation.
andnotoriety
totheclinicalnotion
of statement,
Freudclaimstheaimofalllifeisdeath,
givesbirth
IntheUS,nobody
hadheardofMyraHindley, masochism.
WhatMasochis saying
is thatpleas- andyethe suggests
further
onthatthecivilised
so no-onesought
torecreate
thatscandal.Butthe ureisa matter
offriction,
andstimulation
as a con- organism
wouldseektopunctuate
thesequence
of
CatholicChurchdid so in responseto Chris ceptrequires
inorder
friction
foritsfinal
release
to itsfatalandinevitable
movement
withmany
little
Ofili'sHolyVirgin
contract
. Whathe'ssuggesting
morts
isthat
if
Mary.Ofiliis a cultivated be climactic.The masochistic
is, in deaths
,petits
andthoughtful
andwas brought
thecapacity
of a bodyto do youtreat
lifeas a sequence
artist,
from
zerotozero,you
terms,
up as a Newtonian
RomanCatholic.'WhenI go to theNational work,
aidedbythephysical
effects
offriction
and canmakejudgements
thatcivilisation
is simply
andseepaintings
oftheVirgin
he heat,
orgenerally
thetheory
ofresistance.
theforms
offriction
which
occurenroute.
Gallery
Mary,'
4
Of courseFreudopposesmasochism
with
says, 1seehowsexuallycharged
manyofthem
are.Minearesimply
a hip-hop
variation.'
Buthis another
that
of
the
literary
figure,
Marquisde Closedloop
causeda ridiculous
scandalinNewYork Sade.IntheNewtonian
modelsadismimpliesan Theproblem
withcensorship
is thatitseemsto
painting
- again,forpoliticalpurposesandinorderto uninhibited
a pleasure-seekerbedefined
a
small
number
of
pleasuresystem,
by
peopleexerting
sellnewspapers.
unbound
offriction,
a superinduc- a privileged
viewovera largenumber
ofpeople.
bytherigours
areverymuchbehind
whosesituation
is notdetermined
ofcensorship
seemslightly
unbelievNewspapers
censorship tivesystem
by Questions
inart.Butthere
areother
kindsofcensorship
inhibition
andfuture
ofsecondary
is thatpeople
promise
gains able whenoneofthearguments
forexample,
whomay butby absolutely
artists,
from
theexperience
ofseecensorship
byother
free-moving
pleasure.On a havetobedefended
feelthreatened
new
as a new socialscale,themasochistic
contract
translates
or ingcertain
forms
work,
ofculture
thatwillcorrupt
or
by
particularly
orschoolcomesintobeing.Perhaps becomes
whatweknowas thelawsgoverning
and pollutethem.Obviously
thefollowing
generation
question
themostdifficult
exhibition
I've beenengaged
in determining
censorship.Censorshipis our is: howdo censorsgetto see thethingswhich
attheRoyalAcademy
was1981's ANewSpirit
in masochistic
socialcontract.
areapparently
to?A
theythemselves
impervious
So censorship
, wherewe showedmanyartistsin
the workofartcanonlybe deemedoffensive
Painting
is,ina permissive
culture,
byits
Londonfortheveryfirstime- artistslike meansbywhichwe terrorise
ourselves.
It is a audience.A workof artisn'tin and of itself
Anselm
Kiefer
andGeorgBaselitzanda number form
ofdramatic
over-elaboration
If youtakea painting
ofsomething
bywhichwe offensive.
of Germanand Italianartists.At thattime, complexify
ourlevelsofstimulation
ofintensity. obsceneandyouputitin a clearingina forest
artwas beingmade,in British Itis as necessary
tousas a culture
as a restrictiveit'snotoffensive.
It'sonlyoffensive
initsconcontemporary
either
in
the
US
or
and
there
is
to
the
individual
Takeaway sumption
anditsoffence
is determined
here,
perceptions,
peephole
voyeur.
bythe
was no artcomingfromEurope.The Royal thepeephole
andthevoyeur
isn'tveryhappy.
An nature
ofthataudience.
A marginal
closedaudiwasinutter
turmoil.
Lotsofartists
felt exampleofthiswouldbe theclimactic
scenein encewilltendnottoattackcensorship
because
Academy
their
livelihood
threatened
film
themagistrate
watches thethreat
is notperceived
those
familiar
with
Salò,where
bythiswholenewgen- Pasolini's
by
eration.
Ofcourse
thisisprobably
or maybeeven theterms.
Iftheargument
forelitismis seento
binoculars,
goingtohappen thetorture
through
thatgoesonandchanges operaglassestomakeitmorecultural.
Herevers- maintain
thecomplexity
of artdiscourseit's
again.Artis something
Valuesarealwaysinflux.
es them
andstrips
deathofitsrealmagnitude.
The becausetheysay:4Look,theterms
areclosed.
constantly.
weshouldtalkaboutwhatconstitutes filmwascensored,
intotheeconomy
of Let'skeepthem
closed.'
Perhaps
entering
realpornography
rather
thanconfusing
certain theoppressed
itmatured
where
until
itsrecent
cliTheproblems
occurwhenyoucanhave'public
of
art
with
I
can't
undermactic
release.
The
film
attains
an
access'
or'wideaccess',where
museums
start
to
aspects
pornography.
economy,
stand at all whythereis suchconfusion,
in a attainsa value,becauseit has beenrepressed, havetocompete
withother
forms
ofentertainment
RSAJournal
3|62002 55
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All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions
Lectures
andtheyhavetodo so at thesamelevel.They
havetobeabletosuggest
thatanyonecancome
andseea workofartandnotbethreatened
byits
terms,whethertheyare imageswhichare
sadisticor masochistic,
or whether
explicitly
theyareimageswhicharea pileofbricksora
monochromatic
canvas.Eitherofthosethings
canbe seenas offensive
becausetheydetermine
a senseofignorance
onthepartoftheviewer.
So
seemsonlytocomeintoplaywhen
censorship
overtconceptsof innocenceand corruption
comeintoconflict.
Thereis also thisideathathas comeoutin
someof thethingsthathavebeensaid bythe
twospeakers- thata workof artis
previous
thathere
isautomatically
a
idealistic,
necessarily
universal
nature
to a workofart,andthatis to
andtooffer
somemodeloflife,conditions
modify
of experience,
whichare better
and nicerand
more
Problems
occur,
dialectically interesting.
whenyouhaveworksofartthatareby
though,
their
andverypurpose
verynature
misanthropic.
determined
nottobenice.Here,theprobThey're
lems of censorship
becomeslightlyabsurd,
becauseall thathappens
is thatthatworkofart
seekstocausenotions
ofidealism
toreverberate
with
panic.
One of the funnytermsthatcame from
wastheideaofshock,
Sensation
whichbecamea
lowestcommon
denominator
method
fordeterwhether
a workofartwasgoodornot.
mining
Therewasn'tmuchanalysis
ofthaterm
totraceit
backtoFreud's
abreactive
tothenotion
of
therapy,
convulsion
andtrauma.
Itseemstomethatoneof
themostindicative,
themostcentral
of
concepts
is thatitis a theatrical
enablement
of
censorship
drama.It simply
allowsa threshold
tobe transas you
gressed.The conceptof transgression,
someone
like
know,is determined
by
Georges
Bataille.He saysthere'something
kindofodd
abouttherelationship
between
and
Christianity
crime
whenitssocialandmoral
functions
extrapolatefrom
thefirst,
which
wastokill
crime,
biggest
theSonofGod.So Christianity
hasalways
hadthis
indealingwithnotions
ofcensorslight
problem
becauseitisinitself
a transshipandtransgression
It
relies
on
sin.
gresséereligion.
JakeChapman
Artist
Notes
Delivered
totheSociety
inLondon
on17April
2002.
Theseareedited
versions
ofthelecturers'
full
texts.
Í
3
.8
•S
0
.о
.«О
1
I
ř
i
:
Above
Chris
243.8x1
Ofili,
1995,
82.8cm,
HolyVirgin
Mary,
oil
resin,
acrylic
paint, paint,
polyester
paper
mappinsandelephant
collage,
dungoncanvas,
with
twoelephant
dungsupports
Left:
JakeandDinosChapman,
Great
deedsagainst
thedead,1994,
mixed
media
277x244x152cm,
andplinth
§
0
-J
1
<§
I
s
со
I
ì
1
8
56 RSAJournal
3|62002
This content downloaded from 130.63.180.147 on Fri, 06 Nov 2015 23:27:07 UTC
All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions