Art and Censorship

[Fireside_Hindu]

Just a heads up - this is mostly a big, fat vent. Feel free to ignore me.

Some background:

As some of you know I'm an illustrator and a lot of my current work is devotional. I contacted a local cafe a year ago and asked if I could display my work on their walls. Their slots were full for a year, but sure, they'd write me in. I gave the woman a link to my artwork which featured, among other paintings, works depicting various Hindu Gods.

Now, I knew the cafe was owned and run by a Christian family, and I'm fine with that. I was keen to show them ALL my work so they would know what I do. I figured if they had a problem with it they'd just say, "no thanks" and we'd all go on our merry ways.

Fast forward to today, and I get a confirmation email from the cafe telling me they're ready for me to set up in a month. Great. Wonderful. I ask them a few questions about set up and how payments work.

In their reply, they state that, (I"m paraphrasing) "We love your style and the work you do and you're free to put together any set of paintings or theme you like. However I noticed you have several paintings of Hindu Gods in your portfolio. Even though they are lovely we ask that you not display those."

Now let me just say - She is perfectly within her right here. She can show or not show whatever paintings she wants.

What angers me, is that she waited a year to tell me, then pretends to give me creative freedom without actually giving it to me.

Don't tell me I can display whatever I want and then follow it up with, "Just kidding". Stand up for what you believe in by all means. That I would respect. What I don't respect is someone pretending to be doing me a favor while denying me the chance to show an important part of my work.

I haven't decided whether I'm going to go through with showing my work there. I think I need to cool my head first so I can think more clearly. I want to show my work and get my name out there, and I certainly have non- religious work to show. I would just have liked to know when i first inquired that the religious work would be a problem.

 

[SpentaMaynu]

Your venting cracked me up a bit, laughed hard at -

Don't tell me I can display whatever I want and then follow it up with, "Just kidding".

I'm not laughing at you, just at the way you said it. Anyway, I hope you cool down quickly and tell me - do you have some of your paintings on the net, I would like to view them if possible

 

[Fireside_Hindu]

Your venting cracked me up a bit, laughed hard at -



I'm not laughing at you, just at the way you said it. Anyway, I hope you cool down quickly and tell me - do you have some of your paintings on the net, I would like to view them if possible

=) I'm glad it made you laugh. I am feeling better. My husband is good for helping me gain some perspective.

You can see my portfolio here: Ashley Moore Illustration
But I update my facebook page more often: Ashley Moore Illustration | Facebook

 

[SpentaMaynu]

Thanks, going there straight away... Love you blog also btw - I can relate with you regarding coming out to my parents with my believes

 

[Fireside_Hindu]

Thanks, going there straight away... Love you blog also btw - I can relate with you regarding coming out to my parents with my believes

Thanks! My hope is that people can relate a little to it.

 

[ratikala]

namaskaram Fireside ji ,....

Just a heads up - this is mostly a big, fat vent. Feel free to ignore me.

dont worry vent away , ......the creative process is a very personal one we can get very personaly involved with our own work , especialy where you are painting devotional subjects , ......but to a cafe gallery owner its a very differnt thing , ..its a comercial transaction , they choose what they know they can sell , and what they feel they are comfortable selling , ...or streight forward what helps them sell coffee , ..!!!

if they reject this work prehaps it is better to think that it is a blessing in disguise , not being mean but prehaps its the wrong place ? ....if they dont understand it , then it would be wrong to put it in their hands , we have a few coffee style galleries here they sell on comission , its just a business , .....please dont take their judgement personaly in any way , she probably didnt even think about it properly untill the last minute , ....

its a position I am very aware about , I have to put together an exhibition soon so I am choosing artists to invite , there are a lot of Dilemas involved , ...some people like to show known names , ..... I like showing new work in an unusual context , but to me everything in the room must work together if it dosent fit it dosent Go in because people wont look at it properly . when I have to put something together I have to think about making it work as a selling exhibition , ..the artist isnt thinking in this way the artist is involved in another process , ..

so if these people dont apreciate the subject matter they wont be able to understand it or convey it with confidence to others , ....you dont need that , let them just sell what they feel comfortable with save your other work for someone who understands it and appreciates it , .....

hope it goes well though

best wishes , ....

 

[Fireside_Hindu]

namaskaram Fireside ji ,....



dont worry vent away , ......the creative process is a very personal one we can get very personaly involved with our own work , especialy where you are painting devotional subjects , ......but to a cafe gallery owner its a very differnt thing , ..its a comercial transaction , they choose what they know they can sell , and what they feel they are comfortable selling , ...or streight forward what helps them sell coffee , ..!!!

if they reject this work prehaps it is better to think that it is a blessing in disguise , not being mean but prehaps its the wrong place ? ....if they dont understand it , then it would be wrong to put it in their hands , we have a few coffee style galleries here they sell on comission , its just a business , .....please dont take their judgement personaly in any way , she probably didnt even think about it properly untill the last minute , ....

its a position I am very aware about , I have to put together an exhibition soon so I am choosing artists to invite , there are a lot of Dilemas involved , ...some people like to show known names , ..... I like showing new work in an unusual context , but to me everything in the room must work together if it dosent fit it dosent Go in because people wont look at it properly . when I have to put something together I have to think about making it work as a selling exhibition , ..the artist isnt thinking in this way the artist is involved in another process , ..

so if these people dont apreciate the subject matter they wont be able to understand it or convey it with confidence to others , ....you dont need that , let them just sell what they feel comfortable with save your other work for someone who understands it and appreciates it , .....

hope it goes well though

best wishes , ....

Thank you Ratilakaji, Your words ring true.

I came to some of your conclusions after giving myself time to think. I am moving forward to show non-religious art work at the gallery, however I am seeing it as a pleasing too, because I wouldn't want my devotional art showcased where it was looked on with disrespect or disdain. I would rather show it in a gallery where it can be appreciated. Or at least where people can look beyond their own religious discomforts and appreciate it for the beauty. In any case, if people like my work they can take my business card and then they'll get to see my other work online anyway.

I do get very emotionally involved in my work, so it's hard not to take offense with something like this. I have learned to take a step back from my initial powerful emotions. I let them work themselves out because I know I can't think clearly if I'm angry or upset. Thank you again for something. It helps a lot.

 

[Aupmanyav]

Why don't you show your Hindu paintings to Hindu diaspora? Perhaps you can contact art agents in India. You have your own style.

 

[ratikala]

I do get very emotionally involved in my work, so it's hard not to take offense with something like this. I have learned to take a step back from my initial powerful emotions. I let them work themselves out because I know I can't think clearly if I'm angry or upset. Thank you again for something. It helps a lot.

dont worry , it is only natural , ....years ago I painted a picture of Tara I had put a lot of effort into studying the correct proportions and detailing as per the Thangka painting tradition , ....I had spent every moment of my christmas holiday on it so it had become like building a relationship with the Deity , .....a freind ...(a Buddhist Nun) asked to see it and asked if they could use it for the cover of their Brochures for the Center , ...I think she took away a copy of it to show the head teacher and came back with the reply ...Its very nice but her face is too round , .....for a while I felt a little hurt and very sad even though I knew that the real reason , I realy dont think that that particular tradition would have used any depiction except the the images they used in their books , .......and the whole reason I had painted her as I had done is that I felt that the modern depictions were a little sterile all the Buddhas had very similar faces with heavy angular jaws , Tara is a young girl and supposed to be very beautifull and smiling sweetly so I has studied older traditional Thangkas to see exactly how she had been represented before painting her , ....

But it can be realy hurtfull because so much love goes in to the work , in the end I came to the decision that that sort of work shouldnt be shown to just anybody , ...especialy work like yours, ....it needs to be shown on its own and by people who realy understand it , ....if they do not understand it they canot do justice to it and canot discuss it in the correct way with any prospective client , .....If I had to show your work I would think of exibiting it in tandem with story telling , it would make for a very interesting exibition , ..the venue also would need to be very specificaly chosen , also If you dont mind my saying your work would work well in book format because the stories could be told along side the pictures , have you lookes at self publishing ?, ....its an Idea I have toyed with for one project I have in mind , ..I am sure there are lots of similar sites , ..but for starters look at this , ......Professionally designed, easy-to-use book templates | Blurb | Blurb

I would seriously think of publishing a book then setting up an exhibition of the work along side the Book and prehaps accomanied by live story telling , ....obviously you need to sell work to continue to fund further work , this might be a good way not just of selling enough work but also of sharing the stories you love with others in a realy nice way , ....if it were me I would stage the exibition on the run up to Dipvali so that I could narate the tales from the Ramayana and make a real cultural event out of it , .....then you could do a tour of small bookshop exhibitions , .....

I have an aquaintance who runs a small book publishing house we sell some of his books through our gallery shop , one freind published a sereis of photograps like this it realy makes for a professional looking exhibition , the pictures help to sell books , the books help to sell pictures , ....If you like I can ask if he has any usefull advice ???

Beat wishes , .....

 

[Fireside_Hindu]

dont worry , it is only natural , ....years ago I painted a picture of Tara I had put a lot of effort into studying the correct proportions and detailing as per the Thangka painting tradition , ....I had spent every moment of my christmas holiday on it so it had become like building a relationship with the Deity , .....a freind ...(a Buddhist Nun) asked to see it and asked if they could use it for the cover of their Brochures for the Center , ...I think she took away a copy of it to show the head teacher and came back with the reply ...Its very nice but her face is too round , .....for a while I felt a little hurt and very sad even though I knew that the real reason , I realy dont think that that particular tradition would have used any depiction except the the images they used in their books , .......and the whole reason I had painted her as I had done is that I felt that the modern depictions were a little sterile all the Buddhas had very similar faces with heavy angular jaws , Tara is a young girl and supposed to be very beautifull and smiling sweetly so I has studied older traditional Thangkas to see exactly how she had been represented before painting her , ....


I would seriously think of publishing a book then setting up an exhibition of the work along side the Book and prehaps accomanied by live story telling , ....obviously you need to sell work to continue to fund further work , this might be a good way not just of selling enough work but also of sharing the stories you love with others in a realy nice way , ....if it were me I would stage the exibition on the run up to Dipvali so that I could narate the tales from the Ramayana and make a real cultural event out of it , .....then you could do a tour of small bookshop exhibitions , .....

I have an aquaintance who runs a small book publishing house we sell some of his books through our gallery shop , one freind published a sereis of photograps like this it realy makes for a professional looking exhibition , the pictures help to sell books , the books help to sell pictures , ....If you like I can ask if he has any usefull advice ???

Beat wishes , .....

Thank you for sharing your story! I have moments like that a lot.

I really love your idea of doing an exhibition leading up to Diwali. I would have to finish the whole series in only e few months, so it might not be possible for this year, but perhaps next year? I am just at the scene where Hanuman is setting Ravana's city on fire and there are already about 25 paintings! So it will be a lot more work, but in the end it should make a very good exhibit. My plan was always to show them them in a space that could be set up a little like a temple - in that I could decorate the walls with garlands and put the images in simple gold frames. Nothing too distracting. I hadn't planned on putting the images into a book, but I do like your idea of having the book as a companion to the gallery show. If you would ask your friend for advice that would be greatly appreciated. =) I have self published before but wasn't happy with the quality of the book. I's hard to find an affordable, high quality printer.

Thankyou again!