Torture Circus
- Artist/Author/Producer: Fakir Mussafar and other artists
- Confronting Bodies: Ann Simonton, Media Watch
- Dates of action: 1992
- Location: Santa Cruz, California
- Description of the Art Work
- "Torture Circus", a performance piece by Fakir Musafar included a segment
in which one female character attached white feathers to another female
character's body to symbolize her transformation into a bird.
- Description of incident
- Bulkhead Gallery's semi-annual performance series was thrown into
controversy when feminist activist Ann Simonton contended that at least
one performance piece in the series promoted violence against women.
Simonton launched a campaign against the series by threatening boycotts
of all local businesses that had supported it to move. Bulkhead Volunteer
Director Wendy Chapkis called an effort to close the gallery down.
Production costs and artists fees were entirely provided through local
business sponsorship. In one demonstration, Simonton picketed and
leafletted a sponsoring credit union. The controversy caused several
depositors to withdraw their accounts.
Bulkhead put together the series, called "Disturbing the Peace," in
response to Persian Gulf War victory celebrations. The exhibit included
the work of gay, lesbian, and bisexual artists who presented a variety of
works. Fakir's piece, "Torture Circus," had been titled by Bulkhead and
described in all press releases so that people would have a clear idea of
what the work entailed before they came to see it.
- Results of incident
- Chapkis responded to Simonton's campaign by calling a meeting of
Bulkhead's sponsors to discuss the issues. She put together a videotape
of highlights from the series to give sponsors a sense of the diversity
of the programs. Chapkis also went on a local talk show and discussed the
incident in the context of art censorship. Despite the threat of
boycotts, all but one sponsor (who was, in fact, Simonton's husband)
decided to continue backing Bulkhead, and the series played to sellout
audiences.
Source: People for the American Way
Record no 14
