Art News: German Art Magazine Nixes US Artists Work
Published: October 5, 2006
BERLIN, Oct. 5, 2006A German art magazine canceled the public display of a video by a U.S. artist it had commissioned, saying the video had inappropriate references to the Sept. 11 attacks, The Boston Globe reports.
The two-and-a-half-minute video by Boston-based artist Jonathon Hexner was commissioned by Sleek magazine and shows the artist drawing the words I like America & America likes me with fuses on paper and later lighting the fuses, creating black smoke.
Sleek commissioned videos from eight artists to enhance the theme addressed in their magazine, which for autumn was East-West. However, the publications editors said they were afraid the meaning of Hexner's work would be misunderstood and decided not to broadcast it on an LED screen above its Berlin offices.
Hexner said his title pays homage to a landmark performance artwork of the same name done in New York in 1974 by Joseph Beuys.
I take it as a personal attack that they are censoring me for being anti-American, Hexner said. If theres anything anti-American about this, its the brazen censorship of my work.
The Boston Globe: German art magazine cancels display of U.S.-made video
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