A piece of public art proposed by video game company CCP has garnered criticism from the director of the Reykjavík Art Museum, RÚV reports.
The piece of art in question by Sigurður Guðmundsson is a six metre tall yellow bronze etching of a woman playing a violin in front of a tower, which will bear a brown patina. It will be engraved with 400,000 names of EVE Online characters.
Museum Director Hafþór Yngvason wrote a letter to Reykjavík’s Department of Culture and Tourism stating that the piece was too large to be public art and has no relevance to the environment of the city or any natural landmarks. Additionally, he feels it is inappropriate for the names of characters to be engraved on it, saying that it limits the meaning and prevents it from being a lasting, stand-alone work. He believes it commercialises the art.
Hafþór also hopes that CCP would respect the independence of the work of art and not use depictions of it in their advertisements.
The Department of Planning and Construction of Reykjavík will also write their own report on the proposed work, but Reykjavík City Council will make the final decision on the matter. If approved, the city will also choose the piece’s location
CORRECTION: Contrary to the original version of this story, the City of Reykjavík will NOT fund the piece. We apologise for the mistake.
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