F. KULON "lawsuit against Sullivan County" Start Price USD 25,300.00 Current Price USD 25,300.00 Time Left 1 days 14 hours 44 minutes Bid Count 0 Buy It Now Price USD 60,300.00 Reserve Price - Start Time Wednesday, May 07, 2008 End Time Saturday, May 17, 2008 Location NY See more about 'F. KULON "lawsuit against Sullivan County" ' Description F. KULON  "lawsuit against Sullivan County" - oil on canvas - 40"x 48"/102cm x 122cm please see at: -gallery-  FRANCISZEK C. KULON ;a passionate, forceful painter, Kulon is influencing art through his striking ability to capture emotionalism on canvas.  His artwork uniquely captures the spirit and soul of the subject painted.  Kulon's brush strokes, through communication of color, balance and technique, make his paintings extraordinarily remarkable.  While often controversial, his work ranges in style from "modern realism with surreal elements, " to impressionism, to abstract.  Even his abstracts stay within the bonds of visual credibility no matter how much he modifies the appearances of persons or things.  In all his paintings, Kulon holds to the conviction that the direct connection between the artist and the subject is the vitalizing element of painting.  Kulon was born in Sanok, Poland, and developed his skills in the traditional manner, studying with masters such as Bronislaw Naczas, Edward Kiferling, Marian Kruczek, and Michal Bylina.  Today, Kulon lives in the Catskills, not far from New York City, and paints subject matter that moves his sensitive nature.  This can result in sublimely executed portraits and landscapes.  However, his art often deals with the poverty, cruelty and pathos of human existence which, according to Kulon, has been degraded through social forces beyond individual human control.  His paintings have become part of museum, gallery, and private collections in Europe, Asia, and the United States.   Artist: Franciszek (Frank) C. KulonConfronting Bodies: The government of Sullivan County, NY Date of Action: 2003-2007Specific Location: Sullivan County, New York, USADescription of Artwork: Kulon's painting depicts three nude cherubs, one draped in the American flag, dropping a hand grenade on two Iraqi children. Painter Franciszek Kulon wins settlement in lawsuit against Sullivan CountyDescription of Incident: Local officials took down Kulon's painting from a gallery of 600 pieces of art in the lobby of the Sullivan County Government Center. The work was removed from the gallery due to its controversial and political message and its alleged anti-war statement. Results of Incident:  Kulon brought a lawsuit against Sullivan County claiming that the removal of his art was censorship and a violation of his constitutional rights. In August of 2007, Kulon won at $40,000 settlement against the County. Along with winning his suit, in 2005, a group called Sullivan Peace and Justice displayed the painting beneath the spot where it once hung, while handing out peace literature. The group later presented lawmakers with a petition with 100 signatures opposing the county's decision to take it down. County officials ultimately agreed to let Kulon hang the painting, if he wanted to bring it back. Source: http://www.recordonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070804/NEWS/70803017/-1/NEWSSubmitted By: NCAC June 05, 2003Times Herald-RecordLetters to the editor for June 5, 2003  On censorship   I would like to applaud Sandee Pointer for stepping down in response to the removal of Franciszek Kulon's fine painting (in the county Government Center in Monticello) and also the Record for chronicling the event.   Censorship is one person exerting their opinion to the exclusion of another. It is an abuse of power for one person to make a decision for the majority. We have the ability to formulate our own opinions about art, and should be offended by those who try to force their opinion (regardless of what it is) on us. It's a little like shutting down a whole theater because you disagreed with the movie.   Art is clearly a potent medium for political expression. Why else would Gen. Colin Powell have Picasso's "Guernica" shrouded at the United Nations when he was pleading for support of the invasion of Iraq? Artists are cultural creatives and have often been singled out by repressive officials acting on "behalf of the public interest." Only someone insecure about their own opinion would be threatened by an opposing view.   One of the things our country prides itself on is freedom of expression. That seems to only apply to those who "toe the line" and express mainstream viewpoints. It seems rather hypocritical of the government center to be "touting the triumph of democracy over terrorism" on one hand while censoring art and squelching political dissent with the other.   Shawn Dell Joyce   Montgomery      Green Left - The paintings of Franciszek Kulon Franciszek Kulon was born in Sanok, Poland, and developed his painting skills by studying with masters such as Bronislaw Naczas, Edward Kiferling, ...www.greenleft.org.au/2004/586/32336 - 13k -   FileRoom.org - Painter Franciszek Kulon wins settlement in lawsuit ... Painter Franciszek Kulon wins settlement in lawsuit against Sullivan County Franciszek (Frank) C. Kulon Kulon's painting depicts three nude cherubs, ...www.thefileroom.org/documents/dyn/DisplayCase.cfm/id/1265 - 5k Place a Bid!