The Society Does Not Censor

Generally, I have reserved my blog for my own work. At this time, however, I feel compelled to make an exception. This event (read below) underscores the power of images to communicate. And, further, points out the important role that visual communication occupies globally. Images are powerful. Images matter. Images inform and liberate. Let's never forget this.

Read the original article on the Society blog here: Society of Illustrators Annual tale

After much delay, the Society of Illustrators’ 54th Annual of American Illustration has reached the US and is now available in our Museum Shop and online. We wish the delay in receiving Illustrators 54 was a simple printing error or even a problem in customs, but the story goes deeper.

 

Without our consent or knowledge, the printer we sourced from China omitted an illustrator’s work, Alex Nabaum’s ”The Evolution of China”, an Uncommissioned piece (see below) and printed the book with a completely blank page. The refusal to print this illustration was justified by the printer because Chinese Government censors deemed the image to be “disrespectful to Mao Zedong.” Of course, in no way was this justification for us. The Society of Illustrators does not censor, nor do we accept it. We fought the removal of this illustration and ultimately decided to right this wrong. Alex’s image has been added by a second printer from Hong Kong.

 

We apologize for the delay in production of Illustrators 54 but are proud we took a stance in the name of free speech and illustration.

 

Illustrators 54 can be purchased on our online shop by clicking here.

©Alex Nabaum