THIS IS THE statue a US women’s college has installed on its campus.
Unsurprisingly, students are freaking out a little bit.
The sculpture entitled “Sleepwalker” of a man in an eyes-closed, zombie-like trance is part of an exhibit by sculptor Tony Matelli at the prestigious Wellesley College in Massachusetts.
It was installed on Monday, sparking an online student petition to have it taken away again.
Source: ASSOCIATED PRESS
The sculpture is a "source of apprehension, fear, and triggering thoughts regarding sexual assault" for many, according to the petition, which had nearly 300 signatures on yesterday.
However, a joint statement issued Wednesday by the college's president and the director of its art museum said:
The very best works of art have the power to stimulate deeply personal emotions and to provoke unexpected new ideas, and this sculpture is no exception.
Freshman Bridget Schreiner told The Boston Globe she was "freaked out" the first time she saw the sculpture, thinking for a moment that a real, nearly naked man was lingering on campus.
"This could be a trigger for students who have experienced sexual assault," she said.
Others were more understanding.
"I find it disturbing, but in a good way," English professor Sarah Wall-Randell said. "I think it's meant to be off-putting. It's a schlumpy guy in underpants in an all-women environment."
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