Animal rights groups aren’t thrilled that Brooklyn artist Tom Otterness has been given a $750,000 city art contract to sculpt 59 bronzes for the Central Subway. Otterness is a world-renowned sculptor but he also is infamous for something else: In 1977, at age 25, he bought a small dog from an animal shelter, chained it to a fence and shot it dead, all on film, for an “art” piece called “Shot Dog Film.”
Add: The Examiner says it’s unclear if the Arts Commission, which selected Otterness, was aware of the incident but that it appears the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency board of directors was not.