P.E.I. vet college admits mistake for asking artist to remove painting based on U.S. politics

Thinh Nguyen · CBC News

· Posted: Apr 11, 2025 9:06 AM EDT | Last Updated: 4 minutes ago

The Atlantic Veterinary College has apologized to its erstwhile artist-in-residence who discontinue aft being asked to instrumentality down a painting he says was censored by the Charlottetown instauration owed to its governmental message.

In a statement, the assemblage acknowledged that asking Christopher Griffin to take betwixt removing his painting, The Crossing, oregon leaving his residency "was a mistake."

"The determination did not bespeak our organization values, and we regret the wounded and vexation it caused. Art plays an indispensable relation successful acquisition and nationalist beingness — it challenges us, encourages dialogue, and fosters understanding," the connection reads.

"We fell abbreviated of our work to support that role."

Painting received 3 complaints

Griffin, who moved to Prince Edward Island from Ottawa successful 2023, became the determination college's first-ever artist-in-residence past November.

The unpaid presumption gave him the accidental to brighten up immoderate of the UPEI-based college's assemblage spaces. 

While animals are a recurring taxable successful his work, Griffin said his absorption shifted starting successful January erstwhile Donald Trump was sworn successful arsenic U.S. president for the 2nd clip and launched a commercialized warfare with galore countries, including Canada.

One of his caller works, The Crossing, shows a vessel afloat of lemmings carrying a crumpled and discoloured U.S. emblem crossed an icy bluish Canadian waterway.

The assemblage said it received 3 complaints astir the painting, including 2 from American module members.

The AVC's dean, Dominique Griffon, told CBC News connected Wednesday that Griffin had precocious started creating much "politically charged" art, which did not align with the archetypal imaginativeness for the artist-in-residence program.

So Griffin was asked to region The Crossing immediately, according to a connection helium posted connected Facebook. He refused. Griffon said it was the artist's determination to alternatively permission the residency.

Many students, module and Islanders turned to societal media to explicit disappointment with the medication asking Griffin to region the artwork. A thank-you paper astatine the assemblage signed by students and unit includes messages of enactment for the artist.

Artist accepted apologies

The assemblage said it has offered a nonstop apology to Griffin and offered to reinstall the coating successful a salient field location. The assemblage has besides invited Griffin to travel and talk astir his work.

"We are besides reviewing our interior processes to guarantee aboriginal decisions uphold our commitments to escaped look and inclusive discourse," the connection reads.

"We stay committed to creating abstraction for meaningful conversations — even, and especially, erstwhile they are uncomfortable."

In an Instagram post, Griffin said helium has accepted apologies from some AVC and UPEI, and agreed to enactment successful a roundtable treatment astatine the assemblage wherever helium volition talk astir his work.

"A immense metallic lining is that this lawsuit has revealed the heavy passionateness Canadians consciousness for our state and the values we clasp sacred, including the state of expression," Griffin wrote.

"Canada finds herself successful troubled times, but my religion successful our radical has ne'er been greater. We are beardown together."