A Kentucky State Fair entry in the miniatures exhibit was pulled from display for being too 'inappropriate'.
The Kentucky State Fair is currently celebrating its 120th year, taking place from 15 August until 25 August at the Kentucky Exposition Center in Louisville, Kentucky.
Miniature artist Preston Poling - known as 'The Bearded Miniaturist' - submitted four entries to the fair, however, one didn't go down too well and even ended up being removed.
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In a post to Instagram on Wednesday (21 August), Poling shared a photograph of one of his entries, writing: "Just a warning, if you were planning on going to the Kentucky State Fair to enjoy my exhibit please wait. I've had several messages informing me that it isn't there. I'm not sure if it was stolen or moved or REMOVED or what.
"No one has reached out to me to let me know anything, it's just....gone. Stay tuned for more info."
In a video posted to Instagram the following day, Poling took followers on a tour of the fair to see his four builds, however, after coming to the first design, a caption pops up on the screen, stating: "12 hours later it was deemed 'inappropriate' and removed from the fair."
But how could a miniature model be so offensive?
Well, titled 'The Casting Couch' the entry is of an office room, comprising of a miniature sofa, desk, desk chair, camera and computer with the door shut and blinds drawn.
It's not so much the actual miniature which is ultimately the problem, but what it implies - the casting couch a reference to casting directors abusing their position of power by demanding sexual favors from actors in return for being considered for roles.
After realizing his piece was missing on Tuesday, the following morning Poling told WDRB he got 'the state troopers at the fair involved'.
And that's when he found out the potential severity of the repercussions he was facing as a result of the controversial piece.
He said: "Apparently the fair board was considering stripping all of my awards for this year and disqualifying them completely as an artist."
Senior communications manager for Kentucky Venues, Lexie Ratterman said: "Entries submitted to the fair are routinely reviewed throughout the event and the entry in question has been removed from display at this time."
Poling argued the piece was simply meant as a 'tongue-in-cheek joke' which he created 'piece-by-piece to be an identical replica of the one that we're all familiar with, or we don't want to admit that we're familiar with'.
"The joke's not on the judges. The joke isn't on people who are offended by this. The joke is to submit something that you either get or you don't get," he added.
Thankfully, the removal of the piece didn't impact Poling's other entries - the artist going on to win ribbons for two other pieces.
He said: "The superintendent of the fair board asked me to use a little sensitivity in the future because some things might be controversial."
The artist plans to display the piece in his studio at Mellwood Arts Center instead.
UNILAD has contacted The Kentucky State Fair for comment.
Topics: Art, Sex and Relationships, US News
Poppy Bilderbeck