Chinese hotel covers nude statues

SHANGHAI, March 8 (UPI) -- A five-star hotel in China said it covered up a set of sculptures depicting a nude man and woman after some criticized them as pornographic.

The five statues, which depict a large nude man and a large nude woman kissing in different poses, were covered up by the Jumeirah Himalayas Hotel Shanghai after they stood in the hotel's rooftop garden for about six months, the Shanghai Daily reported Thursday.

Hotel spokeswoman Eve Zhou said the hotel decided to cover the statues, which are part of a private collection by hotel owner Dai Zhikang, after pictures of them appeared on the Internet and some criticized them as pornographic.

Artist Geng Bo said his intention in creating the sculptures was to show beauty.

"Nudity is not the highlight of the sculptures," he said. "But if they are wearing clothes, they will be restricted. Without the clothes, they will be released from time and space and become eternal."