Secret Service visits art show at Columbia - restraining free speech

[NVMojo]

Check out the stamps on the site!

April 12, 2005

Organizers of a politically charged art exhibit at Columbia College's Glass Curtain Gallery thought their show might draw controversy.

But they didn't expect two U.S. Secret Service agents would be among the show's first visitors.

The agents turned up Thursday evening, just before the public opening of "Axis of Evil, the Secret History of Sin," and took pictures of some of the art pieces -- including "Patriot Act," showing President Bush on a mock 37-cent stamp with a revolver pointed at his head.

The agents asked what the artists meant by their work and wanted museum director CarolAnn Brown to turn over the names and phone numbers of all the artists. They wanted to hear from the exhibit's curator, Michael Hernandez deLuna, within 24 hours, she said.

more...

http://www.suntimes.com/output/news/cst-nws-axis12.html


Followup story:

The artist, Al Brandtner, was not returning phone calls. On Tuesday, the Glass Curtain Gallery at 1104 S. Wabash bustled with viewers all day, compared with the two dozen or so people who visited Monday before news of the government visit broke.

U.S. Secret Service spokesman Jonathan Cherry said he doesn't know if the inquiry is complete but no artwork has been confiscated.

"We certainly respect artistic freedoms, but the Secret Service also has the responsibility to look into exhibits or statements when necessary. In this instance we've done just that," Cherry said. "The Secret Service hasn't confiscated any artwork or questioned anyone against their wishes; we just need to ensure as best we can that this is nothing more than artwork with a political statement."

more...

http://www.suntimes.com/output/news/cst-nws-axis13.html

[pop goes the weasel]

1. "We certainly respect artistic freedoms"

"The Secret Service hasn't confiscated any artwork or questioned anyone against their wishes; we just need to ensure as best we can that this is nothing more than artwork with a political statement."

What were they expecting? Mind-control experiments? Weapons? Giant puppets of doom? They know perfectly well that waltzing into an art exhibit and interrogating the artists and museum director are acts designed to intimidate people into silence and to scare possible museum-goers away.

[SouthernDem2004]

2. I disagree. These people are not dumb. They knew...

their being at the gallery would draw media attention and probably increase the number of visitors that were curious.

Why go? To identify anyone that might be mental and be making overt threats. There are alot of imbalanced people out there.

[pop goes the weasel]

9. what art would constitute an "overt threat"?

Is someone in the Secret Service worried that an artist put together a Killer Robot programed to attack the White House? Maybe a painting so hypnotic, and so explicit in its message, that armies of museum-goers turned zombies will go on a doomed search for brains in Congress? Has the Secret Service been reading too many super-hero comic books? Seems unlikely to me. Seems far more likely that the Secret Service is making its own implicit (not overt) threats against freedom of expression.

[SouthernDem2004]

11. So they went to an Art Show. Did they do anything there? Nope. Did

they infringe on anyones rights? Nope. Did they threaten anyone? Nope Did they tell anyone to stop doing anything? Nope. Are they doing their job? Yes. Have they been doing this type of thing for decades? Yes. Do some people like to make a political issue out of every little thing? Yes.

[pop goes the weasel]

12. You are absolutely right

They've been doing this for decades. They shouldn't have started, and they shouldn't continue.

[merh]

3. Sure, the Secret Service worries about art works

but not about a male escort that posted his naked images on websites and purports to be a journalist and an ex-marine. Makes sense to me. NOT!

Can you explain this one Agent Mike? :shrug:

[NVMojo]

4. very good point!!! I still can't figure out how that lying journalist

got a secret clearance to even be in the presence of the President and his people ....

[merh]

5. I guess that "journalist" wasn't an artist.

You know how unstable and unpredictable an artist can be. I mean Van Gough cut off his own ear for pete's sake! :sarcasm:

[NVMojo]

6. ROF!!!!

[merh]

8. Even at the Social Security tour that the weed had or his campaign

stops, the people in attendence were there by invite only and if they "checked out", whether they were vetted by the SS or by the party, odd, untrustworthy people are not allowed near the prez - with the exception of "bulldog". :shrug:

[Kool Kitty]

7. Oh, yes, he was an artist all right-

a bull-shit artist.

[LiberalFighter]

10. I guess the Secret Service is becoming what was the Nazi SS