The 440-yard earth sculpture of a naked woman

[Still Waters]

Work has begun in Northumberland on a massive earth sculpture of a naked, reclining woman.

Its creator, landscape architect Charles Jenks, has been forced to deny it is offensive to women - claiming it will be an iconic celebration of the human form.

Crews using bulldozers and excavators have started work on the spectacular, 440-yard-long sculpture using 1.5m tonnes of soil and clay dug from an opencast mine near Cramlington.

Mr Jencks, who was commissioned to design the work, said he hopes it will become an icon for the region and form part of a 'destination art' route for UK tourists.

Nestling among man-made lakes at Blagdon Estate, it will be the centrepiece of a landform park expected to open to the public in 2013.

Responding to suggestions that the Northumberlandia figure is demeaning to women and could be offensive to some, Mr Jencks said he believes people will soon be won over by it.

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[theSOURCE]

She will be 440 yards from head to foot?

Lets just hope the Cerne Abbas giant doesn't find out about her, since at only 180 ft., he might be overcome with feelings of inadequacy, so to speak.

Then again...

[Pax Unum]

I don’t think this sculpture is sexist, while it’s stereotypical, it isn’t discriminatory or typically against women... IMO

[Michelle]

How in the world could anyone think this sculpture is sexist? The human form is a beautiful thing...well, not all of them....

[theSOURCE]

Of course it's sexist! Why would anyone find a land sculpture of a 440 yard nude woman not sexist?

Oh wait, the word I'm thinking of is sexy, not sexist. Sorry...

Inane jokes aside, in a world where graphic depictions of violence and rape are considered "art" the tasteful rendering of a female nude is welcome and refreshing. As others have indicated, it's simply an appreciation of the human form, not the lewd exploitation of it. Neither is there anything rude nor suggestive in her pose. Anyone who finds this sexist might as well admit to a case of self-loathing as well.

In all honesty, I'd rather look at a beautifully crafted work of art depicting a nude woman any day than to stumble across some twisted performance artist lying on the curb who's covered in fake blood claiming he's portraying a murder victim.

[Ashley-Star*Child]

Ok how on earth is that offensive?

[Mattshark]

Daily Mail readers might be offended by her being naked?