House Speaker-designate John Boehner (R-Ohio) and incoming Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.) on Tuesday called for the dismantling of an exhibit in the Smithsonian's National Portrait Gallery after they learned that it contains video of a Jesus statue with ants crawling on it, as well as works of art with strongly sexual themes.
Titled "Hide/Seek," the exhibit is slated to run from Oct. 30 to Feb. 13. The conservative website CNS News.com first alerted the two Republican leaders to its content.
Boehner spokesman Kevin Smith said, "Smithsonian officials should either acknowledge the mistake and correct it, or be prepared to face tough scrutiny beginning in January when the new majority in the House moves [in]." He later clarified that Boehner wanted the exhibit "cancelled."
Cantor demanded that the exhibit be "pulled," calling it "an outrageous use of taxpayer money."
The #2 Republican in the House also took issue with the timing of the exhibit, which he labeled "an obvious attempt to offend Christians during the Christmas season."
According to the Smithsonian's website, the exhibit focuses on "how art has reflected society's evolving and changing attitudes toward sexuality, desire, and romantic attachment." Among the works are paintings by Georgia O'Keeffe, Andy Warhol, and Jasper Johns.
Both Boehner and Cantor said the National Portrait Gallery could expect to face tougher scrutiny next year when Republicans take over the House.
"When a museum receives taxpayer money, the taxpayers have a right to expect that the museum will uphold common standards of decency," said Cantor. "The museum should pull the exhibit and be prepared for serious questions come budget time.”
In response, a spokeswoman for the Smithsonian noted that federal funding is not used to pay for exhibits, only infrastructure, curating of works, and staff. The exhibit itself was funded by a group of donors and foundations. Update: The National Portrait Gallery agreed to remove one of the artworks from the exhibit late Tuesday. "A Fire in My Belly," the video installation that depicts ants on a cross, was taken down.
Museum director Martin Sullivan said
in a statement, “I regret that some reports about the exhibit have
created an impression that the video is intentionally sacrilegious.”
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