Giant clitoris sculpture is stolen from French university – for the second time
- Made by artist Matthew Ellis, ‘Le Clitoris’, has stood at the university since 2017
- ‘The university has filed a complaint with police,’ said a spokesperson
- ‘Le Clitoris’ was erected in response to the Bitard penis, a phallic sculpture
A giant metal clitoris sculpture has been stolen from a French university campus for the second time.
Made by British artist Matthew Ellis, ‘Le Clitoris’, has stood on the grounds of University of Poitiers, in western France since 2017.
‘The university has filed a complaint with police. There is no trace of the artwork,’ Marion Babin, of the local feminist group friends of Women and Liberation (LAFl) which originally commissioned the sculpture, told Charente Libre newspaper.
Made by British artist Matthew Ellis, ‘Le Clitoris’, stands on the grounds of University of Poitiers
It was stolen for the first time last year before being found three weeks later with the pole sawed off in bushes nearby.
The latest theft saw the thieves take every piece including the pole and explanatory plaque.
‘Le Clitoris’ was erected in response to the Bitard penis, a phallic sculpture that has sat proudly on campus for around 40 years.
Matthew Ellis with his piece, Le Clitoris (left) and right as it is unveiled in 2017
Feminist group Friends of Women and Liberation (LAFL) arranged for the metal art to be installed to illustrate the fight for ‘gender equality’ and to raise awareness of violence against women.
A spokeswoman for the group said at the time of the unveiling of the clitoris piece in 2017 that it was strange that the university ‘could have a giant penis on campus for so long, while the clitoris has only appeared in science textbooks this year.’
‘Le Clitoris’ was erected in response to the Bitard penis (pictured), a phallic sculpture