Rolling Stone magazine reported, “On February 17, 2015 an unidentified woman stormed into an exhibition of T-shirts at the Canterbury Museum in Christchurch, New Zealand, and proceeded to black out the Perspex barrier covering one of the displays with spray paint. The subject of her ire? The most controversial T-shirt in rock history.” That T-shirt was one of 1,000 on display during February-May that year for an exhibition titled, T-shirts Unfolding. The statement at the entrance of the exhibition was bold and relevant, “It’s more than just a T-shirt!” Point proved.
The T-shirt that caused controversy amongst the media was created for Cradle of Filth, an English extreme metal band known for pushing boundaries. The said T-shirt was banned by New Zealand’s chief censor in 2008 but appeared with permission as part of the exhibition. It was displayed in an area of the display marked for over 18s only.
The exhibition’s purpose was part of a larger street art festival by Oi YOU! called Spectrum, a celebration of street art. The specific content showcased an exploration of T-shirt culture including featured artists, brands, designers, screen-printers and content aimed at elevating the humble cotton tee from wardrobe status to an international museum.
