This artist fled censorship only to find it in the U.S.
Summary
TLDRThe script discusses the limitations on free expression in educational institutions, extending from primary schools to universities. Multimedia artist Serhat Tanyolacar, who experienced censorship in Turkey, shares his experiences of having his art censored in American colleges due to its controversial nature. The narrative highlights the challenges artists face in expressing their vision, the bureaucratic hurdles in academia, and the commercialization of universities as brands, which often prioritize image over intellectual freedom and debate.
Takeaways
- 🏛️ Educational institutions, including colleges and universities, are restricting free expression and exposure to diverse perspectives, even within the arts.
- 🎨 Artists in mainstream venues like big museums face fewer restrictions on their work compared to those on the margins.
- 📚 The role of an artist is considered a significant responsibility, with the potential to contribute to social change.
- 👨🏫 Serhat Tanyolacar, a multimedia artist who experienced censorship in Turkey, has been teaching in American academia since 2009, emphasizing mentorship beyond teaching.
- 🗝️ Tanyolacar's class 'Art and Politics' includes a project on censorship, encouraging students to stand up for their beliefs if they reflect something good.
- 🚫 His artwork 'Death of Innocence' was censored at Polk State College in Florida due to its offensive content, specifically the portrayal of Trump in an orgy scene.
- 🤝 Tanyolacar's experience with censorship at the University of Iowa involved a KKK robe made of newspaper articles about racist events, which was misunderstood and shut down by students.
- 🏛️ Campus activities, including art displays and protests, require approval from university officials, which can stifle expression and dissent.
- 🤔 The need for permission to express controversial ideas on campus reflects a bureaucratic approach that may hinder artistic and intellectual freedom.
- 💼 University administrators are under pressure to maintain the institution's brand, which can lead to the suppression of disruptive or controversial content.
- 🌐 The focus on university branding and fundraising can overshadow the commitment to academic freedom and open discourse, leading to a less diverse range of ideas being presented on campus.
- 🛡️ Historically, concepts of decorum and norms have been used to silence those who challenge the status quo, suggesting a need to reevaluate these standards in the context of free speech.
Q & A
What is the main issue discussed in the script regarding educational institutions?
-The script discusses the issue of restrictions on free expression and exposure to opposing perspectives in educational institutions, including colleges and universities, even within the art department.
Why does the script mention the situation of artists exhibited in big museums versus those on the margins?
-The script contrasts the freedom of expression that artists in big museums enjoy with the challenges faced by those on the margins, suggesting that the latter may face more restrictions and censorship.
What is the role of an artist according to the script?
-According to the script, being an artist is a big responsibility and can be a part of social change, implying that artists have the power to influence and reflect societal issues.
Who is Serhat Tanyolacar and what is his background?
-Serhat Tanyolacar is a multimedia artist who fled censorship in Turkey and has been teaching at American colleges and universities since 2009.
What is the significance of the class 'Art and Politics' mentioned in the script?
-The 'Art and Politics' class is significant as it is where Serhat Tanyolacar discusses and explores the intersection of art and societal issues, including a one-month censorship project.
What artwork by Serhat Tanyolacar is mentioned in the script and why was it controversial?
-The artwork 'Death of Innocence' is mentioned as controversial because it depicted a dichotomy between Trump and figures associated with individual rights and freedom of speech, which was deemed offensive and censored.
Why was Serhat Tanyolacar's artwork removed from a faculty show at Polk State?
-Serhat Tanyolacar's artwork was removed because it was found to be offensive, specifically on the grounds of morality, although the script questions whose morality was being applied.
What controversy did Serhat Tanyolacar's artwork cause at the University of Iowa?
-Serhat Tanyolacar's artwork, a KKK robe made of printed newspaper articles about racist events, was misunderstood by students and led to the display being shut down.
What bureaucratic challenges does the script suggest artists face on campuses?
-The script suggests that artists on campuses face bureaucratic challenges such as needing approval from the dean's office for art displays and protests, which can stifle free expression.
How does the script describe the current state of universities in relation to freedom of speech?
-The script describes universities as becoming more like brands, with senior administrators focused on fundraising and avoiding negative publicity, which can limit freedom of speech and discourage challenging or controversial content.
What is the script's stance on the concept of decorum and norms in relation to free expression?
-The script suggests that while decorum and norms are important, they have historically been used to silence rebellious voices, and it is crucial to recognize this when considering restrictions on free expression.
Outlines
📘 Artistic Freedom and Censorship in Educational Institutions
The script discusses the limitations on free expression in educational settings, extending beyond primary and high schools to colleges and universities. It highlights the challenges faced by artists, especially those not widely recognized, in expressing their views freely. The narrative introduces multimedia artist Serhat Tanyolacar, who experienced censorship both in Turkey and the U.S., particularly in academic settings. Tanyolacar's dedication to teaching art and politics is exemplified through his class projects that delve into censorship, one of which led to controversy at Polk State College in Florida. His work, 'Death of Innocence,' was censored on moral grounds, sparking discussions on whose morality should dictate artistic expression. The script also references a previous incident at the University of Iowa involving a KKK robe made of newspaper articles about racist events, which was misunderstood and led to the closure of the display. The artist emphasizes the need for permission to express dissenting views on campuses, which he sees as contrary to the spirit of free speech and artistic freedom.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Educational Marketplace of Ideas
💡Free Expression
💡Censorship
💡Artistic Responsibility
💡Moral
💡Controversy
💡Academic Freedom
💡Brand
💡Bureaucratization
💡Decorum and Norms
💡Rebellion
Highlights
Educational marketplace of ideas faces restrictions beyond primary and high schools, extending to colleges and universities.
Free expression and exposure to opposing perspectives are being restricted even in art departments.
Artists in big museums have more freedom to exhibit their work compared to those on the margins.
Artists have a significant responsibility and can contribute to social change.
Multimedia artist Serhat Tanyolacar experienced censorship in Turkey and has taught in American colleges since 2009.
In academia, the role extends beyond teaching to mentorship and guiding students in controversial topics such as art and politics.
Serhat's one-month censorship project in his class aims to provoke thought and discussion on the subject.
Artists should stand by their beliefs, even if they may offend others.
Serhat's artwork 'Death of Innocence' faced censorship at Polk State College due to its controversial content.
Censorship of 'Death of Innocence' was based on morality, raising questions about whose morality is being enforced.
A previous artwork by Serhat involving a KKK robe made from newspaper articles on racist events was misunderstood and shut down.
Campus activities, including art displays and protests, require approval from university authorities, which can stifle expression.
Serhat's work that brings controversial subjects like the KKK to campus can challenge the university's ability to handle such issues.
Encouraging experimentation and making mistakes is an important part of the artistic process.
There is a shared disappointment in the commitment to freedom of speech on U.S. campuses and a belief that it could be improved.
Campus bureaucratization and the focus on university branding can hinder the expression of diverse and challenging ideas.
University administrators face pressures to maintain a positive brand image, which can conflict with the encouragement of disruptive ideas.
There is a need to balance the concept of decorum and norms with the historical use of these concepts to silence rebellious voices.
Transcripts
Limits on this educational marketplace of ideas
are not confined to primary schools and high schools.
Colleges and universities have been restricting free expression
and exposure to opposing perspectives, even in the art department.
If you're an artist exhibited in a big museum, you're going to be fine,
you can show whatever you wish.
But if you're kind of on the margins, that creates a problem.
I think being an artist is a big, big, big responsibility itself.
We can be a part of a social change.
Multimedia artist Serhat Tanyolacar fled censorship in Turkey.
He has taught at American colleges and
universities since 2009.
In academia, your duty is mostly to teach beyond teaching,
you know, mentorship.
One of my classes is art and politics.
Specifically, I have a one month of censorship project.
One way or another, you will most likely offend someone
else. If you believe in something,
and that something really reflects something
good, then fight for it.
So, this was the piece which put me in trouble.
In 2018, while teaching at Polk State College in Florida,
Serhat created a work called Death of Innocence.
There's a dichotomy, you know, the left is Trump
in orgy scene, massive orgy scene, and the right is
people who wrote or who used to sing or who used to make
art about individual rights, freedom, freedom of speech,
liberty, and of love.
That work was removed from a faculty show at Polk State
because it was found to be offensive.
It was only my artwork which was censored, the Trump work.
The work was censored based on morality. But whose morality?
Four years earlier, another of Serhat's artworks
had caused controversy at the University of Iowa.
I made this KKK robe of printed newspaper articles
all about past and current racist events.
It starts with the Tulsa race riot,
and the last incident was the Holocaust Museum shooting.
Because it was misunderstood by students, they shut down the display.
To do anything on campus, you have to go to the dean's office.
You have to get approval from them first.
You wanted a reaction, it got a reaction.
You have to get permission in order to have an art display.
You have to get permission to have a protest,
which just doesn't sound right to people.
You can fight the machine, but you have to
get the machine’s agreement first
before you can rage against it.
You can discuss something nicely in the classroom,
but when you have a work like Serhat’s that brings the KKK
on your college campus to show the violence
or show the artist's vision of the moral corruption of the
Trump administration, then they don't know how to deal with it.
Before focusing on the final product, make mistakes
and figure out, you know, experiment.
Serhat’s disappointment with the commitment of freedom of speech
in the U.S. and on campus is something
that I very much share. I think it could be better.
I think it should be better.
I think it would be better in a lot of ways
if campuses were less bureaucratized.
Universities are turning into brands.
If people are causing disruption and are making people angry,
that's not good for the brand.
Senior administrators, deans, and presidents, and provosts’
main job these days, unfortunately, is to raise money
and ward off negative publicity.
Everything does depend on brand. Which students decide
to go to which school, which donors give to which university.
There's all these pressures on university administrators
to think in that way, and very little incentive
to think in a different way, which is,
we're not about one thing. We're about lots of different things,
and some of those things are going to be stuff
that many of us feel very uncomfortable about.
We certainly can have a concept of decorum
and a concept of norms, but I think it's really important to recognize
that those sorts of concepts of decorum and norms
have historically been used to shut up people who are rebellious.
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