Justin Bieber, Selena Gomez Nude Statue: What Does It Mean?

'Teenage celebrities [are] exploited early, earlier than what is legal, and the media fuels that,' artist Daniel Edwards tells MTV News.
By Jocelyn Vena


Daniel Edwards' "Justin and Selena as One" sculpture
Photo: Daniel Edwards/ Cory Allen Contemporary Art

The Internet was abuzz this week when controversial artist Daniel Edwards released his latest piece of art: a nude statue of Justin Bieber and Selena Gomez with the words "Justin & Selena Forever" inscribed at the base of the statue.

The bronze statue, called "Justin and Selena as One," plays on the idea of Adam and Eve, with Bieber wearing a strategically placed maple leaf and Gomez wearing a strategically placed Texas Lone Star — references to Justin's native Canada and Selena's home state. But Edwards told MTV News the images aren't meant to be provocative for the sake of being provocative.

"Really, can you think of any teenage couple that's bigger or been bigger than them? Also, for my point of view, when I look at it, there's a lot of interesting components to it," he said of the piece, which will be on display at Dallas' New Fine Arts. "That was pretty much the obvious point of entry. She is 19, so that takes away a little bit of the edge, I think, but the fact that he's 17, that was totally the point of it.

"I tried to find my entry into making a comment on that very thing that happens time and again to teenage celebrities, where they're kind of exploited early, earlier than what is legal, and the media fuels that as best they can," he continued. "I guess I'm making my commentary about that particular thing that happens."

The statue also comments on the "double standard" for males and females in the industry. "It only seems to hit the young ladies a lot worse than the men. It's still there. You see all those beach photos of the two of them. My children are young, but I think I would be freaked out if I saw images of them like that on the Internet," he said, noting that being a father definitely informs his work.

"If I hadn't had kids, I think the work would be a lot more provocative, visually," he said. "But with kids, I always have to make sure it's something I'm comfortable with them seeing. There's a certain line I'm not willing to cross with my kids in the house."

Of all the ways to portray the two teen superstars, Edwards felt that the biblical reference was the perfect way to make his commentary work. "It's not for the sake of presenting religion. ... I think it's mostly because, from an art-history standpoint, a young couple is always Adam and Eve," he said. "And so I always try to position my work in historical reference. ... It's a way of giving it a bit of a historical context."

What do you think of the statue? Let us know in the comments below.

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Lady Gaga Sued For Allegedly Copying 'Judas'

Chicago-based singer Rebecca Francescatti claims Gaga's song is similar to a song she recorded in 1999 called 'Juda.'
By Kara Warner


Lady Gaga
Photo: Michael Loccisano/ Getty Images

Relatively unknown Chicago-based singer Rebecca Francescatti has filed a lawsuit against Lady Gaga for alleged copyright infringement on her hit single "Judas."

According to TMZ, Francescatti claims that "Juda," a song she recorded in 1999 with her band Rebecca F. & the Memes, has multiple similarities with Gaga's track, chief among them the fact that Francescatti's former bass player Brian Gaynor is now employed by a music company that wrote 17 songs for Gaga's Born This Way album.

NBC Chicago reported that Gaynor was open with Francescatti and admitted that he was writing for and working with Gaga.

Francescatti's lawyer, Chris Niro, told TMZ that his client is seeking proper recognition for her original work.

"Though the songs are different styles, the composition is the same and the chorus is the same melody," he told the site. "[Rebecca] is seeking recognition for what she created."

By "recognition," Francescatti means money she believes is owed to her.

In the lawsuit, a copy of which was obtained by the Huffington Post, Francescatti names Gaga, Interscope Records, Universal Music Group, DJ White Shadow and sound engineer Brian Joseph Gaynor as participants in creating the single "Judas," a song that bears "a substantial similarity" to "Juda" in that Gaga allegedly "copied and incorporated substantial, original portions" of the work, though it was previously copyrighted and recorded with Gaynor. Francescatti is reportedly seeking a cut from the profits "Judas" has earned.

Do you think the two songs are similar? Let us know in the comments below!

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Lady Gaga Sued For Allegedly Copying 'Judas'

Chicago-based singer Rebecca Francescatti claims Gaga's song is similar to a song she recorded in 1999 called 'Juda.'
By Kara Warner


Lady Gaga
Photo: Michael Loccisano/ Getty Images

Relatively unknown Chicago-based singer Rebecca Francescatti has filed a lawsuit against Lady Gaga for alleged copyright infringement on her hit single "Judas."

According to TMZ, Francescatti claims that "Juda," a song she recorded in 1999 with her band Rebecca F. & the Memes, has multiple similarities with Gaga's track, chief among them the fact that Francescatti's former bass player Brian Gaynor is now employed by a music company that wrote 17 songs for Gaga's Born This Way album.

NBC Chicago reported that Gaynor was open with Francescatti and admitted that he was writing for and working with Gaga.

Francescatti's lawyer, Chris Niro, told TMZ that his client is seeking proper recognition for her original work.

"Though the songs are different styles, the composition is the same and the chorus is the same melody," he told the site. "[Rebecca] is seeking recognition for what she created."

By "recognition," Francescatti means money she believes is owed to her.

In the lawsuit, a copy of which was obtained by the Huffington Post, Francescatti names Gaga, Interscope Records, Universal Music Group, DJ White Shadow and sound engineer Brian Joseph Gaynor as participants in creating the single "Judas," a song that bears "a substantial similarity" to "Juda" in that Gaga allegedly "copied and incorporated substantial, original portions" of the work, though it was previously copyrighted and recorded with Gaynor. Francescatti is reportedly seeking a cut from the profits "Judas" has earned.

Do you think the two songs are similar? Let us know in the comments below!

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Sugarland Show Stage Collapsing Leaves Four Dead

With the gathered crowd readying for what was set to be an enjoyable night of music and togetherness, things took a drastic turn for the worse at the Indiana State Fair on Saturday night (August 13).

The tragedy took place just as Sugarland was readying to take the Hoosier Lottery Grandstand stage, with high winds knocking over lighting rigging with the stage collapsing in an incident that left four dead and numerous concertgoers injured.

According to local officials, three young attendees were taken to Riley Hospital for Children while eight adults were rushed to Methodist Hospital of Indianapolis.

Meanwhile, those with less severe injuries were taken to Wishard Memorial Hospital, with the medical facility treating seventeen patients.

Of the Indiana State Fair stage collapsing, Sugarland released a statement sending their deepest sympathy, as the band told, ?We are all right after our stage collapse at the Indiana State Fair tonight. Many of our fans and friends in Indianapolis may not be. Please keep them in your thoughts, prayers, or whatever form of strength you are able to send. They need you. Thank you.?

Meanwhile, a spokesman for Indiana University Health named Kristofer Karol told press, ?It?s a pretty serious situation, especially when you have to call in most of your emergency crews."

Karol added, "It?s under control back here but everybody is working to get us through this."

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Brooke Burke and David Charvet Secretly Wed - See Their Pre-Ceremony Bikini and Shirtless Pictures!

Brooke Burke sported a perfect tan and a tiny bikini on the beach with her man David Charvet and their two kids, Rain and Shaya, in St. Barts on Thursday. The happy family looked relaxed, and little did anyone know it was just one day before Brooke and David were set to tie the knot. Brooke Burke and David Charvet had a secret wedding on the beach on Friday! Brooke and David lounged in bikinis and shirtless earlier in the week as they geared up for their big day. Brooke and David have been engaged for five years, though they were not public about their specific timeline on making it official. Brooke also has two kids from her previous marriage, and while she looks amazing in her two-pieces, at the moment it's David's time to shine in our 2011 shirtless bracket. Congrats to the newlyweds Brooke and David and their family!

View Slideshow ?

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Sean Kingston Details 'Life-Or-Death' Accident

'What the accident basically taught me is, in life, you have to count your blessings,' he says during 'MTV First: Sean Kingston.'
By Jocelyn Vena, with reporting by Sway Calloway


Sean Kingston
Photo: MTV News

Sean Kingston sat down with MTV News on Tuesday night (August 2) and opened up for the first time about the jet-ski accident that landed him in the hospital. During "MTV First: Sean Kingston," the singer spoke candidly with Sway Calloway at his house in Miami about the day that changed his life forever, letting fans know that months after his jet ski crashed into a bridge near his home in Florida, he's now back and better than ever.

"I'm doing good. I'm feeling great. I'm excited. I'm happy," he said. "A lot of people don't know it was a deeper situation. I had open heart surgery and I had two other surgeries; it was a life-or-death situation."

Kingston — the Jamaican-American singer who broke onto the scene with the "Stand by Me"-sampling song "Beautiful Girls" and scored another hit with the Justin Bieber collabo "Eenie Meenie" last year — was rushed to the hospital May 29 after a jet-ski crash. He explained to Sway that he was going about 35 miles an hour when he miscalculated how high the tide had risen and collided with a bridge.

The singer revealed for the first time in the sit-down that just as he was being released from the hospital for injuries related to the crash, he was rushed into surgery to deal with a newly discovered heart condition. "They were gonna send me home, but then I had felt a pain in my left chest, and I told my mom," he explained. "They rushed me and they did a lot of scans on me, [and] they said I couldn't leave."

It was discovered that blood had filled up in his chest and his aorta was torn. He went into surgery several times to fix the condition, knowing that the risks were high, but he survived, and now he's focused on the positive. "I'm 100 percent right now," he said. "I've been in the house chilling, about to start work on my new album. I got L.A. Reid now as my new president. I got a story to tell now."

Kingston isn't taking his new lease on life lightly. "What the accident basically taught me is, in life, you have to count your blessings," he said. "You just got to keep God present at all times and think about the consequences."

During the chat, Kingston opened up about the details of the accident, talked about the support he's received from celebrity pals like Justin Bieber and Chris Brown, his new music and finally getting the chance to meet the man who saved him after he crashed. MTV News will be rolling out more from the interview with Kingston, who thanked his fans for all their support after the accident.

Share your well-wishes for Kingston in the comments below.

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With a Little Luck: A Novel

My good friend Caprice Crane's new book, With a Little Luck, is out today. Yay, Caprice!

It's gotten great reviews:

"Crane is one of the funniest writers of popular fiction around. The dialog (inner and outer) is laugh-out-loud, snort-inducing hilarious . . . Readers will want to cross their fingers and spit while throwing salt over their shoulders if it helps Berry reach her dreams. Highly recommended."

Library Journal

"Fans of Stacy Ballis and Cara Lockwood will appreciate Crane's effortlessly funny style, which is often attempted in popular fiction but is rarely this well executed...Lighthearted and charmingly honest."

—Booklist

"[A] satisfying romantic comedy...[with] real character growth."

—Kirkus Reviews

And even better blurbs:

"Romantic, poignant and funny—this book is a lucky find for lit fans. Caprice Crane is a nimble and gifted storyteller."

—Diablo Cody, Academy Award-winning screenwriter of Juno

"A hilarious romp that oozes charm and giddy fun. Caprice Crane is a true talent."

—Molly Jong-Fast, author of The Social Climber's Handbook

"Witty, fast-paced, and sheer fun. Caprice Crane is a master of dialogue. Half the time I was reading this book I was smiling, which made me look like a crazy person on the subway."

—Jancee Dunn, author of Don’t You Forget About Me and Why Is My Mother Getting a Tattoo?

"Absolutely charming and hilarious."

—Missy Peregrym, star of the movie Stick It and ABC's Rookie Blue

"With a Little Luck scores in humor, head, and heart. In other words, it’s a perfect trifecta."

—Karyn Bosnak, author of 20 Times a Lady (soon to be the major motion picture What's Your Number?)

(Omg, who is that last fantastic blurber?) (I meant every word of it.)

And most importantly, she has the cutest dog ever (who likes to video chat with Bev):

Anyway, check it out, buy it—it's fantastic!

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Justin Bieber, Selena Gomez Nude Statue: What Does It Mean?

'Teenage celebrities [are] exploited early, earlier than what is legal, and the media fuels that,' artist Daniel Edwards tells MTV News.
By Jocelyn Vena


Daniel Edwards' "Justin and Selena as One" sculpture
Photo: Daniel Edwards/ Cory Allen Contemporary Art

The Internet was abuzz this week when controversial artist Daniel Edwards released his latest piece of art: a nude statue of Justin Bieber and Selena Gomez with the words "Justin & Selena Forever" inscribed at the base of the statue.

The bronze statue, called "Justin and Selena as One," plays on the idea of Adam and Eve, with Bieber wearing a strategically placed maple leaf and Gomez wearing a strategically placed Texas Lone Star — references to Justin's native Canada and Selena's home state. But Edwards told MTV News the images aren't meant to be provocative for the sake of being provocative.

"Really, can you think of any teenage couple that's bigger or been bigger than them? Also, for my point of view, when I look at it, there's a lot of interesting components to it," he said of the piece, which will be on display at Dallas' New Fine Arts. "That was pretty much the obvious point of entry. She is 19, so that takes away a little bit of the edge, I think, but the fact that he's 17, that was totally the point of it.

"I tried to find my entry into making a comment on that very thing that happens time and again to teenage celebrities, where they're kind of exploited early, earlier than what is legal, and the media fuels that as best they can," he continued. "I guess I'm making my commentary about that particular thing that happens."

The statue also comments on the "double standard" for males and females in the industry. "It only seems to hit the young ladies a lot worse than the men. It's still there. You see all those beach photos of the two of them. My children are young, but I think I would be freaked out if I saw images of them like that on the Internet," he said, noting that being a father definitely informs his work.

"If I hadn't had kids, I think the work would be a lot more provocative, visually," he said. "But with kids, I always have to make sure it's something I'm comfortable with them seeing. There's a certain line I'm not willing to cross with my kids in the house."

Of all the ways to portray the two teen superstars, Edwards felt that the biblical reference was the perfect way to make his commentary work. "It's not for the sake of presenting religion. ... I think it's mostly because, from an art-history standpoint, a young couple is always Adam and Eve," he said. "And so I always try to position my work in historical reference. ... It's a way of giving it a bit of a historical context."

What do you think of the statue? Let us know in the comments below.

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