Seriously Weird

Under the subject “Good old-fashioned nightmare fuel,” Shaker Zack sent along the link to this stunning homage to the pro-life movement: a statue of Britney Spears giving birth naked on a bearskin rug. (If you click through, be warned the pictures are not particularly work-safe, in case that wasn’t evident.)

Dedication of the life-sized statue celebrates the recent birth of Spears’ baby boy, Sean, and applauds her decision of placing family before career. “A superstar at Britney’s young age having a child is rare in today’s celebrity culture.”

True, but then again, most celebrities didn’t spend the majority of their childhoods being the family’s meal ticket by prancing around onstage, likely making them feel middle-aged and burned out by the ripe old age of 24, while simultaneously having their emotional development irreparably stunted, resulting in a tragic inability to fully adjust to both adulthood and their new circumstances, including the dichotomy of a wealth of distant admirers and a dearth of unconditional love, leaving them prone to marry foolishly and have lots of babies, just to have someone to love them. That, and some snarky stuff, too, like most celebrities also don’t provoke the observation that, somewhere, a trailer is missing its trash.

”This dedication honors Britney for the rarity of her choice and bravery of her decision,” said gallery co-director, Lincoln Capla. The dedication includes materials provided by Manhattan Right To Life Committee.

Gee, what a fun exhibit.

“Monument to Pro-Life: The Birth of Sean Preston,” believed Pro-Life’s first monument to the ‘act of giving birth,’ is purportedly an idealized depiction of Britney in delivery. Natural aspects of Spears’ pregnancy, like lactiferous breasts and protruding naval, compliment a posterior view that depicts widened hips for birthing and reveals the crowning of baby Sean’s head.

The monument also acknowledges the pop-diva’s pin-up past by showing Spears seductively posed on all fours atop a bearskin rug with back arched, pelvis thrust upward, as she clutches the bear’s ears with ‘water-retentive’ hands.

“Britney provides inspiration for those struggling with the ‘right choice’,” said artist Daniel Edwards, recipient of a 2005 Bartlebooth award from London’s The Art Newspaper. “She was number one with Google last year, with good reason --- people are inspired by the beauty of a pregnant woman,” said Edwards.

Yeah—people are inspired by her pregnant beauty. That’s why she’s the top Google search. It has nothing to do with her breasts and naval when they’re not “lactiferous and protruding.” I can only hope that this guy is doing a sustained performance art piece, in which he takes the pro-life movement for the biggest ride of their lives; otherwise, he’s hugely creepy.

Zack notes:

The question is, would this be more or less disturbing if the artist was more open about his fetishes? I'm thinking less, really. I mean, if somebody's going to visualize a brain-dead popstar delivering her child like a Playboy model for her December centerfold, it would probably be a small comfort if it could just be about the sex. Making it a symbol for a movement is just- good lord.

Agreed.

An appropriate location for permanent installation of “Monument to Pro-Life” by Mother’s Day is being sought by the gallery.

Hey—I’ve got an idea: