Regent chairman: no swift
action on Virgin of Guadalupe
The Associated Press
July 19, 2001
SANTA FE (AP)- The board that oversees state museums will not make a quick
decision whether to remove a controversial image of the Virgin of Guadalupe
from a museum wall, the new chairman says. That means the art work could remain
on display until Oct. 28-when it's scheduled to be removed-without the board
of regents ever deciding its fate.
Critics contend the image of the Virgin of Guadalupe
clad in a flowery, two-piece swimsuit is sacrilegious and culturally insensitive.
They planned to appeal a decision last week
by Tom Wilson, the director of the museum system, to keep the work by Los
Angeles artist Alma Lopez on exhibit at the Museum of International Folk Art.
But the appeal had not been delivered to the
seven-member governing board by the time it met Wednesday-with three newly
appointed regents-and there was no discussion of the controversy.
C.W. ``Buddy'' Ritter, who was elected chairman,
said in an interview that the board does not have a process for handling the
anticipated appeal, and will have to establish one.
He also said it was likely the regents would
want to hold a hearing to get input from both sides before making a decision.
``I feel like, especially with the three new
regents, that ... if we're going to vote on something, we must be well-informed
on it,'' Ritter said.
He said a process may be discussed or set up
at the board's next meeting, on Sept. 20 in Las Cruces. The next scheduled
meeting after that is Nov. 15.
Critics of the collage said the comments indicated
more foot-dragging by musuem officials.
``I don't know why they couldn't just have the
hearing,'' said Deacon Anthony Trujillo of Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish in
Santa Fe. ``They've stalled and they've stalled, and they've delayed and they've
delayed.''
Community activist Jose Villegas, who said the
appeal could be delivered as soon as Thursday, said he would ask the regents
to hold special meetings to speed up the appeals process.
The exhibit-``Cyber Arte: Tradition Meets Technology''-opened in February, and Lopez's collage drew attention after it was featured in a museum mailing.
Hundreds of people attended a hearing, and protests
have been held outside the museum.
The collage features a photograph of a model
portraying the Virgin of Guadalupe-a representation of the Virgin Mary-wearing
a computer-generated two-piece floral outfit that leaves her midriff bare.
Her image floats above that of a bare-breasted
angel.
Lopez, a Catholic, has said she meant to portray
the Virgin as a strong, independent, modern woman, and intended no disrespect.
A committee of museum officials recommended
two months ago that Lopez's work not be removed.
The Museum of International Folk Art announced
at that time that ``in the spirit of reconciliation'' it would remove the
entire ``Cyber Arte'' exhibit four months early, at the end of October.
The new regents, appointed by Gov. Gary Johnson, are Carolyn Mitchell of Roswell, an insurance agent who has been active in civic organizations; Connie Tsosie Gaussoin of Santa Fe, a noted jewelry maker whose work is in the permanent collections of the Museum of Indian Arts & Culture and other museums; and Joanne McCarthy of Santa Fe, who has chaired development for the Museum of New Mexico Foundation since 1998.
©Santa Fe New Mexican 2001
Reader Opinions
Name: Shame on Us
At the risk of expressing a very unpopular opinion, I must say that the time
has come for us Hispanics of northern New Mexico to stop placing the blame
on others for everything about our lives and our region we do not like. The
Alma Lopez exhibit is not against our ethnicity; she IS ONE OF US. If we want
better jobs with better pay (such as the museum employee suggests), it is
imperative we make decisions in our lives that allow us to achieve that. Cell
phones, fancy clothes with names all over them, and brand new cars with expensive
stereos (and big payments) benefit none of us in the long run and seem only
a form of self-oppression. We let our family members drink and drive, abuse
each other with unacceptable sexism and violence, and we hide under the cloak
of Catholicism whenever the truth is ugly. Stop it! Stop acting like powerless
children. Stand up and act like proud human beings, not prideful ones. Stop
blaming the Whites, the New Yorkers, the ricos, whatever. When we're in control
of our own lives, art exhibits will cease to seem like such enormous issues
and
we'll be able to discuss them and disagree with each other respectfully. I
pray the Hispanos in this area will stop being sidetracked by non-issues like
this art exhibit, and start focusing on the choices they make in their own
lives.
Name: Albert Gerney
I am deeply disappointed in the behavior of the rightwing catholics who claim
to represent my church when they reject freedom of expression, intelligent
discourse, and the right of people to hold differing opinions. I do not believe
the "east coast bishop" quoted in the article truly represents the
magnificent history of Catholic art and thought when he attacks the museum
as the "unfeeling rich" who "mock the devout poor." Rather
it is the rich supporters of this bishop and this pseudo-religious TFP and
"America needs Fatima" group who mock their church by questioning
the sincerity and integrity of Catholic artists like Alma Lopez. I hope her
faith in God, her church, and her God-given talent are not impaired by these
thoughtless anti-Catholic demagogues. Every age has seen the likes of them,
as they burn good Catholics at the stake when they can, or destroy their good
names when the law prevents them attacking others bodily. God bless America
and the Catholic Church exemplified by Vatican II and Pope John XXIII, not
by mindless bigots waving banners that would have embarrassed Jesus and his
mother both.
Name: Benjamin Hiegert
It is encouraging to see Catholic stand up for their Faith in public, especially
when the person of Blessed Virgin Mary is concerned. In the current atmosphere
of moral relativism, blasphemy is not a popular word. Everyone seems to be
free to express whatever they want. However when this form of expression (definitely
not something that merits the title of art) offends people, they surely have
the right to express their outrage. As Catholics this insulting portrayal
of the Blessed Virgin is unacceptable. I am astonished to see Albert Gerney
refer to the protesters as "mindless bigots waving banners that would
have embarrassed Jesus and his mother." Does Our Lord Jesus Christ approve
of an exhibit that mocks the purity of His own mother - to whom the Catholic
church refers to as Mother Most Pure? I sure would not be ashamed of someone
who stands up and defends my mother's honor.
Name: mex-ca resident
If we understood feminist thought better, we would see that "Our Lady"
is not sacrilegious nor offensive--but an informed attempt by a Chicana feminist
to recreate or redefine socially constructed meanings and identities (whether
religious or not) into a form/image which is reflective of the artists
experiences and truths. We would also see that "Our Lady" is an
attempt by a woman of color to create an image which is not stereotyped, an
image she could personally relate to, especially since we live in a society
which often represses the voices and misrepresents minority women. When we
look at this amazing image then, many people are challenged or insulted that
a woman/woman of color (godly creations in fact) with a sexy body dares to
be portrayed at the level of a God-like image. "How dare she!" Censorship
makes no sense--it closes the door on education, creativity, thought, and
reflection. Maybe this is why many find this image so "insulting."
MOIFA should be applauded and supported for their efforts against censorship.
I hope the regents continue to support the rights of talented artists, like
Alma Lopez.
Name: Museum Empoyee
I am one of many employee's of the Museum of New Mexico that is against the
picture being left up at the Museum of International Folk Art museum. But
like most of us nobody will say anything because alot of us are afraid that
they will fire us for some other reason because we spoke up. I myself attended
the rally yesterday and I thought it was beautiful. It reminded me of the
Greatest Story Ever Told, if any of you ever had the chance to see this movie
there is a part when all the people are praying out in the courtyard while
the government leaders and religous leader's listen to them and mock them.
That is what it reminded me of seeing the guards of the museum, video taping
us from the inside of the folk art, through a window. As well as other employee's
trying to fit in the crowd taking pictures for the museum. I just hope the
pictures that the were taken are for a good reason and not to open another
gallery on the protest. That is something that the museum would do. It is
just time that we the people hispanic people from norhtern new mexico stop
letting outsiders mock us put us down and get away with it. We need to stand
up and ask why are all the good paying jobs going to the outsiders, and the
low paying jobs going to the gaurds, cashier's, and maintenance workers.And
then you have your token chicano's 1,2, or 3 of them in each museum and I
can say this because I see them everyday. Myself personaly,I have taken this
as a personal attack not only on my religion, but also on my race, ethnicitiy,
and national origin.At least to some of us employee's this has nothing to
do with Alma Lopez at all anymore this has to do with the Museum's of New
Mexico and the way that are people have alway's been treated here.
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