Explicit art in public - allowed or not?
 

Does it provoke a rethink of taboos or simply provoke disgust? All the examples below caused a stir and were removed or relocated. The Paris sculptures fared the best, both stayed on display in prominent places (Pompidou Centre and Place Vendome) for some time.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/20...holm-residents

http://www.thisisbigbrother.com/foru...pictureid=3566

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/...olina-falkholt

http://www.thisisbigbrother.com/foru...pictureid=3567

https://www.theguardian.com/cities/2...liv-stromquist

http://www.thisisbigbrother.com/foru...pictureid=3570

https://www.theguardian.com/world/20...french-capital

http://www.thisisbigbrother.com/foru...pictureid=3569

http://www.thisisbigbrother.com/foru...pictureid=3568

I would say it has as much to do with simply not being very artistic. Neither of those demonstrate any talent in my opinion just some jerk courting controversy.

It’s all natural (aside from the butt plug, I don’t see the point in that one) why are people getting pissy about what nature gave them?

Like most Modern Art, it's just crap.

Edit to the original post:
Actually, the drawing of the menstruating skater was a part of a series of images, one entitled “It’s Alright (I’m Only Bleeding)”. They were not removed and stayed on display in the Stockholm metro for the duration despite protests.

But regardless of artistic merit, does it serve a useful purpose or not? Does it provoke a reevaluation of taboos or simply provokes without any positive contribution?

Everyone's opinion of what constitutes art is different. I personally don't see a need for it, but it doesn't shock me. People should be allowed freedom of expression if its not hurting anyone :shrug:

Re. talent, it's all subjective these days, but I thought the cock was reasonably well painted.

Did they need permission for this?

Hi sorry but im an artist interested in sticking a 50ft cock on the side of your building.....oui oui..go ahead its what we have as our national animal.

I think the idea of these murals are unoriginal, but that's my problem with most contemporary art. Most are copy cats or just an cheap easy way to grab eyeballs. Sad but true, but innovation and the "core message" is usually lost for the sake of being attention seeking.

The "out of the box" quality is simply the use/replication of those images in "forbidden" areas... except in this case, it's not even out of the box. Urban areas are more likely than other places to be associated with "obscene" and "dirty", something the phallus would be associated with, so actually it's fitting in with the "theme" so to speak.

I'd be maybe more impressed if they managed to integrate these in an some inguity and not just the most offensive way. That's too easy. Like can you imagine if the artist arranged with some Tibetan monks to let you draw some crazy images inside their temple, some totally unexpected artwork that really makes people see&think... basically, something that would be less silly and a whole lot less trite.

I don't find it particularly offensive personally, nor particularly artistic, but it is a very public place and I can see that exposing small children to visual displays of an erect adult penis it not very appropriate.

I don't want to explain to my children what the pervy art is ,no theres a time and place for everything

I think many men over-estimate the interest in their bits. Who cares?

How can that be called art,I mean really what artistic merit does it have,hell even a kid can draw a willy:shrug: It's just needless.

Don’t some men think having a willy makes them God-like! :hee:

They sure do :joker:

More fool them! :hehe:

Shame a lot of them have no idea how to use it:hehe::laugh:

:inamood:

Sure, all works had necessary permissions. The cock was in New York first (pink one) and then in Stockholm (blue one), not in France

Actually, the cock is the work by a female Swedish artist.
It is snappily titled "F u c k the World"

Just idiots trying to show off behind the guise of "art"

same old

same old

:laugh:Of course I don't mean the GENTS on Tibb.:smug:

I’ve often said the bigger the ego, the smaller the willy! It’s called over-compensating! :hehe:

While I'm not defending those pieces (don't have a view really) only the cock in NYC was in what you call it dirty area.
Butt plug was in Place Vendome, one of the most prestigious squares in Paris. The copulating duo was meant to be in the courtyard of the Louvre, but the director chickened out at the last moment so it ended up in front of the Pompidou Centre.
The disconcerting detail about the copulators is that it is unclear whether it is man and woman or man and animal.
Re. your idea of placing provocative art in religious spaces, they tend to be very conservative and quite often only public spaces managed by secular authorities like some buildings or squares are willing to take a risk.

Thank you for that. I figured they were street art, but not knowing the areas that well I can't really comment.

I've just never understood shock art in an urban setting where there would normally be graffiti, other murals etc anyway... not exactly "provocative" :laugh:...

I don't think all conservative areas would necessarily be closed-minded to displaying sexual symbols though. Judeo-Christian/Western values attempts to cleanse itself of these "vulgarities", whereas Asian cultures are more willing to see the human body outside of its "pornographic" view... art history is full of fertility symbols, etc, that could be re-construed in a more contemporary manner in historical settings. Nudity doesn't particularly bother me though, but I can understand someone asking for warning if they bring their children to an exhibit, etc...

I don't see any giant vaginas... Come on isn't there enough patriarchy and inequality without giant penises everywhere? :/

Probably both. I don't have a problem with it though

The irony would be if it provoked erections

Well, since you mention vaginas, there was this sculpture in France, likened to a vagina, but personally I didn't find it "explicit" so didn't add it to the thread.

http://www.thisisbigbrother.com/foru...pictureid=3573

To me it just looks like a giant trumpet. Unless it's meant to be a vaginal canal, but then any tubular object could be likened to that.

Life imitating art :flutter:

Come to think of it, Place Vendome is full of designer boutiques, jewellers and Hotel Ritz. Maybe the giant butt plug is some sort of "up yours" to capitalist consummerism? I'm grasping at straws here, lol.

Re. urban space not being provocative, I see where you're coming from, but maybe it is our western liberal bias that makes us "ok" or immune with profanity in public arena? But people with strict religious views or sexual taboos pound the same streets as we do. I'd imagine that menstruation, sexual imagery in public must be quite a shock and a challenge to Orthodox Muslim, Jew or Christian.

Re. eastern religions, I defer to your knowledge. Although I understand that Hinduism has taken quite a step backwards and their very erotic ancient sculptures are not looked on kindly nowadays.

:joker:

More "vaginas". There's this in Rzeszow, Poland. It's a communist era 2 world war memorial. The locals call it affectionately Big C*unt.
It's not meant to be erotic, the labia shaped concrete is just unfortunate background to the memorial sculpture in the middle of it.
http://www.thisisbigbrother.com/foru...pictureid=3574

I like the one in Belgium of the little guy pissing in a fountain or something. I mean, why not.

:laugh::laugh:

My thought is, if these etchings are meant to stretch open our minds beyond the pornographic/dirty interpretations of these images... I don't think the urban setting facilitates that message all that conveniently. A lot of graffiti in the US are penises, vaginas, etc (I love graffiti)... though in places like downtown here or in Baltimore, you see people put up airbrush of "cool" or "metro art", cute little monsters, etc. It's a way to transform the city to something less depressing. Here they make "eco art" with manmade materials, like scrap metal, old stone, unique landscaping, random rock gardens/koi ponds etc.. that kind of changes the common narrative of urban settings being a dirty/sterile/static place to a setting that feels more organic, full of life, more keen to project a more naturalized philosophy of urban life...

Propping up a penis in the middle of a city on it's own wouldn't do much to change the narrative around sexual symbols in those settings. On the other hand (pun unintended), if it included other references to natural science and brought in a bit more "warmth", then I could see some interesting reinterpretations of that...

The best example I can think of off the top of my head is the art car parade here during the Gay Pride parade. I've seen some crazy reconstructive nudes riding in the back of those... :laugh:

We also have a local festival called Mardis Gras, which is family friendly in the beginning, but after the parade, women and men start flashing and start giving away the beads... you can buy plastic penises/vagina necklaces during that, even during the family friendly portion but lots of families still take their children... which I guess would be a shock to some there?

Just as a quick example of those crazy Asians...

So like... A giant cock with a magnificent eagle perched on top, wings spread proudly, announcing "I am here! I am natural! Accept me!"

And flowers around the testicles, showing that a cock need not be aggressive, but may also be gentle, fluttering in a cool breeze...

It's a penis, not the American flag :laugh:

Besides "spread eagle" comes to mind with that interpretation... which yes, would indicate acceptance. :hehe:

It's not something I'm bothered about. If it depicted explicit violence or other disturbing things then there'd be a problem but I don't have an issue with body or sexual imagery.