Los Angeles — A private Christian university in Malibu has prematurely shut down an art exhibition, following requests from numerous artists to withdraw after the institution modified or removed artworks deemed “political.” This decision arrives amidst a federal crackdown on nonprofit organizations that challenge the ideologies of the Trump administration.
Hold My Hand in Yours at Pepperdine University’s Frederick R. Weisman Museum of Art showcases various artworks that highlight hands as emblems of labor, identity, care, and connection. Curated by Director Andrea Gyorody, the exhibition formally opened on September 6 and was set to continue until March 29. However, on October 1, Elana Mann — an artist featured in the exhibition — received notification from Gyorody that her video piece, “Call to Arms 2015-2025” (2025), had been disabled at the university’s request.
Mann’s video illustrates performances and activations utilizing sculptural instruments crafted from the mold of an arm. Some of these instruments were displayed in the exhibition. These creations feature a cupped hand at one end resembling a megaphone, and a trumpet-like bell at the other end. The video chronicles “ten years of collaboration, unruly sounds, and collective listening,” highlighting that most performances occurred at art institutions. Notably, one segment captures a performance from the 2017 May Day March in Los Angeles, during which participants used Mann’s horns to vocalize messages like “No Justice, No Peace,” “Say it Loud, Say it Clear, Immigrants are Welcome Here,” and “No aceptaremos una América racista” (“We won’t accept a racist America”). The video also provides contextual intertitles that reference the aftermath of the 2016 election, the reversal of Roe v. Wade, and the “summer of racial reckonings.”
The university also expressed concerns over an embroidery that read “Save the Children” and “Abolish ICE,” part of the large collaborative sculpture created by the collective Art Made Between Opposite Sides (AMBOS). Natalie Godinez, the executive director of AMBOS, remarked that officials turned the fabric swatch to hide the text and retracted a sign that informed visitors they could engage with the artwork.
This piece resulted from a series of workshops addressing cross-border migration, carried out by AMBOS in Tijuana, San Diego, and Los Angeles. Over 240 participants cast their hands and sewed patches conveying messages of protection similar to Christian scapulars.
Godinez stated, “This was a community creation across borders, symbolizing the connection to the person on the other side of the border. By censoring an element of the artwork and prohibiting interaction, the significance is diluted.”
In light of the university’s actions, both Mann and AMBOS requested their works be withdrawn from the exhibition.
Both artists revealed to Hyperallergic that Pepperdine’s administration did not elaborate on their decision. A representative for the university, however, cited the political nature of the works as the reason for their removal. “Pepperdine’s established practice with the Weisman Museum has been to avoid overtly political content consistent with the University’s nonprofit status, therefore these two pieces were removed from display,” stated Michael Friel, Pepperdine’s senior director of Communications and Public Relations.
In recent weeks, President Trump and Republican leaders have intensified threats towards the nonprofit sector. On September 25, Trump signed the memorandum titled “Countering Domestic Terrorism and Organized Political Violence,” which directs federal agencies to pursue nonprofit organizations “engaged in acts of political violence.” Advocacy groups have expressed concern that the memo’s ambiguous language could empower the government to suppress dissent and extinguish alternative viewpoints.
In the past week, several other artists from the exhibition have also requested to withdraw or cover their works in solidarity with Mann and AMBOS, protesting the university’s decisions.
“Elana [Mann]’s work comes across as decidedly egalitarian — advocating free speech, the right to protest, and the freedom from silencing,” remarked Cara Levine, an artist featured in Hold My Hand in Yours. “It does not favor any specific political stance; rather, it champions the fundamental necessity of free political dialogue.”
In her letter to Gyorody requesting the removal of her piece, artist Carmen Argote expressed concern that “the censorship of Elana Mann’s work and the work produced collectively by AMBOS is detrimental to the students and the art community, indicating that the gallery can no longer operate as a valid space for art under current circumstances.”
“The act of removing or censoring artwork in ambiguous situations is troubling and indicative of a serious threat to creative freedom, especially in a scholarly environment meant to promote education and understanding,” added artist Stephanie Syjuco, who asked for her video “Black Out the Sun” (2021) to be withdrawn from the exhibition. She pointed out that Pepperdine touts its commitment to an inclusive community, hoping that this extends to its museum displays.
Following multiple requests from artists to withdraw their works, the university opted to close the exhibition altogether on October 8, as confirmed by Friel to Hyperallergic.
Though Mann has faced criticism regarding her art in the past, she expressed that she had never experienced a removal of a piece during an exhibition before now.
“This completely blindsided me,” Mann stated.
Nevertheless, Mann, along with many other exhibiting artists, noted the parallels between this incident and the broader movements against art and culture occurring across the country.
“This project was initiated in a specific political climate that is now intensifying,” Mann concluded.
