Torso is located outside of the Sheldon Art Museum, surrounded by green grass and dozens of other artistic exhibits. And because it is not located indoors, the audience probably approaches it a little differently than they would a typical piece of artwork in a museum.
When a person is inside a museum, the way we behave and perceive our environment changes greatly. One is generally expected to be quite and respectful of others when inside of an artistic, old fashioned building. And because we are in an 'art museum' we probably look around more, come in with a different sense of expectation and just change our attitudes to reflect the environment.
However, when you are viewing art outside in a more relaxed and open environment, the atmosphere changes greatly. As a viewer you are probably more relaxed, casual and more yourself, so to speak. You act more like you would in a typical situation.
But more importantly, because it is outside, I believe Torso probably attracts a younger audience. Simply because young people don't tend to visit museums unless it is required by a class they are taking. Let's just be honest here.
Museum doors can probably seem a little bit intimidating or uncomfortable, especially to young people. You probably see many more UNL students casually stroll through the park where Torso is located, then going inside of the actual art museum. And if anything Torso is seen by more UNL students just walking around because of it's placement outside.
By the same argument, if Torso was meant to be seen by an older audience, I think placing it inside would make more sense. But it's not, and that is part of the message here. Torso is aimed at young people.
We might also consider the overall natural environment in which Torso is located. Instead of being in a synthetic environment such as the inside of a fancy museum, we see this object outside. Torso gets rained and snowed on, and spends many days out of the year baking in the hot sun.
It is also surrounded by trees, grass and everyday people walking around as opposed to four walls and museum goes. Because torso is dealing with the issue of sex, I think it is only natural (no pun intended) that it is located in a natural environment. After all, sex is essentially the most natural of human behaviors. And I believe this goes a long way in amplifying it's overall message of sexuality and what it means for the everyday person.
Many of the pieces of artwork inside of Sheldon are very unique, beautiful and stand out greatly. This is not to take away from Torso, or to say that it isn't beautiful and special. But let's be honest, this object isn't all that glamorous. It lacks color, arms, legs and any emotional connection due to the lack of a face.
In fact, when I was wandering around the outside area looking for torso, I had trouble finding it. It doesn't stand out initially. Why is that? Why is this structure not given more prominence. Why didn't the creator make this torso more colorful, or add those features that would make it appear more human. This is another example of the everyday object and theme that Torso seems to be going for. It's not flashy, it's not in a typical museum environment. This is something different.
In a world consumed with sex filled messages, Torso conveys an everyday message that is often ignored by society. Speaking directly to students as they walk around campus, Torso is the definition of what is wrong with sex culture. It's not about the lust we have for a body, or the status we achieve by getting with that attractive person. In essence, it's not about what we see openly displayed on Torso.
It's about love, and emotion, and caring and the relationship we form with a partner. All of the things that are lacking in Torso. This message is stronger due to it's environment outside of the Sheldon Art Museum. I am excited to explore these themes further in my final project.
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