http://www.newyorksocialdiary.com/across-the-nationacross-the-world/2010/washington-social-diary-44

THE SMITHSONIAN: “ART SISSIES” by Carol Joynt December 6,2010

When the leadership of Congress changes hands from one party to the other, the pastime here becomes finding signs of what it will mean. This past week brought a doozy of a cultural bellwether, a throw down that pitted the giant Smithsonian Institution against a one-room art gallery, with an assist from John Boehner and Eric Cantor. Arguably, the tiny art gallery came out on top.

“It's fear, plain and simple,” said a board member of the Transformer gallery after the Smithsonian’s director, Wayne Clough, booted “A Fire In My Belly,” a 1987 video work by David Wojnarowicz that was to be shown as part of the larger “Hide/Seek” exhibition, a gay-themed examination of “difference and desire” in art, which runs until February 13 at the National Portrait Gallery. Transformer immediately gave the video a home in its front window, calling it an “important work” by Wojnarowicz, who died of AIDS in 1992. The space also organized an evening protest march on the Portrait Gallery.

The Transformer gallery up close.

James Alefantis, head of Transformer’s board, sent Clough a pointed letter, asking him to reverse his “mistaken” expulsion of the video. “You must know, but in the event you do not, we ... are here to tell you your right-wing critics, including in Congress, know nothing and care nothing about art. They care not a wit about freedom of expression, or free speech.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gHRCwQeKCuo

The banning of the Wojnarowicz work happened after the Catholic League complained about eleven seconds that show ants crawling on a crucifix. The organization’s president called the clip “hate speech.”

The video link is the original 20min video by Wojnarowicz, and while I can see why the Catholic League wanted the video banned there are far more graphic scenes in the video. The video appears to be shot in Mexico and depicts bull fighting and cock fighting, a man beginning to masturbate and lots of 1/2 second flashes that seem like subliminal messages. Additionally, there are scenes of young boys in the streets; and, what appear to be mummified babies.

Alefantis placed a lot of importance on this video. Is that because of censorship or an agenda? I guess I'm an art sissy too; because, I really don't understand how this video portrays the plight of gay men and aids in America. I also noticed he pointed out "don't be afraid of the ants." The ants definitely were not what I was afraid of after watching given what we now know has been going on in this country and worldwide with sexual abuse.

This next video link is another 8mm by Wojnarowicz titled, "Where Evil Dwells". WARNING: THIS VIDEO IS VERY GRAPHIC AND COULD TRIGGER AN SRA SURVIVOR!!! Watch at your own risk.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TqohSrb_jCc

A comment on the video says even with the bad acting it's still a good video. If it's not a snuff film and an actual SRA video, it's the closest thing to watching that horror that I want to see. It is evil and very hard to watch for anyone with a soul. I had to make myself do it because I feel it's important to expose what is driving these people and their agenda. To me, it is in no way "art".