Ancient Roman Art

What happens in St. Petersburg Florida doesn’t always stay in St. Petersburg, especially when it involves a giant penis sculpture, a naked man chandelier, and pushing “penis art” on the unsuspecting public.

Police stormed the Erotic Lounge in St. Petersburg last night after complaints had been lodged about a giant cypress penis sculpture on display in front of the gallery/bar.

Inside, police found a naked man suspended from the ceiling in a harness. Apparently naked genitals and alcohol are an illegal mix, it’s against the law to serve alcoholic beverages with “naked” genitals in the room.

The owner refused to remove the giant erect penis statue from in front of his establishment and was arrested after he tried to stop the cops from entering the lounge.

The police can enter an establishment that holds a liquor license without a warrant. Allegedly the walls of the Erotic Lounge were covered in “erotic” images, such as a painting depicting Superman in underwear with a woody.

The bathroom motif was interesting, according to the St. Petersburg Times, a grass cloth sign read “Human Petting Zoo”. Other signs were “Dare to Explore” and “Tipping Allowed and Encouraged”.

Since the Erotic Lounge is both a bar and a gallery, the owner may have felt he could display whatever tickled his “fancy” in the name of “art”. The giant cypress phallus installed in front of the gallery/bar may have been an attempt by the owner to “push the limits” to see how far he could go in the “name of penis art”.

In the Name of Penis Art

Should “penis art”, such as the naked man strapped to the ceiling in the gallery/bar and the giant wooden woody out in front of the lounge, be allowed in polite society? The problem for the gallery/lounge owner was that his “chandeleer” involved an actual live naked guy. The owner was cited for a violation of the “naked genitals do not mix with alcohol” ordinance. If the owner had merely hung a photograph of the man posing in the same position, it wouldn’t have been a violation of the city code.

Had the owner put a photo of the giant cypress penis out front instead of the actual phallus, he would have still faced opposition from the authorities. The cops told the owner to remove the giant wooden dildo as it constituted pornography on display.

“Oh, my God,” said gallery owner Bill Schramm, his glasses falling off in the scuffle. “This is the city’s response to a penis. That’s fabulous.”

Impositions of Art

We believe the bar/gallery owner, Bill Schramm, was in the act of imposing his “penis art” when he deposited the giant erect cypress penis outside the entrance of his establishment. Was Schramm being lewd and crude in the “name of art?” Since we haven’t spoken with or know Schramm, we have no clue as to his “intent”.

There was an earlier instance of ” pushing penis art” which was sponsored by the unsuspecting tax payers, this time in the Boulder Colorado Public Library.

In October of 2001, hypocrisy was rank after the Boulder Public Library put up an art display of ceramic penises. The display occurred after the director refused to allow employees to hang an American flag over one of the entryways because it might “offend people”.

The installation, titled “Hung Out to Dry,” features colorful ceramic models of penises hanging from a cord strung between a wall and a column in one section of the library. One end of the cord is tied as a noose.

The library’s Cultural Program Director Karen Ripley, in regards to the penis display, said the library doesn’t practice “censorship” and supports “freedom of expression”.

One Man’s Art is Another’s Pornography

Some people find this type of art, depicting erect penises, to be offensive and pornography, while others, call it “art” when attempting to foist it on the public. It boils down to whose “rights” should take precedence, the penis art pushers, who want to remove any limitations to when and where they can “display” their art, or those who find it offensive.

The Art of Compromise

The city of St. Petersburg hasn’t censored penis art, they have in place laws which allow penis art to be displayed, but in a manner that protects those who find it offensive. The Erotic Lounge contained these types of images in full view inside the lounge. The city accomplished the art of compromise, allowing the lounge owner to display his “art” in his gallery. The problem arose when he put the giant wooden erect penis sculpture outside, in front of his lounge. The cops warned him to move it, as it was “pornography”.

Location, Location, Location

The Boulder Colorado Public Library kept the display up in its foyer. The gallery/bar owner in St. Petersburg Florida was issued a liquor license violation for the “naked genitals while serving alcohol” infraction. He was warned by the cops to remove the giant cypress penis from in front of his establishment as it constituted pornography.

Art is Our Misunderstood Friend

To some, a giant erect wooden penis screams “art”, to others it’s porn. The Erotic Lounge owner should be thankful King Solomon isn’t hearing his case. Solomon would have ordered the wooden penis cut in the half–in order to placate both parties. Since King Solomon’s rule was long ago, the owner gets to keep the whole penis.

By LBG

Source – St. Petersburg Times – Night at Gallery ends in arrest
Source – Fox News – Colorado Library pushes boundaries of what defines art

Image – Ancient Roman Flying Penis