My little town's bizarre art space sparks controversy.

**Athena** · June 25th, 2009, 03:19 PM

So, my little town of Burien, WA, has been undergoing some drastic changes in recent years. To put it bluntly, the old white money on Three Tree Point and Lake Burien has decided that it doesn't like all the poor-folk moving into the area. I can't say I blame them; having been born and raised in this fair town, we've seen the quality of business drop and the crime rate go up. So, they've embarked on some good ol' gentrification. Over the last couple of years, some pretty bougie shops, bars and restaurants have cropped up. I kinda like it, actually. The Tin Room makes the best mojito I've ever had.

But the real shot in the arm came when they hired a Californian developer to build us a brand new, super-fandangled city center. In fact, you can catch it in the wicked awesome picture of a cloud I posted the other day:

The structure right below the dope ass cloud is the Burien City Center. Just to the right of the colorful structure is the Interim Art Space, a fantastic concept that, well, looks awfully bizarre during the daylight hours. All the art is modern stuff made of sheet metal and rebar and shit. One of the pieces looks like something straight out of Beetlejuice...

Anyway, as long as I could go on about the construction in town, THIS is the controversy:

Yep. That bitch is naked. And can be seen from the new library. So, guess what - prudey parents are upset!

"Just cover it up a little bit. Too much parts showing for the little kids," said parent Amy Sankey.

"I don't want my kids around it," said parent Jole Sankey. "My 8 year old doesn't need to be exposed to it. I don't even want my 14-year-old son to be exposed to it."

The artist has a different take, obviously...

"The kids are seeing - anywhere - every kind of expression of the body, nude, semi-nude, positions in a sense that are, if I can say the word, sexualized. This figure is intentionally non-sexualized.

[Seattle artist Michael McGrath] said he's looking to inspire, he said, not divide.

So, what do you think? This had caught all sorts of attention, locally. People are calling for the art to be taken down. Is non-sexualized nudity still that offensive?

**Pete Bondurant** · June 25th, 2009, 03:24 PM

Is that a statue of an unclothed woman defecating?

**Lazlo** · June 25th, 2009, 03:30 PM

Jesus, Athena! Are you saying that there are traditional protestant values somewhere west of the rockies? (Utah not withstanding). I'm simply shocked!

**Lazlo** · June 25th, 2009, 03:30 PM

LOL, Pete, I wondered the same thing.

**Athena** · June 25th, 2009, 03:34 PM

Originally Posted by Lazlo

Jesus, Athena! Are you saying that there are traditional protestant values somewhere west of the rockies? (Utah not withstanding). I'm simply shocked!

Shamefully, yes. I'd like to believe we're cooler than that, but I'd be lying to myself.

And, no, Pete... I think she's thinking:

Then again, art's all about interpretation, isn't it.

**Pete Bondurant** · June 25th, 2009, 03:37 PM

I don't care if I seem narrow-minded, but modern art....is quite simply....horrible.

**Stella** · June 25th, 2009, 03:43 PM

Well, Athena, my VERY first thought was the amazing straight spine on this person (since I have 65-75 degree lumbar scoliosis). Then that thought was quickly swept away by, just assuming it was a female, was the same as Pete's.

Personally, I have no problem with it, except that it looks like she's taking a shit. Other than that, after reading your explanation, I just decided long ago that artwork of any kind in public will cause some group of people to be pissed off.

Now I think it's funny; maybe even worth going the the community meetings to see these people complain, if it's not televised (some local meetings are in our county).

Thanks for sharing. Looks like a nice place to live, BTW.

{S}

**Lazlo** · June 25th, 2009, 03:55 PM

Now I think it's funny; maybe even worth going the the community meetings to see these people complain,

I would love to be there also, LOL. Don't you know there are some red faces along with the case of red-ass!

**Dakota Valkyrie** · June 25th, 2009, 03:57 PM

Terrorists will come spray a burqa on her.

**runecire** · June 25th, 2009, 04:04 PM

Originally Posted by Pete Bondurant

Is that a statue of an unclothed woman defecating?

That is exactly what I thought also! Spent a lot of time in the barios of the Phillipines. This was normal pooping posture.

**DarkPrincess** · June 25th, 2009, 04:56 PM

Her spine sticking out sort of bugs me, but other than that it's not a big deal. They act like it's a statue depicting a scene from Deep Throat.

**petrina** · June 25th, 2009, 05:01 PM

she is THINKING about pooping.

i dont think she is scandalous. a little ugly, i mean the spine freaks me out. idk. but not something to hide from the chilluns.

while they are in the library they can look at a book of art from greece or rome.

**buggysmommy** · June 25th, 2009, 05:33 PM

I think those big giant sculptures near her are more frightening...They scare me...Big giant metal people walking at ya...

Kinda creepy...

**Athena** · June 25th, 2009, 05:51 PM

Apparently, they can light up:

There's a kinda cool slide show here. But, yeah, in the daylight, it's all just kinda creepy.

**buggysmommy** · June 25th, 2009, 06:35 PM

Originally Posted by Athena

Apparently, they can light up:

There's a kinda cool slide show here. But, yeah, in the daylight, it's all just kinda creepy.

Okay, that is just some kinda fucked up sci-fi shit Athena! Little children might have nightmares seeing some big giant steel humans carrying flames and shit...wierd man, fucking wierd...

On the flip-at least the naked lady doesn't lite up at night-I can only imagine flames coming from one place...Might be good advertisement for some spicyfood restraunt though...

**Valasca** · June 25th, 2009, 07:54 PM

OK, so she's thinking about taking a shit?

I kinda like the woman and child.

Parents will always be upset over nudity. It creates questions they are unwilling to answer.

**Akelda** · June 25th, 2009, 08:40 PM

If she was sitting on a rock or something it might be better, or even gazing down at an imaginary pond,...the stare at the tall people is a little bit odd. The tall sculptures look like wicker people to me., but overall I love art, and it's awful that people still bitch about this kind of thing. all because they want to shield their kids from it,...thereby making them even more curious ... I thought this kind of thing mainly happened in the south.

**Gidget** · June 25th, 2009, 10:56 PM

I love the parent who was quoted as saying they don't want their 14 year old son to look at it. Puhleeze. News Flash: Your kid is already spanking it to pictures of nekkid women. The creepy pooping lady statue in the city center is ugly, but otherwise not a big deal. Get over it.