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Issue date: 9/10/09 Section: Arts & Entertainment

Media Credit: Brandon Hunter Brandon Hunter's artwork that was removed from Schewel

Artwork from the Schewel second floor display was removed due to controversy over the nature of the piece. Senior Brandon Hunter was informed last Friday that his piece would be removed because of a complaint that the piece may be offensive for some students. Hunter designed a Barack Obama campaign poster last year for an assignment in his graphic design class.

After receiving a complaint from a freshman student, a veteran and former medic who served in Iraq, Director of First-Year Programs Dr. Herbert Bruce requested that the piece be taken down, Bryant said.

The art department decided that the poster would be taken down, Bryant said. In her four years here Bryant said that she has never been asked to take artwork down.

Hunter's artwork was displayed on the first floor of Schewel last fall along with other student designed campaign posters for three to four weeks and no complaints were made, Bryant said.

"I know it's a very good design [but] we know this is a diverse campus so we don't want to offend or make anyone uncomfortable," Bryant said.

Hunter received a 2009 Student Silver ADDY award for his poster from the Advertising Federation of Roanoke Valley.

Hunter said that while it does upset him he respects the decision to have his piece taken down.

"The reason this is interesting is because it raises a lot of questions about censoring free speech… I don't think this is innately offensive. I think it's controversial but I think that's good. I designed it to be that way. It engages people," Hunter said.

Look for the extended version of this story in Issue 4 of The Critograph.

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