Of all the art I’ve come across on campus, this portrait is the most disturbing. Whether it’s the flat, beady eyes that appear to follow you no matter where you stand or the sinister smile bordering on a sneer, the portrait of Chancellor Jo Ann Gora, done by student De Reque Manguso, recognizable by his missing ear, has been hidden from all in the vaults of The Mass Mullet. Under her picture is an inspired poem written by the artist, “Gora, Gora, I’m your man, if I can’t do it no one can.”

Rumor has it, the artist keeps candles burning below the picture and places fresh bouquets there every day. The object of Manguso’s devotion, however, is married. “She never calls me back,” complains Manguso. Restraining order aside, Manguso’s affection continues unabated.

“I was sick of my other obsessions. She is a princess among trolls living in the ivory towers of UMass Boston under the thumb of her wicked step uncle Billy. I see myself as her knight, her rescuer, her savior.” Gora has yet to return his attentions. As he showed me the scars from guard dogs, left over from an attempt to scale the thorny vines to the damsel’s tower, I was touched by the power and purity of his love for the woman.

In addition to this piece of artwork dedicated to Gora, there is a six-foot high sculpture, frescoes, and a wall done in bas-relief depicting idyllic scenes of Gora and Manguso celebrating their marriage and the birth of their future children. “This painting was born out of a raw pre-occupation with sexy women in power. At first it was lust but it just blossomed into love.”

Manguso will not be available for commissions just yet, as he is serving out a sentence in Walpole for stalking. However, he has given a hint as to his next subject. “Mr. Bush is going to have some competition. With this war going on, Laura’s going to be pretty lonely.”