With just a couple of days to go before this year’s Oscars, a lifesize gold-coloured model of Harvey Weinstein perched on a ‘casting couch’ has appeared in Hollywood near the venue for the ceremony. In his right hand he holds an Oscar statue, suggestively clasped above his groin. The artwork is a collaboration between British-born street artist Plastic Jesus and Joshua ‘Ginger’ Monroe, the artist behind the naked Donald Trump statues. GQ caught up with Plastic Jesus this morning in LA:
GQ: What’s the message behind this piece of work?
Plastic Jesus: The idea behind this piece is that Harvey Weinstein was this iconic figure in the industry. In terms of profile, I don’t think there’s anybody to compare with him. I chose to come to LA, as so many other people do, pursuing a dream. There would have been so many people who came here hoping to be actors or actresses and the opportunity to get somewhere near Harvey for a meeting or a dinner would have been an absolute dream. For some, that dream clearly turned into a nightmare. The idea for this piece was that I wanted people to be able to come and sit down on the sofa next to Harvey. Knowing what we now know about Harvey, in terms of his abuse of power, sexual harassment and rape, what does it feel like sitting next to him? This icon who turned out to be a monster.
The Collected Works of Kevin EG Perry 