Tooth fairy gives officials an ache
By: Megan Harris
Issue date: 3/2/10 Section: News
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Provost Ralph Faudree said the piece will be reinstalled after it is altered from what appears to to be a "suspiciously noose-like" support system.
Junior journalism major and installation creator Casey Fly said the project incited more controversy than the group installing the piece originally expected.
"I know (the administrators) are just doing their job," Fly said yesterday. "We don't know where they put it but if we can find the piece, we'll try to change it and hang it up again."
Faudree said he made the decision hoping to avoid regional or even national controversy similar to that at University of California-San Diego, where a student hung a noose from a bookcase in the campus' main library, setting off angry protests and condemnations from university officials and state leaders.
Made from a bust fastened with plastic tubing and trash, co-creator and sophomore sculpture major Mae Aur said she and friends made the piece from an old wedding dress, lots of fabric, pink wings and a wig.
"It was just for the heck of it," she said. "We didn't intend it to be seen in a negative way. We just wanted to get people's reaction."
Danny Armitage, assistant vice president of student affairs and campus services, noticed the piece while walking to his car and stopped to question the students, who were still hanging oversized molars near the even larger fairy.
"We're responsible for everything that goes up on this campus from (Patterson) Street to (Zach Curlin) Street and (Southern) Avenue to (Central) Avenue," Armitage said. "I know if I hadn't just happened to see the piece just now that I would have been in a meeting somewhere first thing in the morning to discuss whether this was OK or not."
Armitage called Faudree, who discussed the matter with University President Shirley Raines. After more than a dozen calls in five minutes, Faudree said he understood the plight of the students but requested the piece be taken down immediately.
The group decided to wait until today when they could be better equipped to remove or change the piece, but employees removed it for them only minutes later.
"Some people draw conclusions that can go well beyond the intention of the piece," he said. "Something like this can bring up different images for different people. I know it's not totally tied to reality, and art is meant to incite reaction - I understand, that's part of the reason for art. I think in the right location, it could better suit its intended message."