Naked Statues That Rubbed Some People the Wrong Way

These public installations sparked controversy and inspired a few ingenious solutions.

by Daniel McDermon, Senior Editor

30 Places

You can’t please everyone. And public artworks have the unenviable job of trying to do just that.

The human form is one of the oldest subjects of art. A cave in Indonesia has a depiction of a hunting party from more than 50,000 years ago. By then, though, our ancestors were (usually) wearing clothes.

Depicting the nude, then, is an artistic choice: It’s meant to mean something. Whether that choice is appropriate in a particular time and place is always going to be a matter of opinion—and everybody’s got one of those.

Auburn, California

The Statues of Ken Fox

A dentist's hated concrete colossi are now beloved icons of the community.

leiris

Added by leiris

New York, New York

New York's Adam and Eve Sculptures

Two large-scale sculptures of Adam and Eve greet visitors in the nude at the Time Warner Center in NYC.

Added by Rachel Gould

London, England

'The Naked Ladies'

No one knows who created the statues or if they are arranged properly—let alone the artwork's real name.

georgeindc

Added by georgeindc

Berobero no Kamisama

This extremely naked God of Drunkards welcomes visitors to Kochi Station.

ChiaraT

Added by ChiaraT

Guelph, Ontario

Naked Fountain Family

The nude sculpture on this fountain shocked conservative townsfolk when it was first unveiled, but not as much as the dead body found in it decades later.

Added by trykyla

St. Louis, Missouri

‘The Naked Truth’

In the Compton Hill Reservoir Park sits a statue whose lack of clothing caused a scandal for the group that commissioned it.

Added by Rain Salazar

Viaje Fantástico

No one knows the meaning behind this giant sculpture of a nude woman with a fork riding a rooster in Havana.

Kerry Wolfe

Added by Kerry Wolfe

Pereira, Colombia

Bolívar Desnudo (Nude Bolívar)

This unusual monument shows a naked Simón Bolívar stripped of clothing, medals, and swords.

Added by pipeafcr

Washington, D.C.

Bare-Chested George Washington

Perhaps the most scandalous statue of America's first president.

Elliot Carter

Added by Elliot Carter

Cerne Abbas, England

The Cerne Abbas Giant

Giant naked man on a hillside.

Genki

Fontaine du Soleil (The Sun Fountain)

This saucy statue once caused outrage among locals.

katielou106

Added by katielou106

Ljubljana, Slovenia

Spomenik Francetu Prešernu

When this monument to Slovenia's national poet was erected, it's said to have sparked the ire of nearby church authorities.

katielou106

Added by katielou106

Chiayi City, Taiwan

Manneken Pis of Taiwan

A replica of Brussels’ Manneken Pis has stood in Taiwan since 1934.

John ChungEn Liu

Added by John ChungEn Liu

Brussels, Belgium

Garderobe Manneken Pis

Belgium’s famous peeing statue has worn many hats (and coats, and pants), which are on display at this small museum.

CoolCrab

Added by CoolCrab

Brussels, Belgium

Manneken Pis

A little sculpture with a large wardrobe.

stanestane

Added by stanestane

Basingstoke, England

Wote Street Willy

A sincere and thoughtful art installation, mistaken by many as a statue of a penis.

KanaKiseki

Added by KanaKiseki

Smygehuk, Sweden

'Famntaget' ('The Embrace')

This statue standing near Sweden's southernmost point was based on the grandmother of a modern movie star.

Johan SWE

Added by Johan SWE

'Verity'

An allegorical statue of a giant pregnant woman representing justice and truth.

Fred Cherrygarden

Added by Fred Cherrygarden

Lake Village, Indiana

Giant Lady's Leg Sundial

A unique outdoor timepiece at a "clothing-optional" resort.

The Indecent Little Man on the Church of St. James

A cheeky architectural easter egg.

ahvenas

Added by ahvenas

Tijuana, Mexico

La Mona

Giant nude woman of Tijuana is also the artist's home.

serflac

Added by serflac

Kansas City, Missouri

Boy and Frog Fountain

A beloved, quirky little fountain featuring a large frog spitting water at a naked boy.

Kerry Wolfe

Added by Kerry Wolfe

Vénus de Quinipily

Despite the name, this ancient statue of uncertain origins is unlikely to represent the Roman goddess Venus.

Fred Cherrygarden

Added by Fred Cherrygarden

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

The Golden Gal of Old Madison Square Garden

Golden and naked, the figure that was once the highest point in New York is all that remains of the second Madison Square Garden.

Luke J Spencer

Added by Luke J Spencer

Waterloo, England

'Another Place'

A hundred copies of Antony Gormley's naked body stare out across the water.

Added by lercio

Coventry, England

Lady Godiva and Peeping Tom Clock

Every hour on the hour a naked heroine and her leering foil appear from this giant cuckoo clock.

Jane Weinhardt Goldberg

Added by Jane Weinhardt Goldberg

Salzburg, Austria

Hommage to Mozart

This strange statue features a bust of the famous composer plopped atop a woman's body.

macsking11

Added by macsking11

Oxford, England

Another Time II

Hidden in plain sight, this creepy sculpture watches from above.

Added by ichthus

Washington, D.C.

Roman Legionnaire Modesty Shields

Railroad officials in the early 1900s sought to spare travelers the sight of Roman soldiers’ private parts.

Sydney Rose

Added by Sydney Rose

Afyonkarahisar, Turkey

Monument of the Great Triumph

A unique and controversial artifact of the early Turkish Republic.

maurverick

Added by maurverick

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