An ad for Lady Gaga’s ARTPOP album which appeared on the back of some Auckland buses has been cleared of breaching advertising rules. The piece by American artist Jeff Koon shows spliced up images of the Venus de Milo statue and Venus painting by Botticelli, with a sculpture of Lady Gaga over the top. Complainants instead describe it as showing “the singer holding her breasts and a large ball placed in between her legs,” saying it was “indecent and offensive,” and its placement on a bus would mean it would be seen by underage audiences. Advertiser iSite Media responded that the ad revealed no sexual nudity and did not seek to cause offense. “The new album heavily references the modern pop art movement; the imagery itself is designed to be seen as a work of art and plays on this theme. The references to the famous Venus statue and painting again support the link to art. “Lady Gaga is well known as being one of the most creative artists of this generation and has a huge diverse group of followers from many age groups.” Universal Music added that it strongly defended the artist's right to freedom of expression. “This artwork is not offensive. It is an important work of art and Universal and its affiliates have prepared the ad with a due sense of responsibility to consumers and to society.” The Advertising Standards Authority said that while it was provocative, the advertisement contained no nudity and there was nothing in the image it considered graphic. While some members disagreed, the majority ruled it would not cause widespread offence and the complaint has not been upheld. Lobby group Family First says the ads were removed last month when it complained to Howick and Eastern Buses, saying “We expect this raunch culture from shock artists like Lady Gaga, but to display it on a public bus often used as a school bus is unacceptable.” However iSite says the ads had run their course, which is why they came down.
Credit: GayNZ.com Daily News staff
First published: Tuesday, 17th December 2013 - 9:04am