Provocative Artist Returns, Defying Conservative Critics

Karen Finley, one of the N.E.A. Four artists who sued the National Endowment for the Arts (N.E.A.) in 1990, is revisiting her work "Go Figure" at Art Basel Miami Beach on the 25th anniversary of the Supreme Court ruling that reshaped public arts funding. "Go Figure" involves inviting fairgoers to participate in a life drawing class with nude models, challenging the perception of art and the body. The installation holds new resonance in Florida, a state embroiled in culture wars over issues of sexual material, gender transgression, and race. The controversy surrounding Finley's lawsuit had a lasting impact on public arts funding, shifting the focus to community-based initiatives and privatized funding. Despite the irony of restaging her performance at Art Basel, Finley aims to democratize the space and highlight the virtuosity of artists.