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# Hundreds Attend Wojnarowicz Censorship Protest in Manhattan
- URL: https://hyperallergic.com/wojnarowicz-protest-nyc/
- Published: 2010-12-19T21:13:39.000Z
- Updated: 2025-11-24T15:37:45.000Z
- Description: Today, approximately 400-500 protesters gathered on the steps of the Metropolitan Museum to take part in a rally demanding that the Smithsonian return the censored video by artist David Wojnarowicz, "A Fire In My Belly," to the National Portrait Gallery's Hide/Seek: Difference and Desire in American
- Author: Hrag Vartanian
- Tags: Art, #image-position-hidden, Censorship, David Wojnarowicz, Hide/Seek, National Portrait Gallery, Protest, #wp, #wp-post, #Import 2025-11-17 09:23 (2009-2011)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/51/f8/51f871d8-b6be-4a73-b958-0ca4fff0110a/content/images/hyperallergic-newspack-s3-amazonaws-com/uploads/2010/12/barry-james.jpg)

Activists, art bloggers, and co-publishers of Idiom Magazine, James Wagner and Barry Hoggard in front of the Cooper-Hewitt. (click to enlarge)

Today, approximately 400-500 protesters gathered on the steps of the Metropolitan Museum to take part in a rally demanding that the Smithsonian return the censored video by artist [David Wojnarowicz](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David%5FWojnarowicz?ref=hyperallergic.com), “A Fire In My Belly,” to the National Portrait Gallery’s [*Hide/Seek: Difference and Desire in American Portraiture.*](http://www.npg.si.edu/exhibit/exhhide.html?ref=hyperallergic.com)

Organized by [Art+](http://artpositive.org/?ref=hyperallergic.com), a New York-based group organizing direct action against the censorship of Wojnarowicz’s video, the march began in the middle of Museum Mile and marched uptown along Fifth Avenue until the [Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum](http://www.cooperhewitt.org/?ref=hyperallergic.com), which is a Manhattan-based Smithsonian institution.

Protesters chanted everything from “[Put it back!](http://twitter.com/?ref=hyperallergic.com#!/black%5Fvon/status/16567371858706432)” and “[Ants in my pants, fire in my belly](http://twitter.com/?ref=hyperallergic.com#!/museumnerd/status/16567170267877376)” to “[It’s Christmas, what’s wrong with you?](http://twitter.com/?ref=hyperallergic.com#!/NoGoPhoto/status/16565853235449856)” and the more satirical “[Free the ants!](http://twitter.com/?ref=hyperallergic.com#!/hragv/status/16565496929329152)”

Art+ is demanding the video be restored to the exhibition, which was ordered [removed in late November by the Smithsonian Secretary G. Wayne Glough](http://blogs.artinfo.com/modernartnotes/2010/12/only-on-man-smithsonian-secretary-pulled-video/?ref=hyperallergic.com) after [manufactured outrage by right-wing media outlets](http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/blogs/artsdesk/visual-arts/2010/12/08/a-fire-in-her-belly-penny-starr-the-conservative-activist-who-punked-the-smithsonian/?ref=hyperallergic.com) and pressure from [right-wing US congressman](http://washingtonscene.thehill.com/in-the-know/36-news/7223-boehner-and-cantor-call-for-closing-of-smithsonian-exhibit?ref=hyperallergic.com).

After the protest arrived at the Cooper-Hewitt, rally organizer [Bill Dobbs](http://jameswagner.com/2004/08/bill%5Fdobbs.html?ref=hyperallergic.com) addressed the crowd and the peaceful protest ended soon afterward.

![witz](https://storage.ghost.io/c/51/f8/51f871d8-b6be-4a73-b958-0ca4fff0110a/content/images/hyperallergic-newspack-s3-amazonaws-com/uploads/2010/12/wojnarowiczprot-01.jpg)

The protest began with protesters marching in a circle in front of the Metropolitan Museum.

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![witz](https://storage.ghost.io/c/51/f8/51f871d8-b6be-4a73-b958-0ca4fff0110a/content/images/hyperallergic-newspack-s3-amazonaws-com/uploads/2010/12/wojnarowiczprot-02.jpg)

Protest signs were dominated by David Wojnarowicz’s own face.

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![witz](https://storage.ghost.io/c/51/f8/51f871d8-b6be-4a73-b958-0ca4fff0110a/content/images/hyperallergic-newspack-s3-amazonaws-com/uploads/2010/12/wojnarowiczprot-03.jpg)

More protesters.

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![ alt=](https://storage.ghost.io/c/51/f8/51f871d8-b6be-4a73-b958-0ca4fff0110a/content/images/hyperallergic-newspack-s3-amazonaws-com/uploads/2010/12/wojnarowiczprot-04.jpg)

The ant on a sign asks, “What did I do?”

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![witz](https://storage.ghost.io/c/51/f8/51f871d8-b6be-4a73-b958-0ca4fff0110a/content/images/hyperallergic-newspack-s3-amazonaws-com/uploads/2010/12/wojnarowiczprot-05.jpg)

A protester marches with a gag to symbolize the Smithsonian’s silencing of Wojnarowicz.

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![witz](https://storage.ghost.io/c/51/f8/51f871d8-b6be-4a73-b958-0ca4fff0110a/content/images/hyperallergic-newspack-s3-amazonaws-com/uploads/2010/12/wojnarowiczprot-06.jpg)

The glittery “Fire In My Belly” was one of my favorite signs on display as it captured the perfect mix of camp, activism, and artistic expression.

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![witz](https://storage.ghost.io/c/51/f8/51f871d8-b6be-4a73-b958-0ca4fff0110a/content/images/hyperallergic-newspack-s3-amazonaws-com/uploads/2010/12/wojnarowiczprot-07.jpg)

Wojnarowicz asks, “Wussup Haters?”

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![witz](https://storage.ghost.io/c/51/f8/51f871d8-b6be-4a73-b958-0ca4fff0110a/content/images/hyperallergic-newspack-s3-amazonaws-com/uploads/2010/12/wojnarowiczprot-08.jpg)

Artinfo’s Andrew Goldstein gets a quote from a protester.

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![witz](https://storage.ghost.io/c/51/f8/51f871d8-b6be-4a73-b958-0ca4fff0110a/content/images/hyperallergic-newspack-s3-amazonaws-com/uploads/2010/12/wojnarowiczprot-09.jpg)

The march heads uptown along Central Park.

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![witz](https://storage.ghost.io/c/51/f8/51f871d8-b6be-4a73-b958-0ca4fff0110a/content/images/hyperallergic-newspack-s3-amazonaws-com/uploads/2010/12/wojnarowiczprot-10.jpg)

Marchers pass the Guggenheim Museum.

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![witz](https://storage.ghost.io/c/51/f8/51f871d8-b6be-4a73-b958-0ca4fff0110a/content/images/hyperallergic-newspack-s3-amazonaws-com/uploads/2010/12/wojnarowiczprot-11.jpg)

A symbol of a bygone era of AIDS activism, ACT UP’s “Silence = Death” slogan seems as relevant as ever.

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![witz](https://storage.ghost.io/c/51/f8/51f871d8-b6be-4a73-b958-0ca4fff0110a/content/images/hyperallergic-newspack-s3-amazonaws-com/uploads/2010/12/wojnarowiczprot-12.jpg)

Someone has a frank message about free speech.

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![witz](https://storage.ghost.io/c/51/f8/51f871d8-b6be-4a73-b958-0ca4fff0110a/content/images/hyperallergic-newspack-s3-amazonaws-com/uploads/2010/12/wojnarowiczprot-13.jpg)

An activist draws the stitching around his mouth to mimick [David Wojnarowicz’s “Untitled” (1990)](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David%5FWojnarowicz?ref=hyperallergic.com).

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![witz](https://storage.ghost.io/c/51/f8/51f871d8-b6be-4a73-b958-0ca4fff0110a/content/images/hyperallergic-newspack-s3-amazonaws-com/uploads/2010/12/wojnarowiczprot-14.jpg)

The spirit of queer activism was exemplified by this leather jacket that depicted a bomb-like olive in a martini glass on a field of pink.

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![witz](https://storage.ghost.io/c/51/f8/51f871d8-b6be-4a73-b958-0ca4fff0110a/content/images/hyperallergic-newspack-s3-amazonaws-com/uploads/2010/12/wojnarowiczprot-15.jpg)

A gentleman, who someone told me was possibly ~~Ronnie Cutrone~~ Peter Cramer, with a unique protest sign that I wasn’t able to figure out that makes sense if you read this line from Holland Cotter’s piece about the Wojnarowicz video, “Certain images were evidently filmed in a studio: coins falling into a bandaged hand, and a hand held under splashing water; halves of a loaf of bread being sewn together, and a man’s lips being sewn shut. “

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![witz](https://storage.ghost.io/c/51/f8/51f871d8-b6be-4a73-b958-0ca4fff0110a/content/images/hyperallergic-newspack-s3-amazonaws-com/uploads/2010/12/wojnarowiczprot-16.jpg)

Bill Dobbs, one of the protest organizers, addressing the crowd and demanding that the Wojnarowicz video be returned to the *Hide/Seek* exhibition.

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![witz](https://storage.ghost.io/c/51/f8/51f871d8-b6be-4a73-b958-0ca4fff0110a/content/images/hyperallergic-newspack-s3-amazonaws-com/uploads/2010/12/wojnarowiczprot-17.jpg)

Blogger Barry Hoggard at the Cooper-Hewitt.

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![witz](https://storage.ghost.io/c/51/f8/51f871d8-b6be-4a73-b958-0ca4fff0110a/content/images/hyperallergic-newspack-s3-amazonaws-com/uploads/2010/12/familyaffair.jpg)

Protesting censorship is a family affair.

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![witz](https://storage.ghost.io/c/51/f8/51f871d8-b6be-4a73-b958-0ca4fff0110a/content/images/hyperallergic-newspack-s3-amazonaws-com/uploads/2010/12/wojnarowiczprot-19.jpg)

The crowd in front of the Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum.

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![witz](https://storage.ghost.io/c/51/f8/51f871d8-b6be-4a73-b958-0ca4fff0110a/content/images/hyperallergic-newspack-s3-amazonaws-com/uploads/2010/12/wojnarowiczprot-20.jpg)

An activist recreates a poignant moment from Wojnarowicz’s “A Fire In My Belly Video.”

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*The protest was organized by* [*Art+ (aka Art Positive)*](http://artpositive.org/?ref=hyperallergic.com)*, which is a New York City-based art action group fighting censorship and homophobia.*