{"id":61758,"date":"2014-11-14T14:17:23","date_gmt":"2014-11-14T14:17:23","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.indexoncensorship.org\/?p=61758"},"modified":"2017-03-29T11:06:24","modified_gmt":"2017-03-29T10:06:24","slug":"recap-report-ever-better-censor-cause-offence","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.indexoncensorship.org\/newsite02may\/?p=61758","title":{"rendered":"Recap report: Is it ever better to censor than to cause offence?"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"(Photo:<\/a>

(Photo: Melody Patry)<\/p><\/div>\n

Should there ever be censorship of the arts was the subject of an Index\/Bush Theatre debate, held last night. The event was provoked by the cancellation of Exhibit B in London, and Israeli play The City at this year’s Edinburgh Festival Fringe as well as controversy around this year’s Jewish Film Festival, all in the past few months.<\/p>\n

Taking part in the debate were, among others: Stella Odunlami,\u00a0artist and a cast member of Exhibit B; Zita Holbourne, artist, activist and co-organiser of the campaign to boycott the show; and\u00a0Arik Eshet, a<\/span>rtistic director of Incubator Theatre, which produced The City.<\/p>\n

An Exhibit B performer Stella Odunlami told the audience: “We, a group of intelligent and informed actors and performers, have been censored and silenced by protestors, who truly have an ill-informed and misguided perspective of this significant and informative piece of work.<\/p>\n

We are appalled, outraged, angry\u2026extremely angry as artists, as human beings. We cannot believe that this is London in 2014. We are appalled that Exhibit B has been cancelled because of the actions of some of the demonstrators.”<\/p>\n

Protester Zita Holbourne put her point of view as a poem, she said: “We said to them, Barbican please take that down,\u00a02014 and you want to put black people in a cage?\u00a0Then telling us you don\u2019t understand our outrage!”<\/p>\n

Read \u00a0their full statements, made to the audience, below.<\/p>\n

Stella Odunlami read the statement from the London cast of Exhibit B<\/strong><\/h3>\n

It is with utter disappointment that we write these words.<\/p>\n

Exhibit B is an important work that has given us an education into the lives of other human beings. We believe everybody has the right to their specific story being told, and this work provided that platform, through the medium of art – living and breathing. It is a shame that these stories will no longer be heard, seen, nor felt. An even greater shame that those who were open and brave enough to purchase a ticket, have now been robbed of that experience.<\/p>\n

Exhibit B afforded us the opportunity to explore and engage with our past, while reminding and reawakening us to its impact on the present.<\/p>\n

To the 23,000 petitioners who complained that Exhibit B objectified human beings – you missed the point.<\/p>\n

This is the 21st Century and we believe that everyone has a choice, a right, an entitlement, to do or say whatever they deem to be right for them. We can accept someone seeing the piece and not liking it-that’s fine. What we cannot accept about the events of Tuesday evening and the subsequent cancellation of Exhibit B, is the physical action that was taken outside of the Vaults, by a minority of the demonstrators who would not even entertain the thought of seeing the piece.<\/p>\n

We, a group of intelligent and informed actors and performers, have been censored and silenced by protestors, who truly have an ill-informed and misguided perspective of this significant and informative piece of work.<\/p>\n

We are appalled, outraged, angry\u2026extremely angry as artists, as human beings. We cannot believe that this is London in 2014. We are appalled that Exhibit B has been cancelled because of the actions of some of the demonstrators.<\/p>\n

We are artists who, after thoughtful and careful deliberation, decide what projects we want to work on. Grown men and women who decided that our contribution to Exhibit B would be worthwhile and important. Who, on Tuesday, were told, by way of the protestor’s force, that we couldn’t make creative and life decisions for ourselves.<\/p>\n

That complete strangers knew what was best for us.<\/p>\n

For all of us.<\/p>\n

Our voices and ideas were deemed not worthy of being shared with the world. This is exactly what Exhibit B is about: we want to denounce oppression, racism and bigotry. We want to denounce actions like this. And the fact that this is still happening in London in 2014, proves even more why this piece is necessary.<\/p>\n

The anger and vitriol and hysteria which the protestors have and continue to level at the company of Exhibit B, astounds us.<\/p>\n

It doesn\u2019t feel rational. It doesn\u2019 t feel measured. There simply has not been room for an exchange of ideas.<\/p>\n

There\u2019s such vulnerability in holding a mirror up to humanity. No one wants to see a representation of themselves oppressed, but it doesn\u2019t mean that we shouldn\u2019t look.<\/p>\n

We welcome protest, but surely it\u2019s best to have as much information beforehand, so your opinion is truly informed. Surely as a protestor, you have a duty to ensure your \u2018peaceful protest\u2019 really is peaceful. And, surely your right to protest should not impact another person\u2019s freedom of thought and speech.<\/p>\n

We are actors and performers who believe that art should be meaningful. Challenging. Provoking.<\/p>\n

Not only for us, as participating collaborators in the work, but also for the audience who witness the work.<\/p>\n

This project afforded us the opportunity to be the most vulnerable, most on display, silently engaging and being engaged, while exploring themes around other, sex, race, and gender.<\/p>\n

Exhibit B was created with love and sensitivity. We are intelligent creatives who made a brave choice to be part of a thought provoking piece of work. As Londoners, we are embarrassed that this has happened in our city, as the show has already been seen by 25,000 people from all over the world, and will continue to tour.<\/p>\n

We would like to thank the Barbican for their immense support and Brett Bailey for his inspired work.<\/p>\n

Zita Holbourne read\u00a0Prejudice, Privilege, Power: A Poem for the Barbican (listen to it here<\/a><\/strong>)<\/h3>\n

Barbican announced a human zoo in town
\nWe said to them, Barbican please take that down
\n2014 and you want to put black people in a cage?
\nThen telling us you don\u2019t understand our outrage!<\/p>\n

Strapped to plane seats, placed in iron masks
\nAnd nobody in a whole arts institution thought to ask
\nOur views before taking a decision to host
\nThen you have the bare faced audacity to boast<\/p>\n

That you\u2019ve placed black people in a human zoo
\nGoing around talking about the good it can do
\nIn challenging racist attitudes and views
\nBut to listen to our concerns you refuse<\/p>\n

Shackles and cages at \u00a320 per ticket
\nBut you don\u2019t get why we organised a picket
\nWe don\u2019t need to see a black woman shackled to a bed
\nTo know that racism is rearing its ugly head<\/p>\n

We\u2019re forced to battle daily with modern day enslavement
\nPower and privilege versus our self-empowerment
\nYou are arrogant telling those of us that live with racism every day
\nWhat is or is not racist, like we don\u2019t have a say<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s make clear that a boycott campaign is not censorship
\nFor your actions and failures you must take ownership
\nWe don\u2019t need a lecture on what it is to be banned
\nWe\u2019re treated like third class citizens in this land<\/p>\n

Blocked by institutions, so take a moment, pause
\nThink about the anger and pain you cause
\nBy insulting our ancestors, our histories
\nAdding insult to our multiple injuries<\/p>\n

If anything is censored it\u2019s the art we produce
\nRejected repeatedly by art institutions that refuse
\nTo acknowledge our stories told by us through art
\nWe\u2019ve never had a level playing field from the start<\/p>\n

We have a legitimate right to protest
\nIt\u2019s disingenuous of you to suggest
\nThat our demonstration was aggressive
\nWhen it was simply passionate and expressive<\/p>\n

Using the very arts that you claim to stand for
\nTo demonstrate our strength of feeling outside the door
\nWe made music, danced, lifted our voices in song
\nDisplayed placards that had our beautiful art on<\/p>\n

Yet you state that we were extreme and threatening
\nIn contrast, press there say we were peaceful and welcoming
\nPolice confirm there was no damage, injury or arrest
\nSo perhaps it\u2019s you trying to censor our right to protest<\/p>\n

Their singing was threatening is what the headlines say
\nBrandishing placards and drums that barred the way
\nYou accuse us of blocking freedom of expression
\nBut then you call our expression aggression!<\/p>\n

What does this say about you as a leading arts institution?
\nWhen you resort to this vicious persecution
\nBarbican you are cowardly and insincere
\nResorting to this malicious smear<\/p>\n

You simply confirm what we said from the start
\nYou are defending racism in the name of art
\nWhen prejudice, privilege and power are combined
\nInstitutional racism becomes clearly defined.<\/p>\n

Arik Eshet,\u00a0Artistic Director of Incubator Theatre, spoke via Skype about the cancellation of The City at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival<\/h3>\n