General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsFrom the small govt crew: A grand jury to get a naked statue removed from a park?!?!
Unbelievable. Even the resident conservative columnist agrees this is ridiculous.
This all started when a mom took her kids to this park and was outraged over this statue. She claims it encourages sexting. So she rallied supporters on the local tea party website and wrote a petition to have the statue removed. The city refused to remove it so now she is working with American Family Association to convene a grand jury. (In Kansas, citizens can gather signatures for a grand jury.)
Putting this thing in the arbortem was a dumb idea it would be right at home in a museum of contemporary art but pressing for a grand jury? Even dumber. Opponents are overreacting, trapping themselves in a ridiculous position. Here we have a made-to-order story for the national media. The rubes in Kansas, theyre at it again!
Artist Yu Chang says her work, entitled Accept or Reject, deals with the tendency of women to objectify themselves. But the lurid, in-your-face quality of the piece is out of place in an arboretum.
The city seems to have dug in its heels, arguing that this is ART, dang it, and thats it. Its protected by the Constitution and all that. Well, it may be art but art isnt fungible. Some pieces speak more deeply than others and Accept or Reject, in my opinion is pretty far from being great art. To hold a mirror up to the worlds crassness and vulgarity, it exhibits those qualities itself. I think Yu Chang is engaging in political commentary as well as art, and those two two usually dont mix well.
Accept or Reject doesnt belong in an arboretum. But the opponents decision to pursue a grand jury will only generate copy for journalists and bloggers, without accomplishing much else.
Read more here: http://voices.kansascity.com/entries/grand-jury-ponder-arboretum-statue-please/#storylink=cpy
Here's a petition to KEEP the statue. Please sign it, even if you don't live in Overland Park. The petition to remove it had more signatures from non-residents than from folks who live here. Two can play at that game.
http://www.change.org/petitions/do-not-remove-the-sculpture-at-the-overland-park-arboretum
sinkingfeeling
(51,473 posts)actions, like grand juries, cost money.
proud2BlibKansan
(96,793 posts)Blue_Tires
(55,445 posts)ret5hd
(20,518 posts)No, that is when art works best.
Blue_Tires
(55,445 posts)He seems to be more of the "Hey, cut it out teabaggers, you're embarrassing our side!" type of slant rather than standing up for artistic expression...
I think if the teabaggers could have gotten the statue removed without all the publicity, he'd be just fine with that...
And shame on the bass-ackwards woman who got fainting spells because her daughter saw some bronze nip-nips....
proud2BlibKansan
(96,793 posts)He's a conservative columnist. Takes the teabaggers side all the time.
MADem
(135,425 posts)metalbot
(1,058 posts)There were not a small number of DU members who also felt it was inappropriate for a park.
HopeHoops
(47,675 posts)The slicing thing just doesn't work and the artist doesn't seem to know what boobs really look like. Doesn't he/she have an Internet connection? That doesn't even qualify for "modern art". If you're going to make a semi-nude statue, do it RIGHT, dammit!
proud2BlibKansan
(96,793 posts)But that's not the point.
Do you support spending money on a grand jury to have it removed?
badhair77
(4,220 posts)"How ironic that a Chinese artist had to come to the United States to have her work censored."
Bellerophon
(50 posts)It was placed in an inappropriate venue.. that is the issue.
immoderate
(20,885 posts)Time was, I would have fought for this. But it's a park where kids play in Kansas City. Maybe it's putting a lot on the adult.
OTH, kids accept almost any explanation with grace. It's the adults that have problems.
--imm
proud2BlibKansan
(96,793 posts)The Country Club Plaza in KC is one of the most well known shopping districts in the country.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Country_Club_Plaza
The Plaza is also noted for numerous art work and statues, many of naked people. There is even a fountain that depicts a little boy peeing!
Is this an appropriate setting for a naked child?
How about these other statues on The Plaza? Are they appropriate in a shopping district frequented by families with children? If you say yes, then please explain why THIS artwork is appropriately placed, yet the statue at the park is not.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File omona_Fountain_by_Donatello_Gabbrielli_Kansas_City_MO.jpg
Oh no! Nipples! Naked bottoms!
sunnystarr
(2,638 posts)immoderate
(20,885 posts)No disassemble!
--imm
Quantess
(27,630 posts)It's fine for an outdoor park.
The statue has nether-regions of a barbie doll (no details). So we can see details of the breasts, big deal. It is a social commentary. I am pretty sure her children have seen more damaging imagery on television!
IcyPeas
(21,904 posts)I don't think it belongs in a park either. Just my opinion.
Egalitarian Thug
(12,448 posts)to sign their petitions (to use most of their site actually). They've outsourced their web presence, and all methods of contact, how very progressive of them.
K&R