International Artists Organization Condemns Texas Seizure of Sally Mann Photos

Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth

The Artists at Risk Connection (ARC) says it condemns the seizure of the Sally Mann photographers included in the Diaries of Home exhibition in Fort Worth, Texas and calling it a “brazen act of censorship” by Texas authorities.

“This brazen act of censorship by Texas authorities not only undermines artistic freedom but also sets a dangerous precedent for the cultural sector in the United States,” Julie Trébault
Executive Director of the ARC, tells PetaPixel in an email.

“The targeting of Sally Mann, a celebrated artist whose work delves deeply into themes of family and identity, is emblematic of a troubling trend of intimidation and moral panic used to silence challenging voices—particularly those of women, LGBTQIA+, and marginalized artists.”

Earlier this week, multiple photos by Sally Mann were seized from the Modern Art Museum of Forth Worth after a reporter from the Dallas Express visited the exhibit and accused the museum of “promoting child porn.” Mann’s work is part of the wider Diaries of Home exhibit which, according to the Modern Art Museum of Forth Worth’s website, “features works by women and nonbinary artists, who explore the multilayered concepts of family, community, and home.” The exhibit hosts 13 documentary photographers including Mann whose work the museum describes as “intimate and compelling.”

“There are images on display at this museum that are grossly inappropriate at best. They should be taken down immediately and investigated by law enforcement for any and all potential criminal violations. Children must be protected, and decency must prevail,” Tarrant County Judge Tim O’Hare said.

The Sally Mann photographs that were part of this exhibition — Popsicle Drips, The Perfect Tomato, The Wet Bed, Another Cracker, and Cereus — and their labels have been removed from the exhibition, per Glasstire. Of note, Glasstire reports that Jess T. Dugan’s photograph Elinor at the cabin, which depicts a partially nude child, remains in the exhibition and on display.

The ARC says that the seizure of these photos undermines artistic freedom and published a detailed statement on its website condemning the seizure of the photos and referring to it as “intimidation” of the artist and her work.

The Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth. | Ted Forbes, The Art of Photography.

“Sally Mann is an award-winning photographer whose work, while often provocative, has long been celebrated as a profound exploration of family and identity, firmly situated within the canon of contemporary art. Her photographs, including those in Diaries of Home, reflect deeply personal themes drawn from her own life, offering intimate and thought-provoking insights through the lens of art,” Trébault writes.

The ARC is an international organization founded in 2017 that is committed to promoting and advancing the right to artistic freedom worldwide. The organization says it works to protect artists and cultural workers who are at risk because of their creative expression.

“It is quite alarming to witness the use of moral panic and legal action against the artist and the museum. This is not an isolated incident but rather, part of a pervasive backsliding of democratic norms and artistic freedom in the U.S. and worldwide. The targeting of women, LGBTQIA+, and other marginalized artists whose work challenges societal norms is a common tactic borrowed from authoritarian states around the world. We must act now to prevent these incursions from creating a domino effect of intimidation and self-censorship across the American cultural sector. ARC calls on policymakers, cultural leaders, media outlets, and the public to condemn this harmful action and defend the right of artists and institutions to present works that engage with difficult subjects and provoke meaningful dialogue. Anything less jeopardizes the role of art as a cornerstone of a free and open society,” Trébault concludes.

The full statement from ARC can be read on its website.