Artist and Skateboarder Steve Olson's Art is Censored in Santa Barbara -- County Supervisor's Office staffer physically removes piece from exhibit

LOS ANGELES, Sept. 14, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Taking censorship into his own hands, Bob Nelson, chief of staff to Santa Barbara's 4th District Supervisor Peter Adam, physically removed Steve Olson's artwork titled "BUY SEXUAL" from the exhibition "LOVE + GUTS" on Friday, Sept. 11. Santa Barbara's The Independent reports that when pressed for comment Nelson responded, "Our office finds this obscene and inconsistent with Community Standards."

Unperturbed by the controversy Steve Olson says, "Well it's about what I'd expect in today's climate of knee-jerk reactions. I'd prefer the art to provoke thought about the world we live in – The piece is commentary on how sex sells – everything from cars and Instagram 'likes' to news and clothing. The fact that it's a play on words probably went right over his head."

The exhibition, coordinated by the County Art in Public Places (CAPP) Committee, is stated to run for 3 months from Monday, September 14. A sub group of the Arts Commission in Santa Barbara, CAPP committee members are expected to discuss the controversy at meetings scheduled this week.

About Steve Olson:
Steve Olson is a Californian Artist, Sculptor and Skateboarder. Credited with introducing skateboarding to Punk in the late 70's along with becoming the world's first "vertical" skateboard champion, Olson has gone on to lead a distinguished career in art and is collected and shown internationally – including the Venice Biennale. His work as a sculptor has produced public works for cities in Texas and Louisiana. His art centers on social commentary, often comprising mixed media assemblies. Olson was inducted to the Skateboarding Hall of Fame in 2014. Learn more about Steve Olson at http://www.olsonxolson.com
TWITTER: https://twitter.com/mrsteveolson

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SOURCE Steve Olson

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