To the Office of the President and University Leadership, University of North Texas:

The alumni of the University of North Texas College of Visual Arts and Design denounce the abrupt cancellation of Ni de Aquí, Ni de Allá, an exhibition by nationally and internationally recognized artist Victor “Marka27” Quiñonez. The removal undermines the legacy of former students whose university education was grounded in the principles of art making as an academic discipline that fosters global discourse on humanity and existence.

As graduates of this university, who are working artists in our professions and lives, the message matters. From our education within your institution, we are taught to question our understanding, broaden world views and contribute to an ongoing dialogue of visual stories, identities, and perspectives. Many of us would not have otherwise had a space to engage in the world in this way, if it were not for an academic understanding of art at the College of Visual Arts and Design.

When a public academic institution decides to remove and silence art from the voices of a marginalized community, it signals to all of us that artists and our work don’t matter. Whether or not the implications of such an act of censorship were considered, the University’s actions go against its best interest and therefore does severe disservice to the reputation of the institution’s ability to provide valuable education. To witness our alma mater acting out of fear and intimidation rather than one of principle and courage is beyond disappointment.

As an alumni community, we reject this implication and affirm the University’s responsibility to protect the expression and dignity of those whose histories and identities have too often been rendered invisible. This is the very environment where we were taught the power of art to communicate truths and express our lived experiences to engage the world in active, academic conversations. We expect the same to be upheld today and tomorrow with regard to freedom of speech and expression. We call for courage, clarity, and accountability from the UNT administration for silencing the lived experiences of the artist and the reality the work represents for many students, faculty and alumni face in our current world.

We ask the University of North Texas administration to be prompt, forthright and transparent in the explanation and rationale behind this decision to actively silence and censor the artist and his artwork. We respectfully ask the administration to publicly recognize the wrongdoing in this action and how this is a detriment to the legacy of the College of Visual Arts and Design for the faculty, students and the alumni it is associated with.

We are providing this request in stewardship of our alma mater’s current students, the legacy of CVAD’s commitment to artistic expression, the principles we were educated within and the values that define higher education.

Respectfully,

Alumni of the College of Visual Arts and Design

University of North Texas