John Sims’ “The Proper Way to Hang a Confederate Flag,” created a frenzy of discussion back in March. At the time, I didn’t have a strong opinion one way or the other on the piece. I do believe that art should offend people from time to time. If a work of art sparks a discussion, then it was a success. Simply offending someone does not necessarily make something good art. At the same time, art that offends is not necessarily bad.
I do not think this particular piece will invoke the kind of rage we saw in 1989 with Dread Scott Tyler’s “What Is the Proper Way to Display a U.S. Flag?” Often, I feel as if people take quick offense to a piece they do not quite understand.
John Sims has to live with his decision to display work of this nature. He already lives with continual death threats from the Ku Klux Klan. If you offend those guys, you obviously did something right. I’d have to say that the primary purpose of art is to arouse emotions and social debate, which this piece had obviously accomplished.
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