Monday, July 23, 2018

Censored! Trump cartoon show at the Corcoran

At the Spiked opening reception at the Corcoran School of the Arts and Design/Photo by Patricia Leslie

Everybody who keeps up with politics knows about the firing of editorial cartoonist Rob Rogers after his 25-year tenure at the Pittsburg Post-Gazette. Speaking on behalf of newspaper management, they just couldn't take them any more.
 Image ©2018 Rob Rogers. Image courtesy of Rob Rogers, Andrews McMeel Syndication.

Management spiked or killed several of Mr. Rogers's cartoons and ideas about Trump. His drawings went too far, capturing in perfect pencil and words, Trump today.

Too much!  Cried the bosses and finally, Mr. Rogers was shown the door.
Image ©2018 Rob Rogers. Image courtesy of Rob Rogers, Andrews McMeel Syndication.
Image ©2018 Rob Rogers. Image courtesy of Rob Rogers, Andrews McMeel Syndication.Immigrant Children, 6-1-18

Had they tried, they would have been unable to quash the Association of American Editorial Cartoonists from celebrating the opening last Wednesday of an exhibition of Mr. Rogers's cut works in a display at the Corcoran School of the Arts and Design (formerly the Corcoran Gallery of Art).  

Eighteen cartoons or ideas the newspaper "spiked" hang on the walls.
 Image ©2018 Rob Rogers. Image courtesy of Rob Rogers, Andrews McMeel Syndication.
Image ©2018 Rob Rogers. Image courtesy of Rob Rogers, Andrews McMeel Syndication.
At the Spiked opening reception at the Corcoran School of the Arts and Design/Photo by Patricia Leslie

How wonderful it all was to be back at the Corcoran with Rogers's powerful renderings, to admire the marble of the halls, the columns, the size of the place, the soaring ceiling

It's been a too-long absence for the public while the Corcoran's collections and building were batted around by D.C. deciders who laid claims on this and that. (Thankfully, the National Gallery of Art got the pick of the $2 billion collection and has placed many of the works on public display with credit always to the Corcoran. You may search its collection of the thousands of Corcoran pieces by entering "Corcoran" on the "Search the Collection" tab.)  

At the Spiked opening reception at the Corcoran School of the Arts and Design/Photo by Patricia Leslie
At the Spiked opening reception at the Corcoran School of the Arts and Design/Photo by Patricia Leslie

Two critical elements in an open society, bulwarks in the artistic world, celebrate their debuts and dedication to their respective causes in a place where the people hope the exhibitions keep on coming.

This fall with the AAEC and George Washington University's School for Media and Public Affairs, the Corcoran School (owned by GWU) will host a series about censorship, freedom of the press, journalistic integrity, and the consequences of nationalism to a democracy.


Organizers of Spiked are the University Art Gallery and the University of Pittsburgh in association with the AAEC. This fall the show moves to the University of Pittsburgh for a bigger installation

Do you think the newspaper will list the exhibition when it comes to town?


What: Spiked:  The Unpublished Political Cartoons of Rob Rogers

When: Now through October 14, 2018; Tuesday through Friday, 10 a.m. - 6 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday, 1 - 6 p.m.

Where: Corcoran School of the Arts and Design at George Washington University, Atrium Galleries at Flagg Building, 500 17th St. N.W. Washington, D.C. 20006

How much: Admission is free.

For more information: 202-994-1700

patricialesli@gmail.com

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