http://publicartonline.net/controversies Hot Topics of Debate in Public Art Sat, 23 Aug 2008 11:34:30 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en A frog nailed to a cross with a beer mug and an egg in it's hands has caused quite a commotion in the mountains of Northern Italy. The sculpture is by German artist Martin Kippenberge and the locals are none too happy. The reason it seems is it is too ... http://publicartonline.net/controversies/2008/08/23/pope-controversy-over-crucified-frog/ Say it aint so ! It seems Emperor Qin Shi Huang's 2,200 year old terracotta warriors have foot fungi. Good god! Since being unearthed in 1974 and exposed to heat and humidity, tiny spores of tinea pedis have had a field day attacking the clay statues. Yep,it seems good old ... http://publicartonline.net/controversies/2008/08/20/terrocotta-warriors-have-tinea/ I don't know if billionaire Paul Allen is happy or nervous about a petition flying around South Lake Union's neighborhood of Cascade Park. It seems the locals are lining up to sign a petition to have a 300-foot-tall (91.4-metre) bronze statue of him erected, but not in a good way. ... http://publicartonline.net/controversies/2008/08/20/petition-for-a-paul-allen-statue/ "Just because Europe's classical statues had small penises," argued Mark Wignall, an Observer columnist, "does not mean Jamaica must follow suit." So, I guess you have figured where this is going. Two naked 7ft high bronzes (Redemption Song) erected in Jamaica's Emancipation Park have caused a debate in Kingston like ... http://publicartonline.net/controversies/2008/08/16/kingston-statue-too-well-endowed/ What is a Brisbane council to do when a vandal goes and paints the vagina on a woman statue pink? Remove it quick. The poor old council was already under fire for having the controversial statue (which depicts a naked woman lying in a fetal position with her genitals exposed) ... http://publicartonline.net/controversies/2008/08/14/statues-vagina-painted-pink/ Jamaica is mourning one its most controversial sculptors, Christopher Gonzalez. He was the artist that nearly created a full scale riot, after unveiling his statue of Bob Marley. It is no mean feat getting the Rastafarian's in a tizz over a memorial, but he succeeded. Hmm, it seems, when the ... http://publicartonline.net/controversies/2008/08/09/christopher-gonzalez/ Ok, so it isn't really a about public art, but as there is a lack of controversial stories this week relating to public art, I thought I would add this. Evidently two employees have quit their job over the New Hampshire Historical Society's decision to sell Hannah Duston Bobbleheads. So who ... http://publicartonline.net/controversies/2008/08/05/resignations-over-hannah-duston-bobbleheads/ When you approve a statue of Jesus (with an erection) to be shown in your art gallery, you are bound to find yourself in some sort of trouble. But I bet the Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art in Gateshead weren't expecting to find themselves facing six months prison and a ... http://publicartonline.net/controversies/2008/08/01/jesus-statue-causes-controversy/ For goodness sakes you would think that the City of Atlanta would invest a little bit of time and effort in its public art, especially the ones taking pride of place. I know, I know, times are tough and money is scarce, but if  you are going to have public ... http://publicartonline.net/controversies/2008/05/08/why-isnt-atlanta-emerging/ That Cowparade ! The largest public art collection in the world is in the news again. Last time a group of militant Norwegians held one of the cows hostage because they believed the Cowparade was not about art but advertising. That poor cow ended up decapitated! So now I hear ... http://publicartonline.net/controversies/2008/04/22/someone-has-a-beef/