Spiritual America

Artist: Richard Prince

Confronting Bodies: Tate modern, Richard Prince, Scotland Yards (London Metropolitan Police)

Dates of Action: 2009

Location: London, England

The Incident: After exhibiting his pieces in multiple US Museums (the Guggenheim Museum in New York (2007-2008) and at the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis (2008)), Richard Prince was censored at the Tate Modern during the “Pop Life”. He was censored by the metropolitan police, also known as the Scotland yards, for one of his most iconic pieces “Spiritual America”- Prince’s image of 10 year old Brooke Shields posing naked in a tub during the filming of one of her early movies. The reasons given as to why this particular piece was removed from the exhibit was due to its “disturbing child porn attributes” and how this devaluates the moral standards of society. Ironically it is believed it really wasn’t museum visitors who tipped the police on this matter rather the London press and media.

Results of Incident: Outcome, the exhibit was still displayed, never the less the most crucial piece “Spiritual America” was taken down and not displayed, more over the catalog of the exhibition was also removed from sale.

Source: Huffington Post article: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/raymond-j-learsy/spiritual-america-censors_b_309278.html