Swedish school told to cover up vagina mural
A controversial painting that depicts a smiling vagina on a staircase has been allowed to remain at a Swedish high school but will now be obscured by a wall instead.
The artwork by Carolina Falkholt sparked a fierce debate over censorship, after it was announced that the mural would be on display at a junior high school in Nyköping, eastern Sweden.
Following months of debate over the suitability of the location for the mural, the school's corridors are populated by 13-to 15-year-olds, a compromise has now been reached.
Instead of painting over the mural as was previously suggested, it will now be covered up a wall.
"There are many of the opinion that the painting shouldn't be exposed. Now we have solved the problem but the painting is still there," said local government representative Eric Carlgren to the Södermanlands Nyheter newspaper.
Both Carlgren and the school's general manager, Pasi Rönkkö, made the decision after the saga was played out on social media.
However, the news has not gone down well with the mural's creator Falkholt.
"I'm shocked. All the students know what kind of painting is under there," she said to the newspaper.
In January the school's principal,Harke Steenbergen, said he wanted to keep the painting in its original guise and added that he liked "its message."
The painting had earlier got a respite after the Nyköping municipality said they would paint over the artwork last January. A social media backlash then ensued prompting the municipality to back off, at least temporarily.
Despite support from the principal and backing from a local Left Party politician, the artwork will now be covered up.
"The politicians have had full insight and knowledge over it. I have received support for reaching this solution. Nobody has indicated that we have made the wrong choice," added Carlgren.
Falkholt already has another vagina themed painting on display on a streetscape (pictured above) in her native Gothenburg.
The Local/pr
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The artwork by Carolina Falkholt sparked a fierce debate over censorship, after it was announced that the mural would be on display at a junior high school in Nyköping, eastern Sweden.
Following months of debate over the suitability of the location for the mural, the school's corridors are populated by 13-to 15-year-olds, a compromise has now been reached.
Instead of painting over the mural as was previously suggested, it will now be covered up a wall.
"There are many of the opinion that the painting shouldn't be exposed. Now we have solved the problem but the painting is still there," said local government representative Eric Carlgren to the Södermanlands Nyheter newspaper.
Both Carlgren and the school's general manager, Pasi Rönkkö, made the decision after the saga was played out on social media.
However, the news has not gone down well with the mural's creator Falkholt.
"I'm shocked. All the students know what kind of painting is under there," she said to the newspaper.
In January the school's principal,Harke Steenbergen, said he wanted to keep the painting in its original guise and added that he liked "its message."
The painting had earlier got a respite after the Nyköping municipality said they would paint over the artwork last January. A social media backlash then ensued prompting the municipality to back off, at least temporarily.
Despite support from the principal and backing from a local Left Party politician, the artwork will now be covered up.
"The politicians have had full insight and knowledge over it. I have received support for reaching this solution. Nobody has indicated that we have made the wrong choice," added Carlgren.
Falkholt already has another vagina themed painting on display on a streetscape (pictured above) in her native Gothenburg.
The Local/pr
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