Real Art Ways
Date: 2006
Region: North America
Subject: Sexual Orientation, Political, Economic and Social
Medium: Photography, Public Art and Commercial Advertising
Artist: Karolina Bregula (b. 1979)
Confronting Bodies: Lamar Outdoor Advertising
Dates of Action: October 27, 2006
Location: Hartford, Connecticut, USA
Description of Artwork: Karolina Bregula's photographs portray same sex couples holding hands.
The Incident: A series of billboards by Polish artist Karolina Bregula portraying same sex couples holding hands was rejected by the billboard company Lamar Outdoor Advertising of Hartford, who refused to run the images. Lamar's regional vice president and general manager, Steve Hebert, stated that the company was concerned that the images could be perceived as controversial, and perhaps be marked by graffiti.
Results of Incident: Lamar Advertising refused to run the billboards
Source: Real Art Ways and NY Times, http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C06EFD6113EF930A35751C1A9609C8B63; http://www.realartways.org/press/releases/2006/2006_10_27_billboards.html