UNT Faculty Demand Explanation for Canceled Victor Quiñonez Exhibition

Professors cite university policies protecting artistic expression and academic freedom in open letter.

Published on Feb. 18, 2026

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Members of the faculty at the University of North Texas' College of Visual Arts and Design have released an open letter objecting to the abrupt and unexplained cancelation of a solo exhibition by artist Victor 'Marka27' Quiñonez. The faculty cite university policies on freedom of expression and academic freedom, and call on school leadership to provide a rationale for the decision and reaffirm their commitment to these principles.

Why it matters

The cancelation of Quiñonez's exhibition, which reportedly included anti-ICE content, raises concerns about censorship and the university's responsibility to support and engage with the Hispanic/Latinx community, which makes up 30% of UNT's student population.

The details

In the open letter, the CVAD faculty state that the 'removal of legally protected artistic expression from a university gallery contradicts the institution's own commitments to academic freedom, constitutional principles, and the open exchange of ideas fundamental to higher education.' They cite specific UNT policies that prohibit discrimination against artwork based on viewpoint and state that the university should not shield individuals from ideas they find 'unwelcome, disagreeable, or even deeply offensive.' The faculty are demanding that UNT leadership explain the decision-making process behind the cancelation and demonstrate how it aligns with university policies and the school's responsibility to its Hispanic-serving student population.

  • The exhibition by Victor Quiñonez reportedly opened at the UNT CVAD Gallery on February 3, 2026.
  • The exhibition was soon after closed, with the gallery's blinds drawn and doors locked.
  • On February 11, 2026, the CVAD Gallery director informed Quiñonez that UNT had terminated the art loan agreement with Boston University Art Galleries and was in the process of returning his work.

The players

Victor 'Marka27' Quiñonez

An artist whose solo exhibition at the UNT CVAD Gallery was abruptly canceled.

CVAD Faculty

Members of the faculty at the University of North Texas' College of Visual Arts and Design who released an open letter objecting to the cancelation of Quiñonez's exhibition.

University of North Texas (UNT)

The public research university where the Quiñonez exhibition was scheduled to be held.

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What they’re saying

“The removal of legally protected artistic expression from a university gallery contradicts the institution's own commitments to academic freedom, constitutional principles, and the open exchange of ideas fundamental to higher education.”

— CVAD Faculty (Open Letter)

“Unfortunately, I'm not the first artist to be censored, and I won't be the last. It's a direct violation of freedom of speech.”

— Victor 'Marka27' Quiñonez, Artist (ARTnews)

“When a completed, approved exhibition can disappear overnight, it raises urgent questions about whose voices are vulnerable, whose stories are treated as conditional, and whose work may be erased without dialogue.”

— CVAD Faculty (Open Letter)

What’s next

The CVAD faculty are calling on UNT leadership to explain the rationale and decision-making process behind the cancelation of the Quiñonez exhibition, and to reaffirm the university's commitment to academic freedom, artistic expression, and supporting its Hispanic-serving student population.

The takeaway

This incident highlights the ongoing tensions between artistic expression, academic freedom, and institutional decision-making, especially when the work in question engages with politically charged topics. The faculty's response underscores the importance of universities upholding their principles of free inquiry and supporting diverse voices, even when the content may be controversial.