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A huge lump of clay

Public sculpture made by the masses
  (+3, -1)
(+3, -1)
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against]

In a public square in the middle of the city, a strange formation is taking shape. Businessmen have rolled up their sleeves and are enthusiastically moulding lumps of clay onto a monument, where hundreds of others have crafted before them. A school group approaches with their own fresh clay, and contributes their part. Several clay sellers are nearby peddling their wares, beneath the ever expanding sculpture. In one section a scaffold has been raised so that people may access new areas. While overhead the warm sun bakes the clay hard, ready for the next aspiring artists.
simonj, Jun 16 2004

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       On a practical level, wet clay won't stick to dry clay, or if it does stick will crack fairly easily. Also, ideally it would need to be kiln baked, the sun doesn't really hack it for baking clay.   

       That said, the real question is how many people will add obscene phallic objects to the monument. [+]
iivix, Jun 16 2004
  

       After moulding some sort of sculpture into the clay, is it possible for someone else to come along whilst you are gone and make their own modifications? Not a bad thing of course, it would be a little like spending all day at the beach, building a really impressive sand castle, and having to leave it for the tide to consume at the end of the day. You get a feeling of sadness but also pride. In fact, it's a little bit like releasing a creature back into the wild.
spiritualized, Jun 16 2004
  

       I think I prefer the public beach approach, where everyone is allowed to build whatever sand sculptures they desire, and it is all washed away by the tide.
DrCurry, Jun 16 2004
  

       This would work in Manchester then, where the clay would be washed away by the overnight rain.
oneoffdave, Jun 16 2004
  

       Baked - I saw this done at the Museum of Modern Art in New York about 10 years ago. It was some kind of conceptual art. There was a massive lump of modelling clay in the middle of the gallery and a supply of modelling tools so that visitors could do whatever they wanted to it.
hippo, Jun 16 2004
  

       Me too. +
spacemoggy, Jun 16 2004
  

       I think I saw something like this where a town had a mural that was painted by random participants off of the street. Or maybe it was just a wonderful dream I had. [+] for this idea. I like the name too.
harderthanjesus, Jun 20 2004
  

       Use some non-hardening modelling compound (plasticene comes to mind) and I'll bun it.
Freefall, Jun 21 2004
  

       //a town had a mural that was painted by random participants off of the street// Isn't that New York City?
Worldgineer, Jun 21 2004
  

       It's an interesting idea, but isn't that why we give our kids play dough? [+]
kranedawg, Jun 21 2004
  

       I give the idea a +, just for being in the mode (if not the spirit) of public performance.
dpsyplc, Jun 21 2004
  

       +
DesertFox, Jun 21 2004
  

       I can see this not being all made of clay. +
sartep, Jun 22 2004
  

       oops! bad grammar, now corrected.
simonj, Jun 22 2004
  

       [cliff_dood], [spacemoggy], [harderthanjesus] Wow...giving a positive vote because you like the name...that shows a wealth of intelligence on your part, doesn't it?
Pocketassreturn, Jun 23 2004
  

       Meow! Actually, I gave a postive vote because I like the idea. The comment that I like the name is incidental. I've rearranged my anno to show this.
harderthanjesus, Jun 23 2004
  
      
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