A man in a Vladimir Putin mask rides the Wall Street Bull covered in dildos. | Photo: @truckersvote/Twitter
Art holds a different meaning for anyone, but to ramen shop owner Jeff Jetton art means covering the iconic Wall Street bull in rainbow dildos. And ride it while wearing a Vladimir Putin mask.
Wall Street Bull, also known as the Charging Bull, is a bronze sculpture by Italian artist Arturo Di Modica greeting brokers and passers-by in the financial district. On their way to work, they spotted something a little different on Tuesday 17 July.
More than 130 dildos adorn Wall Street Bull
Despite the blurry photographic evidence, you can see the bronze animal covered in sex toys. The author of the prank used more than 130 dildos in a range of different colors to decorate the iconic landmark overnight.
Jetton is taking credit for the art attack, interpreted by some as a commentary on how Putin seems to be controlling the United States. He also told HuffPost he agreed with that statement but wants to let people construe the prank as they see fit.
The rainbow dildos might also be a sign of protest against Russian strict anti-LGBTI views, which resurfaced once again during the World Cup.
‘Anybody who tells you sex toys aren’t good tools of resistance has never had a bag of dicks and a little bit of ingenuity,’ Jetton also said in a statement to HuffPost.
‘Not a mannequin’
At first, people took to Twitter to post pictures of the newly decorated bull. They all believed it was a life-sized mannequin, but Jetton clarified this wasn’t the case in a tweet.
Not a mannequin 😉 https://t.co/jPffe0UXGp
— Jeff Jetton (@JeffreyJetton) July 17, 2018
‘Not a mannequin,’ he tweeted with a winky smiley face, implying he rode the statue himself.
NYPD contacted Jetton
Apparently, the Putin mask wasn’t a good enough disguise. Jetton said he was contacted by the New York City Police Department on Tuesday evening.
‘I think it’s for a non-criminal code violation,’ he told HuffPost. ‘The officers were kind of laughing when they cited me.’
He also joked on being invited to the 1st precinct on Monday.
‘I assume that’s some kind of award?’ he tweeted.
NYPD just invited me into the 1st precinct on Monday to receive a summons for my work as Putin on the Wall Street Charging Bull. I assume that’s some kind of award? pic.twitter.com/lyohArOeJe
— Jeff Jetton (@JeffreyJetton) July 18, 2018
A Russian ramen affair
It isn’t the first time ramen shop owner Jetton takes a stance against Putin’s Russia. The Daily Beast said that Jetton took it upon himself to investigate the possible relationship between Trump and Russia using public information last year.
Jetton owns Toki Underground, DC’s first ramen shop, opened in 2009. Washingtonian magazine named it one of the best restaurants in the city in 2016. We wouldn’t be surprised to see a rainbow Russian ramen on the menu anytime soon.
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