In what world is the injustice globally not frowned upon but saying the word "fuck" is? is a question that the conservative snowflake brigade (who shrink back in fright at any radical proposals or hints at social progress yet remain emotionless in discussing the problems with the world's inequality, corruption and violence) struggle to find an answer to. The underrepresentation of Kurt von Meier when discussing modern art and the last century's political movements proves to highlight exactly this.
Von Meier in 1966
Kurt von Meier was a Californian professor lecturing in art history at a variety of universities within the US, Australia and New Zealand. He is also the author of several critical and historical publications on art covering a variety of periods ranging from the medieval era to the 20th century. His work and teaching career is not without its controversy regarding their depiction of progressive and anti-establishment sentiment, notably in some of his unconventional methods of teaching.
These are described here by John Perry, one of his students:
“he really blew the place apart, with a whole raft of new ideas and teaching methodologies”[1]. As a newbie art historian myself in the early ‘70s I recall tales of von Meier’s ‘methodologies’. One involved getting the students to stand on chairs and shout ‘Fuck!’. A far cry from the more conventional approaches of subsequent lecturers. Sadly?! But he was informed, lively and up-to-date and his influence clearly crucial. The early 1960s sees these young artists making dramatic shifts from the more conventional, largely landscape-related work which dominated local art practice"
These, while developing his reputation as the "rock star professor", inspiring and motivating many students, and advocating for needed educational reform, were not in agreement with social norms and faced backlash from the general public. This was evident with his 1968 piece "Earth Rose", a magazine publication (shown below) simply featuring the words "FUCK HATE" in large capitals with the phrase "whereby on this day, we able minded creators do hereby tell you, The Establishment: FUCK YOU IN THE MOUTH. WE'VE HEARD ENOUGH OF YOUR BULLSHIT" underneath, along with poems by Charles Bukowski, John Buckner and Steve Richmond on the other side of the page. While this sounds like harmless activism and a protest for much needed reforms in the way the state operates (I as a student myself would personally love to have someone as passionate, outspoken and able to relate to our issues as him as my lecturer), Meier was charged with violation of California Code, PEN 311.2. However, he was not convicted.
In this hearing, Meier was quoted to notably say
"it would be "Hate" that is obscene" "And not "Fuck." I think there is a lot of hate and I am speaking very personally here. I am not for a minute suggesting that this was the intent of the poet, but if something morally offends me, it is to see human suffering that is permitted to continue knowingly, and I think that is working definition of hate...I am saying that here our problem is when women and children are shown dying and somebody opens another can of beer, that gets much closer to the sense of what is obscene in the world."
This would thus bring to light the importance of free speech and political representation within the media, as well as, ultimately, the pettiness and the major flaws in the US legal system at the time, and even somewhat in the present. For this, I will in the style of Meier, end this post with this I have made:
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