Statement from Bildwechsel Glasgow on the censorship of work at Glasgow’s Museum of Modern Art
You may have heard that Culture and Sport Glasgow (the body responsible for art galleries, libraries and sports centres in Glasgow) and the Gallery of Modern Art have recently decided not to show a number of artworks that they had planned to exhibit as part of the sh[Out] LGBT arts programme. In particular, this has affected the work of Spanish artist Dani Marti and his residency with Gay Mens’ Health.
Three pieces of Dani’s work were withdrawn by CSG – effectively censored. These works were “talking heads” type documentaries where gay men revealed their HIV status and discussed issues around their lives and loves. They were to be shown on a few Thursday evenings after 5.30pm at GOMA. Other parts of the programme have been re-scheduled and doubt has been cast over whether other planned exhibits will be allowed to go ahead.
Culture and Sport Glasgow have stated that one of the reasons it decided to withdraw Dani’s work was to protect the artists, the sh[Out] programme and the LGBT community as a whole from negative press and attacks from other groups that would “negate both the artistic and societal endeavour” of the programme.
