July 26–August 2, 2001

media

Blood Read

An artist says PNI altered a small but important element of his Holocaust-themed work.

by Frank Lewis

Crossed: Bernstein’s Titus.

Journalists love stories involving accusations of censorship, and here’s one that Inquirer and Daily News reporters can cover without leaving their building.

Artist Neil Bernstein, who recently installed a collection of Jewish-themed works in the lobby of the papers’ headquarters at 400 N. Broad St., says that descriptions of three of his sculptures — Dauchau, Hitler’s Den and Titus and the Destruction of Jerusalem 70 A.D.— were altered without his consent. The words "Jew blood" were edited out of the lists of materials used to make each piece.

Bernstein says he used real blood, from himself and his apprentice, who’s also Jewish, as a way to convey "the immense fear and disconnection I feel as Jew looking back at history." The descriptions, therefore, became essential to the work, he says.

Pamela Browner-Crawley, spokeswoman for Philadelphia Newspapers Inc., says the descriptions were changed because some PNI employees were offended, she says.

"I am going to be sensitive to the sensibilities of the people who work here," Browner-Crawley says. She could not say, however, how many people complained, or what exactly they’d complained about.

She contends that Bernstein had agreed to the change in advance, but then wrote the words "Jew blood" in pen on the gallery walls alongside the printed descriptions.

She also repeatedly expressed disappointment that Bernstein had taken his case to a reporter rather than to her.

But Bernstein says he never agreed to such changes, and the last time he talked to Browner-Crawley, at the opening reception July 6, there was no problem; the descriptions were as he’d written them. In fact, he says he told Browner-Crawley how pleased he was not to have been censored. He had been braced for resistance to Dauchau, which includes an image of a swastika.

He admits to writing on a wall, but only because one work — not one of those in question — had been displayed with no description at all.

He says he learned of the altered descriptions upon returning from a trip last week.

"I can’t imagine who was offended by it," Bernstein says. But he seems more curious than angry. He says he doesn’t want to pick a fight with PNI, "but I think this raises some interesting questions about why people would be offended by that.… Do they want nice Holocaust art?"

Bernstein says he’d like an explanation, but is not considering removing his work from the PNI building. "A dialogue has begun here," he says. "And to take the work down kills that."

Similarly, Browner-Crawley says PNI is pleased to be able to give artists like Bernstein some exposure and has every intention of continuing. "But I guess," she adds, "we’ll continue to get surprises like this."