New York Art Installation of Statues Prompt 911 Suicide Calls

A British artist's statue display of naked men in New York City is prompting frantic calls to 911 of men about to jump off of tall buildings.

The twenty-seven life-size statues of anatomically correct naked men were bolted to rooftops and ledges of buildings around New York City's Flatiron District. Concerned observers have been making 911 emergency calls because they believed the statues are real people getting ready to jump off of the buildings to commit suicide. A police source said the statues are leading to an increase of 911 calls and taking officers away from real emergencies.

"It's a pain in the ass," said one officer of the art project, which was also installed in London in 2007.

"It's a waste of manpower. We're short [of] cops to begin with and we don't have enough cops to waste answering calls of statues committing suicide."

An NYPD spokesman said there have only been ten emergency calls though concerning the statues. The art installation is called Event Horizon by British artist Antony Gormley. Gormley said his goal is for people to examine man's place in the world, so he puts the sculptures in odd places. "This is a copy of my body. But it's ten times the specific gravity. It's very solidly there. Up there, there's another, it's 60 stories up and you can't touch it, you can perceive it. And there are more to be found, encouraging curiosity. That's what this is all about," said Gormley. The four cast iron sculptures displayed on the streets and the 27 fiberglass figures on rooftops and ledges will be in NYC until August 15. It is not known where all the sculptures are located because the artist said part of the fun is finding them.