Artists Who Were Arrested for Their Art

20 artists who faced the law for their daring works.

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Complex Original

Image via Complex Original

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Throughout history, artists have been prosecuted, arrested, jailed, and discriminated against for their art. An artist's ability and right to express his or herself through a chosen medium is one we should cherish. Yet, many countries, including America, don't see it that way. Here, we look at artists across time and place who have been persecuted for their creations. They have been arrested, jailed, and exiled due to their beliefs and how they express them. From illegal graffiti writers to political dissidents, here are 20 Artists Who Were Arrested for Their Art.

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Chris Burden

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Jean Toche

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Kenny Scharf

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Spencer Tunick

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M.F. Husain

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Sofles

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Jafar Panahi

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Dhondup Wangchen

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Belarus Free Theater

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Julie Torres

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Owen Maseko

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Enrique Gomez De Molina

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Revok

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Ai Weiwei

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Invader

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Alexander Schaefer

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Essam Attia

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Takeshi Miyakawa

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Maximo Caminero

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Judith Supine

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