Censorship

Elizabeth Layton, artist

1909–1993

Censorship, 1989

Where object was made: United States

Material/technique: lithograph; hand coloring

Dimensions:
Sheet/Paper Dimensions (Height x Width): 760 x 570 mm
Sheet/Paper Dimensions (Height x Width): 29 15/16 x 22 7/16 in
Mat Dimensions (Height x Width): 36 x 30 in

Credit line: Museum purchase: Friends of the Art Museum

Accession number: 1991.0013

On display: Simons Gallery

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Images

Label texts

Looking After: Art and Care in Education Across Kansas

A single green eye peers out at the viewer. The woman’s hands are tied behind her back, and tape covers her mouth. In this self-portrait, artist Elizabeth Layton wears a jumpsuit adorned with protest buttons that have their messages crossed out with x’s. Although they have been censored, the texts of Layton’s buttons are still readable, demonstrating the power of art, community, and education in the face of oppression.

Archive Label 2003:
Elizabeth “Grandma” Layton was born in Wellsville, Kansas. At the age of 68 she attended a drawing course at Ottawa University in Ottawa, Kansas. Her discovery of drawing helped to pull her from chronic manic-depression. She received national attention not only as a remarkable success story in the area of art therapy, but for her often challenging images on themes of aging, censorship, literacy, and women’s rights.