April 30, 2002
I have a bone to pick with the Catholic school board. I recently received a painting assignment in my visual arts class. We were to pick from 2-3 different era's and I chose pop art which was from the 1960's (Andy Warhol type). I had no trouble deciding which popular icon I was going to paint - the one and only Trent Reznor. A man who is by far the most photogenic person I have ever come across. I was planning on also doing a concenration on him for my AP art class next semester. Upon my decision, I approached my teacher with the photo for approval. Not because of who it was, but for the artistic quality. She seemed content with my decision and as I turned my back to walk away she asked curiously who it was. 'Trent Reznor,' I replied without hesitation. She then questioned which band he was from. 'Nine Inch Nails,' I told her. And with that my hope to paint the gorgeous flourescent photograph was shattered. She told me she wasn't sure if she could allow me to create a peice of art with him on it - or anything that had to do with nine inch nails for that matter. I became irritated as to why it would matter, it's not like I was going to print nin lyrics on the painting. There was nothing the least bit offensive about the picture. If anyone knows me well, they would know I'm highly against censorship. And I'm not talking about the censorship of supposed swear words. I'm speaking of the unneccessary censorship of music, writing, and especially art. Look, I know I work in a high school environment and some things are probably unacceptable in a high school art class - such as full frontal nudity or swearing. But once again, there was really nothing to make a big fuss about over this picture. My teacher told me she would talk it over with the principal first to see if I could do the picture.
The next day as I was getting my canvas ready to paint it, my teacher tells me that I wasn't allowed to do it. In an outrage I stormed up to the office and demanded to speak with the principal. After waiting patiently for 10 minutes, I finally sat down in her office. 'I have a complaint to make,' I said. 'My art teacher tells me that you won't allow me to make this painting,' and I held the picture up that she had never laid eyes on in her entire life. she proceeded to explain to me the 'bad philosophy' that nine inch nails had and why it would make her precious school look bad. I enlightened her with my vast knowledge of Trent by explaining to her that he was in fact, a Christian. After that didn't work I reminded her of the beautiful pencil drawing of Kurt Cobain everyone was talking about ay last year's spring art festival at the school. Was this a philosophy to blow your head off? And what if somebody wanted to draw a picture of popular and adored icons of Marilyn Monroe or Elvis Presley? Would that be considered a philosophy of hard drug addiction and suicide in Monroe's case? There is no means of justification here! She told me I should paint something more positive and uplifting. I for one, am planning on using my art skills for a career. I'm not going to sit around and paint a bunch of phoney happy pictures of bouncy bunny rabbits and smiling little babies that don't mean jack shit to me just so they can be sent off to an art portfolio (which are marked at Princeton might I add) without any emotion or personal reflection on my personality. Letting me do this one painting doesn't affect her life, but it affects mine in a big way because i want to make this a career. I decided to compromise with her by suggesting letting me do the painting in my classroom but without hanging it in the hallway or the art show coming up next fall probably. That way she could protect her precious school who probably wouldn't know who the hell he was anyways even if I did hang it up. This painting is for my own personal enjoyment and if nobody is going to see it then who gives a rats ass? She still wouldn't back down.
Now seriously, what kind of school is this that denies a student to succeed and to learn? And all for a measley picture that is going to harm no one! The point is, art is supposed to be about expresing ones feelings and emotions through brush strokes, colour, shape etc. Feelings shouldn't be censored. I'm not going to deny that nine inch nails sings somewhat dreadful lyrics. But this wasn't about what they sing, it was about painting an image of a man sitting down and suggesting nothing offensive. It's about the denial of freedom in artistic ability, the freedom to learn about yourself a bit more, the freedom to offer myself some therapeutic guidance - because that's what art is for me, a way to escape or deal with pleasure and sometimes pain. Maybe this one particular picture wasn't a big step in the expression of my feelings, but what about down the road? Every idea that I come up with in this school environment is going to be offensive to the art department in some fashion or another. Where do we draw the line? Is anything safe to draw in my art class anymore? A girl in my class wanted to rearrange a famous Toulousse Lautrec panting that depicted two women waltzing and relace them with two men waltzing. Her idea was refused becaus it suggested homosexuality. They were arm in arm! Not mouth to mouth! Christ, I swear I am going to fight this! I left the office almost on the verge of tears and thanked her for her time. Boy is she going to be in for a surprise when I take this to the department of education.
~KasarA~ |
