“I will fight in court because the art is not an obscenity,” said Megumi Igarashi.
On December 3, Tokyo Metropolitan Police arrested Igarashi, a 42-year-old resident of Setagaya Ward, for allegedly displaying a plaster cast of her vagina in an exhibition at an adult shop in Bunkyo Ward between October of last year and July.
Of the 19 works in the exhibition, police deemed three items, including that by Igarashi, to be “highly obscene” and in violation of the law.
On December 24, it was announced that she will be prosecuted for the crime.
“Since I did not run away or destroy evidence,” Igarashi said. “I do not agree with being detained after my arrest. So I appreciate your support in my fight in court.”
The artist posted bail of 1.5 million yen with the Tokyo District Court on Friday.
Igarashi had previously been arrested on July 12 for mailing links for the download of 3D-image data of her genitals to donors of an art project. She was released from custody six days later.
