Though Ellenville's 10x10x10 art event has been renewed through the month of August, Huma Bhaba's untitled sculpture has been removed from the window of Cohen's Bakery amid reported complaints of indecency and inappropriate material. Originally scheduled to take place during the month of July, the art event would have seen the sculpture's removal at the end of the month, but because of the show's extension, its absence is a glaring omission in what has been widely regarded as a rousing success.

A few days after the installation of Bhaba's sculpture, there was a complaint regarding the display's content, it being described as "a less-than-family-friendly piece," according to Village Manager Elliot Auerbach, who was the recipient of said claims. Upon receiving word of the complaint, Auerbach looked at the statue for himself and also dispatched ten other people to do the same. "I didn't see that [it was inappropriate]… and I got ten, very varied, different responses to what the piece looked like," says Auerbach. "I really don't see it as being anything more than an expression of art like many other pieces that we see in museums and galleries, and it's in the eye of the viewer."

Pakistan-born artist Bhaba, who earned an MFA at Colombia and has garnered much critical acclaim, was invited to submit another statue for display in the window of Cohen's Bakery for the show's extension in August, but she has declined to do so. Of the piece that incited the controversy, Bhaba has reportedly said that its creation was inspired by Michelangelo's David, and is about "collage and beauty." Composed of what is known as "found objects," Bhaba describes the statue in detail: "It's made up of three components: the one on the bottom is a wooden pedestal, and then the middle one is a carved, wooden mushroom… and the top part is the lower part of a mannequin, like the abdominal, posterior area. There's absolutely nothing vulgar about it, as far as I'm concerned."

Despite this situation, Judy Sigunick, the organizer of the show, is forging ahead into the month of August as planned, though the event will be missing Bhaba and her artwork as part of the exhibition. When Sigunick approached the owner of the bakery about keeping the statue in the window for an extra month beyond the previously agreed timeframe, he asked instead that it be removed. Instead, according to Sigunick, he requested that Bhaba provide a new statue for display, the aforementioned invitation which Bhaba declined. "I tried to explain to him that this is not really an appropriate maneuver," says Sigunick. "I mean this is an exhibition…even though it's all over Ellenville, it's a singular exhibition, and you can't really remove work…the exhibition is kind of damaged."

Though Bhaba is doubtful that she will participate in any future events in Ellenville, both Auerbach and Sigunick see the 10x10x10 event as a major success, and are looking forward to the future of artistic exhibitions in the village.

Editor's Note: The Journal attempted to speak with the owner of Cohen's Bakery, Bill Tochterman, several times but was unable to make contact. Mr. Tochterman did not return phone calls or respond to the several visits that were made to his Ellenville business.

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