Name: State Capitol, Olympia, Washington

Date: 1985 - 1995

Location: North America

SubjectExplicit Sexuality

MediumPainting


Artist: Don't remember artist. Work was commissioned, public art.

Confronting Bodies: Not sure. Work was in Senate and House chambers. Paintings.

Date of Action: ca 1990. Got national media attention.

Specific Location: State Capitol bldg. Walls of Senate and House spectator galleries.

Description of Artwork:  The work was described by some as being sexually explicit, as I recall. It was largely abstract design that was site specific and the design had to fill odd-shaped wall panels within the House and Senate chambers. People claimed that the abstract designs represented human genitals, as I recall. I saw the work, and could see what they were referring to, but in no way found it blatantly apparent that anything sexual was being represented.

Description of Incident:  I read about the controversy in some of the art magazines at the time. I don't know anything about the details of the incident.

Results of Incident:  As far as I know, the work is still on view. I seem to recall that it was covered for a while after it was installed, but I may be confusing this incident with some others that I have read about in the past.

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