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Letter: KKK artwork served purpose, sparked talk
Op-Ed · December 18, 2014


Thoughts on the outrage and collapse of artistic distance accompanying a public display of art at the University of Iowa that has brought apology from the artist:


The appreciation of a work of art is a bit akin to that of a joke that is humorous to some but not funny to anyone that needs to have it explained. And regardless, some art and jokes that on the surface may be well understood by people may not be much appreciated by some of them. To wit, growing up as an Irish Catholics’ kid and, as such, a few times made fun of left me of a disposition that if I am going to be privy to one more joke about Paddy it may not hit my funny bone unless for some other reason I find it very funny.

The KKK-robe statue papered-over with newspaper reports of hateful bigotry was a work of art for it did what well-crafted art does: it got said what cannot be as effectively stated in a well and totally literate explanation.

The heart of art is ineffable, and this art pulsed in call for understanding concern instead of hateful rage and disregard — with the artist now left in expression of public worry that his art banged too loudly beyond those who appreciatively understood, and regrettably jarred further those that still suffer from what the art was very effectively all about.

Is it appropriate for such artistic efforts to be open to encounter at an institution of higher education? Yes, and it is probably fortunate for the powers that be at the University that the artist did not seek approval for its display.

Why? Because in line with the purpose entertained within the halls of ivy, it is likely that at an institution true to its cause the artist would have been either granted approval or told by university officials that they do not censor, and the artist is on his own.

In this day and age it would probably have served the artist and spared the university if, prior to its appearance, the U-of-I public relations people would have generated a propaganda background for its appearance on campus — one that heralded its coming as a great and sensitive display of the academic community’s commitment to the promotion of ever better love, understanding and human awareness. Also the pre-display news accounts in the paper and on TV would have set up an unveiling event that achieved statewide coverage on the 5:30 evening news — with an appropriate ethnic array of mixed and matched administration, faculty and students. Good God, it is so easy in these times of mediation for me to get cynical about the best of intent.

Ah, but you live and learn and move on; maybe to learn some more. Along with this work of art, how about a really ugly public display depicting rape and molestation, or new-and-improved torture in the form of Dick-Cheney’s enhanced interrogation techniques? And of course, to be better understood, these prostrations would be ushered in by effective propaganda that would prepare us to be shocked into saying and insisting on “NO MORE, NO MORE” of any of this disregard for the well-being of anyone preyed upon by bullies, bigots and abusers.

Sam Osborne, West Branch