Edward Kienholz's Five Car Stud Acquired by Fondazione Prada

Art Basel Switzerland 2012 was the stage for the announcement of Fondazione Prada’s acquisition of artist Edward Kienholz’s sculptural installation Five Car Stud. Started in 1969 and completed in 1972, the provocative work is a cultural commentary on race relations during the Civil Rights Movement in the United States – consisting of several life-sized figures and mid-century cars arranged to depict a violent and brutal act of racism in which a black man is pinned down and castrated by five white men. The piece has largely been concealed from the the public for over 40 years — except for a handful of showings — after being purchased by a private Japanese collector, the powerful and disturbing work now heads to Italy to join a Milan-based collection of famous works.

Source: designboom