GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The University of Florida has a massive campus, but those who wander near the Animal Sciences building are likely to spot something rather odd.
It’s a sculpture entitled “Some Were Quite Blind.”
The art piece is purposefully abstract, with four aluminum statues sticking straight up out of the ground.
However, there’s a lewd rumor about this sculpture that’s become the de facto assumption for many — namely, that they represent four animal penises.
THE REPUTATION
According to the curio website Atlas Obscura, the giant metal statues represent the genitals of a boar, a cat, a bull and a ram.
“The collection of penis statues is accompanied by a small plaque,” the website reads. “However, it doesn’t give any information as to what the artwork actually represents, making it easy for passersby to miss the true identities of the massive mammalian phalluses.”
This has certainly given the sculpture a unique reputation, though there’s a glaring issue with the rumors about it.
They just aren’t true — at least, according to the artist herself.
THE REAL STORY
Carol Brown, who originally built the pieces around 40 years ago, told News 6 that the art piece was a result of a state grant.
But a couple of years ago, she received a call from someone claiming to write a paper on the “penises” that she had installed.
“I said, ‘Well, I don’t know anything about you, but you’re so far off the mark, it’s ridiculous,’” Brown explained. “’ I think that before you try to write about art, you should study animal anatomy.’ And the guy was livid, of course, because I’m sure I was offensive.”
Despite her protestations, though, Brown said the label soon stuck.
“Sure enough, all over the Internet, it shows up,” she continued. “‘Go see the animal penises at the Animal and Dairy Sciences Building — the ram, the cat, whatever.’"
WHAT IS THE SCULPTURE SUPPOSED TO BE?
As expected, Brown told News 6 that the sculpture was not meant to depict genitalia.
Instead, she said, the sculpture was a product of her interest in European modernist art.
“There’s a traditional sculpture that interested me very much at that time, and I was developing a vocabulary that was just figures that had a lifelike aspect to them,” she explained. “I’ll phrase it that way: in some cases, they made references to vague hints of animals or people.”
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As such, Brown built her metal sculptures with abstract forms that were “vaguely anthropomorphic or zoomorphic,” which fit in with the theme of the nearby Animal Sciences building.
In addition, Brown discussed the title of her art piece, “Some Were Quite Blind,” which was also based on abstract themes.
“I was busy thinking about all of the people who were so offended about the idea of the art, and so i came up with the title ‘Some Were Quite Blind’ because you didn’t know if it would refer tot he piece or the people looking at the piece,” she continued.
WHAT IS SHE DOING NOW?
While Brown used to be a sculptor, she said her work has since evolved, leading her to become a painter. Many of her works can still be found on her website.
That said, the reputation her sculpture has garnered has bled into her personal life to some extent.
”I have a grandson who’s now 20 years old, and he came in the other day, not too long ago, and he said, ‘Did you really do all these penises?’" she said.
And despite the negative experience she suffered with this specific piece, she’s still a vocal proponent of public art.
“Public art is just meant to liven up dead space in my mind. I mean, it activates an area and can be wonderful,” she added. “And there’s so many great things to say about public art that I sort of hate pointing out all the things that went wrong on this one because of people’s perceptions.”
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