Art considered ‘inappropriate’ removed from Darke County Fair

GREENVILLE — Two artists had their pieces removed from the Darke County Fair after art officials deemed the works “inappropriate.”

Greenville resident Mikayla Setser won a first-place ribbon for her photograph but says it was later removed from the display, even though it had already been approved.

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"When I went Saturday morning my picture was no longer there," Setser told News Center 7's Lauren Clark. "I asked where my picture was, and that was when I was told that my picture was taken down because it was considered child pornography."

A Union City artist was told something similar by the fair’s Fine Arts director Nancy Foureman. Foureman declined to speak on camera but stated it was the judge’s right to remove pieces that might be considered offensive.

Setser understands the family nature of the fair, but hopes to see rules put in place to prevent this from happening again.

Fair manager Brian Rismiller agrees, saying there will be future conversations to determine what can and cannot be accepted.

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“That's probably the biggest thing right now, that the artwork did make it through the front desk, it was hung on the wall and it was judged. I think that's probably one of the areas we need to look it. Once it does get hung, maybe it should stay up,” Rismiller told Clark.