UN censor's Canadian gun sculpture in Vienna after complaint.

The sculpture was created by Sandra Bromley and Wallis Kendal. The censorship was a result of a complaint from the Chinese delegation.

The 4.5-tonne sculpture, welded together from deactivated guns, landmines and ammunition, has been shown in many countries, including at UN headquarters in New York in 2001, and has never run into problems before.

The problem is that along with the sculpture is a series of panels with photographs of violence from numerous countries. But the ones that stood out for the Chinese was the photographs of two Tibetan nuns. After the Chinese objected to exhibit organizers and other UN departments all the photographs were removed.

"We were absolutely shocked," said Bromley. "This was done without any consultation or permission."

The Exhibit is called the Art of Peacemaking.

The Chinese wanted the whole exhibit removed but the UN just removed the panels with the photographs but this obviously completely ruins the integrity and whole purpose the exhibit. There is no commitment by the UN that the panels will be restored. At first the Chinese admitted responsibility but later they refused comment. They refuse to recognize reality as well but then probably that is true of other countries' use of violence as well.

The UN caved in to the Chinese complaint without even consulting the artists and with no good reason. It was not as if China was singled out. The victims included photos of Canadian victims as well. The exhibit had actually been shown in other places for some time without incident.