Student Body Sculpture
The Student Body sculpture was installed in front of Davis Library in October 1990. A gift of the UNC—Chapel Hill class of 1985, the collection of seven bronze statues by artist Julia Balk was said to represent different aspects of student life. The sculpture was controversial immediately after it was installed. It was criticized as portraying stereotypical images of students, particularly a figure of an African American student spinning a basketball on his finger. Other statues drew criticism as well, including an African American woman with books balanced on top of her head and an Asian American woman carrying a violin case. The statues were repeatedly vandalized, and at one point the basketball player was tipped over and the basketball stolen. The university canceled its planned dedication ceremony. In June 1991 the statues were relocated to a less prominent location in a small courtyard behind Manning Hall. At some point after the move, the statues of the students with the basketball and the violin were removed.