Censorship in the context of art is primarily aimed at protecting public morals and values by preventing the dissemination of content that is deemed offensive, indecent, or harmful to society.

In democratic societies, censorship is often justified on the grounds of the public interest, which refers to the collective well-being and safety of the society.

Bowdlerization is the term used to describe the process of removing or altering parts of an artwork to make it more acceptable to the public, typically by removing or changing offensive or controversial elements.

Diego Rivera's mural, "Man at the Crossroads," was censored by the United States government in the 1950s due to its alleged communist sympathies. The mural was eventually restored in the 1980s.

The First Amendment to the United States Constitution protects certain forms of speech, including artistic expression, from government censorship.

In United States v. Eichman, the Supreme Court ruled that the government cannot censor artistic expression simply because it is offensive or controversial, establishing the principle of artistic freedom.

Embargoes are used to ban or restrict the import or export of certain goods, including works of art, for political or economic reasons.

The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights protects the freedom of artistic expression and prohibits censorship, among other human rights.

PEN International is an organization that advocates for the freedom of artistic expression and challenges censorship worldwide.

Ai Weiwei's work was censored by the Chinese government in 2010 due to its political content, including his criticism of the government's human rights record.

Iconoclasm is the practice of destroying or removing works of art due to their political, religious, or moral content.

Wassily Kandinsky's work was censored by the Soviet government in the 1930s due to its alleged formalism and lack of social realism, which was the official artistic style promoted by the government.

Political art is the practice of using art to criticize or challenge the government or other powerful institutions.

Wassily Kandinsky's work was censored by the Nazi regime in Germany in the 1930s due to its alleged degeneracy, along with the work of many other modern artists.

Activist art is the practice of using art to promote social or political change.