Some Fruita residents are upset over a newly-installed sculpture by local artist Pavia Justinian that depicts a nude, anatomically-correct woman gracefully dancing. The sculpture, called Zafira, won the 2016 Peoples’ Choice Award in the Sculpture on 73rd Ave. display in Denver, and was the overwhelming favorite for the People’s Choice award for Art on the Corner in Grand Junction in 2021. Before now, no one had ever complained about the art work, but some people in Fruita have taken exception to the anatomically correct part. One person called it “pornographic.”
The sculpture is one of five new sculptures installed for Fruita’s 2025 HeArt of Fruita outdoor art program. Members of the Fruita Arts and Culture Board, two community sponsors and two downtown Fruita business owners all voted Zafira as the top sculpture to display, but after a Fruita resident complained about the sculpture on a Facebook page, there is talk of modifying or removing it.
The furor started September 7 after someone posted an anonymous complaint about the sculpture on the Fruita Message Board, calling it “pornographic”:
The post drew 356 comments, positive and negative, before message board admins shut off commenting. Some people were in favor of keeping the sculpture as is, others thought it needed to be modified to make it acceptable for public viewing. Some wanted it removed entirely.
At their monthly meeting September 10, the Arts and Culture Board heard from about 20 Fruita residents about the sculpture and were going to try to seek “a solution.” In the mean time, the Board tied an apron around the sculpture’s waist to hide the part of it that some Fruita residents are afraid of, and put up a sign next to it:
Artist statement about the controversy
Upon seeing the furor over her sculpture in her own home town, Justinian wrote on social media:
“I am aware of some of the negative things being said about Zafira on social media, and although I’m disappointed, I respect that people hold differing opinions, and not everyone is going to like my work. So far, I’ve let this conversation unfold and let my art speak for itself. But as soon as I saw that picture of Zafira covered up with an apron, it really made me sad and angry. No one asked me if that would be an acceptable solution to this issue. They’ve taken a piece of art that I’m proud of and slut-shamed her into a sideshow complete with an ugly costume and a shameful sign. When submitting Zafira to the HeART of Fruita art exhibit, I included a frontal shot showing her labia. It was never my intention to be deceptive or to hide the nature of this sculpture. “I never expected that out of all the places Zafira has been on display, it would be my own hometown that would choose to censor her.”
After their 9/10 meeting, the Arts and Culture Board removed the apron and sign.
As of Sunday, September 14, the sculpture appears as in the photo just above, in all its original beauty and sans apron.
No “solution” has yet been announced to the purported “problem” that never existed before anywhere else the sculpture has been displayed.
We’ll see how the Arts and Culture Board deals with what has been a non-existent problem, until now.
If you want to see a fascinating video about how Pavia Justinian created Zafira, watch the video below:
Why does this lovely sculpture wear colorful paint everywhere except in the genital area, which is painted in contrasting color making to stand out more than the rest of the statue’s anatomy? The genitals also protrude more than any other part, just at face height if you’re a little kid. It screams “Look here! This is the most important part!” The comparisons of this statue to Michaelangelo’s David miss the fact that this sculpture is in a public access to Mulberry Square, whereas David is in a roped-off area of a museum and his genitals are not child face height, if the child was brought to the museum to view it. He is also not posed leaning backwards so they can stick out as far as possible. That aside, I’m all pro feminism and women’s rights to freedom of expression. Viva Gloria Steinem! However, I do wonder how many of the female advocates of this style of free expression have ever been sexually assaulted. How many of them know girls who have been trafficked and are still out there, being forced to pose in similar fashion for their would-be purchasers. There is art; then there is exploitation and objectivication. The controversy this statue incites is no doubt great publicity for the artist. However, it’s sad to think of all those who have suffered degradation and worse due to sexual exploitation. The statue is beautifully made, and the nude female form is lovely, but why the need to objectify and exploit the female genitalia?
Beautiful art piece! I hope it stays with us a long time.
On the subject of preserving our Constitutional rights, is it true that we have an upcoming local “No Kings”event?
Can you direct me to date/time/location/theme?.
Thanks, Anne.
See this article: https://annelandmanblog.com/2025/09/the-next-grand-junction-no-kings-protest-is-october-18-noon-at-1st-main/
So great to watch that video and see how much work and talent went into making Zafira. Thanks for posting the video, Anne. Zafira is absolutely gorgeous! And to think closed minded people in her own hometown of Fruita were the first ones to label Zafira as pornagraphic after she’d been on display in other locations and won several awards. Just goes to show how thoughtless and insecure people can be! Please consider writing a letter of support for Zafira. Please send your email to Jeannine Purser, who is the liaison for the Fruita Arts and Culture board members. She will then get your email to board members. Jeannine‘s email address is as follows:
Jpurser@fruita.org
I agree with “If you don’t like it, avoid it” (don’t look at it) Must we all cater to the highly sensitive?
I love this sculpture. It’s joyous, free-flowing, and very human. Would these self-appointed critics pitch a fit over the far more explicit Michaelangelo’s David?
Like anything else that might offend someone, the only thing I can say is, if you don’t like it, don’t look at it (or read it, watch it, etc.) Some people seem to desperately need something to complain about.
Wasn’t that long ago Fruita residents and electeds really liked their “WTF” bumber stickers. Good times.