Sexy Nude Lady Statue to Disrupt Traffic on Upper East Side

Tramway Plaza between East 59th and East 60th Streets at Second Avenue, already the epicenter of much traffic chaos, will soon house a sculpture of a 9-foot “voluptuous reclining nude woman” by Gaston Lachaise, modeled after his own, presumably more human-sized, wife. Some are concerned this might be distracting for drivers and such. After all, exposed female breasts, whether in bronze blobs or actual human flesh, tend to attract their share of attention. But will this statue be ticketed for showing its boobs? Will passersby claim it is sluttily “just doing it for the attention”? Will people censure it as inappropriate for the children, and walk by hurriedly, shielding youngsters’ innocent eyes?

According to DNA Info, the Lachaise Foundation, which oversees Gaston’s legacy, actually wanted to put the statue in Central Park, which, as we learned last week, is fairly hospitable to the topless. After all, it’s nature, of a sort. But not enough so! The bid was rejected by the Parks Department.

If it’s any consolation to people or the statue itself, at least being in the midst of a busy intersection won’t subject it to the indignities faced by the nude male statue at the Time Warner Center. FYI, the statue will be lifted five feet off the ground — the better to be seen by pedestrians as well as drivers coming off the bridge and Roosevelt Island tram-riders.

“As you drive south [along Second Avenue] you’ll see more and more of her and hopefully not crash,” [Lachaise Foundation curator Paula] Hornbostel joked.

Humans: Ever so predictable. Even the artsy ones. The nude will be available for ogling come August.

Voluptous Nude Sculpture to Grace Koch Bridge Off-Ramp [DNA Info]