Police Shut Down Artist’s ‘Assassination’ Show

[ballsalicious]

Source: New York Times

Updated, 12:28 p.m. | This morning, a Boston-born performance artist, Yazmany Arboleda, tried to set up a provocative art exhibition in a vacant storefront on West 40th Street in Midtown Manhattan with the title, “The Assassination of Hillary Clinton/The Assassination of Barack Obama,” in neatly stenciled letters on the plate glass windows at street level.

By 9:30 a.m., New York City police detectives and Secret Service agents had shut down the exhibition, and building workers quickly covered over the inflammatory title with large sheets of brown paper and blue masking tape. The gallery is across the street from the southern entrance to The New York Times building.
The police officers declined to answer any questions, and at first would not permit reporters to speak with Mr. Arboleda, who was wearing a black T-shirt and making cellphone calls from inside the makeshift gallery.
Later, Mr. Arboleda, who is 27, said in an interview: “It’s art. It’s not supposed to be harmful. It’s about character assassination — about how Obama and Hillary have been portrayed by the media.” He added, “It’s about the media.”
Mr. Arboleda said the exhibition was to open on Thursday and run all day.
The interview was abruptly ended as Mr. Arboleda was led off to the Midtown South police precinct for what he called an interrogation.
Reached by telephone this morning, Eric Joza, the building manager for the building at 264 West 40th Street, between Eighth and Seventh Avenues, said: “I had no idea what he was going to do. All I knew is that he was an artist and was going to use the store for two days: today and tomorrow.” There are offices above the storefront.


Read more: http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/06/04/police-shut-down-assassination-art-exhibition/

[TornadoTN]

1. Stupid and in poor taste

Although I generally oppose censorship in any form, I don't know how he thought this was a good idea. You can't make veiled threats against public officials like that. Perhaps if he had added the word "CHARACTER" in front of assassination he would have been alright.

[Dhalgren]

2. Art has no place in our dry and vacant society...

[Journeyman]

3. Mr Arboleda might do well to invest in a thesaurus. . .

I'm sure there are better, less inflammatory, means to convey his ideas, means which won't run him afoul of laws long-standing and, unfortunately, quite necessary.

[Dhalgren]

4. It is "necessary" to not be able to say the words?

to write the words? Was his display a threat? I don't think so. This is just how our society, our culture, has become so childish and, well, just dumb...dumbed down...

[Journeyman]

8. Mr Arboleda's words were not indicative of his intent . . .

"It’s about character assassination," he said, "about how Obama and Hillary have been portrayed by the media.” He added, “It’s about the media.”

The title used for his display, however, from the description in the article and the accompanying photographs, can certainly be seen as inflammatory, and do not indicate the more abstract intent which Mr Arboleda claims. Freedom of speech is not absolute. When it incites to violence (and in this country, as I pointed out in my first post, our aversion to political assassination is well-grounded), then it can and should be curbed. Reasonable people can disagree on this point, and Mr Arboleda has a right to his day in court, but in the face of potentially inflammatory political rhetoric, I believe the authorities have to act first and sort it our later, lest their inaction result in an even worse crime.

You may call it childish and dumb, I prefer to see it as a recognition of the realities of our sick society.

[Dhalgren]

10. I recognize the realities of our society

as "childish" and "dumb"...

[WarhammerTwo]

16. That's art, though...

That's what makes art so neat. The artist may have a certain intent in mind, but it's totally open to personal interpretation. Obviously, the authorities interpreted it as a threat. Which, apparently, it wasn't. And since it wasn't, he should be allowed to display it. He didn't order anyone to kill anyone. He didn't plan out any such acts. He did nothing except put words on a window. It's like blaming heavy metal music for casuing some dopey kid to kill himself. Don't blame innanimate objects or "inflammatory" words for the actions of what amounts to really stupid people making really bad decisions. Personal responsibility, folks.

And the argument that the more abstract intent was not indicated rings hollow. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe is a Biblical allegory. If CS Lewis came out and laid out the literal intent of his story, it would ruin a great piece (IMO) of literature.

I think the police and Secret Service completely overreacted. Yes, they should have investigated, but I think they could have very readily discerned this yahoo wasn't a threat and let him proceed with his exhibit. I think they owe this guy an apology.

[Barrett808]

17. "Art is not a mirror to hold up to society, but a hammer with which to shape it."

Bertolt Brecht
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brecht

[Dhalgren]

26. I completely agree with you.

Welcome to DU.

:hi:

[LeftHander]

5. I guess he is famous now....isn't he....nt

[angstlessk]

6. famouser than he woulda been otherwise!

[tidy_bowl]

7. So the fascist police had to arrest him....

.....for what? He wasn't doing anything illegal at all.

[Javaman]

9. yes he was, he was exercising his constitutional rights!

do I really need to add the sarcasm icon thingy at this point?

[NinetySix]

11. Oh my God! Don't anyone tell the police about THIS film:

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0853096/



It actually IS about an assassination.

And an excellent piece of art as film, too.

[Dhalgren]

12. RUN FOR YOUR LIVES!

SOMEONE HAS WRITTEN WORDS ON A WINDOW!!! OH, THE HUMANITY!!! CALL HOMELAND SECURITY!!! THERE ARE WORDS ON THAT WINDOW!!!!

:rofl:

[populistdriven]

13. just words

http://img89.imageshack.us/img89/3284/1840683441953b24811kk4.jpg

[Dhalgren]

14. Wow! Pretty bracing stuff...

[populistdriven]

15. yep, stupid and in poor taste but funny though...

but back to the art show - I believe this may crossed the line to inciting violence.

[Dhalgren]

18. I just didn't see it that way. It did not strike me as an

advocation of anything, but as simple declaratory statements - like the title of a piece. This is just something that i think we will, and can, disagree on.

:hi:

[1620rock]

19. Wow, some of you can't tell the difference between an artist and an asshole.

[Frank Cannon]

23. Nobody ever called Pablo Picasso an asshole

This sure seems like attention whoredom to me.

[Dhalgren]

27. Many, many people called Picasso an "asshole",

including family members...

:rofl:

[Dhalgren]

28. The point is that it doesn't matter whether this guy is

an "asshole" or not. He was taken into custody for thought crime - and that should scare hell out of all of us.

But, I guess everyone wants the government to control how people think and what they say - man, I had no idea the Bush years have been this damaging to the American identity. The comments on this thread are far, far scarier than any words painted on a window...

[Trajan]

21. I seem to recall ....

Written words on windows were prelude to the Krystallnacht in 1938 ....

Hate speech ? .... I suppose this is subjective in nature, but I can understand the concerns involved ...

[Dhalgren]

25. There is absolutely no connection between this

and the "Krystallnacht" pogrom - that is far, far too big a stretch. That is like saying that a switchblade and a paperweight are the same because both are made of steel. This is an example of a "thought crime" and nothing more. I am surprised that so many here support such fascist extremism...

[Narkos]

20. The soundtrack and the picture of Hillary made me sad

I thought the exhibit was a little tasteless, but seeing that first picture of Hillary kind of haggard made me well up a bit. I'm an Obama supporter, but it made me realize how much she has put into this campaign, and how this seems like the passing of an era.

[humbled_opinion]

22. Should have been arrested....

Obama doesn't need this crap it just sparks hate and divisiveness....some people are just too ignorant to realize it and we don't need any fundies getting ideas....

[Dhalgren]

29. That right! Lock him up for THOUGHT CRIMES!

Who else is out there thinking or saying things that we just cannot allow? Let's round up everyone who is guilty of criminal thought and throw them in internment camps! Halliburton has several camps ready and waiting!

:puke:

[bean fidhleir]

24. Kings always declare it a crime to threaten the king or nobility

But the king and nobility can kill us as often as they like.

Why do we allow it?

[Dhalgren]

30. Because they OWN us.

We are chattel and we love them as they kill us...

:grr:

[bean fidhleir]

31. Ah, but WHY do they own us...and what would it take to void their deed?