So--instead of this fabulously inspired painting, which was
created by a gentleman painter named Samuel Torres
in response to a wonderful one-minute script ("The Warm Up") co-written
by Dallas writer Julie Riggs and her 7th grade students at Lakehill Preparatory School,
what you'll see on the gallery wall instead is the following statement:
The painting by Waco
artist Samuel Torres, which should have been hanging in this space,
may now be seen online
here:
Co-curators Junanne
Peck and Tammy Gomez apologize for this
inconvenience and the
City of Irving’s policy of art censorship
in the 21st
century.
To drum up some solidarity support, I sent an email yesterday afternoon to Mary Ann Kellam, president of
the Irving Hispanic Chamber of Commerce regarding the egregious act of
censorship on the part of the City of Irving. The City can't handle a
work of art (painting by Waco artist --and U.S. veteran
- Samuel Torres) that bares breasts, even if they're Mother Nature's
nips. And EVEN though co-curator Junanne Peck had covered them with store-bought
plastic green leaves ala Adam-and-Eve fig leaves, in an attempt to appease the Irving city staffers. We still got the request (more like directive) to remove the painting from the gallery. ~ Dang, we don't try to
offend. We just want to respectfully honor and present the work of
esteemed and talented art folk. What's so wrong w/ that, City of
UN-Irving?If you want to share your opinions and thoughts about this, please use the online form for contacting the Irving Arts Board. And do let me know if you hear anything back from them about this issue.
Thank you.
