Kentucky State Fair removes winning miniature depicting pornography set

Preston Poling, a miniaturist from Shepherdsville, won third place in the Kentucky State Fair’s miniature contest with a piece that was later removed for being deemed “inappropriate.” The miniature depicted a scene known as “The Casting Couch,” a reference to a popular pornography set, featuring a simple room with a black leather couch, a desk, and a computer. Poling’s piece gained significant attention on social media, but after the fair, he discovered that it had been taken down. State fair officials considered disqualifying him and removing his other entries but ultimately allowed his remaining works to stay on display. Poling, who has been creating miniatures since 2020 and was a contestant on the Canadian show “Best in Miniature,” said his piece was intended as a humorous, tongue-in-cheek creation to spark conversation. Despite the controversy, he plans to display the “casting couch” piece in his studio after the fair.

Source: Louisville Public Media