Gaea Returns to the Bemidji Sculpture Walk

Last night, the Bemidji City Council voted to return the statue “Gaea” to its place on the Bemidji Art Walk at the corner of 4th Street and Beltrami Avenue. [Click here to see pictures]. The fiberglass beaver had been removed last week by order of City Manager John Chattin, who felt the painted front of the beaver looked like female genitalia. Gaea was one of 11 beavers to adorn the art walk this year. The beaver is the Bemidji State University mascot.

Gaea had lots of supporters in Bemidji, many of whom turned out for the city council meeting, filling the council chambers and spilling into the hall. Gaea herself was also present for the meeting, placed at the back of the room. 15 people spoke during the comment period, including artists, city residents, students, a representative of the ACLU, and a member of the Sculpture Walk Committee.

The civil discussion that ensued covered censorship, the extent of the city manager’s authority, dismay over his single-handedness and lack of artistic input in removing the sculpture, and the lack of clear guidance or agreed-upon criteria for public art. One commentator asked those who found the piece objectionable to “get your minds out of the gutter.” Another equated the piece with “woman-ness, womanhood, feminine strength and beauty.” Others expressed dismay that Bemidji, which calls itself the First City of the Arts, had become the center of national media attention for its attempt to censor the piece: “If you Google ‘pornographic beaver’ your first search result will be ‘Bemidji’,” said one BSU student.

Just one elderly gentleman spoke in opposition to the majority: “It is not obscene to me, no,” he said. “But yes, it is offensive…I would not want my daughters and granddaughters to see it and have to explain what they’re looking at…It belongs in an art gallery where people can intentionally view it.”

Gaea’s creator, Deborah Davis, said she had recently spoken with supporters, journalists and celebrities from as far away as Japan and New York. “Gaea has touched people,” she said. “Gaea makes people feel peaceful, happy, positive and empowered.”

Council member Barb Meuers moved to “Put the statue back,” with a second from council member Ron Johnson. The vote was unanimous.

After the motion, the statue was picked up by a group of enthusiastic supporters and marched back to its pedestal, occasioning both applause and tears. “Communication is so important,” said Meuers after the vote. “Obviously, it wasn’t what it should be.”

~Maggie Montgomery

More info:
Sculpture Walk: http://thisismytownbemidji.com/?p=318
KAXE: http://www.kaxe.or

Leave It To Beaver: Controversy in Bemidji

by Doug MacRostie

When I first heard that there would be a series of beaver statues painted by local artists displayed around Bemidji, I'll admit I giggled. And when some of the artists would do status updates on Facebook about "working on my beaver" I also would giggle. What I'm talking about is a new series for the Bemidji Sculpture Walk, funded by the George W. Neilson foundation (they bought the blank beavers). Area artists were selected by committee to paint the beavers. 9 were put up for display on June 20th. Get more info here. They will be displayed for a year, and then auctioned off to benefit the Sculpture Walk, with 30% going to the original artist.

Here is the series sitting together, before being displayed throughout downtown Bemidji:And now the controversy: Gaea, the third beaver from the left has been removed from the Sculpture Walk. Here's the description by Deborah A Davis of her Beaver Gaea, "That the fertile earth itself is female, nurturing mankind is a belief that crosses culture, time and borders. Gaea means Mother Earth. It also means 'God is Gracious,' and is one of the 52 feminine aspects of God in the Christian Bible. Gaea in mythology was a female Titan. If we could embrace the strength of womaness, celebrate it, we would become the people we are meant to be: nurturing, loving, whole." Or, is it obscene and pornographic?

Here's Gaea in her downtown Bemidji location:As you can see, there are forms of the female body, there's a tree growing up from the tail...and what's that on the front? A person rising from bubbles? A flower? A vagina? Mother Earth?

This is where the question comes in: is it pornographic? Bemidji City Manager John Chattin says yes. And he told the Bemidji Pioneer that he doesn't regret the decision.

Deborah disagrees, "I did not intend it to be sexual or titillating in any way," Davis told the Pioneer, "I would never do pornography. I am anti-pornography."

Gaea was taken down on Thursday, July 1st and as of right now there are almost 1000 people who say "Bring Back Gaea to the Bemidji Sculpture Walk" on Facebook. The Bemidji Pioneer has a poll running on their website that shows 77% favoring the returning Gaea to the Sculpture Walk, and the City of Bemidji seems to be at odds with an active arts community, with other pieces in the beaver series now showing signs of solidarity (aka: wrapped up Burqas). This topic is expected to draw a lot of people to the Bemidji City Council Meeting tonight at 7pm. I know I'll be there...

Why KAXE? The Space In Between

by Deborah A Davis

There are a lot of things in Minnesota that are delightful. It's hard not to be reminded of them at this time of year. Just a couple of weeks ago the delicate yellow Moccasins were in bloom; now we've got the shocking pink and white of the Ladyslipper. We're lucky to live here, whether by choice or chance. The world outside fills our senses with its bloom, bird song and beauty. But what of the space in between? If the rush of whitecap stills your mind at the lake, what stills your mind in the mad dash to work in the mornings, the rush to the grocery store in the evening? There's only one radio station that I know that can brush up against the surprise and delight of natures wonder. Can any other station match KAXE's choice in music to sooth the soul, the savageness of the world we walk in every day?

Just this month you may have enjoyed Keri Noble, Eilen Jewell, Mayda. You could have adventured into the Dark Night of the Soul with Danger Mouse and Sparklehorse. KAXE listeners let their minds wander and rest, delight and dance with Wilder Embry, Janiva Magness and Bemidji's Pelican Railroad. We remembered the folksy roots of Dylan with Amy Correia, a shoot of that root herself.

And music isn't the only exploding of sensory bloom KAXE has given us this summer. We're kept vitally alive with LIVE PERFORMANCES and interviews, not only with with music makers but with local artists, activists and other world changers. KAXE touches us with local folk too. Heck, we might find out what the guy down the road had for breakfast. And we know the vital news of the world from a perspective that few are brave enough to tell.

Maybe they've made it too easy... If you want to see the rare and exotic Ladyslipper you have to hike, sometimes miles, into the woods. If you want to smell the scent of the pine in the rain you're gonna get wet. But when you want to be equally enriched by KAXE all you have to do is turn on the dial and listen. When you need that blank and frenzied space inbetween to be filled with wonder, you just push a button.You know, maybe you could go the extra mile; preserve your senses wherever you are. Pledge what you can today to be renewed, informed and delighted, and guarantee KAXE will be there when you need them. And you will need them. Winter is just an Autumn away.

Deborah A Davis
Bemidji MN
msdeborahadavis@yahoo.com