Giant inflatable turd blown from moorings and brings down power line

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A giant inflatable dog turd created by the American artist Paul McCarthy was blown from its moorings at a Swiss museum, bringing down a power line and breaking a window before landing in the grounds of a children's home.

The exhibit, entitled Complex Shit, is the size of a house. It has a safety system that is supposed to deflate it in bad weather, but it did not work on this occasion.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/aug/12/3

gnarly sceptre, Tuesday, 12 August 2008 11:19 (sixteen years ago) link

It's like the headlines on the press cuttings that Tyler Durden collects in "Fight Club".

snoball, Tuesday, 12 August 2008 11:22 (sixteen years ago) link

Read that as "A giant inflatable dog turd created by the American artist Paul McCartney"

Tom D., Tuesday, 12 August 2008 11:23 (sixteen years ago) link

Here's an actual picture of the turd in question, pre-flight (NSFW)

snoball, Tuesday, 12 August 2008 11:23 (sixteen years ago) link

... I mean, his last album wasn't great, but that's a bit harsh (xP)

Tom D., Tuesday, 12 August 2008 11:24 (sixteen years ago) link

Maybe he could rename the piece 'Loose Stool'?

NickB, Tuesday, 12 August 2008 11:27 (sixteen years ago) link

surely "floater"?

grimly fiendish, Tuesday, 12 August 2008 11:27 (sixteen years ago) link

^ winner

Tom D., Tuesday, 12 August 2008 11:28 (sixteen years ago) link

You'd certainly have a job on your hands flushing it away.

NickB, Tuesday, 12 August 2008 11:29 (sixteen years ago) link

Blowjobbie

Tom D., Tuesday, 12 August 2008 11:29 (sixteen years ago) link

They should have a YouTube video of it floating off with the Stones' "Turd On The Run" as a soundtrack.

snoball, Tuesday, 12 August 2008 11:34 (sixteen years ago) link

can't believe they wouldn't secure something like this better, it must have cost them a pile

J0hn D., Tuesday, 12 August 2008 12:19 (sixteen years ago) link

The guy responsible for the moorings must feel down in the dumps. He's probably going to get the crapped kicked out of him, if not shitcanned.

EZ Snappin, Tuesday, 12 August 2008 12:29 (sixteen years ago) link

at least nobody died.

Kerm, Tuesday, 12 August 2008 12:35 (sixteen years ago) link

Kerm can you please rephrase that to include a pun about fecal matter. Thanking you in advance.

J0hn D., Tuesday, 12 August 2008 12:46 (sixteen years ago) link

I knew I'd catch shit for that.

Attempt number two: I know it's what some artists do, but making a big one like this can be dangerous. Regular art is safer.

Kerm, Tuesday, 12 August 2008 13:22 (sixteen years ago) link

Shocking when someone with an appreciation for the arts is actually killed by a piece of art. Thankfully in this current incident, the shit didn't hit the (art) fan.

Tom D., Tuesday, 12 August 2008 13:26 (sixteen years ago) link

Is this going to stop the runs of any further exhibits?

HI DERE, Tuesday, 12 August 2008 14:04 (sixteen years ago) link

it'll put a strain on it. but things will come to pass eventually.

grimly fiendish, Tuesday, 12 August 2008 14:17 (sixteen years ago) link

the incident will go into the log book

blueski, Tuesday, 12 August 2008 14:20 (sixteen years ago) link

This is number two in the list of things to make me laugh today.

Ned Raggett, Tuesday, 12 August 2008 14:20 (sixteen years ago) link

Perhaps it's the beginning of a new movement?

Sparkle Motion, Tuesday, 12 August 2008 14:21 (sixteen years ago) link

These shite specific installations can be a log-istical nightmare

Tom D., Tuesday, 12 August 2008 14:22 (sixteen years ago) link

Oh man ure puns are killing me.

ledge, Tuesday, 12 August 2008 14:23 (sixteen years ago) link

It takes a lot of work to put together such a notable artistic compostition.

Ned Raggett, Tuesday, 12 August 2008 14:24 (sixteen years ago) link

the museum looks like a real dump anyway

blueski, Tuesday, 12 August 2008 14:28 (sixteen years ago) link

Oh, I thought it was the exhibit that did

Tom D., Tuesday, 12 August 2008 14:29 (sixteen years ago) link

some warhol is ok but i'm not a fan of this plop art

blueski, Tuesday, 12 August 2008 14:30 (sixteen years ago) link

Apparently the first anyone knew of this is when a flustered and panicky museum guard phoned up the curator and told him "Da doo doo gone gone, da doo doo gone"

Tom D., Tuesday, 12 August 2008 14:32 (sixteen years ago) link

Here it is while it was exhibited in the Middelheim Park in Antwerp last year:

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1286/765650419_b58494bccc_b.jpg

StanM, Tuesday, 12 August 2008 14:39 (sixteen years ago) link

That is shit.

HI DERE, Tuesday, 12 August 2008 14:39 (sixteen years ago) link

"I didn't do it, man"

http://i34.tinypic.com/2ev5jbc.jpg

StanM, Tuesday, 12 August 2008 14:41 (sixteen years ago) link

And here's the pooper scooper

http://www.ttamine.com/services/crewtrainer/crewtrain_icons/Terex-340H-Hydraulic-Shovel.jpg

Tom D., Tuesday, 12 August 2008 14:44 (sixteen years ago) link

oh the poomanity

ledge, Tuesday, 12 August 2008 14:45 (sixteen years ago) link

Burg3rpip3 advertising campaign gets off to a bad start...

snoball, Tuesday, 12 August 2008 14:56 (sixteen years ago) link

Here it is while it was exhibited in the Middelheim Park in Antwerp last year:

Is it actually supposed to look like Jabba the Hutt?

snoball, Tuesday, 12 August 2008 14:58 (sixteen years ago) link

You should ask his dog, it's based on a real life - smaller - one he created in McCarthy's living room.

StanM, Tuesday, 12 August 2008 15:01 (sixteen years ago) link

Wait - his dog came up with the design here? That's quite an interesting nugget. Anyhow, looking at those pictures, I'd say that shit was overblown.

NickB, Tuesday, 12 August 2008 15:30 (sixteen years ago) link

Definitely a problem with too much gas there.

snoball, Tuesday, 12 August 2008 15:31 (sixteen years ago) link

The dog designed it? Dog made a mess in that case.

Tom D., Tuesday, 12 August 2008 15:32 (sixteen years ago) link

I mean, I'm not one to casually poo-poo an artist's work but...

Tom D., Tuesday, 12 August 2008 15:33 (sixteen years ago) link

Come on man, it's avant merde.

NickB, Tuesday, 12 August 2008 15:33 (sixteen years ago) link

Typical example of the increasing commodeification of contemporary art.

Sparkle Motion, Tuesday, 12 August 2008 16:08 (sixteen years ago) link

yes it's awfully bog-standard

blueski, Tuesday, 12 August 2008 16:10 (sixteen years ago) link

and corny

Kerm, Tuesday, 12 August 2008 16:13 (sixteen years ago) link

The guy responsible for the moorings must feel down in the dumps

yeah but you know, shit happens.

ken c, Tuesday, 12 August 2008 16:13 (sixteen years ago) link

what an embarrassing accident.

Kerm, Tuesday, 12 August 2008 16:14 (sixteen years ago) link

there is something fundamentally wrong with this artist

Mr. Que, Tuesday, 12 August 2008 16:15 (sixteen years ago) link

I hear he's been with flushed with success too. But red faeces all round now, I bet.

Tom D., Tuesday, 12 August 2008 16:17 (sixteen years ago) link

this is some scary shit. when creating a sculpture as big as a house, it's the artist's dootie to make sure it doesn't wipe out power lines and cause a big stink.

rockapads, Tuesday, 12 August 2008 16:49 (sixteen years ago) link

I'm surprised this sort of thing isn't more wide spread

Curt1s Stephens, Wednesday, 13 August 2008 01:36 (sixteen years ago) link

It is, but this particular artist is the victim of a smear campaign...

snoball, Wednesday, 13 August 2008 08:23 (sixteen years ago) link

it's all a tissue of lies.

grimly fiendish, Wednesday, 13 August 2008 08:29 (sixteen years ago) link

Either way, his career's gonna hit the skids now for sure.

ledge, Wednesday, 13 August 2008 08:30 (sixteen years ago) link

I don't know, no-one tells him shit anymore...

snoball, Wednesday, 13 August 2008 08:32 (sixteen years ago) link

His reputation is growing slowly but surely though, in fact I'd say his stock in the wider artistic community is rising excrementally

Tom D., Wednesday, 13 August 2008 08:47 (sixteen years ago) link

yes. it'll double, you see.

(ouch.)

grimly fiendish, Wednesday, 13 August 2008 09:18 (sixteen years ago) link

Read that as "A giant inflatable dog turd created by the American artist Paul McCartney"

-- Tom D., Tuesday, August 12, 2008 6:23 AM (Yesterday) Bookmark Link

lol otm

J0rdan S., Wednesday, 13 August 2008 09:23 (sixteen years ago) link

almost emailed it to my friend w/ the subject "lol paul mccartney"

J0rdan S., Wednesday, 13 August 2008 09:23 (sixteen years ago) link

I bet this whole thing went down like a turd balloon with the organisers.

NickB, Wednesday, 13 August 2008 09:27 (sixteen years ago) link

They didn't know it was going to blow off right in their faces

snoball, Wednesday, 13 August 2008 09:29 (sixteen years ago) link

Meanwhile, the artist himself is on the roll of homour

snoball, Wednesday, 13 August 2008 09:30 (sixteen years ago) link

honour

snoball, Wednesday, 13 August 2008 09:30 (sixteen years ago) link

Museum must have been potty not to have this piece of art more solidly secured, they've soiled their reputation somewhat

Tom D., Wednesday, 13 August 2008 09:34 (sixteen years ago) link

This shit is off the hook

snoball, Wednesday, 13 August 2008 09:35 (sixteen years ago) link

this is the number 2 story on the internet

blueski, Wednesday, 13 August 2008 10:48 (sixteen years ago) link

I'd tread carefully with this story

Tom D., Wednesday, 13 August 2008 11:18 (sixteen years ago) link

...otherwise it could end up everywhere.

snoball, Wednesday, 13 August 2008 11:20 (sixteen years ago) link

Meanwhile, the competition has dried up.

snoball, Wednesday, 13 August 2008 11:27 (sixteen years ago) link

he was just mucking about

blueski, Wednesday, 13 August 2008 12:28 (sixteen years ago) link

Somebody did a sloppy job.

snoball, Wednesday, 13 August 2008 12:30 (sixteen years ago) link

Art these days is really going down the drain.

snoball, Wednesday, 13 August 2008 12:36 (sixteen years ago) link

Due to all the negative publicity, there's not much interest in the work being sold at auction. So it will probably go for peanuts.

snoball, Wednesday, 13 August 2008 12:43 (sixteen years ago) link

Very apropos as I've always thought Paul McCarthy's work was kind of shit anyways (you can read that as pure pun or not).

mehlt, Wednesday, 13 August 2008 12:45 (sixteen years ago) link

Yes, all this kind of art's been dung before and dung to death

Tom D., Wednesday, 13 August 2008 12:48 (sixteen years ago) link

There are no flies on this piece... oh wait a minute yes there are...

snoball, Wednesday, 13 August 2008 13:13 (sixteen years ago) link

apparently he's just been commissioned for installation number 2.. or as he calls it "job B"

ken c, Wednesday, 13 August 2008 13:23 (sixteen years ago) link

The piece is going to stand as a candidate at the next General Election, to try and attract the "floater" vote

snoball, Wednesday, 13 August 2008 13:47 (sixteen years ago) link

If you ask me, McCarthy's career's in the toilet as a result of this - the critics will pan him

Tom D., Wednesday, 13 August 2008 13:49 (sixteen years ago) link

The artist needs to sell the work for a high price, as he's built up a substantial gambling debt playing craps.

snoball, Wednesday, 13 August 2008 13:53 (sixteen years ago) link

Compared to this guy, other artists are just pissing in the wind

snoball, Wednesday, 13 August 2008 14:01 (sixteen years ago) link

It's going to appear in the halftime show at the next Superbowl

snoball, Wednesday, 13 August 2008 14:04 (sixteen years ago) link

Later this month, there will be a documentary that really lifts the lid on the artist and tries to get a handle on him.

snoball, Wednesday, 13 August 2008 14:06 (sixteen years ago) link

Narrated by Brian Sewer-ll I hope.

NickB, Wednesday, 13 August 2008 14:09 (sixteen years ago) link

He's always been something of a rebel, I read that he claimed he was out to smash the cistern

Tom D., Wednesday, 13 August 2008 14:09 (sixteen years ago) link

Due to the success of this piece, he was able to quit his cubicle job

snoball, Wednesday, 13 August 2008 14:10 (sixteen years ago) link

Unfortunately it's not all good news, as some people are still yanking his chain about the size of his ballcock.

snoball, Wednesday, 13 August 2008 14:11 (sixteen years ago) link

What I really want to see is a Damien Hirst diamond-encrusted dog turd.

NickB, Wednesday, 13 August 2008 14:12 (sixteen years ago) link

The success is not sudden - he's tried for years to make something that would make a big splash

snoball, Wednesday, 13 August 2008 14:12 (sixteen years ago) link

Art dealers are hoping that this won't all turn out to be a flash in the pan, otherwise they'll be in deep shit.

snoball, Wednesday, 13 August 2008 14:13 (sixteen years ago) link

The piece will be exhibited at Los Angeles International Airport, after which it will be ex-LAX

snoball, Wednesday, 13 August 2008 14:17 (sixteen years ago) link

Not many people know that McCarthy has another string to his bowl, he's an accomplished jazz singer, he can scat like nobody's business

Tom D., Wednesday, 13 August 2008 14:18 (sixteen years ago) link

The work is to be sent on a world tour. First it will be sent to Shitterton in Dorset, then to Middelfart in Denmark, and then the Antarctic (the bottom of the world), before being launched into space to orbit Uranus, and on it's return it will be flushed down Niagara Falls.

snoball, Wednesday, 13 August 2008 14:31 (sixteen years ago) link

When someone accused the McCarthy of plagiarism, he was reported to be steaming.

snoball, Wednesday, 13 August 2008 14:34 (sixteen years ago) link

At first, the piece was ignored, but pretty soon everyone wanted a slice.

snoball, Wednesday, 13 August 2008 14:40 (sixteen years ago) link

When pressed to comment, McCarthy stated, "This has left a bad smell, I only intended to put a smile back on people's faeces, but now I feel I should wash my hands of it... before leaving"

Tom D., Wednesday, 13 August 2008 14:44 (sixteen years ago) link

Another great work of art crushed under the boot of criticism...

snoball, Wednesday, 13 August 2008 14:55 (sixteen years ago) link

McCarthy has been commissioned to produce another similar work at his convenience.

snoball, Wednesday, 13 August 2008 15:45 (sixteen years ago) link

He recently told a negative critic to "bite it"

snoball, Wednesday, 13 August 2008 15:47 (sixteen years ago) link

six years pass...

Paris 'sex toy' sculpture raises storm

wackness unlimited (snoball), Friday, 17 October 2014 22:52 (ten years ago) link


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