Venus and the art of publicity

There’s always some sort of billboard mystery in the Twin Cities. Is this one an actual example of graffiti vandalism or a clever publicity gimmick?

It involves a billboard in Minneapolis promoting the Titian and the Golden Age of Venetian Painting exhibit at the Minneapolis Institute of Arts.

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Someone covered up Venus:

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The Los Angeles Times uncovered the attack on a tip from the — wait for it — publicist for the exhibition.

(h/t: Eyeteeth)

Update 9:56 a.m. 2/24: Two things. First: Those aren’t the same billboards. Second: “This was no publicity stunt. It happened. A NY PR agency was in conversation with me that morning about something else and we were talking about it. It was also put out on social media by some members of our staff. It was no gag devised by us. Just to make it clear to you,” writes Anne-Marie Wagener of the MIA.