Catharsis on the Mall permit for 45-foot-tall nude statue of woman on National Mall denied

A proposal by the organizers of Catharsis on the Mall to have a 45-foot-tall statue of a naked woman near the Washington Monument for several months has been denied, according to officials.

The National Park Service confirmed to FOX 5 it received and denied a portion of the public gathering permit application submitted by Catharsis on the Mall, in particular, the naked statued and a memorial temple.

Organizers for the event said the statue, called “R-Evolution,” is “a woman standing in her strength and power… expressing her humanity; how she feels when she is safe, when she can just be.”

It was created by artist Marco Cochrane in collaboration with model Deja Solis and was first featured at Burning Man, an annual festival held in the Black Rock Desert in Nevada, back in 2015, according to organizers.

Catharsis on the Mall said it wanted to have the statue next to the Washington Monument looking at the White House beginning Nov. 9 and lasting through March 2018.

The National Park Service said:

While the National Park Service said the permits for the naked statue and memorial temple were denied, it said more than 30 temporary structures were approved in support of the event slated to take place from Nov. 10 to 12 on the northwest quadrant of the National Mall grounds.

Organizers had been attempting to raise $90,000 in donations and to recruit “vigil keepers,” which were people needed to stand watch around the statue 24 hours a day. 

“As with all First Amendment activities, our review is to ensure public safety and that park resources and values are protected; we do not take into consideration content of the message presented,” National Parks Service told FOX 5 back in September.

Catharsis on the Mall is an annual vigil held in D.C. that aims to raise awareness about the Equal Rights Amendment.

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R-Evolution (9-22-2017) from Catharsis Onthemall on Vimeo.