Drowning girl statue causes a stir in Bilbao

BILBAO, Spain: Staring impassively out from the murky waters of Bilbao's River Nervion, the eerily lifelike face of a young girl drowning in the tide has been unsettling people in the Spanish city since she appeared unannounced last week.

Mexican hyperrealist artist Ruben Orozco created the enigmatic figure, entitled 'Bihar' ('Tomorrow' in Basque) for a campaign by the BBK Foundation - the charitable arm of Spanish lender Kutxabank - to encourage debate around sustainability.

The goal is for people to be aware that "their actions can sink us or keep us afloat", the artist told Spanish news website Nius.