Satirical poop statue gets permit on National Mall, drawing viewers
A temporary "art" installation on display this week was catching passerby eyes on the National Mall in Washington, D.C.
It's a bronze statue of poop plopped atop the desk of former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi.
According to a plaque on the satirical art installation, it claims to "honor" those who participated in the Jan 6, 2021 riot at the U.S. Capitol.
The statue is an apparent demonstration against former President Donald Trump ahead of the 2024 presidential election.
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The sarcastic plaque accompanying the statue reads: “This memorial honors the brave men and women who broke into the United States Capitol on January 6th, 2021, to loot, urinate, and defecate throughout those hallowed halls in order to overturn an election. President Trump celebrates these heroes of January 6th as ‘unbelievable patriots’ and ‘warriors.’ This monument stands as a testament to their daring sacrifice and lasting legacy.”
The artist was not immediately known Friday, but according to a public gathering permit obtained by Paste BN, Julia Jimenez-Pyzik of Civic Crafted LLC applied to have it installed.
How did the poop statue appear on the National Mall?
According to the permit, which was approved by the National Park Service (NPS), the piece is called "The Resolute Desk."
The statue was set up Thursday and will be on display until Oct. 31, according to the permit.
"As Federal land and America’s premier civic space, the National Mall provides a forum in which citizens can exercise their Constitutional rights of speech and assembly," National Mall and Memorial Parks Chief of Communications Mike Litterst told Paste BN Friday.
Permits are required for organized activities on areas administered by the NPS, Litterst said, which does not consider the content of the message to be presented.
"The issued permits spell out the specific conditions under which the event will take place to ensure public safety, the protection of park resources and to maintain a commemorative atmosphere where appropriate," Litterst said.
Paste BN has reached out Julia Jimenez-Pyzik.
Photos of bronze poop statue in Washington D.C.
Here are recent photos of the installation and people swarming to capture photo and video of it.
Viewers react to poop emoji statue on National Mall
The statue on Friday continued to draw reaction on social media.
"I can't believe anyone would approve a permit like this," one user posted on X, calling the statue "tasteless."
"Welcome to America, where a bronze poop statue honoring the people who tried to break our democracy currently stands on the National Mall," another user posted.
"I may not know art, but I know what I like," another user said.
Natalie Neysa Alund is a senior reporter for Paste BN. Reach her at nalund@usatoday.com and follow her on X @nataliealund.
(This article was updated to include video.)