Mirth Girth (painting): Difference between revisions

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'''Artist:''' David Nelson

'''Confronting Bodies:''' Chicago Aldermen and community

'''Description of Artwork:''' Nelson's painting depicted then recently deceased mayor, Harold Washington, in women's lingerie.Nelson's painting depicted then recently deceased mayor, Harold Washington, in women's lingerie.

'''The Incident:''' On May 11, David K. Nelson, a graduating senior at the School of The Art Institute of Chicago, chose to exhibit a painting of the late Mayor Harold Washington. The painting was exhibited for less than an hour when members of the school staff, who were offended by the painting, brought it to the attention of the administration. Many expressed revulsion at the work and recommended its removal. Phone calls expressing objections towards the painting began flowing into the school the next day along with the arrival of press photographers and reporters.  

David Nelson contacted school administration two days into the controversy. The administration requested Nelson to voluntarily withdraw his painting from the exhibition, but he wouldn't decide until the following day. That same day, Chicago Aldermen William Henry and Ernest Jones arrived at the school, accompanied by three uniformed police officers. The aldermen expressed their objections to the painting in front of the cameras and other press. Ignoring the protests of students and school security, the aldermen removed the painting from exhibition and placed it on the floor, facing the wall. Students who had witnessed the removal of the painting hung it back up on the wall.

'''Source:''' CAC Censorship Archive

[[Category:North America]]

[[Category:Political/Economic/Social Opinion]]

[[Category:Painting]]

[[Category:David Nelson]]

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