The exhibit, which was organized by the Hood Museum of Art and the College, is only one part of a 13-year project for which Gu has been creating sculptures across the world in a series called "United Nations," with all pieces being made of a single unique ingredient -- human hair.
"The United Nations art project is committed to a single human body material, pure human hair. Hair is a signifier and metaphor extremely rich in history, civilization, science, ethnicity, timing and even economics. [It] becomes the great human 'hair-itage," Gu said in an interview with the Hood Museum earlier this year.
Many students did not respond to the unique material with equal enthusiasm. Having been described as "weird," "disturbing" and "disgusting" by various students, the exhibit evoked more reactions based on its medium than on its message.
"It had its spot in the limelight, but I want my hairless library back," Maura Cass '10 said.
Cass went on to suggest that the Wenda Gu exhibit currently be given the same status as the outdated Choates cluster. Although both are currently a part of Dartmouth, she said they should be skipped on the tour for prospective students.
`Many students said that they did not realize that the "United Nations" portion of the exhibit was actual hair for some time, and that this realization made them more wary of their physical proximity to it.
"When I realized that it was hair, it made me make sure that I walked directly through the center of the gaps," Katrina Ortblad '10 said.
Additionally, anybody who had their hair cut in Hanover or the Upper Valley last year may have contributed to the 430 pounds of hair collected, even if it was done without the participants' knowledge.
"I wonder if my hair is in it," Michelle Gladstone '08 said.
The intention of the exhibit was geared towards symbolizing the growing size of the United Nations. Any student who felt comfortable examining the hair close up could see the steel tags inscribed with the names of countries currently in the U.N., as well as blank tags for countries yet to be included or formed.
The Green House exhibit was Gu's response to the College's request that he "say something" to the Dartmouth community. The exhibit displays two words imposed over each other, "Educations" and "Advertises."
"Art outside of museums has a real role to play in the intellectual education of the campus," Juliette Bianco '94, assistant director of the Hood Museum, said to The Dartmouth late in last year's Spring term. "You shouldn't have to seek art out."
"I'm glad that there's color in Berry," Will McMahan '08 said, although he was not a fan of the exhibit.
"I guess it's the Hood Art Museum's attempt to be edgy and bring art into our everyday spaces, but I don't think it's actually very edgy or artistic at all," he said.
