These oversized legs with garish red high heels appeared overnight on the gates of The Festival Park in Glasgow. They're the work of Icelandic artist Rakel McMahon who claims her installation artwork 'Gate of Assumption' was commissioned and approved by Glasgow City Council. As you open the gates, the legs spread apart which makes the installation a curious choice for a park that features a nursery & kiddies playground but, a teenage girl was allegedly raped inside the park a few weeks prior to the appearance of the installation which adds an element of mockery to the young girls distress and sends a very clear message of ridicule and contempt, from the authorising body.
McMahon, says she was aware of the alleged rape as she thoroughly researched the history of the site. She claims to be a feminist and argues that her work raises issues about victim blaming in sexual harassment. That aspect of her work was lost on me and many others who were angry that tax payers money was spent on such an inappropriate & demeaning spectacle.
Although the work has now been removed, nobody has taken responsibility for its commission so that leaves questions to be asked about how it appeared in the first place and if necessary, it demands a thorough investigation of Scotland's civic responsibilities and objectives.