Ganesha, the controversial Hindu idol in downtown Coeur d’Alene, received an unscheduled makeover during the Christmas weekend. As you may recall, some Lake City residents were upset when the Ganesha statue by Spokane artist Rick Davis made an appearance on Sixth Street and Sherman Avenue as part of a yearlong public art display in downtown Coeur d’Alene. A handful protested the unveiling early last summer. Ditto for Lake City Lighthouse and Hayden Friends churches. Ditto for the Kootenai County Constitution Party. Besides the religious aspect of the statue, protesters imagined hidden symbols on Ganesha that others couldn’t see, like phallic ones and swastikas. The hubbub eventually died away – until a week ago when a large red ribbon and what appears to be a doll depicting the Christ child were added secretly to the display. No harm. But no one will mistake elephantine Ganesha plus Baby Jesus for a Bethlehem manger scene/DFO, Huckleberries, SR. More here. (SR file photo)

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Don Sausser, Eye on Downtown CdA for HucksOnline, spotted this addition to the controversial statue of Ganesha at Sixth & Sherman over the Christmas Day weekend. Emails Don: “Feeling in an ecumenical way on Christmas day the Hindu Ganesha sculpture on Sherman Ave was garnished with a Christian touch. Its Coeur d’Alene detractors should be pleased.” Seems the battle isn't over.

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The Jews, Buddhists and Hindus have applauded the City of Coeur d'Alene (Idaho, USA) for the public display of 'Ganesha' sculpture in its downtown.  “The City of Coeur d'Alene and its Arts Commission should be commended for their strength and inclusive attitude in displaying the 'Ganesha' sculpture along with 14 others in downtown as a part of 'ArtCurrents', its public art display program,” Rabbi Jonathan B. Freirich, the prominent Jewish leader in North Carolina (USA), said in a statement. “Ganesha may not be as sacred to us as it is to our Hindu friends, but we still welcome its addition as an integration of a wider range of public art into the community and an enhancement of the overall appeal of an urban area,” he added/Newstrack India. More here. (SR file photo by Kathy Plonka, of controversial Ganesha artwork in downtown Coeur d'Alene)

Reaction?

Artist Rick Davis left the following comment on the Dogwalk Musings blog re: why he designed the controversial Ganesha public art work that will be on display in downtown Coeur d'Alene for the next year: “The reason I originally chose to do this piece was at the suggestion of my Yoga teacher.  But as the project progressed, and I did more research into Ganesha, the themes that surround him seemed to be unfolding in my life.  So he became a 3 1/2 year teaching/learning moment for me.” Adds Dogwalk Musings: “Art, no matter what form it takes,  is probably the most subjective commodity in the world.  We either like what we see or we don't.  As with this month's Art Walk.  What shouldn't be forgotten, however, in viewing the finished product, there is a process behind it.  As Mr. Davis points out, his piece became a teaching/learning moment.  Certainly nothing sinister nor intended to offend.” More here. (SR file photo/Kathy Plonka, of Ganesha)

Question: Do you support public art? Or do you consider it to be a waste of money?

Dogwalk Musings offers this drawing of Ganesha symbolism in a blog post today that decries the silliness of the protest and petition drive against the public art in downtown Coeur d'Alene by the Kootenai County Constitution Party and a misguided religionist. You can read her report here. (Illustration source: Ganesha Utsav)

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Hucks Numbers (for Wednesday, July 6): 7968/4866

“Ganesha,” a sculpture by artist Rick Davis, was picketed last month by the Kootenai County Constitution Party when it was dedicated as part of a public art display in downtown Coeur d'Alene. Pickets said the sculpture represents a Hindu god and shouldn't be permitted in the Lake City. Now, a Coeur d'Alene man, backed by a church, is gathering signatures on petitions to seek the display's removal. Full story here. (SR file photo: Kathy Plonka)

Ronald J. Vander Griend is soliciting help from other churches besides Lake City Lighthouse Church, which has already pledged its support, in Vander Griend's attempt to remove the public art piece on grounds that it's offensive. In his interpretation, the symbol of Ganesha is too similar to the swastika, the elephant's trunk depicts a phallic symbol, and the weapons in the statue's hands represent tools used to put fear in Hindu followers to the “gods who control their lives,” according to the petition/Tom Hasslinger, Coeur d'Alene Press. More here.

Question: Will Ronald Vander Griend succeed in his drive to remove Ganesha from downtown Coeur d'Alene?

In a lengthy response to criticism re: the protest against the public art statue of Hindu god Ganesha at 6th & Sherman by the Kootenai County Constitution Party, Chairman Daniel Brennan writes on his Web site that many agreed with his local party's demonstration. But were too intimidated by political correctness to take a stand. Writes Brennan on the local Constitution Party Web site: “As I chatted with others the general sentiment was one and the same with my own — that the statue was, on Christian principle, offensive to the vast majority of Coeur d’Alene residents, an egregious misappropriation of public resources, and in light of the constant and ongoing litigious crusade against any and all Christian symbols all over the country, a gross expression of governmental hypocrisy.” You can read more here.

• Also: Protest of Hindu idol artfully depicts idle minds/Doug Clark, SR
• Also: Protester greet Ganesha, public art dedication/Huckleberries Online
• Also: Coeur d'Alene Ganesha flap reaches India/Huckleberries Online

Question: Has the Ganesha hubbub given the Kootenai County Constitution Party its 15 minutes of fame?

• Thursday Poll: A supermajority of Hucks Nation say that the Kootenai County Republican Central Committee shouldn't be pushing a townhall meeting advocating distribution of raw milk. (The local GOP is urging members to attend such a meeting at Coeur d'Alene Library community room June 22.) 91 of 133 respondents (68.42%) say the local R's shouldn't sanction the townhall meeting. Only 32 of 133 (24.06% say they should. 10 (7.52%) were undecided.
• Today's Poll: Are you more or less likely to join the local Constitution Party as a result of planned protest against Hindu art in downtown CdA by its members?

• Thursday thread: Constitutionalists target Lake City art/Hucks Online

Members of the Kootenai County Constitution Party are planning to protest today the dedication in Coeur d’Alene of a public artwork sculpture of the Hindu god Ganesha – a four-armed being with an elephant head. A posting on the party’s website encourages Christians to protest the artwork, calling it an “abomination”  approved by the “godless group of individuals” who manage the city’s public art program. Though the protest is not a party function, it’s supported by many party members, who believe only Christianity provides a world view “consistent with the framing of our Republic,” said party Chairman Daniel Brannan/Alison Boggs, SR. More here. (SR photo/Kathy Plonka: “Ganesha,” by Spokane metal artist Rick Davis, is part of “ArtCurrents,” the Coeur d’Alene public art display.)

Question: Do you think this is a good piece of art?