'Man/Woman'

For visitors arriving in Baltimore by train, one of the first things they may notice is this jarring, 51-ft-tall steel sculpture by Jonathan Borofsky. Erected in 2004, the colloquial name “man/woman statue” isn’t that far off from its official title, “Male/Female.”

The sculpture consists of two bisecting figures, one male and one female. In between are four oval-shaped “hearts” backed by alternating pink and blue LED lights.

The reaction from the public since its unveiling has certainly been contested. The Baltimore Sun characterized it as “oversized, underdressed, and woefully out of place.” Others have strongly supported the statue as a work of art. It was also named “Baltimore’s Kinkiest Artwork” by Baltimore City Paper.

Currently, the statue’s future is in jeopardy as the city considers renovations and expansions of Penn Station.