Mayor: Feds order crosses off artwork

JEMEZ SPRINGS, N.M. (KRQE) - A New Mexico village mayor is accusing the federal government of censorship in a big battle over artwork the village wants to put on two bridges the feds are paying for.

The artwork is religious, and according to Mayor Edmond Temple of Jemez Springs and a state transportation employee, the federal government ordered to remove the crosses. They say using public money for overt religious images was an invitation for controversy.

"To do something because we're fearful someone might be offended by it, is really not, how I think we should be running our government," said Mayor Temple.

Three years ago, the state department of transportation agreed to upgrade two wooden bridges to cement along state Highway 4. The Federal Highway Administration is picking up about 85 percent of the $2 million construction, which is set to start next spring.

Part of the construction funding, or one percent, includes money for artwork to spruce up the bridges. Temple says he village of Jemez Springs held a contest about in the fall of 2010 for art bids.

"We want it to reflect the history and culture of the canyon," said Temple.

A six-member committee selected a local artist, whose winning sculpture depicts imagery from the Jemez Pueblo and the first Spanish mission built there, which is now in ruins at the nearby state monument. The mission portion of the sculpture includes a priest and images of six crosses.

"We wanted that history captured, so we feel the people that are objecting to this are just looking at this in a religious sense," said Temple "There is a religious symbolism in this, you can argue, but they are utterly ignoring what the purpose of the artwork was about."

A state transportation employee confirmed to KRQE News 13 that federal partners were opposed to the "overt religious imagery."

But NMDOT spokesman Mike McEntee insisted the federal government and state have no problems with the religious references.

"The only issue that lefts remaining for (the federal government), the DOT and the village of Jemez Springs is the ongoing maintenance of the artwork itself," said McEntee. "The official position of both is it's gone thorugh the process and we have no issues with the project."

The artist who won the contest is working on another version of the sculpture without crosses.

KRQE News 13 contacted the Federal Highway Administration, but our calls were not returned.