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Judge Orders NYC Artist's Models to Keep G-Strings on Until Dusk

By Cynthia Hsu, Esq. on October 17, 2011 | Last updated on March 21, 2019

Andy Golub has a thing for public nudity.

The artist is known for painting, well, nude women. This seems fine until you take into consideration when and where Golub chooses to work his artistic magic: the middle of Times Square in broad daylight.

Is this distracting? Distasteful? Is it public indecency?

It was a little over the line, at least according to a New York judge. The artist was charged with misdemeanor public lewdness after he painted two of his models in Times Square.

Golub has been ordered to keep G-strings on his models until after dusk. Bras, however, can come off in daylight.

Most onlookers probably have the same dumbstruck expression as this man in the cab when they come across Golub's works. But you really shouldn't be gawking. It's just art, after all.

Photo Credit: AP

New York's state law traditionally protects nudity when it comes to artistic expression. Those who decide to go in the buff aren't subject to charges of public exposure if they are performing in a play, exhibition or show.

So if you consider body-painting art, Golub has actually done nothing wrong.

So why is he abiding to this new court order? Basically, he wants to avoid more trouble. But the battle isn't over yet: Golub's attorney plans on taking the case up on appeal to federal court. In the interim, his client will concede and make sure the G-strings stay on.

Plus, Golub has an added incentive. If he complies with the order and avoids arrest for six months all charges against him and his nude model will be dropped, according to the New York Daily News.

This sounds like a relatively good deal for the artist. After all, Andy Golub's public nudity-filled art displays can continue. All the interested men in New York, however, should close their mouths and stop drooling now.

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