From Sewell Chan's New York Times "City Blog":
"A sculpture depicting a tearful elephant in chains that ... became the center of a federal lawsuit in Washington was put on display in Union Square Park today, with the blessing of New York City officials. The fiberglass sculpture, 'Ella PhantzPeril,' shows a circus elephant with its front right leg in shackles. In 2002, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, the animal welfare group, tried to place the sculpture on view as part of the 'Party Animals' exhibition — a summer public art show depicting festive donkeys and elephants — organized by city officials in Washington. The city refused, and PETA sued the District of Columbia Commission on the Arts and Humanities in federal court. A federal judge ... sided with PETA, finding that the commission’s arguments for excluding the elephant 'strained credulity.' However, the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit later reversed that decision, ruling that the 'Party Animals' exhibition consisted of 'government speech,' rather than individual artistic expression."
The sculpture will be on view through Aug. 20.
