Local Artist Censored: Printing Company Refuses To Release Abu Ghraib Images For Exhibition

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 5, 2004

Not In Our Name
Media Contact: Max Diorio
Media Cell Phone: (510) 978-6702
Email: maxdiorio@yahoo.com
www.notinourname.net

LOCAL ARTIST CENSORED: PRINTING COMPANY REFUSES TO RELEASE ABU GHRAIB IMAGES FOR EXHIBITION

Clinton Fein, a San Francisco based artist is embroiled in struggle with Zazzle, a Palo Alto based printing company which is refusing to release the prints of his artwork. Two pieces of artwork with political content, which were sent to print for inclusion in Fein’s latest exhibition, which opens on Thursday, October 7th at the Toomey Tourell Gallery in San Francisco, were censored by Zazzle in a last minute decision by the company.

A piece titled “Rot in Our Name,” created for an art show produced by the Not in Our Name Project in late June, contains a images of the much publicized photo of a hooded Iraqi man held at Abu Ghraib. Zazzle received Fein’s work in digital format and days before the show was to open, refused to release the prints, claiming that the company did not want to be associated with the images.

Jasmine Spacher, curator of Not in Our Name’s recent anti-militarism art show titled “Fear Will Not Silence Us” says of the controversy: “In this time of escalating attacks on Iraq and the new normalcy of torture in Abu Ghraib and Guantanamo Bay, it’s important for these images to be displayed in public as a reminder of how crucial it is to end the occupation of Iraq immediately.”

Especially in these times, questioning, criticism, and dissent must be protected and upheld. Not in Our Name stands behind Clinton Fein and his right to express dissent and his contribution to the growing culture and climate of resistance to war and repression.

Fein’s exhibition, Numb and Number, opens at the Toomey Tourell Gallery at 49 Geary St. on Thursday, October 7th at 5:30 p.m.

Not In Our Name organizers and activists will be at the show and available for interviews.


UPDATES:

Corporate Policy Leads to Political Censorship
By Molouk Y. Ba-Isa
Arab News
January 11, 2005

Artist and advocate Clinton Fein has his controversial images destroyed prior to exhibition
By Kresta Tyler Johnson
ArtThrob Magazine
November 4, 2004

Printer rebels at artist's imagery
By Louise Roug
The Los Angeles Times
October 13, 2004

2 of Clinton Fein's political works run afoul of his printer's policies
By Kenneth Baker
The San Francisco Chronicle
October 12, 2004

Annoy.com Webmaster says war art censored
By Paul Festa
CNET/News.com
October 6, 2004

Print shop refuses to release political images
By Jack Fischer
San Jose Mercury News
October 6, 2004

Local Artist Censored: Printing Company Refuses To Release Abu Ghraib Images For Exhibition
Not In Our Name Press Release
October 5, 2004

 
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