Shameful Museum Censorship
In case you missed it yesterday, here is Frank Rich’s piece from yesterday’s Times about the shameful way that the National Portrait Gallery in Washington caved to a few extremists and removed David Wojnarowicz’s video “A Fire in My Belly” from the gay-themed “Hide/Seek” show. The video (above) is now a hit on YouTube. The extremists were upset that there’s a crucifix swarmed over with a few insects. Do these people understand the history of the crucifix in Western art: the ways in which it has been used by revered Old Master painters — not to mention the graphic S & M central aspect of the crucifix itself? I guess not.
