Artist: Shelton Brothers Brewers/ Daniel Shelton, a specialty beer distributor
Confronting Bodies: Maine government officials
Date of Action: 2006
Specific Location: Portland, Maine USA
Description of Artwork: The label, intended to go on Shelton Brothers Brewers new beer they call モSantaメs Butt Winter Porterヤ, features Santaメs fully-clothed derriere perched atop a barrel (or モbuttヤ) of beer. (Above is a close up of the label). In addition to モSantaメs Buttヤ, at question were モLes Sans Culottesヤ, featuring Delacroixメs classic painting モLiberty Leading the Peopleヤ, and モRose de Gambrinusヤ, featuring a watercolor painting of the king of Flanders sitting with a bare-breasted woman.
Description of Incident: The State of Maine refused permission to sell three of Shelton Brothers Brewersメ beers because the State deemed their labels モundignified or improperヤ. The most controversial label was for the beer they call モSantaメs Butt Winter Porterヤ which features Santaメs fully-clothed derriere perched atop a barrel (or モbuttヤ) of beer. In addition to モSantaメs Buttヤ, at question were モLes Sans Culottesヤ, featuring Delacroixメs classic painting モLiberty Leading the Peopleヤ, and モRose de Gambrinusヤ, featuring a watercolor painting of the king of Flanders sitting with a bare-breasted woman.
Results of Incident: On November 30, 2006, the Maine Civil Liberties Union Foundation (MCLU) filed a case against government censorship on behalf of Daniel Shelton. With the help of MCLU, Shelton won the lawsuit; in a letter dated December 22, 2006, Maineメs Liqour Licensing Unit Inspector Supervisor Jeffrey Austin told Shelton Brothers Brewers that they could register the label for モSantaメs Butt Winter Porterヤ, which features Santaメs fully-clothed derriere perched atop a barrel (or モbuttヤ) of beer. While Shelton did win his case, unfortunately the ruling did not come in time for the company to be able to get the label out onto the bottles for the 2006 Christmas season. The MCLU has not stopped there; they intend to continue fighting the Maine Bureau of Liquor Enforcement ensuring that they stop censoring all labels.
Source: North Country Gazette: www.northcountrygazette.org
Submitted By: National Coalition Against Censorship