LOVELAND, Colo. -- A sculpture, scheduled to be placed in a public roundabout in Loveland, is causing some controversy because the three adult figures are nude.

The sculpture is called The Triangle and the artist said it is intended to demonstrate mankind's need to support one another.

"It's about humanity and human beings trying to lift each other up to create a better society," said artist Kristen Kokkin. "So, in my opinion, it is actually a spiritual art."

The sculpture depicts one man and one woman holding another woman overhead and has been on display in Norway for six years. Loveland's city leaders said they have received 14 critical e-mails and some phone calls about the sculpture.

"I kind of disagree with where it's going," said Loveland resident Fred Larson. "It has a lot of outdoor exposure. (There are) a lot of kids in our neighborhood. I'm not narrow-minded enough to think it's crude or anything like that."

"To me, it's very curious that something that is actually about lifting humanity out of the more profane parts of life is creating the opposite reaction," said Kokkin.

The Triangle should be in place early next week by order of the city's visual arts commission. The sculpture will be in sight of Mountain View High School and several neighborhoods.

"This monumental work would work really well in this gateway. It's a new area that's being developed in the southeast part of town and they felt that eventually that location will have major traffic that comes through that area," said Susanne Janssen, with the City of Loveland.

Kokkin used real nude models in Norway to sculpt the piece and apparently there have been no issues with the sculpture there. She said it weighs more than 1,600 pounds and cost the city of Loveland just over $67,000.