Campus News

Animal cruelty videos close San Francisco Art Institute show

The San Francisco Art Institute canceled a Parisian artist’s one-man show and public forum recently after receiving complaints about videos showing animal cruelty used in the presentation, The Chronicle of Higher Education reported.

The videos, which showed animals being beaten to death, enraged several animal rights groups, who said the footage amounted to “a snuff film about animals.” The institute said the videos, which depicted the slaying of animals for food in Mexico, were part of a social commentary by artist Adel Abdessemed.

After receiving more than 8,000 e-mails protesting the show, and a series of threats against the institute’s staff, the institute canceled the show.