Title: The Hypocrisy of Censorship

Description: This painting is a response to the Metropolitan Museum of Art taking down a great painting by Balthus because some woman visitor didn't like it, to the Smithsonian's removal of a film by David Wojnarowicz because of complaints by a few visitors, by the religious woman who slashed Andreas Serrano's photo. More and more artistic freedom is being taken away by institutions that are afraid they may offend someone. Art is supposed to challenge, offend some thrill others. by giving in to the minority the majority suffer. The dominatrix with the bullwhip sits on the artist crushing him. She is the instutions that give in to the complainers. The cross in her hand represents the Church which controls the institutions. The dominatrix is nude to show the hypocrisy of the institutions, the Church and the complainers who criticize and condemn while they themselves are certainly not guilt free.