Julia Balk sculpture at University of N.C.
- Artist/Author/Producer: Julia Balk commissioned by the University of North Carolina
- Confronting Bodies: Students
- Dates of action: 1992
- Location: Chapel Hill, North Carolina
- Description of the Art Work
- In the sculpture, an African-American male spins a basketball on one
finger, an African-American female walks with a book balanced on her
head, and a Caucasian couple is portrayed with the man's hand on the
woman's hip.
- Description of incident
- Students of the University criticized "The Student Body," a set of
figures by Julia Balk on the grounds that it was sexist and racist.
Critics requested the removal of the statue. Offensive and defensive
tactics erupted from conservative and liberal factions of the University
continuing for weeks.
- Results of incident
- Finally, university officials decided to move the statues to a less
public location in an enclosed garden. But before the move could be
made, vandals tipped over one figure and took the basketball.
Source: Artistic Freedom Under Attack 1992
