A family in Rahway, New Jersey, was told by police to cover a nude snow woman after an anonymous complaint. The snow sculpture was a re-creation of the famous Venus de Milo that the family created outside their home.
While most passersby appreciated the sculpture, a green bikini top and blue sarong bottom were added until the snow woman melted when temperatures warmed up.
As AANR Executive Director Erich Schuttauf said in his Weekly Report, “As long as there are people throughout North America that would actually call law enforcement over a rendering of one of history’s most famous and treasured art pieces in crystals destined to melt in days, there will be an American Association for Nude Recreation providing a voice for common sense treatment of nudity and the human body.”
Tags: American Association for Nude Recreation, nude, nudity
As AANR Executive Director Erich Schuttauf said in his Weekly Report, “As long as there are people throughout North America that would actually call law enforcement over a rendering of one of history’s most famous and treasured art pieces in crystals destined to melt in days, there will be an American Association for Nude Recreation providing a voice for common sense treatment of nudity and the human body.”
Another example of why I appreciate and value my AANR membership. I hope that people in the local NJ area wrote letters to the editor, called the law enforcement to complain or contacted the residents who created the artwork to express support. At the very least a 1-800-TRY NUDE bumper sticker displayed by the snowwoman would have been a great photo for the press.
Shirley Gauthier
AANR GAT Volunteer
This one would have been worth going to court over, to meet the nude prude who complained. This artist obviously has a good sense of anatomy and should be commended.
We live in a society where everyone is getting offended by everything they hear or see. A snow sculpture of Venus de Milo is very imaginative to me, but unfortunately some people it offensive.
I thought we had grown beyond this stupidity! I remember back in the early 1970s in Downey, California when a group of old ladies complained that a replica of the statue of David was naked, so they insisted that he at least have a loincloth wrapped around him. Of course, they were also the ones to complain that the library had a copy of “Tarzan” because Tarzan and Jane were living together, and had a child.
The snow sculpture is very tasteful. I cannot believe someone would complain when it looks no different than a manican you would see in a department store. How does one police all the naked manicans?
I agree very simply with Erich Schuttauf. The one thought that I always use when talking to “nudist non-believers,” that continues to baffle me; is that a nation that gives hearty approval in the press and entertainment venues, of people ripping off their clothes to have unbridaled sex, cannot tolerate the simple nude human body for recreational living, or even the beautiful “image” of the human body.
It seems to me that the “snowlady” looks sexier with the bra and sarong than without it. Actually, aren’t all snow men (or snow women) “nude” with the exception of perhaps a hat and scarf? I presume that anatomical correctness was the problem, as opposed to “nudity.” How do you tell a snow man from a snow woman? Snow balls! Come to think of it, kids see more than that when they take Barbie’s clothes off.
Steven T. Stoller
Webmaster, AANR-East
http://www.aanr-east.com
webmaster@aanr-east.com
I agree with all other comments – simply want to add my brief thought…. PRAYING THAT SOMEHOW, FUTURE GENERATIONS WILL COME TO TOTALLY ACCEPT THE FACT THAT “NUDE” IS THE WAY GOD INTENDED US TO BE!!!!
There was only one complaint and the police asked them to cover it up? I think I would have said no. No one ever said you had the right to go through life without being offended. It’s just not in the Constitution.
Would the complainants have been satisfied with a judiciously placed fig-leaf ?
The snow scultorer has alot of talent! I’ve seen less impressive talent in museuems
Another example of the thumper crowd of moralistic police trying to impose their deranged values on anyone in sight.
Are we far from a theocracy is stupidity like this is allowed to continue.I would have told these clowns to wait for warm weather.It`s a snow sculpture for christ sakes!!
when i was younger , school is where i learned about people getting together to govern them self ,, and the MAJORITY ruled ! So what ever happened to this ,,? why are we letting the FEW dicktate to the many ? WHO care’s if one or two don’t like it , they will just have to get use to it or do not look , same thing happened in our schools , one person , yes one ! didn;t like the word GOD in school and you see what happened there ! Somebody let me man the complain line ! PLEASE let me here the crybabys call in , i want to tell them < shout up . get over it . you do not make the rules, let me send you a cry towel ! > just onece .people lets return our goverement back to the begainning when the people in the majority ruled !!!
Oops, I guess AANR missed someone with their advocate, educate and inform mission. So, we will continue to advocate, educate and inform…
You’ve got to be kidding me! I live in New Jersey and only in New Jersey would someone complain about a tasteful sculpture like this one. They either have to much time on their hands or it was a woman who wished she looked like this sculpture. I agree with Tracy Beckham. Will we ever grow beyond this stupidity? And to the person that complained about this sculpture, PLEASE do not ever show up at Gunnison Beach in Sandy Hook, New Jersey.
Hey what is wrong with the Nude snow sculpture of Venus.I think it,s nice.Hey I have seen that same sculpture in art Books&art Gallery,what is wrong with having one in your yard made out of snow.I have seen nude angel sculpture,s in people yards that are water f o u n t i a n.So I think that Family mite be living by p e r f e r t s.Having a Nude sculpture in your front yard is fine.So I say go for it NJ,Family&go buy a Nude sculpture at a Garden nurseries place.Then see what they say.
Those two naked politicians in the White House shower room? That, offends me…
I aqree with the comments. It might be interesting to see this go to court with the complaining person required to be there and testify to what they thought was wrong with this artful sculpture.
In answer to the question, “Will we ever grow beyond this stupidity?” the answer is likely no. The good news is that you and I have grown beyond this stupidity when it comes to the human body. The bad news is that if we have the courage to live in truth, we will be mocked, fined, imprisoned, or crucified. The good news is that in the light of eternity, we will advance rapidly in becoming what we are meant to become.
We are living in Italy and there are Nude Statues all over the place, and we have never heard of such non-sense like that before. The person that called in the complaint needs a life. Was he afraid that the snow statue was going to corrupt morals around the neighborhood? Poppycock, if it had been me, I would have just gone to court and if the judge was so narrow minded and sided with the complainant, I would just stay in jail because I sure would not have paid a fine.
The “offending ” snow woman builders, ordered to cover HER up by the police should have used a “BURKA” . I wonder what the result in the media would be then, eh?
When will people learn….if God wanted us to be nude we would have been born that way. :)
A song that expresses my feelings
To tune of Heaven there is no Beer
In heaven there are no clothes
We’re nude from head to toes
And when we’re gone from here
Nothing will cover up our rears!
Alleluia
The problem with the Tarzan complainers is, as is often the case, not reading what they were complaining about. They were married by Jane’s father, an Anglican priest. And their child was adopted.
I like the snow girls.
THis is one more reason why I value my ANNR membership. What can one say – this is a prime example of political correctness run-a-muck! I think it would have been interesting and funny to have seen this matter adjudicated. Everything the founders fought for & against to make America; have become moot.
I propose that AANR hold a nude snow sculpture contest! What a perfect way to point out how silly stories like this are, and promote nudism at the same time. Let’s do it quickly before spring comes and all the snow is gone!
I would have just said NO and see what the cops would do then. I think the homeowner was a woose of the first magnitude. First Ammendment must not be high on the cops agenda. Typically nothing is except bullying people.
i thought it was only in the soft touch uk that this sort of thing happened ,it is a good work of art next time maybe in your backyard…think nude..
This complaint doesn’t surprise me in the least. America is the land of the free and will always continue to practice hypocracy by defending this sort of stupidity. It only takes one in the crowd to scream “OH MY GOD”. Too bad this sort of reaction doesn’t apply to more important issues in this world.
Next winter why don’t we all attempt to re-create the sculpture in our front yards. When the moral police show up, we will tell them no, we will not take down our sculpture. Just IMAGINE!
why police paid by everyone could go an bother with this ?
shouldn’t be protecting the community from criminals ?
I sure hope the “reporter” doesnt decide to visit any art museums….they will probly try to get the museum shut down or repaint all the michelangelo paintings
What we have here is a fine example of the lack of sense. Not common or uncommon, just plain sense! Both the complainer and the Police are stupid. No two ways around that. The snowwoman is not erotic or lewd in fact quite well done. I wonder just what statute the cops used to harass the artist.
I agree that the artist should have told the Police to go have a donut. 1st amendment!
It will be a cold day in Rahway… Oh… I guess it was…
IT’S SNOW! How absurd can someone be to call the PD? Well… thanks to Erich and AANR for standing up for all of us…
Darren
i say next year have an AANR nude snow contest in that same city. just to weedout that ignorance and educate that one person and the whole don’t have nothing else better to do police dept. on the down side it will cost maybe $100 for the application and to post the constitution with freedom of expression.
I can remember reading in elementary school (50 years ago) that Greek statues, which we consider to be great works of art, were either covered with fig leaves (using cement) or defaced with a hammer and chistle. We consider such acts to be the result of a sick mind and culture. Obviously there are still some very sick minds alive and well. If God wanted us to be covered up then he would have created us with hair all over our bodies, or feathers, or maybe even scales. I say God knows best.
All I can say about this amoung other issues is. If they believe in a god. What color robe will they ware for eternity! To cover their bodies.
Perhaps the sculptor should have called the Fire Department to ‘cool’ down that moron complainant…
That town much have a huge law enforcement budget. In my community if your car is stolen you report it online.