Everything you need to know about the proposed Butler sculpture (and its discontents).
The artist, Henry Moore
Moore was an English sculptor and artist who continues to haunt us from the grave. He was best known for his semi-abstract monumental bronze sculptures, which are located around the world as public works of art. His forms are usually abstractions of the human figure, typically depicting mother-and-child or reclining figures. Moore’s works are primarily suggestive of the female body, apart from a phase in the 1950s when he sculpted family groups. His works are generally pierced or contain hollow spaces.
Abstractions of the female body, you say?
Indeed, like many of his most famous sculptures, Moore’s “Reclining Figure 1969-70” is a female nude. According to The Columbia University Libraries/Information Services’ blog, “Columbia’s newest public outdoor sculpture, Reclining Figure, is meant to suggest the form of a woman with her legs outstretched before her, propping herself up with her forearm.”
Moore 2.0
If “Reclining Figure” looks super familiar to you, that doesn’t necessarily mean you’re really bad at abstract art. In fact, one of the nerdiest things about Columbia is that we’re second only to M.I.T. in number of Henry Moore sculptures owned. Moore has already made another controversial contribution to the CU landscape, “Three-Way Piece,” located on the East Campus bridge. And by “Three-Way Piece,” I obviously mean that spinny tooth. The planned Moore installation was apparently donated over 20 years ago, but was just now approved for its new permanent location outside of Butler, begging the questions “why now?” and “why?”
Product Placement
Ivy League aestheticians immediately took issue with not only the nature of the sculpture (a nude portrait of Bollinger would likely be more visually appealing), but its location. The modern mole distracts from one of Columbia’s most attractive patches—the picturesque span between Butler and Low. In doing so, the piece obstructs the view of each library, as seen from the other. If we can’t sit on the steps at look at Low or smoke outside of Butler and consider Alma, then we might as well go to NYU.
The Righteous Indignation
Since the announcement of the 9 by 11 by 7 feet abomination’s installation, over 1,000 people have signed a petition begging the university to reconsider. The petition takes issue not just with the sculpture and its proposed obstruction, but the lack of transparency, arguing that the university ought to communicate with students before making major aesthetic additions.
The Gender of It All
Ugliness aside, after four years of staring at the names of white dudes carved into the imposing visage of Butler Library, I’m not exactly comforted by the half-hearted addition of a female nude. So, men’s accomplishments adorn our architecture, while women’s naked bodies, as depicted by male artists, just get to anonymously splay out on the lawn? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
**Disclaimer: This article is a personal piece and does not necessarily reflect the views of Her Campus Media.