Vasari Art Codex

article policy schedule Oct 13, 2025 visibility 3 link 6 artists, 1 gallery

Political censorship of art exhibition at California’s Pepperdine University

Pepperdine University, a private Christian institution in Malibu, California, censored and closed an art exhibition titled "Hold My Hand in Yours" at its Frederick R. Weisman Museum of Art. The exhibition, curated by museum director Andrea Gyorody, featured works centered on hands as symbols of labor, identity, care, and connection. On October 1, administrators Lauren Cosentino and Nicole Singer visited the museum, leading to the shutdown of artist Elena Mann's video "Call to Arms 2015-2022," which included references to Donald Trump's policies, the overturning of Roe v. Wade, the Brett Kavanaugh hearings, and the George Floyd protests. Another work, "Con Nuestras Manos Construimos Deidades" by Natalie Godinez and the nonprofit AMBOS, was also censored after officials objected to text reading "Save the Children" and "Abolish ICE."

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Pepperdine Closes Exhibit Featuring “Overtly Political” Art

Pepperdine University in Malibu, California, closed the exhibition “Hold My Hand In Yours” at the Frederick R. Weisman Museum of Art on October 6, after artists discovered their works had been removed or altered for being “overtly political.” The show, curated by museum director Andrea Gyorody, explored the imagery of hands in relation to labor and care. One artist found her video turned off at the university’s request, and a sculpture was modified to hide text reading “Save the Children” and “Abolish ICE.” The affected artists requested their pieces be removed, and others withdrew in solidarity. University officials cited a policy to avoid overtly political content consistent with its nonprofit status, and offered apologies while honoring compensation agreements.