Naked men of all sizes and shapes are appearing on Vienna kiosks as a prestigious museum kicks off an exhibit of male nudity. But outside the exhibition, organizers are being forced into cover-up mode after a storm of complaints that the ad posters are offensive.
In a show titled "Nude Men from 1800 to Today," the Leopold Museum recently opened its doors to examine how artists have dealt with the theme of male nudity over the centuries.
Inside, around 300 art works are on display _ including the controversial photograph that is raising the ire of Viennese. Created by French artists Pierre & Gilles, "Vive La France" shows three young, athletic men of different races wearing nothing but blue, white and red socks and soccer shoes.
No visitors were complaining as they filed past that photo and even more graphic examples of male nudity. Not so in the city. Posters of the three men were given impromptu fig-leafs _ lines of red tape covering their private parts.