Roman-style mosaic removed from Ventura Art Exhibit

A 6-foot tall Rubenesque sculpture was also removed.

Protest Letters Flood Ventura Arts Council

April 2008 - The Southern California Naturist Association (SCNA) mounted a nationwide letter writing campaign last month to protest the removal of three nude art pieces from a public exhibit celebrating the theme “Passion.” Officials of the Ventura County Arts Council determined the pieces were “too provocative” to be shown in the county government's Hall of Administration.

According to an article in the Ventura Star newspaper, the local Arts Council President Monica Nolan said an “undisclosed number of complaints” were received.

Supporters of the artists did not even know there was a problem until the pieces were already gone, so the Arts Council never received any letters defending the works until an SCNA member read the newspaper story and the club decided to organize a protest. Emails were sent to nudists throughout the region urging them write letters to Nolan. We estimate as many as four dozen were sent, some from as far away as Canada and Europe. Here is some examples of the eloquent responses (edited for space):

“Thank you for your interest and concern about censorship in Ventura County. I am pleased that this issue is finally getting some attention.

Perhaps there should have been more forethought before staging a show about "Passion" there. That being said, it is time for Ventura County to grow up. My piece this year portrays the composer's muse attempting through music to inspire a passion inside of him. Again I would contend that this is not a provocative piece. The female figure is nude and I guess that there are people who are offend by or fearful of breasts. The history of art is resplendent with nude figures. But if all we are allowed to view in Ventura are paintings of "Two Trees" then we will never shake the psychological mind-set of being a one horse town and we will certainly never grow up to be "The New Art City" that so many talented and hard working people are trying to help us become. Thank you for your interest and your energy.” - Bob Moskowitz (one of the artists whose piece was removed from the exhibit.)

“I am disturbed by the removal of works of art from public display on the basis of “an undisclosed number of complaints.” The statement (attributed to you) that “this is not a case of censorship...” seems equivocal. Art was displayed; there were complaints; the art was pulled. That is censorship. Saying the art was not “appropriate for this particular space” is at best a euphemism. “The core of the problem, as I see it, is that the right of access to art by the many has been denied by the few. The mullahs have spoken and their fatwahs carried out; no one else need speak. The lowest common denominator of tolerance was employed as the deciding factor in the matter. If we had applied the lowest common denominator of tolerance to, say, civil rights legislation, what would have been the outcome? I had hoped that Ventura was a bit more progressive than Podunk, but I’m starting think a friend of mine may have been right when he said, “Ventura? That’s just the San Fernando Valley with a pier.” - Jeff G, Ojai

Dear Ms. Nolan, I'm a frequent visitor to California, and familiar with Ventura. Recently I read of the removal of some apparently quite good pieces of art in the exhibit "Passion."

That the exhibit was in a government building doesn't strike me as relevant. A public place is a public place. Now then, the problem of nudity?

I'd put it this way: it doesn't usually exist as such; people just claim it does. What I mean is this: people think that it harms children, which is not so. Children of any age are unlikely to cause a fuss on seeing a naked body, especially in art or in an exhibition. I've seen children deal well with nudity countless times. Only the most blatantly sexualized art is ever an issue, and even then, there are positive ways to deal with it. A responsible adult should be capable of answering their questions.

Art affords one of the best ways to counter the misconceptions I've mentioned, which are peculiar to North America. As you know, nudity in art has a tradition as old as art itself, and a variety of excellent meanings, including beauty, innocence, valor, and timelessness. Please do not heed the complaints of a few who don't get it. Otherwise Ventura County is just perpetrating an unhelpful phobia --- which is actually implicated in a variety of social problems associated with bodies. I therefore urge you to reinstate the removed works. Thank you for your consideration. -- Dr. Paul Rapoport, Professor (Emeritus) School of the Arts, McMaster University Canada

I am shocked at your decision to censor the art exhibit in the Hall of Administration. I have read your comment that it is not censorship, but that is exactly what it is. I realize people visit that building to work, rather than see an art exhibit, but somebody chose to display art there. Then you decided what art would not be shown. The name of the exhibit was Passion. What did you expect, a judge banging a gavel? I think they see enough of that. - Lloyd Johnson (Black’s Beach Bares)