Normally children are advised not to touch the art, and certainly not to smash it. But in Glasgow last Sunday, touching was necessary and trampling was actually encouraged. A stampede of elementary schoolers destroyed "The People's Tower," a giant cardboard installation by artist Olivier Grossetete.
First, Grossetete worked with the kids and some community leaders to build the 65-foot tower, made of 1,150 cardboard boxes and packing tape. Soon after completion, the kids knocked over the installation, but not without some help from the grownups. The whole thing looked like a scene out of Gulliver's Travels, as kids tossed off their lunch boxes and climbed atop the overturned tower, jumping and clobbering with all their might. The piece, which we first saw on the Daily Mail, was part of Glasgow's Merchant City Festival in late July, which included 300 Olympic-themed art events.
There are certainly a few art pieces we wouldn't mind stepping on, but we never thought the dream would become a reality. See a slideshow of the rambunctious kids below, and let us know your thoughts in the comments section.