Benham Gallery Vandalized For Showing Erotic Photographs

"Lucky Marie" by David Steinberg. Image Courtesy of Benham Gallery.

Portraits of nude men and women in the window of this First Avenue photography gallery seem to have prompted vandalism over the weekend. Benham Gallery sent out a press release this morning explaining what happened:

"On Easter Eve a large pane glass window was smashed with a metal Seattle Utility cover at 1216 1st ave, Benham Gallery. Saturday afternoon someone spread feces across our windows."

Gallery owner Marita Holdaway posted a note on the window saying "We believe our window was smashed by a person who was challenged by the content of this exhibition."

Behind the boarded-up window is an exhibit called Erotic Beauty, with photographs by Paul Dahlquist, David Steinberg, Fiona Aboud, and Sean Newman depicting nude and scantily clad men, women, and the "Divas of San Francisco." Some of the work is sexually suggestive, though the most charged images in the show are located not in the windows, but in the back of the gallery.

"I look at none of these pieces and see pornography," explained gallery manager Dave Armentour, "but pornography is in the mind of the viewer."

Gallery-owner Marita Holdaway will meet with police later today to find out more about the incident.