Features
Art Resembling Miley’s Wrecking Ball Returning
A swinging sculpture that was removed from a Michigan school’s grounds after students used it to mimic a Miley Cyrus video in which she rides, naked, on a wrecking ball is returning to campus.
Photo: Grand Valley State University, April Joy Galbreath/AP
Fall 2012 photo shows Grand Valley State University students walking by a sculpture called a bifilar pendulum.
Grand Valley State University said the bifilar pendulum will be reinstalled Tuesday outside of the Padnos Hall of Science. It was removed in September because of safety concerns after workers discovered the cable holding it was frayed.
Students at the Allendale campus had been riding on it more often since the release of Cyrus’ “Wrecking Ball” video, with photos and video emerging of people parodying the music video.
Tim Thimmesch, associate vice president for Facilities Services, said educational signs about the artwork, made by faculty and staff in the Physics Department and Art Gallery, also will be installed. The project is expected to be completed Dec. 6.
“The new installation will be representative of a scientific art exhibit and include a reconstructed site that limits access and compliments the original intent of the sculpture,” Thimmesch said in a statement.
The sculpture is nearly 40 years old and had been outdoors since 1995. Its return to the 24,500-student campus about 15 miles west of Grand Rapids comes after review by a committee that included physics and engineering students along with school officials.