This Nearly Naked 'Man' Sleepwalking At This College Has Women Losing Sleep. Here's Why.
Other than their male professors whom, by and large, they adore, students at this college are not used to having men on campus. But this 'naked man' has caused an uproar at my alma mater.
By Sadho Ram — 06 Feb 2014, 06:10 PM — Updated over 10 years ago
This may be the last thing you'd want to bump into on a walk home from the campus library late at night
It's a sculpture of an underwear-clad sleepwalking man. It was recently installed at Wellesley College in Massachusetts, and has left students at this all-female college seriously creeped out with its lifelike appearance.
The statue, called Sleepwalker, is part of an art exhibit featuring sculptor Tony Matelli at the college's Davis Museum. The exhibit, New Gravity, features sculptures that are often reversed, upended or atomized.
boston.com
However, the statue of the sleepwalker -- which is hard to miss in a high-traffic area by both pedestrians and drivers near the campus center -- has caused outrage among some students in just one day after its Feb. 3 installation.
businessinsider.in
Not long after the sculpture's installation on 3 February, hundreds of students on the all-women's campus signed a petition on Change.org to remove the art piece
Zoe Magid, the student who created the Change.org petition, writes that the sculpture does not add value to the campus community, as art is often intended to do.
time.com
"On contrary, this highly lifelike sculpture has, within just a few hours of its outdoor installation, become a source of apprehension, fear and triggering thoughts regarding sexual assault for many members of our campus community."
mashable.com
"While it may appear humorous or thought-provoking to some, it has already become a source of undue stress for many Wellesley College students, the majority of whom live, study and work in this space."
mashable.com
Davis Museum director Lisa Fischman wrote on Wellesley College's official website that the sculpture was meant to evoke response
"We placed the Sleepwalker on the roadside just beyond the Davis to connect the exhibition -- within the museum -- to the campus world beyond," Fischman wrote, also posting it on Change.org as her response to the petition.
boston.com
"#TonyMatelli's eery #Sleepwalker haunts the snowscape at #WellesleyCollege and is photo bombed by Skylar Schmidt."
Image via twimg.com"I love the idea of art escaping the museum and muddling the line between what we expect to be inside (art) and what we expect to be outside (life)."
Fischman noted that reactions on campus have been "varied," and even wrote that she has heard that some find the statue "troubling." However, she noted that the sculpture's whole intent was to start discussion.
"As the best art does, Tony Matelli’s work provokes dialogue, and discourse is at the core of education," she wrote.
boston.comHowever, Magid, the student who started the Change.org petition, said that Fischman's response failed to address students' concerns
"We were really disappointed that she seemed to articulate that she was glad it was starting discussion, but didn’t respond to the fact that it's making students on campus feel unsafe, which is not appropriate," Magid said. "We really feel that if a piece of art makes students feel unsafe, that steps over a line."
time.com
Some students dressed the statue up in winter clothing, apparently worried that the man would catch cold
At the college on Tuesday, many drivers could be seen slamming on their brakes as they approached or passed the statue, craning their necks for a second look. Many students were seen making a casual beeline for the new addition on campus -- some smiled and laughed as they got closer; others frowned and seemed apprehensive. All reached for their smartphones to take a photo.
boston.comSo far, Wellesley officials have said they will not get rid of the statue. It is supposed to remain in place until July 20, for the duration of the Matelli exhibit.