Art Censorship 1
Abstract
This paper discusses the cause and effects of art censorship. The National Coalition Against Censorship stated “Censorship has been around for as long as there has been creative expression; no doubt, censorship attempts will be part of our future. However, the degree of public support for free speech has always made a difference - the difference between silent repression and a lively debate.” Censorship has gone to the extreme and the meaning behind the artwork, whether it be a painting or a play, is getting lost because people are only seeing the “inappropriate” parts of the work of art.
Art Censorship Miriam Felton-Dansky (2008) wrote “At the start of the twenty-first century, we face an array of questions: is fear of violent repercussions — or even just fear of damage to a career or a paycheck — a valid reason to cancel a production or to refrain from taking it on? Are some concerns more valid than others? When fear and rigidity become the determining factors, are we seeing only the controversies and not the art? And, given the feedback cycles of artistic scandal and media frenzy, have censorship debates become an inescapable frame through which we view new art?” Art Censorship has changed how artists are allowed to display their works of art for people to view and how people interpret the works of art. Some groups believe that censorship is a necessary act to ensure that children are not exposed to inappropriate images, words, or topics. Svetlana Mintcheva and Joan Bertin (2007) stated “In censorship debates, we constantly hear that certain material is "inappropriate" for children or that the representation of particular behavior like smoking or drug use "condones" it. Often, this is a projection of adult fears and fantasies, rather than any realistic notion of the possible effects of art and performance.” One such act of censorship done to protect children was the banning of William Mastrosimone’s Bang Bang You’re Dead. (Mintcheva &
This paper discusses the cause and effects of art censorship. The National Coalition Against Censorship stated “Censorship has been around for as long as there has been creative expression; no doubt, censorship attempts will be part of our future. However, the degree of public support for free speech has always made a difference - the difference between silent repression and a lively debate.” Censorship has gone to the extreme and the meaning behind the artwork, whether it be a painting or a play, is getting lost because people are only seeing the “inappropriate” parts of the work of art.
Art Censorship Miriam Felton-Dansky (2008) wrote “At the start of the twenty-first century, we face an array of questions: is fear of violent repercussions — or even just fear of damage to a career or a paycheck — a valid reason to cancel a production or to refrain from taking it on? Are some concerns more valid than others? When fear and rigidity become the determining factors, are we seeing only the controversies and not the art? And, given the feedback cycles of artistic scandal and media frenzy, have censorship debates become an inescapable frame through which we view new art?” Art Censorship has changed how artists are allowed to display their works of art for people to view and how people interpret the works of art. Some groups believe that censorship is a necessary act to ensure that children are not exposed to inappropriate images, words, or topics. Svetlana Mintcheva and Joan Bertin (2007) stated “In censorship debates, we constantly hear that certain material is "inappropriate" for children or that the representation of particular behavior like smoking or drug use "condones" it. Often, this is a projection of adult fears and fantasies, rather than any realistic notion of the possible effects of art and performance.” One such act of censorship done to protect children was the banning of William Mastrosimone’s Bang Bang You’re Dead. (Mintcheva &
References: Arts Advocacy Project. (n.d.). Retrieved October 21, 2010, from National Coalition Against Censorship: http://www.ncac.org/advocacy_projects/arts-advocacy.cfm Felton-Dansky, M. (2008). Controlling the Twenty-First Century. Theater . Mintcheva, S., & Bertin, J. (2007). Controversy: Embrace it! Dramatist . The Selective Timeline of Art Censorship in the U.S.A. (n.d.). Retrieved October 21, 2010, from National Coalition Against Censorship website: http://www.ncac.org/timeline/