Last month we were so excited to share that our piece ‘Con nuestras manos construimos deidades / With our hands we build deities’ was being shown again it it’s entirety at the Frederick R. Weissman Museum at Pepperdine University. When the show opened, we were so grateful to be in such a thoughtful exhibition curated by
@gyorodyody about labor, care, motherhood, disability rights, and most importantly, the right to speak up and portray ourselves how we want to be seen. Unfortunately, last week we received a call about the censorship of our work and
@elanamannstudio . Because there was a lack of transparency from the administration who decided to censor our work for ‘overt political speech,’ we decided to remove our work, because it is not just silencing a group of artists but a whole community of asylum seekers, immigrants, migrants, border dwellers and people experiencing persecution and violence. This work is about connection despite borders, about advocating for freedom of movement and for a future where families are not separated. In these times of increased political violence, where masked men kidnap our neighbors and terrorize our communities we believe that a simple statement among hundreds saying “ABOLISH ICE” is not only warranted but necessary.
When we show our work, we speak for ourselves and our community, and never believe that the institution showing the work is endorsing our beliefs. Pepperdine’s delayed efforts to resolve the problem were disappointing as they came after several of our colleagues decided to remove their work in solidarity with us. Their actions showed disregard for the role art can play in an academic setting.
Thank you to our fellow artists for your support and community, especially
@elanamannstudio ❤️ Thanks to
@officialstromberg and
@henrygadams for the coverage of this issue. Please read their pieces to understand everything that happened.
Find full articles here:
@hyperallergic 🔗 bit.ly/4h6WPmp
Pepperdine University Graphic 🔗 bit.ly/490wN22
