On Saturday, January 26 visual artist Greg Edmondson attended the artist lecture at the Contemporary Museum St. Louis in St. Louis, Missouri. He was interested in viewing “I Remember Heaven: Jim Hodges and Andy Warhol” and his own work, curated by Hodges, in a smaller paralell exhibition titled “Selections from the Contemporary Flat Files.”

Shortly after 2:00 p.m. Edmondson introduced himself to Hodges and expressed his thanks to him for having included his work in the show. Hodges then inquired why Edmondson had decided not to show the piece that he had selected for the exhibition. Hodges had chosen “Artificial Intelligence:
Wolsey III,” in his words “a beautiful and confrontational” painting. The 18” by 19 1/2” work is of a vagina in gouache on pink 1927 wallpaper.
Edmondson was confused. The work he’d seen displayed on the second floor of the Contemporary was the “Artificial Intelligence: Clarence House II.” It features a shape sorting toy for toddlers on grey antique wallpaper. Hodges urged Edmondson to question the museum’s executive director, Paul Ha.
Moments later he did and when confronted about the switch, Ha responded that Hodges’ selection had been overridden. “It was a staff decision to replace the work,” stated Ha. “They didn’t want to make the additional signage.”

In the main gallery, however, a drawing of a penis with flowers by Andy Warhol and a masturbating woman hung without any signage.