LINCOLN — A collection of outdoor sculptures that stirred criticism and conversations 50 years ago is about to take another ride into the spotlight.
To mark the 250th birthday of the United States, the Nebraska Arts Council is planning a series of events to celebrate the eight sculptures placed at Interstate 80 rest stops as part of the nation’s bicentennial in 1976.
The largest and most controversial of the sculptures, entitled “Erma’s Desire,” sparked nationwide publicity after some Nebraskans saw sexual innuendo in its spike-like towers, and questioned what contemporary art has to do with the state’s heritage…