Cut & Paste: What constitutes censorship in art — and how it affects artists and the community

St. Louis-area artist Fabio Rodriguez was devastated when a very personal piece of his work was removed from an exhibition. But did that action rise to the level of censorship?

The idea of reacting to public outcry against a work of art captured the conversation in St. Louis last fall after community advocates demanded that  the Contemporary Art Museum remove a Kelley Walker exhibition. Since then, two Washington, D.C., incidents with local connections, have kept a spotlight on the subject. One involved an historical painting, the other, the work of a teenage artist removed from a U.S. Capitol hallway.

In our latest Cut & Paste podcast, we explore issues of censorship with Rodriguez and Washington University art history professor Angela Miller.

Willis Ryder Arnold and Nancy Fowler talk with St. Louis artist Fabio Rodriguez and Washington University art professor Angela Miller about what censorship is and how it affects artists' work.

Here’s some of what you’ll hear in the podcast:

• Miller, on the definition of censorship: "[When an institution uses its authority] to essentially remove free speech ... and the possibilities for discussion."
• Rodriguez, on having his piece depicting protesters in the Dominican Republic removed from a traveling exhibition: "It tells me that my people are not important, that I don’t matter; my people don’t matter. And that’s when I take it personal.”
• Rodriguez, on how a local teen's painting about the African-American community and police was removed from the U.S. Capitol but a controversial work at the Contemporary Art Museum was left up and walled off: "Kelley Walker gets a wall built to protect his artwork. This kid gets it put down four times; what does that show that kid?"

Look for new Cut & Paste (#cutpastestl) podcasts every few weeks on our website. You can also view all previous podcasts focusing on a diverse collection of visual and performing artists, and subscribe to Cut & Paste through this link.

The show is sponsored by SPACE Architecture + Design. 

Follow Willis and Nancy on Twitter: @WillisRArnold and @NancyFowlerSTL

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