Gun sculpture silenced in trigger-happy Texas
Introducing Rakewell, Apollo’s wandering eye on the art world. Look out for regular posts taking a rakish perspective on art and museum stories.
Rakewell’s thousand-yard stare is today directed towards Houston, where student artist Alton DuLaney has found himself in the line of fire over a recent sculpture. The work in question – a framed revolver with the word ‘ART’ printed on a flag protruding from its barrel – has reportedly been censored at an exhibition at the Blaffer Art Museum.
According to the Houston Press, the decision to censor DuLaney’s work was taken by officials from the University of Houston, on whose campus the Blaffer is located (it houses the university’s teaching collection). The gun has now been removed from the exhibit, presumably along with the point of the work: namely, as DuLaney says, to highlight the prevalence of guns in Texan culture.
As the Press reports, UH’s Office of Central Council has
said that even if DuLaney had tried to exhibit his, erm, explosive work
after the new measures are implemented, it would still have been
suppressed – though it has as yet neglected to explain why.
At this point, might Rakewell suggest that the censorious officials reconsider their priorities?
For more, check out Apollo International Art Magazine
Rakewell’s thousand-yard stare is today directed towards Houston, where student artist Alton DuLaney has found himself in the line of fire over a recent sculpture. The work in question – a framed revolver with the word ‘ART’ printed on a flag protruding from its barrel – has reportedly been censored at an exhibition at the Blaffer Art Museum.
According to the Houston Press, the decision to censor DuLaney’s work was taken by officials from the University of Houston, on whose campus the Blaffer is located (it houses the university’s teaching collection). The gun has now been removed from the exhibit, presumably along with the point of the work: namely, as DuLaney says, to highlight the prevalence of guns in Texan culture.
Oddly enough, the silencing of this
work coincides with the passing of the State of Texas’s new ‘campus
carry’ law, which, as of August, will allow students at public
universities across the Lone Star State to carry concealed guns. Among
the institutions where the new law will apply is… the University of
Houston! Indeed, back in February, when the law was ratified, UH
prepared a slideshow warning faculty members to be ‘careful discussing
sensitive topics’, ‘Not “go there” if you sense anger’ and, most
astonishingly, to ‘drop certain topics from [their] curriculum’. And
although UH has attempted to limit the terms of the new law – forbidding firearms in as many buildings and campus spaces
as it can – one does rather marvel at the university museum’s decision
to interfere with DuLaney’s work.
At this point, might Rakewell suggest that the censorious officials reconsider their priorities?
For more, check out Apollo International Art Magazine
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