Only in America: When a paunchy, bald, half-naked sleepwalker is art

A peculiar statue prompts protests from college students — and more in our collection of strange revelations about the nation

When a paunchy, bald, half-naked sleepwalker is art
(Image credit: AP Photo/Steven Senne)

Wellesley College students are demanding the removal from campus of a realistic sculpture of a paunchy, balding man sleepwalking in his underwear. Students say the statue is "traumatizing" and could "trigger" memories of sexual assault. Lisa Fischman, director of the campus art museum, said the statue depicts a vulnerable, pathetic stranger, and has succeeded in sparking "an impassioned conversation about art, gender, [and] sexuality."

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE
https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516.jpg

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up
Explore More
Samantha Rollins

Samantha Rollins is TheWeek.com's news editor. She has previously worked for The New York Times and TIME and is a graduate of Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism.