By STEPHANIE KLEIN
MyNorthwest.com Staff

Some unauthorized artwork left at Seattle's Gas Works Park Monday night is causing a stir. Visitors have been dropping by to check out the gold statues of life-size men emerging from their shells.

The Seattle Parks Department says the anatomically correct men gazing across Lake Union will get to stay where they are through Labor Day. "We got a lot of positive feedback, so we thought we'd leave up longer for people to enjoy," said Seattle Parks Department spokesperson Dewey Potter.

The papier-mache men appear to be either coming out of their shells or hiding in charcoal sleeping bags, but like Potter says, "public art, of course, is in the eye of the beholder."

The plaque posted near one man reads: "Anew is gifted to the citizens of Seattle in the spirit of awakening. Each of us has shells to break through, parameters to look past, and wills to exercise. Arise and stand. And then start Moving. If still here, I will remove these once the rains return."

Potter says this isn't the first time unknown artists have left unclaimed art for all of Seattle to enjoy. "New Year's Eve, before the Centennial, someone put the 'monolith' at Magnuson Park."

Potter says if the artist would have gone through the proper permitting process for temporary art, it could have remained at Gasworks for a longer period.

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• More photos of the sculptures