Kaisa Two censored by city council

Kaisa Two by Malcolm Edwards

One entry — a photograph of a woman’s nude back and buttocks — raised the eyebrows of an unidentified city councilman, and Mayor Chuck Hunter removed the piece from the show.

The photograph, entitled “Kaisa Two,” is by Seattle artist Malcolm Edwards.

According to Anne Knapp, PAL president, art league members “are very concerned that the city, which does not have a written art policy in place, has made a decision to ban the piece from the show.”

[From City of Gig Harbor Removes Photograph from Art Show » Kitsap Sun]

Another example of the government intervening in the arts to the detriment of all. this is yet another ridiculous censorship with no basis other than the perennial ‘won’t somebody please think of the children?’

“This is a public building, and we get young kids coming through here and we don’t want to have anything that could be offensive,” Hunter said.

The issue is that the exhibition is in City Hall. oh big deal. the fact is that there is no policy addressing the arts, what may be shown or may not. the city apparently uses the Washington State regulations, but there is nothing addressing “obscenity standards” in art in those guidelines. a policy will be made up, but I am betting that it will err on the prudish side as usual.

As usual, I say if they were concerned they should have said something during the jurying process as the works were chosen. rather than letting the artist go to all the additional expense and excitement of exhibiting only to have their artwork pulled by a council member. there is nothing disturbing or sexual in this piece, it’s rather lovely (I enjoy chiaroscuro so I love the lighting in this one!). But there is good news, the work is now on display at For Art Sake Gallery in the Finholm District.

6 thoughts on “Kaisa Two censored by city council”

How dare artists try to claim that everyone is naked beneath their clothes! It is against nature, I tell you! Next they will be claiming that we are not born fully clothed!

(Have lots more to say against “artists” but I have run out of exclamation marks)

Well, should we be suprised? It DOES show a butt, after all. Can you imagine what a kid would think? What would happen if the tyke discovered that people had butts? Scarred for life, that’s for sure! Might never be able to sit down again.

Seriously, it probably wouldn’t be allowed on TV so why should we expect to see it in a public space? Yeah, it’s art but to most folks it’s just a naked woman, nice ass, indistinguishable from a tasteful Playboy pic.

What about all those classical nude statues on public buildings, you ask? That’s different, they would say, that’s ART, not ‘art’. Besides, those are rather ‘dirty’ too! Remember when the nation’s Attorney General draped ‘Law’ & ‘Justice’ in the Capitol?

Perhaps the guidelines should have been more clear. Face it, artists aren’t all that connected with the real world and may not realize that what’s fine with them isn’t ok with Mom and Pop citizen, or the censors.

At least she’ll be welcomed in a more accepting and artistic atmosphere where beauty can be appreciated without worrying about traumatizing the poor little children!