By Christine de Kock
A BURNT Australian flag returned last Wednesday to Trocadero Art Space was pulled down the next day.
This time the art-work was removed by gallery owner Michael Brennan, who replaced it with an image of famed furniture heavy-weight Franco Cotzo.
He said the flag went up in support of the public meeting on censorship that was held last week at Trocadero Art Space.
“We did temporarily have the flag raised because of the forum on art and censorship,” Mr Brennan said.
“We took it down because we have a new exhibit.”
He said the meeting was held to protest the new anti-terrorist and sedition laws, which could be used to censor art.
Mr Brennan said about 70 turned up for the meeting.
“Tamara Winikoff, director of the National Association of Visual Arts, flew from Sydney for the forum.
“She said the most positive aspect of the exhibit was that it generated debate.”
Mr Brennan said he contacted Footscray Police before again displaying the flag.
Police questioned how long it would be displayed but made no move to stop it being raised.
The socialist group Resistance raised the issue of censorship when police removed the flag in January.
A police spokesperson said it was removed after receiving a number of complaints from members of the public about the art work.
Controversial artist Azlan McLennan created the work as part of a ‘Proudly UnAustralian’ campaign, and neither he nor Mr Brennan was consulted when police confiscated the flag.
Mr McLennan said in a statement that the work represented the “locally and internationally deplored treatment by the Australian Government of its indigenous people, asylum seekers, its industrial relations and education reforms, US collaboration in the attacks in Iraq and Afghanistan, and the incitement against Muslim and Arab populations at home and abroad.
“These acts are compounded by Howard’s denial that there is no underlying racist sentiment in Australia, following the racial tensions in Sydney in December and, more importantly, in the government’s clear role in this division of class,” Mr McLennan said.