He Had a Dream
Speaking of statues of famous Americans, seems there is a dispute over a new statue of the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. The statue is to be dedicated next month in Washington, but there is grumbling that the sculptor is ... Chinese.
Does seem ironic that folks who want to honor a man dedicated to equal rights for all would complain that someone from another minority group would get such a task. For what it's worth, some like it:
King's namesake son, Martin Luther King III, told USA TODAY that Lei has done well.
"I've seen probably 50 sculptures of my dad, and I would say 47 of them are not good reflections — that's not to disparage an artist," King said in an interview last week. "This particular artist — he's done a good job."
For what it's worth, I like it.
Photo credit: Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Foundation via epa
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Comments :
Jun '10
Re: He Had a Dream
Bill, I disagree. The sculptor is not an American of Chinese ancestry. He's Chinese.
While his work is beautiful, I can understand why the selection is controversial. I can see that many would like an American icon to be memorialized by an American sculptor. According to the article, an American sculptor worked up several preliminary versions under the agreement that the Chinese sculptor would be only asssisting him. Sounds like he was dumped from the project unfairly.
Oct '10
Re: He Had a Dream
As long as the Chinese sculptor is not personally guilty of some heinous crime (e.g., I don't think Charles Manson's sculpting skills could overcome his past misdeeds), I don't see why the King family's opinion should be overridden.
No affirmative action for American sculptors.
Feb '11
Re: He Had a Dream
Really, the Chinese sculptor was only assisting him? That piece looks awfully...Soviet. http://www.flickr.com/photos/stodmyk/4012556699/
Dec '10
Re: He Had a Dream
Beautiful statue. Many of these kinds of works of art are paid for by the taxpayer.
In the case of the many truly awful works of art that we taxpayers have paid for:
There must be a market, somewhere in the burgeoning conservative book market, for a coffee table book that shows the offending artwork and gives the cost as well as a bit of a history of who was involved in proposing, commissioning and seeing the project through to it's disastrous completion. No doubt many of the responsible parties would have a letter D after their name.
My vote is for Mark Steyn to write this coffetable book, he could make it uproariously funny, it could be a series: statues, architecture, or perhaps by city.
Re: He Had a Dream
It's a great likeness and a fitting pose. But I can't be the only one who thinks those streak lines on the monument's smooth side make MLKJr look a little bit like he's hurtling forward into interstellar space.
May '10
Re: He Had a Dream
I think MLK is the keynote speaker at this year's Lantern meeting.
Jan '11
Re: He Had a Dream
I think he looks very pharoahnic, somewhat ironic given his dream of leading his people out of bondage into the promised land.
Nov '10
Re: He Had a Dream
I think it's perfectly appropriate, considering the subject was an avowed Marxist.
May '11
Re: He Had a Dream
Is the rock behind MLK symbolic of anything or is just there for aesthetic reasons?
Nov '10
Re: He Had a Dream
Frankly, who cares? Anyone who has read extensively on the Civil Rights Movement knows that the young college students from SNCC and SCLC were the true facilitators.
John Lewis, Diane Nash, Jim Bevel, operated as quarterbacks and offensive linemen.
Edited on Jul 5, 2011 at 6:05pm