Gerard Mannix Flynn, Irish artist

Date: 2009

Region: Europe

Subject: Language Explicit Sexuality

Medium: Installation


Artist: Gerard Mannix Flynn (b.1957)

Confronting Bodies: Dunamaise Arts Centre

Date of Action: July 10, 2009

Location: Portlaoise, a neighborhood in Dublin, Ireland

Description of Artwork: The installation consisted of large panels, displaying a statement by a victim of abuse, containing the phrases (among others) "orally raped" and "anally raped".

The Incident: The Arts Centre planned to move the exhibition to a gallery upstairs, to prevent any children who entered the gallery from seeing the display. The Centre justified its desicion citing its Child Protection Policy: http://www.artscouncil-ni.org/news/2008/files/ChildProtection.pdf.

Results of Incident: Mr. Flynn pulled his exhibition from the gallery.

Source: http://www.midlandsradio.fm/news_detail.aspx?footer=1&news_id=8643 http://www.independent.ie/national-news/exhibition-cancelled-after-artist-claims-work--censored-1815661.html http://www.votemannixflynn.ie/home.html