# So how the heck is this statue standing? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [June 13, 2013, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-how-the-heck-is-this-statue-standing/660932 "2013-06-13T21:42:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2013, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-how-the-heck-is-this-statue-standing/660932/1 "2013-06-13T21:42:33Z")
> **[He's not famous... he's a real no body! Bizarre statues depicting 'invisible'...](https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2340857/Forgotten-Artist-creates-stunning-bronze-sculptures-holiday-makers-look-like-theyre-missing-vital-organs.html)** > > The amazing sculptures pictured here look like they're missing vital organs. They are work of French artist Bruno Catalano who says the invisible bodies represent a world citizen. The statue on the left has me really puzzled. The arm is out away from the body. Theres no vertical support for the top half of the body. Is that single point where the suitcase touches the thigh holding up that statue? I’m thinking of the wind outside blowing on a sail. 😉 The arm is more vertical on the other statue (right side of photo) but still not much support at the thigh. It’s a cool looking statue. Hows this thing standing? > [@](#): > > The amazing sculptures pictured here look like they’re missing vital organs. They are work of French artist Bruno Catalano who says the invisible bodies represent a world citizen. > > Mr Catalano, 53, is originally from Morocco but a lifetime of travel as a sailor has inspired these quirky pieces of art, which often cause passers-by to do a double-take ---
**Author:** ![Dervorin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Dervorin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dervorin)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2013, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-how-the-heck-is-this-statue-standing/660932/2 "2013-06-13T22:18:50Z")
Interesting sculptures. Your hunch about the support point being the suitcase appears to be right. Look at this image: [http://bumbumbum.me/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/brunocatalanos1.jpg](http://bumbumbum.me/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/brunocatalanos1.jpg) The point where the suitcase touches the leg appears to be a joint of some kind. ETA: better picture (of a different sculpture) from his website that makes it clear. [![](https://brunocatalano.com/sculptures/catalano-bruno1322495470.jpg) ](https://brunocatalano.com/sculptures/catalano-bruno1322495470.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2013, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-how-the-heck-is-this-statue-standing/660932/3 "2013-06-13T22:23:51Z")
I don’t know details about the sculptures, but there’s no reason that the "relatively fragile’-looking bronze connection between the leg and the suitcase couldn’t contain some strengthening element, like a piece of rebar. In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if some sort of bent “spine” didn’t go all the way from the base (below the base even, maybe extending into the ground) all the way to the top. On top of which, most statue casting metal is pretty strong by itself. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2013, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-how-the-heck-is-this-statue-standing/660932/4 "2013-06-13T22:44:34Z")
They’d have to be strong to withstand winds on a seacoast. I’d love to see one up close. See if that shoulder has any wiggle. 😉 They are creative works of art. ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2013, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-how-the-heck-is-this-statue-standing/660932/5 "2013-06-13T23:48:31Z")
Another speculation: The insides of those statues (in particular, the inside of the leg and the inside of the suitcase) might be solidly filled with very heavy material (steel? cement?) while the upper part might be especially lightweight material (and the head may be hollow). Thus, by putting a lot of weight in the lower parts, and very little weight in the upper parts, you get the center of gravity way down low. That would help it to stand up. Also, the base of the statue, underneath the foot, may be solidly bolted into the ground. Still, I wonder how much wind force there may be on the sail-like upper parts. ---
**Author:** ![AaronX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/7bcc69/32.png) [@AaronX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AaronX)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2013, 9:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-how-the-heck-is-this-statue-standing/660932/6 "2013-06-14T09:42:04Z")
Huh, the suitcase is just attached to the leg. These are 2 pictures of a statue I saw. [![](https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-noAjmVvxLvA/UOOexulmAXI/AAAAAAABHhw/cuPWCEH5200/s640/IMG_0576.JPG) ](https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-noAjmVvxLvA/UOOexulmAXI/AAAAAAABHhw/cuPWCEH5200/s640/IMG_0576.JPG) [![](https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-SAOi9Llh98M/UOOexr5XD4I/AAAAAAABHh0/alTRHOxcA1A/s640/IMG_0577.JPG) ](https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-SAOi9Llh98M/UOOexr5XD4I/AAAAAAABHh0/alTRHOxcA1A/s640/IMG_0577.JPG)