When art is offensive, it is only natural that those offended protest – all have the right to speak out freely. And yet it is ironic that those “artists” that produce such works protest when people protest. They even cite the First Amendment as a justification to intimidate and silence critics, failing to realize that protest is also free speech.
For this reason, The American TFP is organizing a free-speech protest against the soon to be displayed in Full Frontal, a photographic exhibition/documentary by Ken Marzorati at the Severance Detroit art gallery from November 5–19, 2005. His exhibition is what the gallery is calling “a provocative series of fine art images” accompanied with a written diatribe censoring censorship.
What is upsetting many Catholics in the Detroit area is the fact that the collection mixes everything Catholics hold sacred with nudity, profanity and sexual themes. Especially offensive are his grotesque depictions of a crucifix, a rosary and a nude image representing the Blessed Mother (called “Virgin Mary III”).
“What the artist seems to be saying is that anyone who doesn’t agree with him is censoring art,” says web master John Horvat. “And he seems to think this gives him a blank check to offend God and Catholics with blasphemous art.”
The American TFP protest is inviting its readers to exercise their First Amendment rights by sending a free-speech e-mail to the Severance Detroit gallery asking them not to show the exhibit.