This Guy Started a Petition to Return a Massive Boner-Wielding Satan Statue to East Vancouver

Photo via Twitter.
History has a funny way of repeating itself. For the second time in recent memory, a moderately earnest Change.org petition is asking Vancouver’s mayor to pretty please return a mysterious piece of DIY public art back to East Vancouver.

In 2012 it was the "Dude Chilling Park" sign—a bit that Jimmy Kimmel couldn’t pass up. This time it’s a larger-than-life statue of Satan with a raging boner, which appeared on a stone pedestal in Grandview-Woodlands early Tuesday morning. Predictably, a crew of City of Vancouver staff removed the well-endowed demon within hours. As of this morning over 1,000 people have signed Darryl Greer’s petition to put that shit back where those city workers found it.

Speaking of history: the now-empty pedestal has already housed some serious dick. Ten years ago a bronzed Christopher Columbus stood there—you know, the guy attributed for “discovering” America but also known for smallpox blankets, kickstarting the African slave trade, and other colonial bullshit.

Anyway, we caught up with Greer, an outspoken defender—and possible worshipper—of the penis-devil (or the devil-penis, depending on how you want to look at it). He had some serious things to say about free expression and the “plastic smiles and empty suits” at city hall. We talked artist grants, metal bands, and the all-too-mockable poodle statue the City of Vancouver actually paid $100,000 to install on Main Street.

VICE: Hey Darryl. Why did you start this petition?
Daryl Greer: It started with a Facebook status update pointing to the irony of the city paying $100,000 for that porcelain dog on Main Street, which is universally condemned as lame, and then dismantling a hilariously awesome Satan statue put up by rebel artists for free.

I thought the Satan statue was funny and cool, and figured that somebody should start a petition to bring it back; so why not me? I went over to Change.org—didn’t realize how easy it was to set up one of those things—and then with tongue firmly in cheek, started writing.

Could you describe Vancouver’s public art scene for me in five words or less?
Too expensive and fucking lame.

You must really hate that porcelain poodle.
I would say hate is a strong word, I just thought it was lame. Like from the estate sale of an aging hipster who met Andy Warhol once. I’m more disappointed at the price tag. They basically spent $100,000 on a thrift store find. I know plenty of artists who could use a tenth or a hundredth of that money to make something much more thought-provoking—beautiful or ugly—something with a lot more intrinsic value than that ridiculous dog on a pole.

As a musician myself, I can’t draw or sculpt worth shit, but grant money comes from the same places. You guys actually did a story about how most FACTOR grants go to bands within 5 kilometres [actually 20 km] of their offices in Toronto. A lot of the people I’m around aren’t getting big FACTOR grants, they’re maxing credit cards just to buy equipment. Meanwhile bands like the fucking Arcade Fire get money to go on tour even though they’re fucking millionaires.

Arcade Fire is the porcelain poodle of Canadian music. So, what’s the petition response been like so far?
I was refreshing the page every once in awhile. It was around 170 when I went to bed [on Tuesday]. Then it got posted around Facebook, people are having fun with it, so it’s going more viral, if I can use that term.

People are getting a kick out of it. I read one comment: “Everybody needs a little devil dick in their life.” A friend of mine said if they can put a dick like Columbus up there, you know, demon dong should be fine.

What do you think of the “Dude Chilling Park” sign finally winning over city hall this year?
I guess I thought it was funny, but I didn’t think it was that controversial. It’s just a lighthearted news story, of no consequence to anyone. “Dude Chilling Park” didn’t offend anyone… If it’s not offending people it’s probably not good.

When I looked up your name on the interwebs, I found you listed as bassist of a pretty gnarly death metal band called “Harvest the Infection.” Is HTI still a thing?
No, I play in another band now, we’re called “Revenger,” we actually have an album coming out and a release party at the Rickshaw on Saturday.

Cool. The statue artist is presumably still out there. Do you have a message to pass along?
Keep up the good work! Inundate this city with as many offensive statues as you possibly can. For every statue the city takes down, make three more… I wish I knew the guy or girl or individual responsible, I would shake their hand and buy them a beer.

Any suggestions for the artist’s next installation?
A “Buddy Christ” with a boner through his toga. Who knows? Anything to keep the people in power on their toes. I’m not the artist, I can’t sculpt worth shit.

@sarahberms