David Wojnarowicz Gets Publicity

There’s a whole lot of attitudes going around in the art world concerning an exhibition in D.C. right now, so I’ll try not to get one, too. But let me break it down for you:

A video piece called “Fire In My Belly” by the artist/activist/Le Tigre shout-out/Nan Goldin friend and subject David Wojnarowicz was originally included in the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery’s “Hide/Seek: Difference and Desire in American Portraiture” in Washington, an exhibit that surveys same-sex love and relationships as portrayed in art. On the list is everything and everyone — Walt Whitman, Thomas Eakins, Marcel Duchamp, Henri Cartier-Bresson, Georgia O’Keeffe, John Singer Sargent, George Bellows, Walker Evans, Berenice Abbott, Robert Rauschenberg, Jasper Johns, Ellsworth Kelly, David Hockney, Agnes Martin, Andy Warhol, Nan Goldin, Felix Gonzalez-Torres, and Andrew Wyeth. So, why no David Wojnarowicz?

Apparently it’s anti-Christian. I mean, what else gets you pulled these days except religion? But even from the grave Wojnarowicz hasn’t gone down without a fight and is being martyred all over town (“town” being “Artville”). According to the HuffPo’, “After House GOP Leader John Boehner forced the Smithsonian to remove an excerpt of artist David Wojnarowicz’s video “A Fire in My Belly”, other museums around the country are stepping forward to post the video. The New Museum in New York is now showing the film in its lobby, as is the CB1 Gallery in Los Angeles [ed. note: props!].

From The New Museum’s website:

“The film, A Fire in My Belly, A Work in Progress (1986-87) is a poetic meditation on man, life, death, faith, and suffering made in part as a response to the AIDS-related death of his close friend, artist Peter Hujar”

Represensative Boehner and fellow Congressman Eric Cantor attacked the piece as “an outrageous use of taxpayer money and an obvious attempt to offend Christians during the Christmas season.”

Lisa Phillips, director of the New Museum, explained that the Museum has a history of defending freedom of expression. “We cannot afford to take hard won civil liberties for granted and need to remain vigilant and protect artistic freedom.”“

On Saturday last, two activists were held at the National Portrait Gallery while staging a cool kinda protest: One of them (both male, obv.). stood by the entrance of the show with ”A Fire in My Belly” playing on an iPad hung around his neck (like a hung martyr!) and held a stack of fliers with text explaining what was going on. The second guy filmed the happenings (available online). Both were detained and later released once they signed letters pledging they would never return to Smithsonian Institution facilities ever.

SOOOO… what’s all the hubbub, bub? Well, I watched the 20 minute silent video and, yeah, it’s kinda anti-Christian? I mean, there’s a shot of a Christus crucifixio being swarmed by ants and then his head catching fire, interspersed with a loaf of bread being broken and then sewn together while a man’s mouth is being sewn shut. Then the globe catches fire. To me, that’s pretty overt criticism of Christianity.

But, in a nutshell: Does the overly evident anti-Christian nature of David Wojnarowicz’s video “Fire In My Belly” warrant it being pulled from the show? Answer: No. Voila.

That’s my summary! And I feel this is as good a place as any to post Army of Lovers’ 1991 hit “I’m Crucified”, which, incidentally, also goes out to Schwester S for her martyrdom with her chirrun right now.

-d.

 

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