Saturday, April 12, 2014

Painting for the "Nature Bats Last" exhibit - by Samuel Torres of Waco, Texas


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.