Resist
Artist: Marilyn Minter
Year: 2017
Date of Action: May 2017
Region: North America
Location: New York, New York
Subject: Political/Economic/Social Opinion
Medium: Public Art
Confronting Bodies: Lever House
Description of Artwork: Nonprofit, Creative Time hosted an event featuring an installation called Pledges of Allegiance, in which different artists created flags which responded the threats to human rights from the Trump administration. The project involves sixteen different flags with statements of resistance by sixteen different prominent artists. The flags featured statements such as "Don't Worry, Be Angry," and "A Horror Movie Called Western Civilization." Marilyn Minter, one of the featured artists, emblazoned the word "Resist" in colorful letters across a dark background.
The Incident: Just as the New York City event which would reveal these many different flags was beginning, Marilyn Minter received news that her flag had already been taken down. Aby Rosen, art collector and developer of the Lever house, released a statement saying that the ownership of the building asked to have the flag removed upon seeing it.
Results of Incident: Marilyn Minter was quite disturbed by the removal of her art. She noted that the building had hosted art far more provocative and controversial than her flag. The gallery released a statement saying that while the flag was initially approved, it was placed adjacent to the U.S. Flag and did not conform to federal regulations and does not have a permit. The gallery said that the removal of the art was not an act of censorship, rather an act in keeping with federal regulations. She added that the flag is now hung inside the entrance to the exhibition, open to the public, and will remain there until a new public location is chosen.
Source:
Artist Marilyn Minter's Protest Flag Lasted Less Than a Day Before It Was Censored
