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If a Los Angeles artist had his way, as celebrities arrive to walk the red carpet before Sunday's Academy Awards show, they'd come face to face with a life-size Oscar doing something very naughty just steps away. Artist Plastic Jesus erected a gigantic statue in the image of an Oscar award snorting a line of cocaine—but the statement piece only lasted a few hours before it was removed from the street.
The street art had been placed a few feet away from where stars are expected to line up and pose for photos before the show. With or without the signage that reads "Hollywood's Best Party," there's no mistaking the point the artist was trying to get across about celeb life:
La Brea and Hollywood Blvd #oscars2015 #oscars #academyawards #hollywood #streetart #streetartla
Photographer Nick Stern, who works with Plastic Jesus, provided the following statement to explain why the statue suddenly appeared out of nowhere right before the Oscar's: "The piece is intended to draw attention to Hollywood’s hidden problem of drug addiction that effects [sic] hundreds of people in the showbiz industry and is largely ignored until the death of a high profile A list celebrity."
More from The Stir: Oscar-Winning Actor Philip Seymour Hoffman Found Dead In His Apartment
Plastic Jesus is known for creating art that often pokes fun at celebrity culture or draws attention to the uglier side of the entertainment industry. One of his T-shirt designs features the words "Stop Making Stupid People Famous," and he created a needle statue last year after actor Philip Seymour Hoffman was found dead from a heroin overdose.
You could argue this statue is a little tacky, but the one surefire way to catch everyone's attention is to shock them into listening—I'm sure most people would agree this did the trick ... for about four hours before Plastic Jesus was forced to remove it.
Considering the publicity he got in that short time, I'm guessing he isn't complaining.
Do you think this statue should have stayed put?
Image via Ad Media/Splash News
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