Date: 1995

Region: North America

Subject: Nudity

Medium: Painting


Artist: Alexandria Jackson

Confronting Bodies: Willets Community Theater board members.

Dates of Action: 1995

Location: Willets, California

Description of Artwork: Snapshots is an exhibit of several paintings of the artist in various nude positions. One painting shows Jackson seated on a bench with her legs apart, her bleeding genitals exposed and her body covered with sores. A vertical incision is stapled together over her heart.

The Incident: Art Daze is a one day event sponsored by the Willets Community Theater. The event coordinator, Connie Vodika, invited Jackson to exhibit her work. When the board's chairperson viewed Jackson's work she ordered it removed suggesting that it was inappropriate for the family oriented event.

Results of Incident: Jackson wrote a letter to the ACLU who advised the theater group to establish a review policy for future events.

Source: Artistic Freedom Under Attack, 1996