Snow sculpture causes large uproar
Two weeks ago at Harvard, some snow sculptors created an anatomically correct 9-ft erect penis.
Within hours it was destroyed by two women who were offended by the sculpture. In defense of its destruction, sophomore Amy Keel stated,
“As a student of Harvard University, neither I, nor any other woman, should have to see this obscene and grossly inappropriate thing on my way to class. No one should have to be subjected to an erect penis without his or her express permission or consent.”
I have to admit that a 9 foot penis isn’t my first choice of subject matter; I would personally prefer an anatomically correct woman in a provocative pose! And if I was talented and motivated to create a snow sculpture, that may be the subject that I would choose. But I wasn’t the artist, and neither was Amy Keel.
Obviously it is wrong for one person to destroy public art just because they don’t like it. But was it ‘art’? One of the goals of art is to create an emotion or experience in the viewer that is not derived from the materials that are used. Oils on canvas if skillfully applied can make us feel serene, a photograph may make us reflect on the futility of life. Amy Keel when viewing this snow and ice, felt disturbed, threatened, and angry.
Amy did not have the authority to decide for every woman, let alone every student, what they should see. Personally, I think it would have been interesting to watch the slow demise of this sculpture! (I would have loved to take a series of photographs as the sun did its work on it.) After all, this wasn’t a permanent university sanctioned installation, it was a temporary piece. If the art department had decided to host an exhibit of male nudes would anyone have defended Amy’s right to judge its appropriateness?
But above all else, it was just snow and ice. Lighten up! Harvard students are perceived as not having a sense of humor. Amy fits this misconception. She reminds me of the kid on the beach who never made her own sand castle, but instead went around tromping everyone else’s out of jealousy and malice. The creators
of the snow sculpture are justified in being upset at having their work destroyed. And Amy needs to learn the difference between snow and a real threat.
For further reading check these out:
The
Broken Phallus of Harvard Yard - The Harvard Crimson editorial discussing
the news in light of the history of phallic imagery in art
Women's
Group Debates Snow Penis - The Harvard Crimson reports on the Radcliffe
Union of Students
Erin
O'Connor’s blog
Amy’s
letter to the Harvard Crimson
8:48:36 PM 
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