A Giant Hand Has Appeared Atop a Building in New Zealand, and the Internet Is Shaking
Few things can rile up the Internet like wacky artwork, and the latest example of a photo turning social media users’ world upside down comes from Down Under, with the ominous appearance a massive hand sculpture on the roof of a Wellington, New Zealand art gallery. Don’t talk to this hand, because the face is listening.
With a very unimpressed facial expression and a hand on hip-esque (thumb on palm?) pose, this newly-arrived installation calls the Addams Family character Thing T. Thing to mind, and has people online feeling all of the things. But mostly fear. In just hours, the piece has been called an “overlord” and the stuff of nightmares.
The sculpture is called “Quasi” (yes, that’s a Victor Hugo’s 1831 novel The Hunchback of Notre Dame reference!) and it’s the handiwork of Melbourne-based artist Ronnie van Hout, who sculpted the 400kg work of art with polystyrene and resin. It was installed by helicopter in City Gallery in Wellington on Monday. City officials intend for it to live out its rooftop residency for “up to three years” — or for as long as it likes, really, because who wants to tell the hand what to do!?
Though the artist did not immediately respond to TIME’s request for comment, City Gallery’s website describes the piece thusly:
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Indeed.
The hand previously “lived” in Christchurch, where it struck such a nerve that one art critic petitioned for its removal from the city. Some really have to give this hand a hand. Others are putting the shake in handshake, in that they’re shook.
“When you are not watching, he walks,” one user wrote.
Noted.
See a sampling of reactions to Quasi below.
Reminds me of that classic phrase "Talk to the hand because the face is also on the hand." pic.twitter.com/n7iRlajESk
— Tim Barnes (@TimBarnes451) August 19, 2019
i love and respect the large hand
— henry cooke (@henrycooke) August 19, 2019
Seen in Civic square Wellington. Does anyone know what the heck this is? pic.twitter.com/tnYiQs5C5U
— Dan (@dancrawfo) August 19, 2019
@CateSpice @SeaGoatScreams Wellington, why? pic.twitter.com/6RQvGEE0oQ
— Melissa Rose (@Melzyrose90) August 19, 2019
Looks like Wellington local body elections will be decided by who has the best plan for appeasing the cruel will of the hand.
— Dan Knox (@knoxdani) August 19, 2019
Is your child texting about Wellington?
LOL: laugh out loud
TBH: to be honest
THE HAND: all hail our overlord and supreme ruler— Naly_D (@Naly_D) August 19, 2019