Nomination: AT Work of Art
EMT420
http://makeashorterlink.com/?N10E41262
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9/11 memorial statue covered after complaints
Thursday, September 19, 2002 Posted: 12:08 AM EDT (0408 GMT)
"Tumbling Woman" was removed Wednesday from Rockefeller Center in
response to complaints.
NEW YORK (AP) -- A statue of a falling woman -- designed as a memorial
to those who jumped or fell to their death from the World Trade Center
-- was abruptly draped in cloth and curtained off Wednesday because of
complaints that it was too disturbing.
"We apologize if anyone was upset or offended by the display of this
sculpture. It was certainly not our intent. The piece will be removed
this evening," said Suzanne Halpin, spokeswoman for Rockefeller
Center.
Eric Fischl's bronze, "Tumbling Woman," depicts a naked woman with
arms and legs flailing. It went on view about a week ago in the lower
concourse at Rockfeller Center and was supposed to remain on display
through Monday.
Numerous news photos captured images of desperate people leaping to
their deaths as the 110-story towers burned.
Some passers-by in Rockefeller Center complained that the sculpture
was too graphic.
"The sculpture was not meant to hurt anybody. It was a sincere
expression of deepest sympathy for the vulnerability of the human
condition." —Sculptor Eric Fischl
"I don't think it dignifies their deaths," said Paul Labb. "It's not
art. It is very disrupting when you see it."
Some onlookers said there is a need for art that captures the horror
of September 11.
"I don't think that it's done in bad taste," Christine Defonces said
before the statue was covered. "It's an artist's reaction to what
happened."
"The sculpture was not meant to hurt anybody," Fischl said in a
statement. "It was a sincere expression of deepest sympathy for the
vulnerability of the human condition. Both specifically toward the
victims of September 11 and toward humanity in general."
Thoughts? I for one believe that there are some folks out there that
are too sensitive to reality and oppressive in the name of being
politically correct. I mean art is art folks and you're supposed to
respond to it, but not shun it and put it away.