I stumbled upon one hell of a website this evening. A site devoted to controversial works of art, complete with comments published in local media, answering messages, or interviews with the general public. I have thoroughly enjoyed the last 30 minutes laughing at some of the responses people have when they don't understand something.

I had two favourites:

 After the WAG selected as winner Jean Paul Mousseau's The Blob, 1955, in the annual juried exhibition:


"My painting is not a meaningless blob but an expression of the cosmic forces of the universe".
-Jean Paul Mousseau, prize-winning artist (Free Press, Nov. 8, 1955)

And of course, in response to a show at teh Plug In in 1998:

"I don't really care for you people using the Golden Boy as your gay thing. That's pretty gross. That's Manitoba's honorable person standing up on that thing there. That's pretty gross you guys".
-Anonymous caller to the Plug In answering machine, June 1998


If you want to see how Winnipeg has responded to art over the years, I highly recommend Don Goodes site.