Floating art

MILAN A 21-metre (70ft) floating sculpture of a naked man has been installed in Milan’s main park.

The balloon, a self-portrait by Pawel Althamer, a Polish artist, has been hovering outside the Palazzina Appiani in Parco Sempione since Monday, drawing second takes, amused looks and some reprobation about exposing children to nudity.

“To be honest with you, it’s nothing new,” said Rosaria Mirabelli, the mother of three-year-old Tommaso, who stared at the sculpture from the back of his mother’s bicycle. “He sees his father naked. In this park we see so many worse things than a naked man,” she added, referring to the park’s reputation as a haven for drug users.

Flavio Del Monte, the spokesman for the Nicola Trussardi Foundation, which is sponsoring a show by the artist, said that the balloon had helped to attract more than 3,000 visitors to the event in three days. Most people had been amused by the sculpture, he said.