August 20, 2011 6:18 AM
Martin Luther King Memorial made in China - and looks it
On August 28, the new Martin Luther King Memorial - located between the Lincoln and Jefferson Memorials in Washington DC - will be dedicated and open to the public.When I think of MLK, I think of devotion and courage - qualities I don't see reflected in the 30' - that's right, 30 foot! - statue designed by a Chinese artist, with stone quarried in China and only the finishing touches taking place in the USA.
I wrote about this May 11, 2008. Keep in mind that the artist is standing beside his model - the actual statue is 30' high:
Panel Criticizes MLK Statue Design
By STEPHEN MANNING,AP, May 11, 2008WASHINGTON (May 10) - The centerpiece for the Martin Luther King Jr. memorial on the National Mall has drawn criticism from a federal arts panel, which says the proposed statue looks "confrontational" and resembles the head of a socialist state more than a civil rights leader. '
Full story with more pictures here.
Isn't this the pits? Making our beloved Martin Luther King look like some kind of a Marxist icon?
First of all, they hired a Chinese sculptor best known for his statues of Mao Zedong. What's up with that? Second of all, they hired a Chinese sculptor best known for his states of Mao Zedong. Third of all, they hired a Chinese sculptor best known for .... well, you get the point.
Have you ever been to the National Mall - where all the memorials are? They're beautiful, serene, lovely, thought-provoking, reverent.
This jarring statue is planned to be 28 feet tall. That's right - 28 feet tall!!! Larger than the statue s of Abraham Lincoln and Thomas Jefferson. It is so out of keeping with the proportion of the other memorials on the Mall, it's alarming.
I love the idea of a memorial for Martin Luther King, but they need to go back to the drawing board on this one.
And hire an American - I don't care what color his skin is. But I support those who think a black artist would be best.
See also: Why Is MLK Statue Made in China?
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