Isaac Butler's 'The Perfect Moment' Revisits the Culture Wars and NEA Funding Battles
In 'The Perfect Moment,' Isaac Butler examines the culture wars in the United States from the mid-1980s through 2000, emphasizing the censorship of art by the state and limitations on government funding. The book details the difficulties encountered by NEA chairs John Frohnmayer and Jane Alexander in the face of threats from Congress. It also addresses the 1990 obscenity trial involving the Contemporary Arts Center's display of Robert Mapplethorpe's work and the case against 2 Live Crew, both of which ended in acquittals that limited state censorship. Additionally, it explores political disputes surrounding NEA funding, including Senator Jesse Helms' proposed 'loyalty oath' and the Supreme Court's endorsement of the 'decency and respect' clause in 'National Endowment for the Arts v. Finley.' Michael Rushton's review critiques Butler's dichotomous representation of the conflict.
Key facts
- Isaac Butler's book 'The Perfect Moment' covers the US culture wars from mid-1980s to around 2000.
- NEA chairs John Frohnmayer and Jane Alexander faced challenges balancing Congressional threats and peer-reviewed grants.
- The Contemporary Arts Center in Cincinnati was prosecuted in 1990 for exhibiting Robert Mapplethorpe's 'The Perfect Moment'.
- 2 Live Crew was charged with obscenity in Florida in 1990; both cases resulted in not guilty verdicts.
- Senator Jesse Helms proposed a 'loyalty oath' that would restrict NEA funding of art that 'denigrates' religion.
- The NEA adopted a 'decency and respect' clause, upheld by the Supreme Court in 'National Endowment for the Arts v. Finley'.
- The clause remains in NEA grant guidelines to this day.
- Butler describes the liberal establishment's amnesia in recognizing the culture wars as a coordinated movement.
Entities
Artists
- Isaac Butler
- Robert Mapplethorpe
- Andres Serrano
- David Wojnarowicz
- Karen Finley
- Holly Hughes
- John Fleck
- Tim Miller
- John Maynard Keynes
Institutions
- National Endowment for the Arts
- Contemporary Arts Center
- Supreme Court
- ArtsJournal
- Substack
Locations
- United States
- Cincinnati
- Florida