The controversial exhibit pictured above was taken down early Tuesday evening after student complaints.

Students' art display evokes conflict

Tire swing, 7 noose-like ropes in campus tree meant to depict death of childhood

By: Megan Weiland and Monica Bolyson

Posted: 11/2/07

Miami University's Associated Student Government (ASG) passed a resolution in an emergency session Thursday night to respond to an artistic display found on Western Campus Tuesday that included a tire swing and seven noose-like ropes.

According to the three student artists involved, the piece, titled "Growing Up," was a class project, pre-approved by their professor and another member of the art department staff and was intended to signify the death of childhood-death being signified by the noose-like ropes and childhood signified by the tire swing.

A representative for the artists attended the emergency session to explain the thought process behind the display.

"It was never intended to be a racial statement," said the representative. "It was a class project for an Intro to Art class. The artists even changed the knots to scaffolding knots to signify death in its purest form without creating an actual noose."

He added that the seven noose-like ropes were meant to signify seven decades or 70 years, the lifespan of an average man. They were hung in a way that they could only clearly be seen if sitting on the tire swing.

The display was exhibited in a tree on Patterson Avenue across from the Art Building from 8 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Tuesday, until a student called the police at 5:13 p.m. alerting them to the display.

"It was only intended for our class to see," said one of the students involved. "We put it up right before our art class and immediately after my last class I went to take it down. When I got there, around five, police were there and wouldn't let me touch it."

The representative for the student said to ASG members that this was for safety purposes only as the ropes were hung high in the tree.

The resolution passed by ASG recognized what the project was and what it symbolized in its entirety and resolved to accept the role, through the Diversity Affairs Council, to create and facilitate different programs and discussions to educate the Miami community and raise awareness.

"This was good for us," said Jens Sutmöller, student body president. "In the end I think we accomplished three things. The first was student senate and leaders now have a better understanding of the situation. Then we realized there was an opportunity and responsibility to continue discussing the concepts as a campus and community. And third we are presenting as an organization that racism and bigotry do exist on campuses and we need to improve upon that climate."

Wednesday the three students involved in the project went to the Office of Ethics and Student Conflict Resolution to meet with President David Hodge, Associate Vice President of Student Affairs and Dean of Students Susan Mosley-Howard and other university officials to discuss the display.

Now the students involved are waiting while President Hodge and other university officials decide just what measures will be taken to penalize them.

"Nothing conclusive has been decided as of yet," Mosley-Howard said. "We are conducting an investigation separate from the Miami Police Department which is common in these situations. In any situation that involves both the police and the university, there could be two separate penalties."

Miami's Institutional Response team will be meeting today with several other university offices, including the Office of Equity and Equal Opportunity (OEEO).

Associate Director of OEEO, Kenya Ash, said no complaint has been filed with their office in regards to this incident and today's meeting will establish what role the office needs to take in the investigation.

President Hodge said Wednesday that he feels that careful consideration should have been taken when creating a project like this.

"Given all that's happened, especially with the events in Jena, this was highly inappropriate and this is where I hold them accountable," he said. "These are symbols that are known to project hatred and they should've known better."

James Lentini, dean of the School of Fine Arts, said he is looking into the approval process behind the art project.

"It's important for us to have good censors or radars for what is appropriate and where it is placed," he said.

He said many other schools have an Artistic Freedom Statement that offers guidelines for artwork that is to be displayed around campus. Miami doesn't follow this statement and the approval process is pre-approval by the class instructor and submission of an information form to the department of physical facilities.

"So far the approval process has worked fairly well with oversight by an instructor, but if we're putting something on public grounds, we need to look into this more closely," Lentini said. "When we place an art piece on the grounds, it looks like the university is endorsing this."

Lentini said as far as he knows, the professor did not know the full extent of the project and it is unclear whether the physical facilities but makes no mention of nooses.

"I'm looking into this whole situation to find out exactly what went on here," Lentini said. "It's unclear to me from interviewing this instructor whether or not it was clear in its entirety what the project was. These are complicated issues and this doesn't mean that we wouldn't support controversial pieces and artistic freedom but if it's going in a public place, we need to make sure that more than just the artist knows."

The representative for the students told ASG that the major issues with this display were perception and artist interpretation.

"Perception is just that-it is perception," he said. "It was meant for a class that already understood the meaning of the piece."

Mosley-Howard said while she understands this, a certain element of context is necessary.

"It's one thing if it is displayed in the Art Building or with some type of sign or explanation," she said. "In a public sphere such as this, there needs to be a contextual side."

Assistant Director of Educational Placement Gerald Yearwood agreed, saying free expression can be offensive without context.

"I didn't think that it was racially motivated, but given the magnitude that has taken place in this country relative to the hangman's noose, you would think that whoever put it together would have some information and back off," he said. "Certain things touch a nerve. Obviously, there was an impact and there are going to
be reactions."

The students involved said these reactions were never considered when constructing the artwork.

"I didn't see it coming," a student involved said. "It was shocking and scary. We were trying to explain ourselves. We weren't trying to hurt anyone."

The students issued a formal statement to the Police Department and President Hodge apologizing for any offense caused.

"We know that many are offended and we want everyone to know we're sorry for any offense," one student said. "It was never intended to be that way. It was never our goal to be insensitive. We send our sincerest apologies and we hope that the community forgives us."

Still some people were shocked by the incident.

"I was somewhat shocked," Yearwood said. "It touched me deeply because I'm well aware of lynchings that have taken place. It touched a nerve. No doubt about it."

The students involved realize that their form of artistry was not appreciated, though it was never their intent to make a racist gesture.

"First we need to make sure the community understands what happened-that it was not an act of hate and we need to stress and that we are deepening our resolve to create a climate of respect," Hodge said.

Other administrators agree that they hope that this event can raise awareness throughout Miami.

"We are a family and we need to handle this as a family," said Mathew Boaz, director of the Office of Equity and Equal Opportunity. "We cannot let external rifts hinder us. We need to resolve this and move forward together. We have a great leader here and we need to give him a chance to collect the information he needs to move us forward."

According to Mosley-Howard, the Center for American and World Cultures and the Office of Diversity Affairs and other faculty members are planning ways to engage the Miami community in conversation about the issues raised by the project. Members of the President's Executive Council will meet with concerned students Nov. 7 to give them a chance to discuss any concerns or strategies they may have for a more
unified community.