Glaswegians have hit out at a 'shocking and inappropriate' art sculpture which has appeared on entrance gates to a city park.
Social media has been awash with pictures of the installation, fixed to the gates to Festival Park.
Images shared on Facebook show the image of a woman's legs being spread.
Local residents have slammed the installation as 'sick and disgusting'. In February, we reported on the story of a teenage girl being allegdly raped in the park, which is in Cessnock near the River Clyde. The site is also just a short walk away from a nursery and a primary school.
However, its “feminist” creator Rakel McMahon pointed out the work raises the issue about victim blaming in sexual harassment.
Entitled the Gate of Assumption, the structure is one of a series of creations from artists in the Safari of Sorts exhibition.
It is described as a “series of £100 micro commissions, focused on site specific contemporary artworks.”
It's understood that following several complaints, work is already underway to have the art removed from the gates.
Campaign group Make Space for Girls said: “Just in case there aren't enough reasons why teenage girls don't use parks, this 'art' piece has been installed on some park gates in Glasgow. I actually don't have the words for how angry this makes me.”
Icelandic and Irish artist Rakel McMahon created the work as part of a Govan art project organised by Ltd Ink Corporations. Defending her creation on Instagram, Ms McMahon said she was “aware of the horrible attack in that park” and was aware it might be misconstrued as “sexist.”
She said: “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.”
But dozens of people have hit out at the image with it described as “offensive, “tasteless” and “obscene.”
Average Woman said: “This is so horrible. It needs removing immediately.”
Commenting on a picture shared on Facebook, Glasgow councillor Malcolm Canning said: "This has been raised with me by several people. I am no art critic but it does strike me as more than inappropriate.
"I will be asking for the placing of this at the entrance to Festival Park to be reconsidered."
He has since updated residents to advise: "I have just been advised that the art installation is currently being removed from the gates."
