Gwenn Seemel’s painting, “Hello Sh*tty, Available in a White House Near You! (Grab Him by His Pussy).”
Less than a week after it was removed from the Montclair Public Library, and after a number of news reports have covered the matter (including one posted today on Newsweek.com), an anti-Trump painting by Gwenn Seemel has been reinstalled.
Studio Montclair, which organized the exhibition (titled “Fear and Love”), had said it took down the painting because of the library’s policy prohibiting profanity. In addition to the obscenity in its title, there are obscene words in the painting itself. (They’re not easily noticed at first glance, but they’re there.)
But library director Peter Coyle says the library has no such policy about profanity.
Coyle, Seemel, Studio Montclair president RitaMarie Cimini and Studio Montclair executive director Susanna Baker met to discuss the matter. “After clearing up the misunderstanding about the prohibition against vulgarity, we installed the piece,” said Cimini, adding: “It is never Studio Montclair’s intention to censor freedom of expression.”
She also pointed out that a second anti-Trump painting by Seemel in the exhibition, with no obscenities, was never taken down.
“Love and Fear” runs at the Library through April 29.
CONTRIBUTE TO NJARTS.NET
Since launching in September 2014, NJArts.net, a 501(c)(3) organization, has become one of the most important media outlets for the Garden State arts scene. And it has always offered its content without a subscription fee, or a paywall. Its continued existence depends on support from members of that scene, and the state’s arts lovers. Please consider making a contribution of any amount to NJArts.net via PayPal, or by sending a check made out to NJArts.net to 11 Skytop Terrace, Montclair, NJ 07043.
