|
by Jamie Murnane &
K. Anderson
Gallery viewers
at the opening shortly after Secret Service agents left.
For the first time in Columbia’s history, a campus
gallery exhibit has incited a Secret Service investigation.
Columbia officials were stunned when two Secret Service
agents showed up for the opening of the new Glass Curtain Gallery exhibit
“Axis of Evil: The Secret History of Sin.”
According to Columbia’s media relations director, Micki
Leventhal, the agents arrived before the opening, demanding to speak with
Michael Hernandez de Luna, the exhibit curator who was not yet present.
Hernandez de Luna is no stranger to controversy as he is the stamp artist
who was single-handedly responsible for shutting down Chicago’s Loop post
office for several hours in October 2001 when he sent a skull and
crossbones stamp through the mail with the word “anthrax” written on it.
Though the stamp was found to be harmless, Hernandez de
Luna has been under a federal investigation for the incident. And while
there is politically controversial art in “Axis of Evil,” Leventhal said,
“We do not know, officially, the nature of their inquiries.”
It was made clear, however, that the inquiries had
“nothing to do with Columbia,” Leventhal said, and the only request that
was made was for Hernandez de Luna to contact them within 24 hours.
It is unclear whether Hernandez de Luna has contacted
the agents, as he said he is not allowed to talk about the incident. He
did say that he was “not too surprised by the turnout of the Secret
Service,” as all his exhibits are documented by postal authorities.
He was surprised, however, that agents decided to turn
up for “Axis of Evil,” having said, “This is one of my safest shows ever.”
Leventhal said the gallery will be unaffected.
“We are an art school,” Leventhal said. “We’re a
communication school and we stand firmly for freedom of artistic
expression and academic freedom.”
The Postcard for the exhibit previews
some of the “graphically political” work (according to a viewer discretion
notice on the door of the gallery) that’s on display.
“Axis of Evil: The Secret History of Sin” is a
collection of stamp art featuring 47 artists from 11 different countries
that opened at the gallery on April 6.
“He coined the term ‘Axis of Evil’ like the Nazis
hijacked the swastika,” said Hernandez de Luna, referring to President
George W. Bush’s statement claiming that certain countries are responsible
for evil.
Out of this explosive statement has come an effort that
ruminates on the reality of evil as we know it.
Hernandez de Luna, former Columbia student who has
several of his own pieces in the show, credits the college for opening
doors to such a controversial exhibit.
“There’s many institutions that will not take on shows
with such a raw cacophonic edge,” he said.
Greg Weiss, gallery coordinator of the Glass Curtain
space, said he does not remember any other time that an exhibit has
generated so much interest before it even opened. Weiss said they chose
the exhibit because they thought it would resonate with the students and
the public.
“It’s very timely in the sense of our political and
social climate,” Weiss said.
Robert Billings, a Los Angeles-based political artist,
is an eager participant in the show. Billings said he likes controversial
art because it opens up a dialogue.
“It’s not necessarily condemning evil, but asking ‘What
is evil?’” Billings said of the exhibit.
New York-based artist Gerard Barbot is also
participating in the show. Asked what people should take away from the
show, Barbot was quick to comment.
“I would wish that people would be more aware of what’s
going on in the world as well as what’s going on in their own selves,”
Barbot said, adding that stamp art is functional.
“It’s meant to be licked and stuck on an envelope,” he
said. “I’ve used mine already.”
And Hernandez de Luna doesn’t consider his work complete
unless it’s actually been sent through the mail (either successfully or
with a cancellation stamped on it).
The idea for the show originally came from the mind of
Jim Swanson, owner and operator of Qualiatica Gallery and Press. Swanson
first created a hardcover catalogue of the art and a companion DVD, which
included essays and discussions by artists and other interested parties.
Both were titled, “Axis of Evil, Perforated Praeter Naturam.” Swanson
explained that “perforated praeter naturam” means to punch holes in the
supernatural, and that’s just what he wanted to do.
“We’ve created a metaphor that puts fear into people and
that has to be addressed,” Swanson said.
A friend of Swanson’s suggested stamp art as the medium,
and Swanson hired Hernandez de Luna to curate and navigate the art.
According to both Swanson and Hernandez de Luna, 99.9
percent of the art was solicited.
“It was a global call. I said, ‘Show me what you guys
think of evil, and don’t send me none of that pansy-ass stuff neither,’”
Hernandez de Luna said.
Hernandez de Luna is known for controversy and justifies
it by saying it is exactly what being a successful artist is all about.
“Any publicity makes his art more valuable,” said
Swanson of Hernandez de Luna’s attitude toward trouble.
Trouble ended up being just another part of the birth of
this already controversial exhibit and collection. Swanson and Hernandez
de Luna embroiled themselves in a legal battle over the collection and
Hernandez de Luna’s payment for his work on the project. The creators of
this thought-provoking, artistic endeavor are not on speaking terms.
The exhibit, which was supposed to go hand in hand with
Swanson’s catalog and be shown at Qualiatica, Swanson’s gallery, is now an
independent project of Hernandez de Luna’s.
Swanson has retained rights to the catalog book, the
DVD, and the title, “Axis of Evil: Perforated Praeter Naturam.” Hernandez
de Luna has the rights to the collection and to exhibit the show to the
public.
“Axis of Evil: The Secret History of Sin,” which will be
on display at the Glass Curtain Gallery, 1104 S. Wabash Ave., through May
11.
Return to Table of Contents |