Thursday, December 23rd, 2010

Zimbabwe Artist Faces Trial, Exhibit Banned

September 1, 2010 by All Art News  
Filed under Art Crime & Legal

ZIMBABWE (AP).- A Zimbabwe artist’s attorney says the artist will go to trial next month for depicting scenes in his paintings of civilians being massacred by government troops, images that have now been banned under the country’s censorship laws.

Earlier this year, police shut down Owen Maseko’s exhibit depicting an armed uprising after Zimbabwe’s independence in 1980 when civilians were crushed by troops loyal to President Robert Mugabe.

Attorney Lizwe Jamela said Tuesday that Maseko has now been charged with displaying “false statements” prejudicial to the state and faces a fine or imprisonment. Jamela says the artist is not charged under censorship laws. He is expected to go to court mid-September.

The state censors’ board on Monday declared the exhibit banned for obscenity and ethnic bias.

Related posts:

  1. Zimbabwe Police Shut 2nd Art Exhibit on Violence
  2. Moscow Curators Say their Trial is Political
  3. Westchester Artist to Exhibit at Historical Muscoot Farm
  4. Portland-based Artist to Exhibit for Art For Arts’ Sake Opening of the New Orleans Art Season
  5. Park West Gallery: Fine Art Registry Misrepresents Outcome of Federal Trial

Speak Your Mind

Tell us what you're thinking...
and oh, if you want a pic to show with your comment, go get a gravatar!