A group of Native American Indians and the artist who created a controversial sculpture based on a Plains Indian funeral stand plan to work together on a more suitable design to make a statement on gun violence.
City crews removed the sculpture designed by artist Tom Bettin hours after Bettin, Arts Council executive director Nancy Boskoff and representatives of First Nation Intertribal Council met Tuesday to discuss the piece. Pauline Valdez, the mayor's assistant for minority and community affairs, also reviewed the sculpture Tuesday with local Native American Indian leaders."It was really clear it was not appropriate to leave it up," Boskoff said. "If we'd had people review the work, we would not have gotten to this point."
The sculpture, placed at the Salt Lake City Library, featured a stand made of metal standards with a rebar platform. Disabled guns, which came from the stockpile of weapons the Police Department bought from residents earlier this year, were heaped across the top of the platform. The guns were wrapped in a piece of sheet-metal painted red to resemble a blanket.
The Plains Indian Sioux use funeral stands in religious death ceremonies for highly respected members of their community. Native American Indians said Tuesday the sculpture trivialized one of the Sioux's most sacred rites.
In addition, the guns placed atop the sculpture implied the objects were to be honored and held in high esteem.
In fact, the artist meant to make a statement on the awful toll of gun violence on youth.
Bettin, who created the sculpture with students at Judge Memorial Catholic High School, told representatives of First Nation he meant no disrespect with the artwork.
"It was just a matter probably of not enough knowledge or information on my part on the reinterpretation of the Native American scaffolding," Bettin said. "I thought it wouldn't be offensive without all the religious symbols attached."
Millie Bitsue, officer manager for Urban Indian Support Services and a representative of First Nation, said First Nation was pleased the artist and city agreed to remove the sculpture.
The episode "puts more awareness on others as well as ourselves," Bitsue said, and may prove to be a catalyst for giving Native Americans more of a voice in city happenings.
The first step will be a collaboration with Bettin on a new sculpture design.