The Lower Manhattan Cultural Council lost its offices, studios and an artist on September 11, 2001. Thursday it begins a three-day summit on how cities recover from disasters and how art helps. But as NY1's Stephanie Simon explains in the following report, an art exhibit it's organized at the Cooper Union and South Street Seaport Museum is getting most of the attention.

Art should be provocative, maybe even offensive. But should it frighten people?

“One of the misconceptions that has been broadcast about this show was that there would have been anything of actual danger in the show itself, which is the furthest thing from the truth. There won't be anything of danger,” says Tom Healy, the president of the Lower Manhattan Cultural Council.

The LMCC's new exhibit, “A Knock At the Door,” has caused a stir before it's even opened. The show looks at art in the age of the Patriot Act, and artists who have had trouble with the law because their work was seen as possibly subversive and dangerous.

Ironically, the focus so far has been questions about whether a work of art in the show about a bomb would have real explosive materials. Healy says no.

And for anyone still concerned, all the works in question are being looked at by the NYPD. That's why they're not on the wall or their pedestal.

“We're working with the police to make sure that it's all safe,” says Healy.

What is in the exhibit now may seem just as explosive: George W. Bush as Osama bin Laden or Momar Khadafi; a poster of former NFL player Pat Tillman; and mug shots of Condoleeza Rice, Dick Cheney, Donald Rumsfeld and the president.

But with pieces still waiting NYPD approval, artist Dread Scott's work seems particularly apropos.

“So in this work there's a real void created by the work that's missing,” he says. “It's actually a vitrine that says that says the artwork has been removed and nobody know what was so dangerous that was in there that the government would remove it.”

Scott’s wife, artist Jenny Polak, has created a reception counter of sorts for the exhibition.

“But at the same time it has a hiding space concealed within it, part of a series of hiding spaces I've been making to make it possible for people to give sanctuary to fugitive immigrants,” she says.

As you walk through the exhibition you don't know which artists have or haven't had run-ins with the law, or even art institutions, and that's the idea - for you to make up your mind as you go.

But when you're done walking through the show you can step through a door to find out. See the list and see if you agree

“A Knock At the Door”
September 8 - October 1
www.lmcc.net

Cooper Union at Cooper Square
7 East 7th Street

Melville Gallery of the South Street Seaport Museum

- Stephanie Simon