This alert is no longer active, but here for reference. Animals still need your help.

In Defense of Animals has just learned of Wichita State University's 2011 plan  to requisition two 19’ sculptures by dog killing "for art" artist Tom Otterness,  which are to be completed in the fall of 2018 or the spring of 2019. Otterness has made millions of dollars for what he characterizes as his "cartoonish” or “whimsical” sculptures. However, he is infamous for producing his “Dog Shot Film” in 1977. Otterness adopted a dog from a shelter under false pretenses, chained the trusting dog to a fence, and then shot him to death on film. He moved away and was never charged.  Many  years later, he finally apologized for the diabolical production, but only when he began to lose art commissions over it.

Sculptor Tom Otterness and Bob Workman, Director of the Ulrich Museum of Art, have proposed the commission of two sculptures to be displayed near the Duerksen Fine Art Center on the campus of Wichita State University (WSU). The University had previously displayed two Otterness sculptures that were on loan to the university, but they were missed by some people upon removal. The WSU Foundation with the Joan Beren family, patrons of the university, partnered with the Ulrich Museum of Art to commission Tom Otterness to create two “Shocker” sculptures with a theme that the university would create an annual event celebrating. Otterness, a Wichita native, is favored by the university.

Now we must act at once to halt Wichita State University’s acquisition of two sculptures to inspire an annual university celebration. There must be no celebration honoring the work of such a man.

Ironically, it was also in 2011 that the City of San Francisco called for a halt to a  work  by sculptor Otterness when his cruel film was brought to light. Our very own  Anita Carswell lead our effort to see that San Francisco was not littered with violent remembrances in the form of  dozens of Otterness sculptures, and  Otterness subsequently lost the $750,000 commission his sculptures would have lined his bloody pockets with. In 2014, a piece of parody art depicting Otterness shooting a dog while standing on a bag of money went up among other Otterness sculptures in the New York subway system as well. We won the battle before, and we can win it again.

What YOU Can Do

This alert is no longer active, but here for reference. Animals still need your help.