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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
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| SO Festival underpants artwork dropped | SO Festival underpants artwork dropped |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| An image of a man sipping wine in his underpants is among several withdrawn from a Lincolnshire arts festival after concerns were raised by organisers. | An image of a man sipping wine in his underpants is among several withdrawn from a Lincolnshire arts festival after concerns were raised by organisers. |
| The SO Festival, which features street art, including gigantic inflatables and roaming dinosaurs, takes place in Skegness and other local towns. | The SO Festival, which features street art, including gigantic inflatables and roaming dinosaurs, takes place in Skegness and other local towns. |
| Photographer John Byford's work was due to shown as part of a display in Horncastle. | Photographer John Byford's work was due to shown as part of a display in Horncastle. |
| But organisers said some of the work was unsuitable. | But organisers said some of the work was unsuitable. |
| Mr Byford said: "He's sitting there in his underpants - in a rather unusual position - but you know he is enjoying himself and he is doing what we all do. | Mr Byford said: "He's sitting there in his underpants - in a rather unusual position - but you know he is enjoying himself and he is doing what we all do. |
| "That's life and that's what I do - capture life." | "That's life and that's what I do - capture life." |
| Provoke reaction | Provoke reaction |
| The Skegness artist said he had grown up on the coast and his work was inspired by saucy postcards, once popular with visitors. | The Skegness artist said he had grown up on the coast and his work was inspired by saucy postcards, once popular with visitors. |
| Mr Byford added: "I think that's what we are missing in society - we are so wrapped up in cotton wool when I do stuff like this it does provoke a reaction - but usually it's a smile or a laugh." | Mr Byford added: "I think that's what we are missing in society - we are so wrapped up in cotton wool when I do stuff like this it does provoke a reaction - but usually it's a smile or a laugh." |
| Festival organiser Robin Morley said: "Both myself and East Lindsey District Council did not have an issue with the image of the man in his underpants. | Festival organiser Robin Morley said: "Both myself and East Lindsey District Council did not have an issue with the image of the man in his underpants. |
| "However, we did have an issue with the image of two very young boys looking into the mouth of a dead sperm whale." | |
| He said the title of the photo had "very strong sexual connotations" which would not be fitting to put in front of a family audience. | |
| 'Appropriate to audience' | 'Appropriate to audience' |
| Mr Morley added: "We had a conversation with John about whether some of his images were appropriate and as he was not prepared to replace them, I had no choice but to withdraw the installation from the event. | Mr Morley added: "We had a conversation with John about whether some of his images were appropriate and as he was not prepared to replace them, I had no choice but to withdraw the installation from the event. |
| "It is not about censorship or banning art, it is about displaying artwork that is appropriate to the audience that will see it." | "It is not about censorship or banning art, it is about displaying artwork that is appropriate to the audience that will see it." |
| Mr Byford said it was up to people to make their own minds up - it was not for the council and the organisers to ban them. | Mr Byford said it was up to people to make their own minds up - it was not for the council and the organisers to ban them. |
| "If you have the image on its own it means nothing - if you have the title on its own it means nothing - but the two combined makes a piece of art. | "If you have the image on its own it means nothing - if you have the title on its own it means nothing - but the two combined makes a piece of art. |
| "The two go hand in hand," he added. | "The two go hand in hand," he added. |
| He said the whale image was previously been seen by about 8,000 people in Skegness without a single complaint. | He said the whale image was previously been seen by about 8,000 people in Skegness without a single complaint. |
| This year's SO Festival runs from 28 June to 7 July. | This year's SO Festival runs from 28 June to 7 July. |