Syndicate: akshun: EBAY AUCTION SPARKS ART AND POLITICS CONTROVERSY!

[Inke Arns <inke@berlin.snafu.de>]

From: akshun@geek.org
Date: Fri, 22 Oct 1999 08:05:54 -0700
Subject: EBAY AUCTION SPARKS ART AND POLITICS CONTROVERSY!


For Immediate Release:

CAL ARTS GALLERY UP FOR AUCTION ON EBAY; SCHOOL OFFICIALS DISAPPROVE;
POLITICAL GROUP VIES FOR SPACE AGAINST ARTISTS GROUPS

Friday October 22, 1999
Contact akshun@geek .com
1-310-398-7874

On Friday Oct.15, a collective at the California Institute of the Arts in
Valencia, known as the AKSHUN group put the school's main gallery up for
auction on popular internet auction house ebay. Since bidding began
inquiries from around the world have been pouring in from artists and
non-artists alike, who want to utilize this high profile space to speak out
about their work and their ideas.

A dissident political group from North Korea has been in contact with
AKSHUN with the hopes of using the gallery space to publicize views banned
by their government. Holding up the bidding process is section 6 of the
Export Administration Act (EAA), which forbids Americans from trading with
North Koreans, based on the Trading with the Enemy Act of 1917.

AKSHUN is considering appealing to Secretary of State Madeline Albright for
an exemption, arguing that the Act infringes on their first amendment right
to free speech. They claim that the goal of the ebay auction is not an
exchange of money but rather the free exchange of ideas. AKSHUN insists
that there are no grounds to distinguish between ebay or a museum; both are
institutions solely dependent upon monetary exchange for their existence.

In 1991 in Miami  a federal district judge overruled an attempt to censor the
work of pro-Castro artists on display in the Cuban Museum of Arts and
Culture. Cuba falls under the same EEA Trading with the Enemy Act.

Also making very strong bids for the gallery space are local Cal Arts
rivals, UCLA and Pasadena Art Center.

Cal Arts spokesperson Louis O'Toole said that while Cal Arts does not censor
any art work, this is an illogical use of the exhibition space, which has been
allotted for student expression. "I don't know why these kids would shoot
themselves in the foot by selling off such a valuable resource to
competitors."

A controversy has erupted within the Southern California art community over
the uses of gallery spaces. This is further sparking a series of heated
debates over the internet concerning censorship, education, and the value
of exhibition spaces. The site continues to be up for bid on ebay until
October 24.
(http://cgi.ebay.com/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=181775260)

For further information please contact akshun@geek.org.

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