DUMPBUSH (license plate)

Date: 2004

Region: North America

Subject: Political/Economic/Social Opinion

Medium: Public Art


Artist: Noah Lamy

Confronting Bodies: New York State Department of Motor Vehicles

Date of Action: January 2004

Location: New York State, USA

Description of Artwork: A vanity license plate which read DUMPBUSH.

The Incident: Lamy, a construction worker from Brooklyn, sent his request for a license plate reading, DUMPBUSH, into the Custom Plate Unit of the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles. The agency informed Lamy that his request could not be filed because "others may view the plate as obscene or offensive."

Results of Incident: When Lamy inquired into his plate's refusal, the agency told him that they will only approve plates with a positive message like: IM4KERRY or YES2BUSH.

Source: The New York Times