Students suspended for damaging project by artist in lobster suit

Post-Gazette ^ | 8-20-2002 | Bill Schackner,

[Cagey]

Six months after four Carnegie Mellon University students were accused of forcing their way into a makeshift home built by an art student who dressed in a lobster costume, the school has handed down sanctions that include a one-year suspension and payment of about $800 in restitution.

[Cagey]

Only "Artists" can destroy property with no punishment.

[pabianice]

The horror... the horror...

[LouD]

his project, which qualified for $1,000 from an undergraduate program that encourages artistic and research endeavors

Tuition dollars at work. And they wonder why the cost keeps going up.

[general_re]

Lobster-Boy speaks!

Well, Lobster-Boy presses charges, anyway...

[untenured]

Kofmehl built the three-story wood-frame house from scrap materials while dressed as a lobster. He planned to study human behavior and speech patterns during his project, which qualified for $1,000 from an undergraduate program that encourages artistic and research endeavors.

Kofmehl had moved into the half-finished domicile Feb. 1 vowing to speak to no one for three months.

Art these days is just dumb.

[Orual]

[Orual]

This is the kind of lobster art I like to drink in.

[Paul Atreides]

"Performance art" is as big a scam as public education.

[Hacksaw]

"Performance art" is as big a scam as public education.

I make performace art every morning before I go to work - I should apply for a NEA grant.

[Sgt_Schultze]

The "property" referred to in the post was on school property. Was a valid building permit issued for the construction? Were building, electric and plumbing codes enforced? If not, were the proper waivers obtained? The article states that lobster-boy took up residence in the shack. That presupposes that a Use and Occupancy permit was issued. Since the school has allowed lobster boy to run a scam on university property, Delta Upsilon should continue likewise as the precedent has been set.

Delta should open a "performance" theater in their frat house where scantily-clad women could dance seductively. The DU's would promise to not speak any words to the women and would observe the behaviors of the various men who come to attend the performances. Lobster suits not required.