Greenhouse shows support for breast cancer awareness with 14-foot bra sculpture

Since last Friday, a 14-foot tall sculpture of a pink polka dot bra has been displayed proudly in a flower bed near the parking lot of Tim Shea’s Nursery and Landscaping.

Marlene Bratlie said she knew exactly what she was looking at when she drove up on South Washington Street to to buy some vegetables for her garden Thursday.

“It’s pretty surprising,” she said, laughing.

The sculpture was created by UND alumnus Peter John Larson to make a political statement about the government failing to support the arts in the 1990s. He called it “Losing Support.”

With permission, Bert’s Truck Equipment Inc. sandblasted the old patriotic paint and rust away, and 5 Star Collision and Glass Center repainted the massive piece of lingerie Pepto Bismol pink with white polka dots. Both helped out free of charge, Shea said.

The repurposed sculpture, newly named “Gaining Support,” is meant to encourage breast cancer awareness, something close to Shea and the the artist’s hearts as Larson’s wife passed away from the disease.

“My aunt died of breast cancer and my wife has a sister that had breast cancer,” Shea said. “One out of eight get it … it’s a huge cause.”

Shea said he has gotten a lot of reactions from the public, the majority of which are positive.

“I had a phone call this morning from a woman,” nursery owner Tim Shea said. “She thought it was demeaning and degrading to women. I said it’s for a cause. It is what it is.”

Once the bra got to the greenhouse, employee Chance Bordem was a little surprised.

“I was like, ‘What is that?’ and I had to ask one of my coworkers, but then I realized it was a bra,” he said.

Pink, white and supportive

The big bra sat painted red, white and blue on UND’s campus for a time in the 1990s before being removed by an administrator who found it offensive, according to information given to Shea from the artist. It eventually found a permanent home in front of ARTSplace on Second Avenue North, which was closed on Thursday.

Linda Forseide, a friend of the artist, saw the sculpture falling into disrepair over the years and came up with the idea of donating it to the nursery.

Shea said the sculpture was extremely heavy and took about five men to lift and move, though they didn’t get far. Because of a misunderstanding, police arrived on the scene believing the group was trying to steal the buxom piece of art.

“We had to get a hold of Peter—thank God I could get a hold of him—and he had to talk to the cop and explain the whole deal,” Shea said.

Shea said in the short time the bra has been outside he has gotten a lot of feedback, and several people have stopped to take pictures with it, something he’s glad about because it draws more attention to the nursery and to the cause.

Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women and most of the time is found in women 50 years old or older, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

“It’s a great symbol for the cause,” Shea said as he stood outside next to the bra in a pink breast cancer awareness T-shirt.

To that end, Shea’s is taking part in Pink Day, a nationwide campaign aimed at getting nurseries involved in breast cancer research fundraising since the creation of the pink “Invincibelle Spirit Hydrangea” in 2009. Since then, $1 from the purchase of every plant has gone toward breast cancer research, according to the group’s website.

This weekend at Shea’s $5 from the purchase of each Invincibelle Spirit will go to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation through Pink Day. Volunteers from a local football team will be there to carry plants out to the vehicles of customers.

“I’m sure we’ll do it again next year and see how it goes,” Shea said.

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