“It’s shameful that government officials would use the criminal legal process to censor art and expression.”
—
PoliceinFortWorth,Texas,seizedphotographsfromanartexhibitinNovemberafterlocalpoliticiansdecriedtheimagesaspornographic.Thephotos,fromartistSallyMann’s1992collectionImmediateFamilydepictintimatedetailsofMann’sfamilylife,includingseveralimagesofheryoungchildrennude.Thisweek,theAmericanCivilLibertiesUnion(ACLU)ofTexasspokeoutagainsttheseizure,arguingtheimagesarenon-sexualizedworksofartprotectedbytheFirstAmendment.
“It’sshamefulthatgovernmentofficialswouldusethecriminallegalprocesstocensorartandexpression,”AdrianaPiñonthelegaldirectoroftheACLUofTexassaidinaWednesdaystatement.“ThisisaclearviolationoftheFirstAmendmentandoftheguardrailsagainstabuseofthecriminaljusticesystem.Artisticexpressionshouldnotbesubjecttothewhimandpunishmentofgovernmentofficials’personaltaste.”
Mann’sphotoswerebeingexhibitedatTheModernArtMuseumofFor
