Flag ‘lynching’ canceled artist unhappy with college’s compromise

An art show that prompted the threat of a boycott of the Gettysburg area by the Sons of Confederate Veterans is being toned down.

Gettysburg College announced Monday that artist John Sims will not be coming after hearing that the most controversial part of his exhibit could not be displayed outside the gallery, a Confederate flag hanging from a gallows.

Sims' exhibit, "Recoloration Proclamation: The Gettysburg Redress," opens Friday night at the college's Schmucker Art Gallery, but Sims will not be coming to campus.

The exhibit runs through Sept. 26. It still includes two Confederate flags Sims has rendered in alternate colors and other items.

The Sons of Confederate Veterans said they are happy the controversial work will not be on display, but they still plan to demonstrate.

From the Gettysburg Forum, the Independent Newspaper of Gettysburg College

Gettysburg College Sponsors Flag "Lynching"

by Lauren Racine
September 3rd, 2004

The small town of Gettysburg was the site of a controversial art exhibit on September 3rd, when at 6PM, Gettysburg College hosted artist John Sims divisive exhibit, "The Recoloration Proclamation: The Gettysburg Redress." The exhibit, which opened in Schmucker Hall, included Confederate flags with alternate color schemes, including African liberation colors, as well as purple, pink and fur "drag flags." In addition to this, the exhibit also boasted a "ReVote" piece, employing four actual voting booths used in the 2000 presidential election, backed by a "Floridian Rebel Flag."Dr. Walter L.Powell, Director of Planning and Historical Preservation of the Borough of Gettysburg, estimated that between 400 and 500 people attended the exhibit opening.
The most controversial aspect of the exhibit was the "lynching" of a Confederate flag upon a specially constructed crossbeam, entitled "The Proper Way to Hang a Confederate Flag." The event, which was moved indoors to the gallery from an original site outside of Schmucker Hall, failed to attract large groups of protestors, despite the desire to demonstrate that was expressed by members of Southern Heritage groups who uphold the protection of Confederate symbols. The Sons of Confederate Veterans was one such group. With over 32,000 members, they insisted that their members boycott Gettysburg’s tourist industry, an action that may have future economic repercussions in a town where tourism is a critical source of revenue. The SCV and their partner organization, the Southern Legal Resource Center held events in Gettysburg on Friday beginning with a candlelight vigil, led by H.K. Edgerton a former officer of the NAACP, honoring the fallen Confederate soldiers, and a rededication of the Peace Light Memorial on Friday, which was held at the same time as the exhibit opening.

John Sims, from a picture posted on his website.

The event sparked the complaints and concerns of local residents, who were wary of the potential security issues, as well as the social and economic ramifications of the event. It was estimated that the security costs for the lynching could exceed $120,000, according to Gettysburg Mayor, William Troxell. Security forces included college Safety & Security Officers, Gettysburg Police Officers and State Police Officials and unnamed federal officials. Repeated requests to different officials for the identity of the federal officials were denied. The economic burden placed upon the town in providing the funding for this extra security, coupled with what many people see as the dishonoring of their ancestors and the reopening of racial divisions, put pressure on Gettysburg College administrators to call off the event.
Gettysburg alumnus and a dual resident of Gettysburg and Falls Church, VA, Harry W. Buzzerd, expressed disgust and dissapointment at the exhibit, saying that it was "shameful and below the standards of Gettysburg College" and later described the exhibit as "crap."
However, the college held the event as planned, with only minor changes to the location of the actual lynching of the flag, and the missing presence of John Sims himself.
Sims has also colored other flags in a similar way. Notably, he changed the Chinese flag so that the yellow stars were altered to be the symbol of McDonalds.

Another flag colored by Mr. Sims, in this instance changing the Chinese flag to McDonald's golden arches.

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