Posted: 11/9/04 Section: News

Media Credit: Shira Weissman

On the first day of the photo exhibit, "It's not you, it's me," University students discovered the view to one of their displays was being obstructed by an 8-inch by 10-inch warning taped on the wall next to the photo.

"Troy the Cunt and Jeremy the Shit," created by Troy Hayes, junior in FAA, and Jeremy Hayes, sophomore in FAA, is a remake of a 1969 photograph named "George the Cunt and Gilbert the Shit" by Gilbert Proesch and George Passmore, two British artists. The artwork features a photograph of the two brothers, who have the words "George the Cunt" and "Gilbert the Shit" pinned to their suits.

The exhibit, which opened Nov. 3 and will close Nov. 10, is on display at the Art and Design Link Gallery, 408 E. Peabody Drive.

Senior in FAA Lauren Lenkowski, whose work is also displayed, said the department gave students participating in the exhibit full discretion over what pieces would be displayed. She did not recall any previous instances in which the faculty prevented artwork from being displayed because of its content, prior to or after the start of any shows featuring student work.

Lenkowski received an e-mail from University art education professor Elizabeth Delacruz stating that the School of Art and Design Director David Weightman was concerned the artwork's language could harm the 200 children who use the building during the Saturday Morning Art Program. Weightman could not be reached for comment.

But Troy Hayes had a hard time accepting Weightman's reasoning, adding that he and his brother should have been consulted before the warning was put up.

"They just went ahead and did it," Hayes said. "They didn't talk to any of our teachers or (us) ... Why would they want to censor us? I feel victimized. I've seen other shows with penises and testicles ... and I don't recall any controversies whatsoever."

"Why right now?" Lenkowski said. "Is it because of the word (cunt), because it's so blatant? I don't know."

A person's potential view of the artwork was obstructed in a variety of ways, Lenkowski said. Signs warning about the language in the Hayes brothers' work were placed inside the gallery. The wall mounting the artwork was turned away from the outside, and at times another movable wall was placed directly in front of the artwork to keep it from being seen. The artists involved in the exhibit, in response, removed the obstructions to keep the artwork visible.

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