The Ethics of Exhibitions: On the Presentation of Religious Art

Typically, in the presentation of art, those who objections to certain ways of presenting art that present the art want those who see it to see it in one owns. Whether one fails to meet an ethical a particular way. That a presenter would like to obligation will, of course, be determined by influence how viewers see the art is especially what sort of ethical maxim is used, but I think likely when the presenter also owns the art in that this art museum, with its interestingly comquestion. In such cases, questions arise as to plex set of issues that crosses over and back whether there is any sort of moral or aesthetic between ethics and aesthetics, will not easily obligation to present art in such a way that it lend itself to a straightforward ethical or aesendorses the content of the art itself, is respect- thetic assessment. ful of the intentions of the artist, or whether owners have carte blanche to present their art in any way they see fit. My ultimate concern here I. THE MUSEUM: A CASE STUDY is whether one has different kinds of moral obligations toward art and its presentation than one Bob Jones University is a conservative, nondedoes toward other kinds of things that one nominational Christian educational complex in owns. Using the Bob Jones University Museum Greenville, South Carolina. It includes not only and Gallery and its collection of religious art as educational instruction for kindergarten through a case study, I will explore some issues sur- grade twelve, an undergraduate college, and a rounding the Museum's presentation of the graduate school, but also its own press, a radio works in its collection in an attempt to deter- station, and a video production studio. It has mine whether there is a legitimate argument to made a name for itself in the national news over be made for the existence of special moral obli- the past several years for a number of political gations with regard to the presentation of art positions it has held, its restrictions on interrathat one owns. cial dating, and several other political and reliIn what follows, I identify certain moral con- giously charged issues. cerns and obligations that might be thought to The Bob Jones University Museum and hold in relation to the art that one owns. I argue Gallery opened in 1951 and moved to its current that because of the negative message that the location in 1965. When the Museum began to Museum provides about the content of the art- receive funding from Greenville County it had works it presents, it falls short of an ideal ethi- to adopt different rules than those of the larger cal standard that one might hold with respect to university. The Museum is the only part of the the ownership and presentation of art. There is University complex that receives public money, no real legal question about whether or not this and hence is subject to some public standards. particular institution can own and present this That the rest of the University does not accept particular collection of artworks. My concern is this money allows it not to have to abide by rather whether there are legitimate ethical federal law, which is required by institutions