Statue of Harvey Weinstein’s ‘Casting Couch’ Takes Hollywood By Storm
Disgraced movie mogul Harvey Weinstein has been front and center in Hollywood's sexual misconduct allegations. Due to his actions, dozens of careers have been tarnished.
The 'Casting Couch' Hits Hollywood
Two days before the Oscars, an uncanny statue appeared in Los Angeles. This statue was called "Casting Couch," and it showcased a golden Harvey Weinstein wearing nothing but his bathrobe and holding his Academy Award in his crotch area. According to CBS News, this provocative piece of artwork was created through the teamwork of Los Angeles based street artist Plastic Jesus and Joshua "Ginger" Monroe.
"When the Harvey Weinstein story broke, it was pretty obvious that it was going to be the biggest story in Hollywood this year. I knew that the Weinstein story had to be the target of my Oscars statue this year," said Plastic Jesus, exclusively to Enstars.
Plastic Jesus has made headlines for his controversial statues that showcase Hollywood's dark side. For five years, the Los Angeles-based street artist created sculptures that included rapper Kanye West channeling Jesus Christ on a cross and an Oscar statue snorting cocaine. Plastic Jesus and Monroe began planning their latest Oscar statue four months ago with a fabrication process that shortly followed.
Taking Over Hollywood Boulevard
Despite the time constraints facing Plastic Jesus and Monroe, the Los Angeles artist was successful in grabbing the supplies together from Monroe in Las Vegas and driving back from Sin City to put the statue together. Plastic Jesus also stated that the hardest part was finding the right place to put the figure.
"Much of Hollywood Boulevard was closed down due to the Oscars. But for the piece's purpose, it had to be on Hollywood Boulevard. It was as close as we could get to the Dolby Theatre without getting thrown off of the boulevard," said Plastic Jesus.
Despite the initial worries that he felt about the statue being torn down due to Weinstein's controversy, the artist stated that people respected the work of art. He also added that he saw many people take photos with it.
"As an artist, I do controversial stuff, and I do get nervous that my pieces do get viewed in the wrong way. But the feedback I have received so far has all been positive, and people have agreed that the subject of abuse within Hollywood needs to be addressed and seeing where this piece fits into that conversation," said Plastic Jesus.
The Women Who Accused Weinstein
According to The Sun, more than 60 women have accused Weinstein of sexually harassing them. Uma Thurman stated that she is seeking justice for Harvey Weinstein's alleged sexual assault against her. Salma Hayek decided to reveal that Weinstein sexually assaulted her during the filming process of her Oscar-winning film Frida in 2002. Anne Heche also claimed that Harvey Weinstein fired her for not giving into his sexual advances.
