Taller than the museum it stands beside, the aptly named Bad Dog sculpture in Newport Beach, California is raising quite a few eyebrows in amusement.
The sight of a 24-foot tall fiberglass dog is certainly eye-catching. However, it’s more a matter of what the massive dog is shown doing that is causing a stir and captivating museum visitors.
The anatomically correct canine was constructed with one leg lifted high against the side of the museum. Equipped with the ability to spray yellow paint, Bad Dog effectively “urinates” against the building’s side wall.
The Orange County Register writes that Bad Dog resides on the grounds of the Orange County Museum of Art and is part of the “Richard Jackson: Ain’t Painting a Pain” exhibition.
Museum officials say that while the Bad Dog sculpture has garnered a few negative remarks about its anatomical accuracy, most of the responses have been positive.
For artist Richard Jackson, it’s the reaction he was hoping to invoke:
“My intention is never to shock or offend anyone or any particular group. People’s reaction to Bad Dog or any art for that matter tends to vary. Sometimes, it depends on whether you’re going home from church or from a strip club.”
Blouin News writes that a plaque alongside the Bad Dog sculpture describes the installation as follows:
“Like much of Richard Jackson’s art , Bad Dog is populist, accessible, and humorous. The dog is a near-universal symbol… which Jackson unleashes on the propriety of art museums and the often-elitist attitudes of the art world … the guileless dog unwittingly points to the sometimes rigid institutional constraints that can frustrate artists and audiences alike.”
You can watch part of the Bad Dog sculpture installation in the video below:
What do you think of Richard Jackson’s Bad Dog sculpture ?
