A sculpture that some Carnegie Mellon University students liken to a phallic symbol is drawing criticism even before it is built, and campus officials might look for another site to showcase it.
The 100-foot-tall sculpture -- called Walking to the Sky -- has stirred talk at the school because all of the proposed sites place it on the Mall or the Cut, the two big, grassy areas on campus.
Some say the piece by CMU alumnus Jonathan Borofsky is inspirational. Some find it ugly. Others say it's proposed for the wrong spot.
The tapered, stainless-steel pole -- about the width of two flagpoles -- is tilted at a 75-degree angle. Seven life-size figures of durable resin walk on the pole and three others stand at the base.
"It's a wonderful sculpture," contends Charles Rosenblum, an architectural historian at CMU. "They're suggesting placing it in absolutely the wrong place. To go in the middle of the Hornbostel Mall would be a horrible disaster."
Carnegie Mellon's historic lawn, Hornbostel Mall, is named for Henry Hornbostel, the architect who laid out the campus in Oakland a century ago.
Some students take a dimmer view. An editorial in The Tartan, the student newspaper, called the piece "ugly and cumbersome."
"The vaguely phallic Man Walking to the Sky has apparently struck a nerve; students who have seen pictures of what the sculpture looks like have said exactly what we did: wow, that's god-awful," the editorial said.
Brad Yankiver, publisher of The Tartan, said students familiar with the sculpture dislike the fact that their opinions weren't solicited. A concrete pad for the sculpture already is poured at the intersection of the Mall and the Cut.
"That was just me jumping the gun before the site was fully determined," said Ralph Horgan, associate vice president for campus design and facilities development. "That would be the preferred site, but it's far from a done deal."
Carnegie Mellon has since announced that a committee for public art chaired by Hilary Robinson, dean of the College of Fine Arts, will be formed, composed of students, faculty, staff and trustees. The committee will recommend a site.
Robinson admires Borofsky's art. Born in 1942 in Boston, Borofsky received a bachelor's degree in fine arts from Carnegie Mellon in 1964. His large sculptures grace outdoor sites in Berlin, Minneapolis, Baltimore and other cities around the world.
"He's one of our star alumni," she said. "He's a really significant artist, world-class."
Robinson saw a similar piece by Borofsky, Man Walking to the Sky, at an exhibit in Kassel, Germany, in 1992 and appreciated its optimism.
"When I first heard it was coming to campus, I thought that was exactly right," she said. "That piece is about aiming high. It's a wonderful metaphor for this university."
As chairwoman, Robinson won't say where she thinks the sculpture should be placed.
"It has to have a space that allows it to breathe and be appreciated," she said.
Carnegie Mellon's sculpture is one of three around the world. University spokeswoman Teresa Thomas said an anonymous donor gave it to the university and provided for its installation. University officials haven't disclosed its value.
