WOMEN furious about a new artwork at a Glasgow park have taken matters into their own hands and defaced the "offensive" installation.
A pair of women's legs wearing high heels have been fixed on the gates of Festival Park to open as the gates to the park open.
The artwork, called Assumption - to be in context or not be in context, that is the question, has been criticised as insensitive and inappropriate.
It follows the alleged rape of an 18-year-old girl in the Cessnock park earlier this year.
Icelandic-Irish artist Rakel McMahon created the work as part of a collection by Govan-based organisation Ltd Ink Corporation.
In a post on Instagram the artist said: "I am aware of the horrible attack in that park as I did research on the area, especially looking at safety for women.
The "artist" who created the #GovanGate has responded to someone on Insta about her work. She knows about the recent rape, she asks if they're female legs and she says she wanted to bring a needed "feminine vibe" to the park 🤦🏼♀️ pic.twitter.com/nW7Za9t1FT
— Saorsa (@AtlasWave2) August 16, 2021
"Parks and green areas in a city are in general not safe place for women, specially after dark.
"I am currently working on a project that comments on sexual harassment in parks and public space.
"As a feminist I was aware of that it might be interpreted as sexist... but at the same time it is trying to point out that we should not assume anything?
"Not by how people are dressed, shirt skirts or high heels....the work is two legs in high heels, are they female?
"I feel the work touches upon the discourse on victim blaming in sexual harassment as well as giving the park area a feminine vibe that these green areas need.
"As for now parks, in Iceland, Glasgow or any other city are not safe for everybody.
"The original work was created from flight safety instructions where high heels are always banned during emergency exits."
One sticker fixed on the artwork reads: "Rape is not art".
On Twitter the work was also called into question with social media users asking local councillors for the installation to be removed.
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