From Deseret News archives:
BYU relocates provocative photos
Decision is made because 3 works 'require reflection'
"This (the relocation) was an internal decision, and the reason it was made was that these were photos that required reflection," said Carri P. Jenkins, BYU's chief spokeswoman. "They belonged in an environment where viewers can interpret this work with reflection."
The photo was taken by Christopher Melton, a BYU student majoring in photography. That photo and two others by Melton were on display in the main gallery of the Harris Fine Arts Center last week but were taken down on Friday and relocated to the east side of the arts center in Gallery 303.
However, Melton said he is not upset with the decision for the relocation. He said it was a diplomatic move because it was sensitive to concerns others may have about the artwork but respected the need for art to be studied and talked about instead of censored.
"I felt that it would be easy for them to just take it down and not start any controversy," Melton said. "I'm just grateful for them to see the value in art but still respect people who did complain."
Jenkins said the decision was made by administrators who were concerned that the photos were in a high traffic area and wanted the photos in a place where people could look at the photos at length without much interruption.
Jenkins was unaware of any complaints about the photo exhibit.
BYU is the second Utah institution of higher education this month to deal with issues surrounding controversial art.
On March 11, three photos were taken from an exhibit at Salt Lake Community College. The photos, by artist Don Farmer, were of young men clad like LDS missionaries yet posed in sexually provocative positions.
The exhibit, which enraged many LDS students, had been moved days before to a less prominent location. Police are treating the case as a theft.
"We have some forensic evidence, and we're having it evaluated. We have several people who have given us witness statements," said Utah Department of Public Safety Lt. Doug McCleve. "We have not narrowed it down to a suspect at this point."
At BYU, Melton had two other photos on display besides the photo of a woman with a skinned lamb. In the other photos, two women were holding apples. One of the women was putting an apple on the table while the other was just holding an apple.
