Take a behind the scenes look at the Library's latest exhibition on censorship with a special focus on the use of national flags in art.

Registration for this event has sold out. A limited number of standby tickets may be available on the day of the event.

The Library’s Tereza Chanaki and visual artist Georgia Lale examine the use of national flags in art. They peer through an art history lens to consider legal repercussions and protections around speech and artistic expression when it comes to criticizing government and civil agencies during times of war and social upheaval.

This talk is presented in connection to the online exhibition Banned: Censorship and the Freedom to Read. A selection of items is on display in the McGraw Rotunda on the third floor of the Stephen A. Schwarzman Building September 21–November 24, 2024 and in the Polonsky Exhibition of The New York Public Library’s Treasures in Gottesman Hall on the first floor, starting October 31, 2024.

To join | Please register for an In-Person Ticket. Doors will open around 1:30 PM. For free events, we generally overbook to ensure a full house. Priority will be given to those who have registered in advance, but registration does not guarantee admission. All registered seats are released shortly before start time, and seats may become available at that time. A standby line will form 30 minutes before the program.

ABOUT THE SPEAKERS

Tereza Chanaki is an exhibition planner, curator and artist studio assistant, born and raised in Greece. Currently working at the New York Public Library's Berg Collection, she is interested in how we exhibit within information institutions to reveal stories and inspire art. Through additional curatorial projects and initiatives, as well as studio work with contemporary artists, Tereza strives to develop a well-rounded understanding of art exhibitions, especially those that deal with non-traditional media, such as open data and craft. She holds an MSc in Museums and Digital Culture from the Pratt Institute and a BA in English and History from the University of Nottingham, UK.

Georgia Lale is a Greek-born American visual artist and cancer fighter based in Brooklyn. Through their multidisciplinary practice, Lale explores the human body’s blueprint on the social and political realm of modern society and advocates for accessible healthcare and gender equality. They received their MFA from the School of Visual Arts, NYC (2016) as a Basil and Elise Goulandris Foundation scholar and their BFA from the Athens School of Fine Arts, Greece (2013).

Their work has been featured in major art festivals, such as the Art in Odd Places, NYC (2022), the Venice International Performance Art Week, Italy (2020) and the Brussels Nuit Blanche Festival, Belgium (2016). Lale’s work has been exhibited at A.I.R. Gallery Biennial (2023), Border Project Space (solo show 2022), Collar Works (2021), Smack Mellon (2018) and Shiva Gallery (2018), among others. They have participated at academic conferences organized by the Dedalus Foundation, the MoMA Archives, the Yale History of Art Modernist Forum and the Yale School of Management. Their #OrangeVest performance was presented at the Greek Pavilion of the 15th Venice Biennale of Architecture (2016). Their solo show “Neighborhood Guilt” at the Consulate General of Greece in NY (2023), was censored by the Greek Minister of Foreign Affairs.

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ACCESSIBILITY

In-Person | You can request a free ASL (American Sign Language) interpretation or CART (Communication Access Real-Time Translation) captioning service by emailing your request at least two weeks in advance of the event: email accessibility@nypl.org or use this Gmail template. This venue is fully accessible to wheelchairs.

CONNECT

For questions and inquiries, please email publicprograms@nypl.org or use this Gmail template.

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Courtesy Tereza Chanaki
Courtesy Georgia Lale