Dispute On "Hands Down"

Artist sues after gag on work

Political activist and artist Rusty Kane is taking the New Plymouth District Council to court because his artwork Hands On has been deemed a political statement and removed from Puke Ariki.
Puke Ariki manager Bill Macnaught told Mr Kane the artwork had been removed because Mr Kane had a letter published in the Midweek revealing Hands On contained a political message and was dedicated to Paritutu people exposed to dioxin.
Political leader Rusty Kane has been running a letter-writing campaign in the run-up to the local body elections. He is standing for both the Taranaki District Health Board and Taranaki Regional Council.
He says he wants to donate the money for the sale of Hands On, which has a price tag of $15,000, to the lobby group CEPRA
( Chemically Exposed Paritutu Residents Association).
Mr Kane now wants the council, which owns Puke Ariki, to pay him $7500 - the maximum allowed through the Disputes Tribunal.
He alleges that he first missed out on a sale of $8000 before Christmas last year when the council did not take the artwork down for a potential buyer and more recently because the artwork is no longer on display after it was taken down from the Puke Ariki library wall.
Mr Macnaught confirmed the artwork was removed after Mr Kane's letter. Part of his role was to ensure Puke Ariki was politically neutral.