But it does tell me that if enough people stand together an issue they will see a positive result. Thanks for your support.
I spoke with PRIDE executive Dot Belstler the other day. She admitted to me she hadn’t seen my art before she made the statements about my art being too sexually explicit. She was only going by what Rob Anderson had told her. She said once she saw my art she couldn’t see what all the fuss was about and that next time she will review ALL the facts before making a statement. She had only taken on the Executive Director Position 5 days AFTER the Pride Art Show told me my art work was too erotic and therefore unacceptable. So obviously no one was at the helm until Dot came on board in the middle of the controversy. At least the outcome was finally positive. Thanks again for being so outspoken in your views. these people really needed to hear what you had to say!

You are being disingenuous. You were brought in to manage this fiasco after several well connected and influential people demanded that you step in to squelch this burning inferno that YOUR jury from YOUR Pride art show started. Mr. Miller from Ai Minnesota indicated to Mark that the jury would not accept this this piece of artwork because it was too erotic. You come in like Joan of Arc trying to salvage Pride’s reputation but you are just too late. The damage was already done. You conveniently leave out much of the story about how Marc had to work days to defend his artwork and reputation against sexually repressive minions that thought they had this one nipped in the bud. Quit being dishonest and give the whole story about this lunacy. Your people reversed their decision only after the damage was done AND the court of public opinion was clearly against the art jury decision. We expect more of you…or perhaps we expect too much. As one posting indicated we don’t need your corporate suckling pigs at the trough to have a fantastic time at Pride. You and Pride have sold your souls to put on a good show at the cost of trying to minimize your censorship. Oh and before you start denying this, I am Marc’s partner so believe me I KNOW what I’m talking about. Just be an adult, admit this travesty, apologize publicly and stand firm so that this lunacy doesn’t happen to other artists in the future.

The male body whether soft, erect, ejaculating, having intercourse, etc. is no more to be shunned than the female doing its natural functions such as breast feeding, etc. which is portrayed all over our media and art. This censorship is sexist discrimination against men. It is internalized homophobia.

P.S. If the committee is worried about children, just put a warning notice to parents at the entrance to the exhibit.

The jury was very impressed by the work submitted by Marc DeBauch and selected his work titled “Morning on a Balcony” for inclusion in the 2010 Art Show. This piece is a full male nude and demonstrates good technique and was seen by the jury as his best piece of submitted work.

Pride is mystified why this artist feels his art was censored, when the jury accepted a full male nude by the artist — a work with far more nudity than “Mansweat” (the piece identified in this blog
post).

The public is invited to attend the free public show on June 10 from 5:30 -8:30 at Ai, 15 S. Ninth Street, Minneapolis. A short program will begin at 6:30 p.m. More information is available at tcpride.org.

Anyone who questions the integrity of this show need only attend and see for themselves.

Dot Belstler
Executive Director, Twin Cities Pride

We started out without funding and sponsorship. Our freedom is more valuable than their money. If it wasn’t we never would have started this tradition of marching every year. We know when the march is and in towns as big and established as Toronto people know where the march is. If we have any of the courage of our convictions, if we have any real understanding of what Stonewall was all about, if we have learned anything from the courage of those heroes, we cannot compromise the integrity of our freedom.

What do we need corporate funding for? The first Stonewall Marches had no paid entertainment, no huge decorations, no fancy brochures and programs handed out freely mostly to be trash by the end of the day. The word went out, we gathered and marched, we celebrated at Central Park or wherever each town’s parade ended up. If the choice is between tightening budgets or limiting our freedom anybody who chooses money over freedom is selling us out, not fit to lead our community, nor is anyone who sacrifices any part of our community to the dictates of any outside pressure group.

For subjecting this and other artists to this rather prurient decision to deem this artwork as too erotic you get a “F” – YOU FAILED not only Pride and it’s cherished history but all of us here in the Twin Cities. I could understand if this was your first art show but you people have been at this for a few years now and yet your actions speak – HOMOPHOBIA.

Anita Bryant would be proud of you!

“As for art and nudes – sculptures of male nudes grace the entries of some of our most noted institutions including Westminster Presbyterian Church. In this age, why should an oil painting of a male nude without an erection be considered too hot to handle?”

Not only is it absurd to label nudity in fine art as “too erotic” but it’s downright confusing to censor nudity at a Pride exhibition! Ha!

And what about all the blatant female nudity out there depicted in “fine art”?

I grow constantly annoyed by the seemingly increasing double standard when it comes to depictions of males vs. females.