Redfern’s Bearded Tit’s owner has cheeky respond to police order to take down its lesbian art

A pub’s explicit pictures facing out on a Sydney street have been torn down by authorities but not after some begrudging protest from the owners.

A Sydney pub displaying apparently taxpayer-funded pornographic pictures in its front window has been forced to cover up its smut following a flood of complaints to police.

Yet artistic curator Ian ­Sinclair claimed the LGBTQI+ community is being unfairly censored, saying the explicit pictures reference “Ancient Greek and Roman statues”.

The Bearded Tit bar in Redfern has been slammed for their Wallpaper Queens artwork which was erected earlier this month.

On June 15, police told the Regent St venue to remove the pictures, which depicted women showing their genitalia and engaging in sex acts.

Yet authorities claim they had to go back to the venue after initial directions to remove the images were only partly followed.

Shyan Fang, from Redfern, with her 5-month-old daughter, outside The Bearded Tit on Friday after it was forced to remove the explicit images on display in its front window. Picture: Justin Lloyd

“The images … depicted full nudity and graphic sexual ­activity and were clearly unsuitable for display in a public area where they could be viewed by passers-by including children,” a Liquor and Gaming NSW spokesman said.

When The Saturday Telegraph visited on Friday there was yellow “caution” tape in the window and two defiant statements emblazoned on the venue.

Some of the explicit images that were on display. (Blurring added by The Telegraph.)

Some of the explicit images that were on display. (Blurring added by The Telegraph.)

The curator has claimed the artwork was being unfairly targeted.

“The Bearded Tit is an LGBTQI+ bar and creative space,” Mr Sinclair said.

“My aim was not to cause offence but to spark conversation.”

At the foot of Mr Sinclair’s statement was an image of the NSW government logo with the phrase “supported by”.

Some of the explicit images that were on display. (Blurring added by The Telegraph.)

The window is now covered with tape saying CAUTION and a notice with the headline “Wallpaper Queens: An Obituary”. Picture: Ben Pike

Redfern local Tharusha Jayasena, 40, said the original artworks “were quite explicit” and while she did not complain to authorities and was not ­worried about them, “I am sure there would be some people who would be offended”.

An unattributed statement on the window said the artwork was “deemed inappropriate for public consumption”.

“May its legacy live on in our hearts, minds and late night fantasies,” it stated.

Lismore-based artist Xanthe Dobbie, who created Wallpaper Queens, declined to comment.

Originally published as Redfern’s Bearded Tit’s owner has cheeky respond to police order to take down its lesbian art