In Johannesburg, South African artist Reshma Chhiba created this walk-in installation in the form of a giant vagina as a part of the country's Women's Month celebrations and, naturally, some have taken offense to it. Members of the South African Hindu population have spoken out against the installation because the artist says her work is inspired by Kali, the Goddess of creation and destruction. The opposition has cited incidents of abuse against women as reasons why the installation should not exist, to which Chhiba has responded "We are talking about this vagina revolting against this particular space, so in this space it’s working on more of a political level... Also, before you stepped in, you had to remove your shoes, so essentially it’s saying it’s a sacred space, you need to respect the vagina."
The space that houses the installation is Constitution Hill, a historic site in Johannesburg with a long history as a place of incarceration for men and women. In addition to the installation, women are offered free tours of the space until August 31. To learn more about the site and the controversial installation, visit Constitution Hill's event page.
RELATED: Made for Instagram: 15 Striking New Art Installations (And How to Photograph Them)
[via ArtInfo]
