The statue was inspired by a photograph of King and his wife, Coretta, embracing after he won the 1964 Nobel Peace Prize.
His work depicts four intertwined arms. From one angle, the limbs form a heart, representing the couple’s love. But much as Chicago’s landmark “Cloud Gate” sculpture quickly became known as “The Bean” for looking like, well, a giant bean, legions of amateur art critics aren’t seeing what Thomas intended.“Given that I am not White, I am safe from ANY charges of racism for saying the MLK embrace statue is aesthetically unpleasant.
.” “For my family, it’s rather insulting,” he wrote, adding that the “sculpture is an especially egregious example of the woke machine’s callousness and vanity” that to him seemed like an especially expensive but empty gesture.dollars were wasted to create a masturbatory metal homage to my legendary family members — one of the all-time greatest American families. … How could anyone fail to see that this … brings very few, if any, tangible benefits to struggling black families?” Scott wrote.
in 2017 to create a memorial to the Kings, who met in Boston, eventually choosing Thomas, a renowned Brooklyn-based artist. On Friday, it was unveiled at an invitation-only ceremony in the same place King led 20,000 people on a freedom march more than 50 years ago.
“I hope people who experience ‘The Embrace’ understand or overstand the power of connection for the enhancement of our lives,” Thomas told the paper, adding, “I am excited about building markers that can direct us toward nonviolent coexistence and allow us to tell new stories about our history, our present, our future.”
Canada Latest News, Canada Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Monument honoring Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Coretta Scott King unveiled in BostonA new monument honoring Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and his wife, Coretta Scott King, was unveiled in Boston Friday, ahead of Monday's national holiday honoring the civil rights icon.
Read more »
The Embrace statue unveiled in Boston on MLK weekendThe four intertwined arms were inspired by a photo of the civil rights leader and his wife when they learned he had won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964.
Read more »
What's open and closed on MLK Day 2023 | CNN BusinessMartin Luther King Jr. Day celebrates the birthday of civil rights leader the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964. He was assassinated four years later.
Read more »
Opinion: Martin Luther King Jr.'s story was largely informed by his wife, Coretta Scott KingBlack women have endured and triumphed to make systemic change. Scott King and a host of other women have played pivotal roles in the civil rights movement.
Read more »
Sculpture commemorates Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and Coretta Scott King in BostonNearly 60 years after Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. addressed thousands on the Boston Common, city officials unveiled a sculpture commemorating the civil rights leader and his wife, Coretta Scott King.
Read more »
New MLK and Coretta sculpture 'Embrace' unveiled in Boston where they first metThe 20-foot tall, 40-foot wide statue 'symbolizes the hug Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. shared with his wife, Coretta, after he won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964,' according to Embrace.
Read more »