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TIME: Almanac 1990
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1990 Time Magazine Compact Almanac, The (1991)(Time).iso
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time
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061989
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06198900.028
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1990-09-22
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NATION, Page 37American NotesMURALSLast Chance For Hercules
The black-and-white murals have been hanging in Washington's
state legislative building since 1981, but most lawmakers have
never seen them. Commissioned at a cost of $100,000, The Twelve
Labors of Hercules touched off a storm of complaints over their
graphic depictions of what critics called kinky sex and death. To
quell the controversy, officials covered the murals with
gold-colored drapes in 1982. Meanwhile, artist Michael Spafford
filed a lawsuit seeking to bar the removal of his work.
Last December a state superior court ruled that the paintings
could be taken down. But house speaker Joseph King believes the
artwork deserves one more chance to win over the public. The murals
will go on display until Sept. 29, when a final decision will be
made about their fate.