Posted on Nov 2, 2008 by Melanie Cervantes
A few months ago my friend, Doug Minkler, asked me if I would be interested in exhibiting with him and another artist in Berkeley's Addison Street Windows. I was excited about having an opportunity to show my work in Berkeley since I had lived there and had never exhibited anywhere other that at UC.
What followed ended up being my first experience with censorship of my work. We were told by the curator that we could show work but that certain "proscriptions would apply". According to her:
"As this is a public art space where the work is viewed from the sidewalk 24 hours a day to wide audience including young children, we do not show explicit sex or violence or guns - that is deadly weapons, i.e. as seen in your victory to the intifada poster, and the woman with the machine gun bullets crossed over her chest. Those images would not be included."
Doug and I fought the good fight and took our concerns about these unpublished "procscriptions" that we were supposed to abide by to the Berkeley Arts Council. We requested transparency and never received any clear answers only an invitation to help the council create a clearer censorship policy. We lost the show and never got any answers.
It turns out we are just one group of many who have been censored so we are taking collective action with our good friends at Art of Democracy we decided to take collective action and call attention to the City of Berkeley's hypocrisy.
... Come and join us at Pueblo Nuevo Gallery to see the censored art in the home of Free Speech.
Saturday, November 8, 2008 - 4 pm - 11 pm
Live screenprinting, music, street side display of the censored art, and a gallery full of uncensored art.
Pueblo Nuevo Gallery
1828 San Pablo Avenue, Suite 1
One block north of University Avenue in Berkeley
Open Friday through Monday 12 - 5
Or call for appointment 510 452-7363
plinio@pueblonuevogallery.com
http://www.pueblonuevogallery.com/
November 8 - November 30, 2008
Source: http://dignidadrebelde.com/blogpost/view/70
Hi Melanie...did I get this all correct?
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Dan Walsh to Melanie
show details 10:13 PM (6 hours ago)
http://www.palestineposterproject.org/poster/victory-to-the-intifada
Q: Which were the four excluded posters?
I only saw two at your blog page.
I am now keeping track of all censored/cancelled posters/exhibits:
http://www.palestineposterproject.org/special-collection/miscellaneous/c...
You are in good company!
Let me know of any errors/omissions.
in solidarity,
Dan
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Melanie Cervantes melanie@dignidadrebelde.com via yahoo.com to me
show details 4:40 AM (3 minutes ago)
I don't remember now which other images I sent it. But of this is the only Palestinian solidarity art I included.
M
MELANIE CERVANTES
Artist and Printmaker :: Dignidad Rebelde
email:: melanie@dignidadrebelde.com
website:: http://www.dignidadrebelde.com
facebook::facebook.com/melaniecervantes
twitter:: twitter.com/Meloniousfunk
cell:: 510.502.6393
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"I don't believe in charity. I believe in solidarity. Charity is so vertical. It goes from the top to the bottom. Solidarity is horizontal. It respects the other person. I have a lot to learn from other people." -Eduardo Galeano