Sometimes, campuses have some ugly landmarks.

So, I cannot help but notice how CMU is particularly lacking cool things to look at on campus (unless you count the sad attempt at emulating the Colosseum that is the Park Library--which, personally just makes me wish I was in Italy again--or perhaps you excite over the never-ending sidewalk chalk advertisements?)

I think art students (and others) need to take it upon themselves to use even their throw-away art to make some more promising, aesthetically-pleasing works of art for this campus so as to detract from the unfortunate existing ones. In fact, I wouldn't be at all disappointed if someone took out either one of the next two..erm.."installments" with a sledgehammer.

The award for the ugliest work of "art" goes to the rock that was painted white and spray-painted in red lettering "The Kappas are Koming!" Every time I look at this, I think "Who are the Kappas, why are they 'koming', and who let them deface this rock? Also, don't some other greek people want to take on these Kappas and paint over their pointless message with some kind of recruitment attempt for their sorority/fraternity? SOMETHING to switch it up a bit!?"

Maybe I will take it upon myself to paint this fugly rock. You know, paint a positive message on it so when others like myself are shuffling to class in a zombie-like state, they aren't also forced to stare in disdain at this rock painted horrid colors, and with an equally horrid/pointless message on it.

In close second is a work of art that I might be able to appreciate more if not in the context of campus. Probably not, but I don't want to completely dis whoever is behind this sculpture. I mean, call me crazy, but I'm a gal who finds bright colors motivating, so this rusty brown metal ball by Moore Hall does not quite conjure any feelings like "Yay, what a happy day on campus! Even though it's really not! But that thing that has happy colors is cool and makes it easier to pretend!" but rather, it conveys: "Oh, there's that thing that reminds me that the world is a bleak, round, rusting ball. Off to class I go. Can't wait to graduate. Do I have a test today? Screw it, the world is rusting anyway."

Hey, look, say what you want about my inability to appreciate art, but I know I'm not the only one that doesn't appreciate the rusty ball. If you made it, I really can sympethize with your inborn impulse to conjure metal into a nice round shape--but again, the feeling I get from it in a campus setting is less than desireable.

For my art criticism class, we are supposedly doing a class artwork project, so I will definitely be suggesting that something be done about that defaced rock. If we don't do it for that class, it will easily become a personal project.