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Supporting artists since 1973
Supporting artists since 1973
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David Wojnarowicz
A Fire in My Belly
Light Work is pleased to announce the continued screening of David Wojnarowicz's video A Fire in My Belly, which was recently censored from the exhibition Hide/Seek: Difference and Desire in American Portraiture at the National Portrait Gallery in Washington, DC. The exhibition, curated by Jonathan Katz, represents the first major American museum exhibition to investigate art history from a homosexual perspective. Light Work is among the numerous art institutions across the country protesting the censorship of this video by continuing to screen it throughout the entire time it would have been on view at the National Portrait Gallery.
On December 1, World AIDS day, the Smithsonian Institution removed the video A Fire In My Belly from the exhibition Hide/Seek: Difference and Desire in American Portraiture. This move occurred after pressure was exerted by the Catholic League and conservative members of Congress who have described the work as hate speech and a waste of taxpayer money. Since the removal of the work, public outcry has built across the nation. The website http://hideseek.org offers an archive of information about the censorship of A Fire in My Belly as well as a growing list of arts institutions that are hosting events and screenings in support of Wojnaroicz and freedom of artistic expression.
On December 14, in the midst of an upstate freezing blizzard, people gathered to attend an emergency screening of A Fire in My Belly held by ArtRage Gallery and Light Work. Similar screenings have popped up across the country, and both Light Work and ArtRage Gallery are proud to continuously screen the work until February 13, the slated closing date of the Hide/Seek exhibition.
Gallery hours to view the video are Sunday to Friday, 10am–6pm, and by appointment. Light Work is closed during school holidays. To schedule an appointment, please call 315-443-1300. The screening is free and open to the public. Paid parking is available in Booth Parking Garage.
Light Work invites groups and individuals to schedule tours and gallery talks of the facility. Light Work is a non-profit, artist-run organization dedicated to the support of artists working in photography and electronic media. Light Work is a member of CMAC, the Coalition of Museum and Art Centers at Syracuse University.
For more information, please contact Jessica Reed at Light Work, 315-443-1300 or jhreed01@syr.edu.