Students demand sleepwalker sculpture is removed over ‘sexual assault’ fears

The greyish hue, the outstretched arms, the unnerving facial expression. Yes, we can certainly see why this piece of ‘art’ is giving university students such a fright. An incredibly lifelike sculpture of a half-naked, sleepwalking man is striking fear into the hearts of students at a women’s college. So far, more than 300 students have signed a petition demanding its removal from the Wellesley College campus – but the president says the piece of art is part of the intellectual process. 

The sculpture – titled Sleepwalker – is the work of artist Tony Matelli and part of an exhibition at the Massachusetts college’s Davis Museum. It shows a man dressed in only his underpants apparently frozen in time as he sleepwalks. But according to some who signed the petition, the piece of art is ‘a source of apprehension, fear, and triggering thoughts regarding sexual assault’. The college defended the work claiming it ‘has started an impassioned conversation about art, gender, sexuality and individual experience, both on campus and on social media’.

to demand – követel
sleepwalker – alvajáró
sculpture – szobor
to remove – eltávolítani
over sg. – itt: valami miatt
hue – árnyalat
outstretched – kinyújtott
unnerving – nyugtalanító
facial expression – arckifejezés
fright –  ijedelem
incredibly –  hihetetlenül
lifelike – élethű
to strike fear – megrémíszteni
college – főiskola
to sign – aláírni
petition – petíció
to demand – követel
removal – eltávolítás
exhibition – kiállítás
underpants – alsónadrág
apparently – láthatóan, szemlátomást
frozen – megfagyott
source – forrás
apprehension – itt. Félelem, nyugtalanság
to trigger – kivált
regarding – valamit illető
assault – támadás
to defend – megvéd
impassioned – szenvedélyes
gender – társadalmi nem
experience – élmény, tapasztalat
campus – iskola/főiskola/egyetem területe
joint statement – közös nyilatkozat
to stimulate – stimulálni, előidézni
to provoke – provokálni
exception – kivétel
freshman – elsőéves
freaked out – nagyon megijedt

source: Metro

True or false?

1. A campus sculpture depicting sexual assault outraged female students of the college.

2. The sculpture shows a naked sleepwalker with not even underpants on.

3.  More than 300 students have signed a petition demanding its removal.

4.  The college did not defend the work although it has started an impassioned conversation about art.

5. A student said the sculpture could be a trigger for those students who had experienced sexual assault.

answers: 1-f 2-f 3-t 4-f 5-t