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The Rape Tunnel > Piss Christ

Behold, the new best modern art project evar, even better than taking a shit on a flag.

The artist plans to place himself in a room, the only entrance or exit being a 22 ft long plywood tunnel constructed by Whitehurst himself. Then he says that for the duration of the gallery's opening (from 7:00 p.m. to midnight) he will rape anyone who travels through the tunnel into that room. (via)

Only thing is, I'm not sure if getting worked over in the Rape Tunnel would technically constitute rape, since entering the Rape Tunnel would be a form of consent. (I was pre-med.) Unless the girl (it's girls only, right?) wasn't quite 18, in which case it would be statutory rape. Even then, it's not like you can tell how old she is, inside that tunnel.

Alas, it turns out the Rape Tunnel was a hoax, meant as some sort of commentary on the state of modern art projects like Piss Christ and what have you. Which I guess would make it a meta art project in and of itself. (Of course I'm no expert on art.)

Gawker, who often takes pleasure in punching holes in staged PR events and other media's inaccuracies, walked through the metaphorical rape tunnel and got what was promised (being rewarded with 50,000+ page views is a nice settlement though) despite the fact there were a few hints the thing was fake. Like referring to a William Strunk Jr. Art Museum -- there's probably a joke in there about Gawker not being familiar with the co-author of The Elements of Style, but we won't go there.

Aww dang...

But I wonder. Could someone create an art project like the Rape Tunnel, rape someone in it and get away with it. Not that I'm contemplating a trip to Home Depot, if the legal ramifications pan out. I'm just wondering.

The Rape Tunnel [Artlurker]

Artlurker Explains Rape Tunnel: "Our Intention Was to Spark Conversation" [Miami New Times]