The BBC calls the sculpture 'disgusting' . Naturally, there is some controversy surrounding this particular work by Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan, which is on display in the Piazza d'Affari outside the Milan stock exchange.
The BBC article suggests that the middle finger is anti-capitalist - showing contempt for the financial kingpins inside the building. The folks at designboom.com (which has several photos of the sculpture on the website) are of the same opinion, saying Cattelan is "giving the finger to bankers".
From the way I see it, the message given is quite the opposite. As we see, the palm of the hand is facing the building.....those of us looking at the statue are seeing the back of the hand. From this angle, it is the bankers who are giving us the finger.
If, by chance, the good people in Milan wish to have the sculpture removed, I'd like to see it moved to Washington, D.C.......placed in front of the White House. We have to be sure, though, that it's turned the right way.
