Decision Pending is a bronze sculpture located in the city of

Brighton, Michigan Brighton is a city in the Detroit metropolitan area in southeastern Livingston County, Michigan, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 7,444. Brighton forms part of the South Lyon-Howell-Brighton Urban Area. It is one of ...

. The statue is located near the Brighton Mill Pond Park on the North side of Main Street; it stands at five feet tall and is 20 inches wide. The statue is a dis-proportioned naked man standing upright. The statue was created by artist Jay Holland and was donated to the city by a citizen’s group as part of the 2006 Brighton Biennial, a project designed to fill the downtown area with pieces of outdoor art. Due to its controversial subject matter and its proximity to the Brighton World War 2 memorial the sculpture has been the topic of much public debate and has been the topic of many articles in the

Livingston County Daily Press & Argus ''The Livingston County Daily Press & Argus'' is a daily newspaper published in Howell, Michigan and owned by Gannett. It covers news and sports within Livingston County and had offices in both Howell and Brighton. The Brighton office closed in D ...

Public reception

Controversy

The public reception to Decision Pending has been mixed. Since its purchase in 2006 the statue has seen

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to have it removed as well as counter-petitions to keep it in its current location. The statue has been the source of much controversy in Brighton. The statue is a point of controversy because many residents feel that its subject matter is not appropriate for public viewing and that its proximity to the Brighton

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

memorial A memorial is an object or place which serves as a focus for the memory or the commemoration of something, usually an influential, deceased person or a historical, tragic event. Popular forms of memorials include landmark objects or works of a ...

is disrespectful. The Brighton city council has discussed relocating the statue on several occasions. As of today the statue is still standing in its original position.

Tradition

The statue’s presence and the controversy surrounding it have prompted the development of many local traditions and customs. It is common for local groups and individuals in Brighton to dress or decorate the statue during holidays, festivals or sporting events. The statue’s appearance has earned it several nicknames including "the elephant man" and “ugly naked guy” or simply “U.N.G.” which has become a part of the Brighton area

lexicon A lexicon is the vocabulary of a language or branch of knowledge (such as nautical or medical). In linguistics, a lexicon is a language's inventory of lexemes. The word ''lexicon'' derives from Koine Greek language, Greek word (), neuter of () ...

. The nickname “Ugly Naked Guy” was originally coined by Buddy Moorehouse, writer and founder of the ''Community Journal,'' a local paper.

Vandalism

The statue has long been a target of vandalism, it has been written on, dented, and was once knocked off its pedestal. As a result, the statue now sits on a stronger stand.

Public reception

Controversy

Tradition

Vandalism

References

Further reading