Friday 17th July 2015Smithsonian / Cosby Controversy Deepens
Perhaps the most curiously controversial art exhibit in the United States right now is taking place at an unlikely source: that venerable bastion of American culture and heritage, the Smithsonian Museum. The curious aspect is that the pieces themselves have not caused the controversy, but rather the collector who loaned the majority of the pieces in the exhibition, Bill Cosby. Formerly a beloved television father and comedian, Cosby has since been accused of a number of sexual assaults, and even more recently, an unsealed 2005 deposition documents him admitting to at least some aspects of the allegations. While he hasn't been formally charged, he has naturally been the target of much anger and controversy.
Suddenly, the Smithsonian decision begins to seem a little more suspect. Naturally, the artworks themselves should be seen and viewed, but their decision to keep the exhibit open and to accept Cosby's money at the same time begins to suggest that this is really more of a publicity campaign for Cosby during a difficult time for his public image - and that's not really what museums and galleries are about, is it?
Wednesday 19th November 2014Cosby Art Exhibit Continues Take, for example, the famous yet currently-embroiled comedian, Bill Cosby. Like many rich and successful people, he has amassed a private collection of artwork that rivals many galleries, and like many rich and successful people, he has chosen to share that with a more recognizable gallery in hopes of sharing the work he has collected, and less obviously, add to his prestige and reputation. To that end, the National Museum of African Art, a subsidiary of the world-famous Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C., has been displaying works from the collection of Bill and Camille Cosby as part of the 'Conversations: African and African American Artworks in Dialogue' exhibit, which is planned to run until 2016. However, as anyone who has so much as touched a newspaper or a computer will no doubt be aware, Bill Cosby is currently at the centre of a storm of accusations of sexual abuse from a growing number of women. While no formal charges have yet been laid against Cosby, many questions have been raised about whether or not Cosby's art should still remain a part of the Conversations exhibit. Until recently, the Smithsonian has refused to comment on the issue, but has finally relented and released a statement that manages to say very little other than disavowing any connection between the appropriateness of the collection's use and Cosby's alleged actions. The statement reads: “The National Museum of African Art’s mission is to inspire conversations about the beauty, power and diversity of African arts and cultures. We began planning for the “Conversations” exhibition two years ago to help showcase the history of American art created by persons of African descent. It brings the public’s attention to artists whose works have long been omitted from the study of American art history. We are aware of the controversy surrounding Bill Cosby, who, along with his wife Camille, owns many of the works in the “Conversations” exhibition. Exhibiting this important collection does not imply any position on the serious allegations that have been made against Mr. Cosby. The exhibition is centrally about the artworks and the artists who created them.” An admirable goal, but the art world doesn't exist in a vacuum - we all live there. 
Much of the art world thrives on controversy. It's one of the many engines that drives gossip throughout humanity, and artists are no exception. The very nature of the work we do challenges the way people see the world, and how they interact with it. But as the trend of exhibiting the collections of prominent celebrities continues, there is often some unintended controversy that gets dragged into the fray along with the art itself.
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