An anatomically correct sculpture of a fertility god in a Utah state park is standing at the center of a controversy pitting "values" and "censorship."After complaints raised by a Blanding, Utah group calling itself the "Values Committee," the statue of the humpbacked flute player Kokopelli was moved from the front of Edge of the Cedars State Park Museum, where it has welcomed visitors to the museum since 1989.Park manager Teri Paul said she planned to remove the Kokopelli sculpture from the park entirely after the Blanding residents threatened a protest because the sculpture has a penis. Kokopelli was considered a fertility god and healer by ancient Indian cultures.But Paul decided to relocate the piece instead after another group of residents protested what they called censorship."This (Values Committee) group has let it be known that they are offended by it and would like it removed," said State Parks director Mary Tullius, adding that the group was "complaining that it has male anatomy so it is too phallic for some of the locals. Our intention is to be good partners in the community and we feel like this is a reasonable compromise."The sculpture by Bluff artist Joe Pachak has now been placed in a less prominent place inside the park, according to Paul. Paul quoted Pachak, who did not return a call Wednesday, as agreeing to move the sculpture and replace it with another piece because he did not want to "bring any negativity to the museum."Park officials said the Kokopelli sculpture is a representation of rock art imagery from Arizona's Canyon de Chelly National Monument. It is similar to other rock art depictions of the deity commonly seen throughout the Four Corners Region.Blanding resident Harold Lyman supported moving the statue. He objected to the anatomical representation on the statue, which he said sometimes appears on rock art and sometimes does not.Bluff resident Susan Dexter was among those who favored leaving the sculpture in place. "Kokopelli is just a statue," she said. "Give me a break. It's not like a massive erection like some of the ones you see on the panels. It's nothing like that."Dexter said the staff was capitulating either to Puritan thinking or local business interests."If they are going to be bullied, they should at least announce it so other people can step up," she said. "If a handful of ladies can pressure a state park into changing their displays without anybody having input, that should be outrageous to everybody. ... These poor ladies have never been to Florence or Rome or any actual art museum. They would be scandalized." Paul said a female member of the values group also complained about datura plants in front of the museum because of their hallucinogenic properties, claiming park managers are encouraging its use. Paul said the native plant is common in the area and will not be removed.E-mail Tom Wharton at Wharton(at)sltrib.com.(Distributed by Scripps Howard News Service, www.scrippsnews.com.)
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