Controversial Art & Censorship (ANSWERED)

QUESTION

Required Resources

Read/review the following resources for this activity:

Textbook: Chapter 14
Lesson
Minimum of 1 primary sources (artist statement)
Minimum of 1 scholarly source (in addition to the textbook – from critic)

Instructions

Although social justice art is not a topic exclusive to the 20th and 21st centuries, the distribution of information regarding controversial art with gender, race, sexual, and/or environmental themes has increased with the proliferation of media. Choose an example of a social justice work of art from the 20th or 21st centuries from any discipline of the humanities (music, literature, sculpture, film, television, etc.). Then, address the following:

Identify the work and the medium.
Based on your example, to what extent does this work of art make a social contribution?
What aesthetic value does the work have? How does it reflect the human condition? How does it relate to your life?
Has this work ever been censored? If so, explain the circumstances.
Are governments ever justified in censoring art? Why or why not?
Examine some of the influences of this work of art. What was the public reaction to this work? Does it effectively portray its message?
Argue whether or not this work should be considered art. Explain why using terms learned in this course.
Include an accompanying statement from the artist(s) and a statement from a critic to support your points.

Writing Requirements (APA format)

Length: 1.5-2 pages (not including title page or references page)
1-inch margins
Double spaced
12-point Times New Roman font
Title page
References page (minimum of 1 scholarly source and 1 primary source)

ANSWER

Controversial Art and Censorship

Work and the medium.

Artist: Vincent Valdez| Title: The City I| Year: 2015–2016| Medium: Oil on canvas

The Social Contribution of the Artwork

The above oil painting was created by Vincent Valdez, depicting the Ku Klux Klan (KKK) gathering at a city’s outskirts. The KKK is well-known for its violent acts against African Americans, Mexican Americans, homosexuals, Jews, Catholics, and immigrants. This monumental art responds to the Klan’s activities to raise awareness of individual and structural racism in American cities. It makes a social contribution by questioning the racism embedded in American society. This awareness may bring social change to the community.

The Aesthetic Value of the Work

The portrait’s aesthetic value relates to its capacity to bring social change. The portrait reflects human conditions and my life by questioning the role of hate groups and overt racism in society today. Coupled with the hooded Klanspeople, the black-and-white palette create an unsettling depiction of the history of violence and terror in America. The hoods are sinister and the inclusion of women and children make the portrait mysterious.

Government’s Censorship Authority and Right

This painting has never been censored. Whether the government is justified in censoring art is complex and cannot be answered by a simple yes or no response. The First Amendment guarantees freedom of expression; hence, the government’s right to censor art expression is limited. Also, there is a consensus among scholars that literary works should be exempted from censorship (Malița, 2019). Not so for visual art.

Some ethicists believe the government should censor arts that lack artistic value, obscene material with no artistic value, works of incitement, an expression that offends or violates others’ rights, or broadcasting nudity or obscenity in spaces where children might view or hear. However, Malița (2019) criticized this censorship, pointing out that judges lack the competence to evaluate and determine an art’s value. Also, artists will always find ways of expressing whatever the government is trying to ban, demonstrating the futility of censorship (Malița, 2019). A personal perspective is that the burden of censorship should not lie on the government but the artists themselves.

Influence of the Artwork

This work of art was influenced by history. The KKK existed since 1865, and their violent prejudices were well-known to the public. The portrait effectively portrays its message. The KKK, which many believe relegated, was a symbol of hate and violence against minority groups. Valdez puts the group in the foreground and includes contemporary artifacts to remind us that societal threats of overt racism, hate, and violence are still here. It challenges the viewer to reflect on the American history of racism and consider that threat in our modern setting.

The portrait attracted national attention in 2016 and has primarily elicited positive responses from the public. The Blanton Museum of Art (the location where the portrait is displayed) reveals that the image evoked emotional engagement from the public (Roberts, 2018). Critics have provided positive reviews, indicating that the portrait raises more questions than answers about structural racism and hate groups in America.

Is the work an Art?

Valdez’s portrait is a work of art because it contains a strong artistic form, subject matter, and content and induces participation. Mónica A. Jiménez stated,

“Vincent Valdez’s The City forces us to stop, to bear witness, to consider, and finally to participate in the banality of American racism and the commonplace of our violence. It is at once beautiful in its mastery and arresting in its content, and therein lies its power—we cannot escape its demands …” (Lepage, 2016)

This quote demonstrates that the piece induces participation, a common characteristic of an artwork (Martin and Jacobus, 2019)

The painting’s subject matter is not directly presented but has been transformed by the art form. There are no explicit references to violence or racism because the Klanspeople in the portrait are engaging in mundane tasks, e.g., drinking beer, texting, gossiping, etc. The subject matter is enriched by the background information of the Klanspeople and what they represent.

There is also unity among the portrait’s elements. The color, objects, lights, etc., are all connected and guide us to the subject matter. The portrait color (the monochromatic pallet) is reminiscent of historical photographs and old films (depicts the past), but details such as the new Chevrolet, a can of Budweiser beer, a cell phone tower, and a Klansman tapping on his phone put the portrait in a modern setting (Lepage, 2016). This art shows that the violent, prejudiced activities of the Klan are still here. The portrait’s artistic form interconnects with the meaning, making it a work of art.

References

Lepage, A. (2016). Vincent Valdez’s The City: Stripping Away the Disguise of White Supremacy. Blanton Museum of Art. https://s3-us-east-2.amazonaws.com/blantonmuseum/files/20180713095928/4_GALLERY-BROCHURE_Valdez-Brochure_FINAL.pdf

Martin, F. D., & Jacobus, L. (2019). Humanities through the Arts. McGraw-Hill Education

Roberts, V. (2018, October 17). Public Responses to Vincent Valdez: The City. Blanton Museum. https://blantonmuseum.org/2018/08/17/public-responses-to-vincent-valdez-the-city/