Dread Scott: Welcome to America

I know the Eliot Spitzer scandal has got all the buzz, but there are far better news organizations and political commentators out there than I to focus on the matter, so I'm going to take the opportunity to talk about some art here. Actually, I'm going to talk about the censorship movement against the artist Dread Scott's exhibition Welcome to America.

Welcome to America is currently showing at MoCADA, and it's controversial. I remember hearing about the controversy on television news programs, and then this morning I received an email about the artist being vilified in the press for his vision. I'll never understand why people want to censor artistic vision because of political beliefs -- but it's been happening since the beginning of time. What's so controversial about Dread Scott's work this time (because, you know, he does have a history of provocative work)? The Blue Wall of Violence, which is part of the larger exhibition.

The Blue Wall of Violence — a work that focuses on police brutality — prompted the police union to call for the city and state to defund the museum. Does police brutality not exist? Is that what the police union is saying by protesting the whole exhibition, which, by the way, also includes work about people left to suffer and die in Katrina, people killed by the US war on Afghanistan, brutality against Muslims while in detention after 9/11. Oh, the irony of the police union forming a wall around this exhibition with its knee-jerk reaction to the concept. I don't understand what the union is hoping for ... are people never supposed to comment on the violence committed by some police officers. Notice I said, "some" and not "all." Artists are supposed to speak for the people who can't speak for themselves.

Dread Scott has noted that "The world is a horror for billions of people and I want my audience to engage this when they see my art as well as dream of how it could be radically different." And on the recent controversy he commented "What kind of society have you got when the police not only have unrestrained power to shoot unarmed people but then demand that artists and museums that shine the light on these crimes be punished for it?"

For those of you in New York City, you should take a trip out to MoCADA on Thursday evening (March 13, 2008, 7:00-9:00pm) for a town hall/artist talk with Dread Scott. The artist will discuss the work in the show and the controversy that is surrounding it. The audience will walk through the exhibition during the talk and Dread will discuss the works in detail. Beyond the stimulating dialog, MoCADA needs your support now. Please come and join the conversation. Reservations can be made through email at info [at] mocada.org or by calling (718) 230-0492.

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Dread Scott: Welcome to America