Tuesday, April 27, 2021

The 1989 Robert Mapplethorpe NEA Controversy at the Corcoran

 


Let's face it: Art has always been part of public life. This was true when the first cave paintings were made by anonymous artists thousands of years ago in prehistory. It's equally true in the baffling new world of NFTs and digital art. 

Politicians have recognized the immense power that art has in public life and they have tried in various ways (both good and bad, in my opinion) to influence what kind of art is promoted and what kind is discouraged. They do this through the funding of art institutions and artists themselves. 

Activists, likewise, have exerted their influence to limit what art is shown and under what circumstances. This happens with politically progressive activists and also with politically conservative activists. We saw this recently in the Dana Schutz controversy at the Whitney.

What do you think about censorship of the arts? Should everything be fair game? Should there be no censorship whatsoever? Where do you draw the line? Does the line shift? Why? 


Your 4-6 double-spaced essay will take a stand on these issues. They are complicated issues. Reasonable people disagree.  You will integrate at least three secondary sources into the fabric of your writing, and you will learn how to correctly cite the sources in your text and also in the Works Cited page. Many of you already know how to do this. 

The final essay is due on Tuesday, May 11, no later than 9:00 am. This is also the final day of the semester, so late submissions will not be accepted. 

If you want to show me a draft, go for it. I'm not requiring a draft, but the best writers will do it on their own. This is part of the writing process that you need to get used to. The proverbial training wheels are off. 

Questions:  csmith@dcad.edu

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