County queries
art gallery on
graphic image

by Jean-Paul Renaud,
South Florida Sun-Sentinel

May 27, 2005

An explicit art piece at the private, nonprofit Broward Art Guild was removed from its prominent position in the gallery after the agency's director received a phone call from the county's Department of Cultural Affairs, which partially funds the group.

County Administrator Roger Desjarlais said Thursday the phone call placed by department Director Mary Becht -- and the subsequent decision to take the painting off the wall -- will lead to an internal discussion of whether county agencies have the right to influence artistic decisions or fund certain exhibits.

The Broward Art Guild's annual exhibit, entitled "Controversy," caught the attention of Becht when she received a complaint from another artist in the show that an art piece entitled Yahoo! was offensive and inappropriate.

"It's not every day that you get a call from the director of cultural affairs at your home," said guild Director Susan Buzzi. "Of course, I took it very seriously."

Becht confirmed placing the call but said the conversation was to inquire about the guild's policy on displaying explicit art.

The piece in question is a painting depicting President Bush being sodomized. Artist Alfred Phillips said images of an oil barrel and a man wearing a Muslim headdress in the work are part of a political statement about the United States being abused by oil companies.

Michael Friedman, the artist who complained to the county, said the painting is offensive and tasteless. "Something snapped inside," he said. Friedman entered a piece depicting Pope Benedict XVI with several swastikas in the background.

"Sodomy in a public forum is not, from my perspective, considered art," he said. "I think somebody has to draw the line somewhere. I like political satire. However, that type of image ... I don't think is artistic."

The exhibit's organizers accepted the Bush painting into the show, saying there was a relevant political message, Buzzi said. The show includes about 45 pieces of art that generally make some kind of social or political statement. Another piece depicts Bush dressed as the Statue of Liberty and holding a tablet with a swastika on it. Yet another piece shows two American soldiers carrying a dead body into a car.

The show is at the guild, 530 NE 13th St., Fort Lauderdale, until June 13.

Buzzi said she received a call at her home before the show opened May 20 from Becht, requesting the artwork be taken off the wall and moved to a less prominent space within the gallery.

Buzzi said Becht reminded her that the county partially finances the guild's annual budget. On average, the county gives about $14,000 a year to the nonprofit, which has an annual budget of about $60,000.

Becht denied suggesting the piece be displayed in a less prominent manner.

Buzzi said the decision to take the art piece off the wall was a compromise. By the time the exhibit opened its doors, Yahoo! had been removed from its original position, placed on an easel and set near a corner of the gallery facing the wall -- away from the other paintings.

A disclaimer, posted at the gallery's entry as well as read out loud by a guild employee as people walked in, was also placed on the easel warning attendees of the painting's explicit nature.