Furious residents call on Mosman Art Gallery to remove explicit work from public display.

By ANNA USHER

An explicit work on display as part of the prestigious Mosman Art Prize has sparked a furious backlash, with calls to remove the painting from public view.

The eight-panel text piece, “History of C**t”, made the final cut of 88 artworks from a record 1617 submissions in this year’s competition.

Artist Linda Brescia created the confronting display as part of a video production on the history of female genitalia from ancient times to the current day.

The text works were “initially inspired by a 1970’s YouTube video of Judy Chicago discussing the importance of women taking control of the ‘c**t’ image”, Ms Brescia’s exhibition statement reads.

“C**t, so much weight held between a C and a T. C**t, the very essence of a woman. C**t, an image of contempt.”

“So, 50 years later, how far have we come?” she asks the viewer.

The Mosman Art Prize is Australia’s longest running and most famous Municipal art prize. Winning entries form the basis of the Mosman Art Collection, with a top prize of $70,000.

Previous winners form a roll call of national art luminaries like Grace Cossington Smith, Lloyd Rees, Guy Warren, Cressida Campbell, Jasper Knight, Natasha Walsh and Michael Zavros.

In a letter to Council seen by Mosman Collective, local resident “Lynne” has called for the immediate removal of the explicit work, saying she was “horrified” to see the grotesque wording on public display.

“I can’t even bring myself to type the full ‘C’ word as publicly exhibited in full view of everybody, including children,” she wrote in an email sent to Mayor Carolyn Corrigan and all current Councillors on Monday.

“Possibly others are desensitised, but I felt horrified to see grotesque wording in the name of art.

“I am not a prude nor a religious person and appreciate abstract and somewhat controversial art.

“How can such rubbish be selected from 1,600 entries in the name of art?”

Lynne’s fury is shared by at least two other residents who’ve contacted Mosman Collective in the past 24 hours.

Artist Linda Brescia told Mosman Collective while she was prepared for some community backlash she did not intentionally create the work to be “controversial”.

“I was inspired to create something from a word that is so polarising,” Ms Brescia said.

“Why do women bristle when they hear the word c**t? Why does it have so much power?

“As women, we need to take control of the word and not let it be used against us in a degrading way.

“I think my work delivers a critical message about empowering women; you can see that in the words I’ve used, like ‘crusade’ and ‘speak out’.”

The finalist’s works, chosen from around Australia, are on display at Mosman Art Gallery until October 6.

Curator and Judge Julie Ewington chose Gemma Smith as this year’s winner of the acquisitive prize.

“I want to warmly congratulate all the artists who have submitted works, and who are being exhibited: you are all contributing to this country’s rich imaginative life,” Ms Ewington said in her Judges Report.

A spokesperson for Mosman Council told Mosman Collective Linda Brescia’s statement on her text-based work highlights “the importance of women taking control”.

“Council does not seek to censor artwork included in the finalists’ selection,” the spokesperson said.

Mosman Collective understands notices are posted at entry points to the exhibition, advising viewers that some artworks contain language and subject matter that is adult in nature, with discretion advised.