Controversial Art Museum

Commissioned by the United States government, Tilted Arc by Richard Serra is a curving steel wall 120 feet long and 12 feet tall installed in the Federal Plaza in New York City. The piece drew controversy as soon as it was installed, for workers in surrounding businesses had to walk all the way around the enormous steel sculpture to cross the Federal Plaza. The same year the sculpture was erected, in 1981, Judge Edward Re began a campaign to have the sculpture removed, and in 1985, a public hearing was held to determine if Tilted Arc should be relocated. Serra in the hearing appealed that the sculpture was site-specific, and relocating the piece would be equivalent to destroying it. He threatened to remove his name from the piece if it was relocated. Those opposing the sculpture also argued that it could be a point for graffiti and terrorist attacks, and in 1985, a jury of 5 voted to remove Tilted Arc. It was removed in 1989.