Nude Removed from Pennsylvania show

Now it's time for Pittsburgh to be embarrassed.

From the AP:

An artist's nude depiction of bathing with milk and honey has been removed from a popular Pittsburgh arts festival due to complaints by one of the city's largest businesses.

The video installation by Chilean artist Carolina Loyola-Garcia, titled "The need to wash the self with milk and honey," was covered up and unplugged over the weekend by PPG, which owns the plaza where the multimedia display was exhibited.

The controversial footage portrayed the naked artist bathing with milk and honey in the forest. It was part of the "Best of Pittsburgh 2007" exhibit. PPG found the display inappropriate.

This is within its "rights as a corporate partner to ask us to abide by guidelines they have," said Elizabeth Reiss, executive director of the Three Rivers Arts Festival, currently on display in downtown Pittsburgh.

Reiss told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette she had not seen the video herself, but was told the display included full frontal nudity.

"Nudity doesn't belong in street-front windows. For several years now, Three Rivers has worked hard to put important good work in galleries and responsible pieces on streets," Reiss said.

Art shown in street booths should have a "more family friendly value," she added.

And Mary Thomas writing in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette details a few other interesting issues with nudity by the festival (which I did a few years ago). Read her excellent article here.

Shame on you Pittsbugh.