A group of local artists is accusing the Chicago Public Library of censoring an exhibit that was critical of President Donald Trump, but the city won\u2019t publicly comment on whether the early removal of their artwork was due to its political content.<\/p>\n
Titled \u201cWe Are Not Done Yet,\u201d the installation at the Austin-Irving library branch on the Northwest Side featured 16 artists and was on display from July until last week, when the city ordered the works be taken down, according to the group\u2019s curator, Sara Peak Convery. She alleged the library made the decision \u201cfollowing political complaints by two unnamed individuals who are city employees and are on city payroll.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThis exhibition was censored and shut down,\u201d Peak Convery wrote in a statement. \u201cSuch censorship undermines the city\u2019s ability to defend its residents against President Trump\u2019s right-wing attacks and wider assaults on expression and democratic rights.\u201d<\/p>\n
In a phone call, Peak Convery said someone \u201caffiliated\u201d with CPL informed her that on Sept. 16 a maintenance staffer visiting the location complained to the head librarian about the political nature of the art, saying he was going to take his grievances up the chain of command.<\/p>\n
The next day, the library received a phone call from a woman who made a similar complaint, and by Thursday the building engineer removed the pieces from the wall, according to Peak Convery.<\/p>\n
A library spokesman confirmed the exhibit was taken down early, though only by a few days after being on display for over two months this summer.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe works were removed because they were hung in contravention of CPL\u2019s administrative review and approval process,\u201d Patrick Molloy said in a statement.<\/p>\n
He and other CPL staffers did not respond to further inquiries about that process or whether they were aware of any complaints over the art\u2019s political messaging.<\/p>\n
A source with CPL said the decision was actually because of damage to the wall where the artwork was hung, which was why the branch manager called an engineer to the site. The source said nonetheless, CPL asked the city\u2019s Law Department for guidance on how to handle politically charged displays moving forward.<\/p>\n
The theme of the exhibit centered on the state of America under a second Trump administration, and its impact on \u201cworld affairs, fascism, cultural issues\u201d and beyond. One such piece, titled \u201cSwamp King,\u201d satirizes the president in a comic strip as a frog with a blonde toupee and his Secretary of State Marco Rubio as a chameleon.<\/p>\n
Tim Chapman, the artist behind that cartoon, said he was troubled by the timing of the removal after late night TV host Jimmy Kimmel was suspended last week over his commentary on the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou either want speech or you don\u2019t,\u201d Chapman said in a phone interview. \u201cYou either want public discussion or you don\u2019t, and art is speech and art is public discussion.\u201d<\/p>\n
Chapman\u2019s comic strip depicts the Rubio character rushing to \u201cbe the first to tell the Good Ol\u2019 King the Good Ol\u2019 News\u201d \u2014 which was that \u201cthe disgusting lawless peasants are rebelling.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cFake news. They\u2019re paid protestors,\u201d the Trump-like frog responds. \u201cThey don\u2019t appreciate me lockin\u2019 up the lizards. \u2026 Sayyyy, Liddle Marco. Now that I think of it, chameleons are lizards. You\u2019re a chameleon, right?\u201d<\/p>\n
![\"Tim](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/CTC-L-library-art-trump003_64b35e.jpg\")
Tim Chapman’s “Swamp King” comic was among artwork pulled from display at the Austin-Irving branch of the Chicago Public Library. Chapman’s work and other pieces by different artists were on display at the branch in Chicago’s Portage Park neighborhood for over two months. (Chris Sweda\/Chicago Tribune)<\/p>\n
The Rubio figure then goes into hiding by blending in with the foliage, but he still gets captured by two frog henchmen while crying out, \u201cWait, your highness. Look! I cut off my tail. Now I\u2019m just like you. Ribbit?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cBye bye, Liddle Marco \u2026 Lock him up, boys,\u201d the Trump character says in the last panel. \u201cHow does my hair look, honey?\u201d<\/p>\n