Does the Fairmount Park Commission Hate Dogs?

Probably not. At least not consciously. After all, they don't seem to have a problem with the countless four-legged friends people bring with them for their weekend walks along Kelly Drive. But still, they've given us pause by approving a planned sculpture by Tom Otterness in Aviator Park.

Otterness is well-known for his works of public art that can be found all around New York City. He's also well-known for the whirlwind of controversy that surrounds him and becomes a public debate whenever his work is commissioned or displayed. You see, about thirty years ago, Otterness adopted a dog, shot it to death, and videotaped the whole thing. This abhorrent display, which Otterness called "Shot Dog Piece," is apparently what passed for performance art back in the 70s.

As recently reported on a couple of New York-based blogs, including our parent site, Gothamist, Otterness has expressed remorse for creating the piece:

Thirty years ago when I was 25 years old, I made a film in which I shot a dog. It was an indefensible act that I am deeply sorry for. Many of us have experienced profound emotional turmoil and despair. Few have made the mistake I made. I hope people can find it in their hearts to forgive me -- Tom Otterness.

Frankly, we think Otterness is full of shit. Most of us Phillyist staffers remember being 25 years old. Hell, a couple of staffers haven't even hit 25 yet. But none of us would even consider doing something that evidences a complete lack of humanity as shooting a dog for the sake of "art" and then trying to pass it off as mere immaturity. We have to believe that, thirty years ago, your average 25-year-old could wrap his mind around the difference between right, wrong, and outright evil. Plus, even if Otterness committed his work of art animal cruelty thirty years ago, it wasn't displayed until the eighties — or at least that's what Wikipedia told us; we haven't been able to otherwise confirm any exhibition dates for "Shot Dog Piece." But if that's the case, then Otterness had at least a few years to reflect on what he'd done, and he still chose to display his work. We think that Otterness's recent expression of contrition about his act is less about regretting that he did it, and more about being "sorry" that people are offended by it. Sorry, but Animal cruelty is one of those things that we have zero tolerance for. Otterness's Philadelphia project, Peaceable Kingdom, will cost $5 million, which the Fairmount Park Art Association will be raising. We hope they're not expecting a contribution from us.

That being said, the comments on Gothamist's recent writeup about Otterness are an interesting, if not always civil, debate about whether people should hold "Shot Dog Piece" against him thirty years after he did it, and twenty years after it was displayed. So we want to know what you think, Philadelphia. Leave us your thoughts on Otterness and the Peaceable Kingdom project in the comments.

Thanks to the anonymous tipster who brought this story to our attention.

Image of Otterness's Crying Giant, located at the Delaware Art Museum in Wilmington, via Flickr user PBoGS.