Naked female statues on Plaza new petition target
Yael T. AbouhalkahHere’s another petition effort aimed at removing statues and images of naked women, this time on the Country Club Plaza.
Or at least I think it’s a serious petition.
Given all the over-the-top outrage over the semi-naked statue at the Overland Park Arboretum, I guess this was inevitable.
Boy, lots of people with plenty of time on their hands out there….
Kent Mueller
11 months, 1 week agoIt looks faked to me. The way he only had a couple recent comments on other blogs that sets this up. Also, he went about 12 hrs before someone commented. If was real, he would have friends (birds of a feather) that would have commented. Just my thoughts.
Callista Gredys Bond
11 months, 1 week agoThis is just my personal opinion and I know not everyone shares the same point of view. I think the plaza statues are beautiful depictions of women. They’re not over sexed, they’re very natural… they’re timeless. I would be a real loss to have them removed from the Plaza. I can, however, understand why some people might feel offended with the contemporary statue in the Arboretum. I found that particular piece quite ironic actually. A partially nude woman displaying herself half naked in public, while taking a picture of herself… hmm… Sadly, I see that all the time on facebook! I don’t personally want to see it, but sometimes it’s inevitable on a facebook feed. It’s a little shocking at first glance, but it’s an honest statement. It actually might be good for parents to sit down with their kids and discuss what that statue actually means.
Kent Mueller
11 months, 1 week agoCallista makes very good points. I agree with her very much. The “sexting” at the Arboretum wasn’t intentional according to the artist. But that is what a lot of people see when they view the piece. Sexting can’t be condoned by any adult. So, if that is what people see, I would think the artist would be leading the parade to move the piece. If people see something 100% opposite of the intended message, isn’t that a failure of art?
Johnathon Busby
11 months, 1 week agoThe church tried to censor art back during the middle ages, too. Though, I’ve never quite understood that one… seems theists would be proud of their Creator’s creations. shrugs
(Yes, I know these petitions weren’t started by a church, but they were begun by people likely to be found in a church on any given Sunday.)
Brad Hampshire
11 months, 1 week agoI wasn’t offended by either one. But given there is a shirt yet bare breasts on the other one, the artist seems a little bit in-your-face with it.
Benjamin Hodge
11 months, 1 week agoYael, it’s a joke. Come on.
And as far as Overland Park goes, the real issue isn’t about the art, it’s about the arrogance and weirdness of the city council.
Mayor Gerlach and the Council won’t talk to people about the art. That’s the problem. Not the art, itself.
This is the council that raised taxes by 46%, and WITHOUT ONE PUBLIC HEARING first. They voted, and then had a (singular, one) hearing. The council with Councilwoman Terry Happer Sheier suggested that people would be shot because of crime, if taxes weren’t raised by 50%. The council with Councilman Jim Hix publicly said he didn’t know how people would react to the 50% tax increase, acknowledging he didn’t talk to virtually anybody at all before voting.
The council with Mayor Gerlach, who led the JCCC Foundation when its leaders tried to block an investigation into the multiple sexual harassment allegations from women, toward Charles Carlsen, who hand-picked the non-profit Foundation members.
Kent Mueller
11 months, 1 week agoYael, do you still think this is a serious petition? If the supposed originator of the petition felt like the petition reads, do you think he would reproduce three pictures of the supposedly offending statues?
I think you wanted to believe it, Yael. I think you got duped.