The artist, whose real name is Megumi Igarashi, was held in custody in Tokyo on suspicion of breaking Japanese obscenity laws. Media reports said Igarashi, 42, denied the allegations. She pointed out that had not sent images of her vagina in return for money and did not recognise the scanned 3D data as obscene, but it could have made one of the I guess!
Igarashi had been trying to raise funds online to pay for the construction of a kayak, using a 3D printer, modelled on the shape of her genitals. Perhaps she would have realized it was obscene if there has been one of these Dildos being inserted into the kayak entrance, but she didn’t understand the obscenity of her sitting inside what would be the entrance of her vagina?
The artist was arrested for “distributing data that could create an obscene shape through a 3D printer”, a police spokesman told AFP.
Her supporters said they were shocked by what they described as the police’s unusually broad use of Japan’s obscenity laws.
“She was released today,” said her lawyer, Kazuyuki Minami, adding that Igarashi and her legal team were due to hold a press conference later on Friday.
It was not immediately clear if the artist would face criminal charges.
If convicted, Igarashi could receive up to two years in jail or a fine of as much as 2.5 million yen, according to her lawyer.
Source: The Guardian