Sweden: Naked peeing giant statue divides locals

[Danee]

A sculpture in the central Swedish town of Örebro has hit a nerve with some local residents, who are unimpressed with the eight-metre tall man boy urinating in their river. Emma Cullen heads down to find out more.

Each summer the city of Örebro becomes a canvas for international artists to present their work as part of the Örebro Open Art exhibition. This year, one particular sculpture has caused quite a stir since its installation on the banks of the River Svartån.


The provocative piece is an eight-metre high sculpture of a nude male figure urinating into the river. The statue, named "Bad Bad Boy", is a far cry, however, from its chubby angelic counterpart Manneken Pis who famously spends his days peeing into a Brussels fountain.


"Bad Bad Boy" by Finnish artist Tommi Toija stands towering over the river bank with his disproportionate body: lanky and topped with an over-sized, round, bald head. His skin, made from clay, is a blistering sunburnt-pink, and his wide-eyed facial expression is as hard to decipher as the art itself.


The installation has prompted discussion between locals and opinion is certainly divided. One Örebro resident, 62-year-old Ebba, was mildly amused. "I think it's interesting," she told The Local. "But I am happy it is not here forever."


Another local, 34-year-old Anna, said she "really hates" the artwork and found the act of urination "provocative".


IN PICTURES: See more of the statue and find out what other residents had to say.


Whether you love it or hate it, there is definitely something unusual about the sculpture, which on sight causes an uneasy feeling in your stomach. Is it because he is urinating? Is it the wide-eyed expression on his face? Or is because the figure, although certainly male, is neither man nor child, nor even human?


Artist Tommi Toijas views his work in a somewhat pragmatic light: "For me, it's just a guy peeing in the river, no more, no less. Some might see it as a funny thing, others might be provoked," he said in a statement.


Some have certainly been provoked as the sculpture remains as central to conversation as the weather in Örebro. While locals seem more baffled than upset, there does seem to be a sense of uncomfortableness amongst many.


Nevertheless, "Bad Bad Boy" will continue relieving himself until the end of the exhibition, September 1st, whether locals like it or not.






"I like him... but I think he's weird," she told The Local of the giant man boy.

[Gman707]

To be fair.  That's pretty horrible.

[fsjm2112]

Lol. I dont really understand the significance of the statue to be honest.

[NaturalInNY]

Yikes. That statue is friggin nightmare fuel.

[ToneBender]

Not in my backyard.

[NudistMetalHead]

I'll admit it, that statue is quite creepy.

[mikeisnude]

   I have nothing against the concept but OMG its hideous.  I guess since the "artist" has no real talent he is trying to compensate by being controversial.  Seriously    this is NOT art.

[ToneBender]

  I have nothing against the concept but OMG its hideous.  I guess since the "artist" has no real talent he is trying to compensate by being controversial.  Seriously    this is NOT art.

It is absolutely art, well executed and the artist is talented. It's actually quite kitsch but also gauche and a modern grotesque. In short it lowers the quality of the ambiance of the area and regardless of how successful it is as a provocation piece I don't like it.

[AElf]

  I have nothing against the concept but OMG its hideous.  I guess since the "artist" has no real talent he is trying to compensate by being controversial.  Seriously    this is NOT art.

 

This is not art, this is schlock!

[c1108r]

Pretty cool. Need more like this.

[ToneBender]

  I have nothing against the concept but OMG its hideous.  I guess since the "artist" has no real talent he is trying to compensate by being controversial.  Seriously    this is NOT art.

 

This is not art, this is schlock!

From Wikipedia:

Schlock

Schlock is an English word of Yiddish origin meaning "something cheap, shoddy, or inferior (perhaps from German Schlag, Yiddish shlak, meaning 'a stroke')"
 
In the field of science, "schlock" refers to shoddy methods or unreliable results. In art, "schlock" is sometimes used as a synonym for kitsch.
It may also refer to:
 Schlock (film), a film by John Landis
 Schlock Mercenary, a webcomic by Howard Tayler Sergeant Schlock, the titular character of Schlock Mercenary
 
Dr. Irving Schlock, a character in the webcomic Sluggy Freelance

[AElf]

  I have nothing against the concept but OMG its hideous.  I guess since the "artist" has no real talent he is trying to compensate by being controversial.  Seriously    this is NOT art.

 

This is not art, this is schlock!

From Wikipedia:

Schlock

Schlock is an English word of Yiddish origin meaning "something cheap, shoddy, or inferior . . .

Hmm, seems to describe that piece-of-shit statue quite succinctly.

[ToneBender]

It is absolutely art, well executed and the artist is talented. It's actually quite kitsch but also gauche and a modern grotesque. In short it lowers the quality of the ambiance of the area and regardless of how successful it is as a provocation piece I don't like it.

The point is you defeated your own argument: if it's schlock - it's art (kitsch but art).

[AElf]

It is absolutely art, well executed and the artist is talented. It's actually quite kitsch but also gauche and a modern grotesque. In short it lowers the quality of the ambiance of the area and regardless of how successful it is as a provocation piece I don't like it.

The point is you defeated your own argument: if it's schlock - it's art (kitsch but art).

No, I didn't defeat my argument.  I use the word in its original meaning.  Probably the first art critic to use the word to describe an alleged piece of art used it in the same way because the NY Times wouldn't print "piece-of-shit."  If you can be fooled into believing that schlock is a genre of art send me your credit card info and I'll throw together a bunch of schlock and ship it to you via MMA.  The only artistic talent the creator of this thing has shown is that of a con artist -- the ability to fool the gullible public into believing that that a turd is not a turd.

[gizmo]

how even more open minded can we get?