State media have also weighed in on the controversy.
People’s Daily, the official newspaper of China’s Communist Party, published a commentary on Wednesday calling for a balance between artistic expression and public scrutiny.
The commentary stated that designing and creating “unconventional” sculptures falls within a creator’s creative freedom, and they would have different aesthetics and modes of “artistic expression”, a right that should be respected.
However, as the sculptures were placed in a public setting, they should be subject to scrutiny, and the controversy that arose was “not surprising”.
It also argued that the move by the park to take down some sculptures was not “succumbing to public pressure”, but more of taking into consideration its business appeal.
If the park were to be mired in controversy and lose its popularity due to a few sculptures, “the losses would outweigh the gains”, according to the commentary, which added that removing them meant cutting losses “in a timely manner”.
“While art in public spaces should maintain its artistic individuality, it can only receive greater commercial returns by forming a positive interaction with public expectations and reaching a consensus with public aesthetics.”
https://www.channelnewsasia.com/east-asia/china-yunnan-theme-park-viral-sculptures-human-centipede-three-faced-girl-5406111
