2008 Woodie Awards
Artist, student groups allege 'censorship' in covering of exhibit windows
Ryan Hunter
Issue date: 4/25/07 Section: News
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Nickolaas Homburg, a senior double majoring in mass communications and anthropology, refers to himself as "a purist" when it comes to his photographic art. This is because he uses little more than true black and white in its production…literally. Homburg's current exhibit, called "God's Art," on display now in the ISU Pond Student Union Building's Transitions Gallery has sparked a growing controversy, with allegations of censorship arising from the placement of black curtains over the gallery windows.
Homburg's exhibit features monochromatic (a.k.a. black and white) photographs of nude and partially nude individuals of various ages, ethnicities, and shapes accented by strategic lighting and shadows. The controversy started before the exhibit even officially opened on Monday, April 16, when white butcher paper was placed in the windows of the exhibit to block the "mature content" of the images from public view.
"I came down two hours before opening and all the windows were covered with white paper," Homburg said. "It looked like a white wrapper."
According to Homburg, the white paper was replaced with black curtains by an employee of the SUB Craft Shop so it would be more appropriate for the black tie opening on Monday, which attracted over 100 people.
Jason Schlegel, Advisor to the Program Board, which arranged the showing of Homburg's exhibit, claimed responsibility for initiating the placement of the covers in the gallery windows. He stated that he did not approve the use of white paper, however, and helped in getting the black curtains put up instead. Schlegel also apologized to Homburg for the curtains while they were being put up, but defended the action in a later interview.
"It was based on precedent from shows involving partial nudity in the past," said Schlegel. "Because the Early Learning Center (ELC) is attached to the SUB, and since parents aren't here to decide what their kids can see, we thought it best to err on the side of caution."
Homburg's exhibit features monochromatic (a.k.a. black and white) photographs of nude and partially nude individuals of various ages, ethnicities, and shapes accented by strategic lighting and shadows. The controversy started before the exhibit even officially opened on Monday, April 16, when white butcher paper was placed in the windows of the exhibit to block the "mature content" of the images from public view.
"I came down two hours before opening and all the windows were covered with white paper," Homburg said. "It looked like a white wrapper."
According to Homburg, the white paper was replaced with black curtains by an employee of the SUB Craft Shop so it would be more appropriate for the black tie opening on Monday, which attracted over 100 people.
Jason Schlegel, Advisor to the Program Board, which arranged the showing of Homburg's exhibit, claimed responsibility for initiating the placement of the covers in the gallery windows. He stated that he did not approve the use of white paper, however, and helped in getting the black curtains put up instead. Schlegel also apologized to Homburg for the curtains while they were being put up, but defended the action in a later interview.
"It was based on precedent from shows involving partial nudity in the past," said Schlegel. "Because the Early Learning Center (ELC) is attached to the SUB, and since parents aren't here to decide what their kids can see, we thought it best to err on the side of caution."
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