Although it may seem fitting that a statue with phrases such as "What is a lake?" and "Where is the sun at noon?" embedded on it should be displayed outside, a recent change of plans has placed the much-anticipated new statue "Tattoo" inside the Nasher Museum of Art.
Larry Moneta, vice president for student affairs, along with a committee at the Nasher, had plans to install the statue, which was created by Spanish artist Jaume Plensa, on the new West Campus Plaza.
But original expectations for the sculpture have been foiled by the artist's request. "Tattoo" was installed Nov. 6-not on the West Campus Plaza, but into the Nasher.
"While the sculpture has been outside before and we hoped to keep it outside, there were logistical challenges to the original site," said Wendy Livingston, manager of marketing and communications at the Nasher.
Plensa visited Duke Oct. 29, both to give a lecture, "Human Nature," at the Nasher and to examine the proposed space for "Tattoo" on the Plaza.
Kimerly Rorschach, Mary D.B.T. and James H. Semans Director of the Nasher, said after seeing the site, the artist was concerned because the Plaza was not a high-security environment.
Although the statue looks sturdy, it is made out of polyester resin and stainless steel, which can be easily damaged by any hard blow-such as with a hammer-Livingston said. And because the statue is made from one piece of material, any damage done to it is almost irreparable.
The statue is a kneeling human figure with glowing colors and words "tattooed" on it. Although it is large, at nine feet high, "Tattoo" weighs in at only 100 pounds-part of the reason Plensa felt it could be easily damaged.
"It would have been an exciting piece to launch the presence of art on the Plaza," Moneta said.
Rorschach noted, however, that there was never a guarantee the statue would be placed on the Plaza.
"We suggested that it would be exciting to put 'Tattoo' on the Plaza, but the original offer was to the museum," she said.
The piece is on loan to the University from Paula Crown, a University trustee.
Now the statue is positioned at one of the entrances to Pavilion Three in the Nasher, against the door to the outdoor terrace. It is the closest "Tattoo" will get to being exhibited outside during its stay at the University, which will last until May 2007, when Crown reclaims the statue.
In the meantime, Moneta is on the lookout for art to fill the plaza space.
"I very much would like the Plaza to be a home for student art," he said. "It will be displayed everywhere and anywhere-wherever we can hang it, stand it or fly it."
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