Edward Noriega, Disturbing the Comfortably Religious in Alabama

ALPHA OMEGA ARTS
By Ernest Disney-Britton

"Working Feet" (2012)

On his website, politicalabamadesign.com, artist Edward Noriega includes the quote, “Art should comfort the disturbed and disturb the comfortable,” attributing it either Banksy or Cesar A. Cruz. It is fitting no matter the source. When an art exhibition of faculty works was shutdown by irritated board members, it was the work of Edward Noriega which received the blame. A museum spokesperson cited his use of swastika's in the show as a justification for the censorship. Noriega responded to me saying, "The work was created to reflect my personal opinion about the HB56 Law. In my opinion this law is a modern form of ethnic cleansing. It uses verbiage like "show me your papers" and "Foreigners Out". These are the very same words and tactics used by the Nazi Party. So in my estimation, I think the usage of such iconography is legitimate." Was it truly sensitivity to Jews and not the immigrant politics of Alabama which caused the censorship? What do you think?