Can we just make a deal and have them remove Man/Woman from Penn Station and put it in Westport?

*if* this gobstrocity ends up being built, here are a few ways it could be improved... (http://ht.ly/3c7UV)

I suggest taking Man/Woman and sticking it top of the highest needle of this hideous creation. That way, the touristas won't have to chase all over the city looking for our notorious junk art.

I despise the man/woman/love statue, but I don't really like this one either!

For the poll, I said, "the rowhouse", but I recognize that isn't a good choice for a sculpture/tower like the one depicted above.

With that said, the choice of steel for the project is a good one because Bethlehem Steel was the largest steelmill in the world for many years.

In the original article I read about this, the reporter mentioned that the design is like "stiff blades of grass, radiating in different directions." Perhaps I would like it better if it actually looked more like grass growing?

To that end, I nominate the Maryland native grass species, Andropogon virginicus [AKA Broomsedge Bluestem] as it grows across the state, including in Baltimore City, and because it's autumn flowers would translate well to how the artist envisions lighting the structure.

Anyone with me on this??

[For a photo of the grass I mentioned, go to:

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Ep4hGTduqHc/SZhs6TWTatI/AAAAAAAAALc/ahOkR1UWGn8/s1600-h/P1188434-edited+2.jpg]

Neat idea, Thomas!

I think we need pictures of all of those to know what we're voting for.

On another note, the article is off-base in terms of comparisons. The gateway arch and the eiffel tower are both government buildings that you can enter, etc. They aren't large sculpture-only.

I'm not making the comparison, Mike, but what Pat Turner seems to be suggesting is that a sculpture, like certain buildings, can become a regional symbol.

There's no way to link poll options to photos, or at least none that I know of, though that would have been nice. (Also, I'm limited to photos taken by or supplied to the Sun -- no copyright infringement allowed here -- and I don't have access to our archive at home, which is where I write all my blog posts.)

WaiT! The Domino's sign! It's so Baltimore, it even made it to the "He's Just Not That Into You" movie, which showed Baltimore at its imaginibest.

Ah, good suggestion, InsaneBaltimore. That's an iconic sign.

I agree, InsaneBaltimore—the Domino Sugar sign symbolizes Baltimore to me, too! Natty Boh is my second choice, although I'm not sure how widely recognized he is outside the Baltimore/DC metro area.

Even though I have no objections to this sculpture, mentioning it in the same breath as the Eiffel Tower is just about as absurd as comparing the Bay City Rollers to the Beatles. Will we get to ride an elevator to its highest point for a panoramic view of the city? Don't think so.

Both this and Male/Female are nowhere close to being the ugliest works of art in existence. THAT would have to be God Bless America, the ginormous 3-D rendition of the two stiffs from Grant Wood's American Gothic.
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_zJpnTu57Koc/Sz89nepZd7I/AAAAAAAAMk4/CTLXV36lBdE/s1600-h/LI-sculp-MM-010b.jpg

I voted for a rowhouse.Especially one that is covered in formstone.

I would also suggest a front stoop.Espec ialy if its made of marble and has a whole family sitting on it

If they are going to build a statue.Why not honor Baltimore's blue collar workers who built this city and symbolised it for many years.

A statue of a steeel worker or a cannery worker would be more appropriate then an avante -gard metal piece of art

A “symbol of the region…” should reflect the community and residents that a “symbol” represents. That’s good design. A piece that was created elsewhere has no emotional or visual connection to the community it’s “representing”. I agree that it will be the first thing people will see which is more reason for the creative process to be rooted in the community. And if the design of the actual development is to be conceived around the “symbol” (a good design practice), I’m concerned that the development will be off-track too. Especially when the “symbol” is part of an out-of-state artist’s leftover inventory. Good design is not created in a vacuum. Good design is as much about the process as it is about the final product.
And speaking of the final product, the sculpture, while very interesting, suggests discord and conflict, even violence with its sharp, angular pieces striking out in every direction. Something more organic, diverse yet inclusive might be a better fit to represent the vision of the Westport community.
Wouldn’t be more appropriate on so many levels to use a Baltimore or at least a Maryland artist? There is so much talent here, starting with MICA! How about tapping into the creativity of the Westport community?