USA: : Lifesize sculpture of Britney Spears giving birth on a bearskin rug unveiled in Brooklyn art gallery

Record ID: 624262

  • Title: USA: : Lifesize sculpture of Britney Spears giving birth on a bearskin rug unveiled in Brooklyn art gallery
  • Date: 6th April 2006
  • Summary: BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES (APRIL 05, 2006) (REUTERS) WIDE SHOT STREET AND THE CAPLA KESTING FINE ART GALLERY BUILDING GALLERY SIGN THE FIRST MOULD VERSION OF THE SPEARS STATUE, STILL UNPAINTED; CAMERA OPERATORS; VARIOUS OF THE FIRST MOULD VERSION OF THE SPEARS STATUE, UNPAINTED (SOUNDBITE) (English) DANIEL EDWARDS SCULPTOR OF THE BRITNEY SPEARS "MONUMENT TO PRO-LIFE: THE BIRTH OF SEAN PRESTON" STATUE, SAYING: "It's been a lot of hard work. This has been one of the most ambitious pieces I've done, not just content-wise but, I mean just casting. You do a test cast to know what the tricks are of the the mould and everything, it's a very tricky mould to work with. It's been a lot of hard work for the last six months, every bit of it. So I'm kind of relieved that it's getting that close."
  • Embargoed: 21st April 2006 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Usa
  • Country: USA
  • Topics: Entertainment
  • Reuters ID: LVAEBZRLB6FKHHO5IGDM0UN425S1
  • Story Text: A sculpture of a nude Britney Spears kneeling on a bearskin rug as she gives birth was unveiled to the press on Wednesday (April 05) at Brooklyn's Capla Kesting Fine Art Gallery. Daniel Edwards, the sculptor of "Monument to Pro-Life: The Birth of Sean Preston," says he isn't trying to make a statement, as much as pay homage to a seductive icon of popular culture, whom he believes sacrificed her career for her child. He spoke to Reuters recently whilst completing work on the Spears statue. "I guess I'm just really responding to the public's general interest in her pregnancy and trying to capture the ultimate moment of that pregnancy, more or less, you know, pay tribute to it and the ultimate moment being the birth" he said. "So, I really, I'm just really kind of in some way, in my way, documenting the importance of that moment to our culture." The unveiling did not go completely as planned for the artist and the gallery. The second version of the mould, the completed one, was still too fragile to be transported, so journalists viewed the first mould casting, unfinished and unpainted. The complete version will be ready for the exhibition opening on Friday (April 07). The sculpture, which as the name suggests is featured as a pro-life work, has raised an eyebrow or two for attaching itself to the abortion debate. The work will be featured in the gallery next to a display case filled with anti-abortion materials. Edwards explains that he sees Spears as a modern fertility goddess, which is why he classifies the statue as being pro-life. "My feeling about it was that for her to give up her career, to sacrifice that essentially to have a child, that just seemed like a real dedication to birth and it seemed more pro life to me and any other message perhaps pro-choice doesn't fit in to that, you know. She's pregnant so it seems to be all about giving life, pro-life, so maybe it's more semantics than it is, certainly more semantics than politics," he said. The artist says he was not a fan of the 24-year-old pop singer, but began to take note of Spears when she became pregnant and her media profile increased. The singer, who is married to her former backup dancer Kevin Federline, gave birth to their son Sean Preston, last year. Asked why he chose to feature the singer in such a provocative position, Edwards believes he is depicting Spears with the same sexual prowess she has often showed herself. The artist hasn't personally met Spears, but referred to various magazine photos in an effort to replicate her features. He told Reuters that he immortalized Spears in this fashion, because she is a modern icon representative of the times. Despite the fact that Spears had a Caesarean birth, Edwards took liberties and chose to portray Spears giving birth naturally. Edwards is no stranger to celebrity art controversy -- the artist also sculpted Ted Williams' decapitated head, which was frozen in hopes that science could one day revive the baseball hero. As for what's next, Edwards says art buffs and critics should stay tuned. His next work might feature celebrity Scientologist Tom Cruise - but he isn't revealing exactly what position the actor will be in. ENDS.
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