Students at Grand Valley State University are no longer able to ‘come in like a wrecking ball.’
The school, located in Allendale, Mich., removed its giant wrecking ball pendulum on Tuesday, after students began recreating scenes from Miley Cyrus’ latest music video and posting the results on Vine and YouTube.
“A recent increase in popularity of riding the pendulum art piece located outside of the Padnos Hall of Science prompted Facilities Services to remove the piece due to concerns over the safety of students,” a statement from the school reads. “After the removal yesterday, workers discovered that the cable was indeed fraying.”
The statement also notes that school officials had been considering a course of action for the piece “prior to videos that parody a Miley Cyrus music video that were posted online and are receiving national attention.”
About 50 upset students gathered at the empty site of the ball on Tuesday night, singing Cyrus’ popular song in protest, as the local Fox News affiliate reported. They called for the return of the wrecking ball.
The news station also reported that school officials were not considering any disciplinary action for the students who created the videos.
The artwork, which is untitled, was created by Dale Eldred in 1973. It was placed outside the Kirkhof Center in 1974 and then moved to Padnos Hall of Science in 1995. It has now been placed in storage off-campus while a structural engineer assesses the artwork. No word on when it will return to campus.
Someone also started a Twitter account for the wrecking ball, prior to its removal. Starting Thursday, students will be selling wrecking ball t-shirts for $10 each, with proceeds going to Relay for Life. The hashtag #reinstalltheball is being used to protest the sculpture’s removal.
@paytonnorton @GVSUWreckingBal there will be order forms in front of the clock tower tomorrow. bring $10, all profit goes to Relay for life!
— kristin watkoske (@kiki4864) September 18, 2013
