I think this does depend which angle it is viewed from.
I am surprised this is the first you (and Boston to hear you tell it) have heard of this though.
I probably hang with a crowd that reveres Dr. King more than most.
I am a big fan of Dr. King. I still see it (per the OP).
I guess I don’t have a dirty enough mind.
Just to be clear, that was a dig at me, not you.
It looks like the proverbial “he’s got his head stuck up his ass” or something. Sex act, or not, it’s horrible. Who the fuck signed off on this?
Curious about that too. I can only guess the sculpture was only shown at a more favorable angle.
ISWYDT
They’re arms. What kind of ‘sex act’ are you envisioning?
Stranger
I just can’t go down this road here (I was about as explicit as I can get earlier in this thread).
If you do not understand what people are on about I cannot help you.
I am certainly not the only one who sees this.
One thing I’ve noticed looking at a very few pictures is the ones from the air look really bad, but the ones from the ground look much better. Just at the top of the thread, the first two pictures are full of WTF, but the last one is clearly arms embracing.
I can’t speak to the artistic merit of the statue, but it seems clear that it was designed to be viewed from the ground, so judging it from drone photos is a bit unfair. Just a bit though.
I “see” it but it’s more one of those “This looks… wrong” things than an explicit “That’s obviously a person doing [specific act]”. Like just general bad horny vibes from particular angles. I agree that, if a person says they don’t see it, then it’s probably not something you’re going to be able to make them see.
I agree.
It just seems to me, for such a large and public display, someone might have noticed before it was built. It’s not that much of a stretch to see it.
And it would not be the first time an artist snuck something subersive into their work (not saying this artist did).
I feel compelled to point out that Boston University did not “unveil” this sculpture - it is located on Boston Common, a couple miles away from the BU campus.
MLK, Jr. went to grad school at BU and of course the university tries hard to associate itself with his legacy, including donating $250,000 toward this sculpture, but it is not a BU sculpture.
Here, by the way, is the website for the sculpture, with more info for those who are interested.
I’m curious about how it looks in person. Having seen the original photo that was the inspiration, from certain angles it is clear. But then from a slightly different angle I think, “WTF IS that?!”
Undoubtedly a fine concept, but appears unfortunate in the execution.
Thanks for clarifying some details.
I followed your link and got this screen grab:
I think it illustrates the point in the OP.
It looks like a four dimensional eldritch horror that has incompletely projected its dreadful form into our three dimensional existence. So not entirely inappropriate for Boston.
It wouldn’t be the first time an MLK statue was involved in controversy. A previous one was reviled as “a monumental insult” and “too white”, among other things. An inscription was later removed.
Maybe this new statue will grow on people, like the Vietnam War memorial wall which initially drew harsh criticism.
I am fine with art being…art.
I am just not seeing the MLK in this MLK sculpture. I get what they are saying it is meant to be and that’s cool but if I walked up with no context…MLK and what he was on about would not occur to me.
As such, I think the sculpture fails.
Maybe a resemblance, just around the eyes.