World's Most Controversial Monuments

Monument to the Soviet Army

Associated Press

Outgoing president Alan García wanted to leave Peru a surprise and hoped a 120-foot statue of Christ would protect Lima. But not everyone likes surprises—not Lima’s mayor, informed only days before its June 2011 unveiling, and not locals frustrated that construction was outsourced to Brazil

García’s surprise statue certainly isn’t the first to spark controversy. Some of the world’s most impressive bronzemonuments have backstories of bickering, which, in addition to good gossip, give travelers insights into local culture, history, and priorities. Even when a monument’s construction is well publicized, a positive reception isn’t guaranteed, whether because of differing aesthetic tastes, costliness, or partisanship.
Outside Madrid, unhappy locals have railed against a certain site for so many years that the government has formed a commission to recommend modifications. Read on for the inside story on that and more monumental controversies.

Second World War Monument to the Soviet Army, Bulgaria. 

Soviet-era war memorials honoring Red Army soldiers are often vandalized. But this WWII monument in the capital, Sofia. got an especially colorful makeover in June 2011: fresh paint transformed the bronze soldiers into Superman and other pop-culture figures. Tourists and locals flocked to see the monument, but the Bulgarian Culture Minister Vezhdi Rashidov was not amused, calling the makeover a “crime.” The soldiers have since been scrubbed to their original state.

Valley of the Fallen, Spain

Dictator Francisco Franco ordered the construction of this monument outside Madrid to honor those who died for his cause during the 1930s Spanish Civil War. And he enlisted political prisoners to carve the massive basilica into a mountainside—infuriating many Spaniards. After years of demonstrations and debate, in May 2011, the government assembled a commission to evaluate its future. Its initial recommendation calls for Franco’s body to be removed from the site.

Crazy Horse Memorial,
South Dakota

The Sioux fought unsuccessfully to block the development of Mount Rushmore on hallowed Native American ground. Out of defeat, they decided to erect their own monument: the bronze Crazy Horse Memorial, which is being carved into Thunderhead Mountain within eight miles of Mount Rushmore. Yet it has sparked its own controversy within the Native American community. Some view its construction as an attack on the landscape and an affront to Crazy Horse’s beliefs.

African Renaissance Monument, Senegal

President Abdoulaye Wade didn’t win any popularity votes when he funneled millions into the construction of a monument to the African Renaissance. A waste of money wasn’t the only reaction to this 160-foot bronzecolossus unveiled in April 2010. It depicts a stylized muscular man with a baby in his arms, emerging from a volcano and pulling along a half-naked woman—and has been criticized for both skimpy clothing and sexism.

Christ of the Pacific, Peru

Former President Alan García may have thought he was leaving a gift for his public, but the 120-foot Christ of the Pacific has been nothing but a monumental headache since its surprise construction was revealed in June 2011. Lima’s mayor was angry at not being consulted, while others questioned why it was designed and built in Brazil, not Peru. The one aspect that can’t be debated: Christ of the Pacific is now the world’s tallest Christ statue.

Brown Dog Statue, London

A small dog statue in London’s Battersea Park looks harmless, but it’s a 1985 replacement of a statuewith a fraught backstory. The original terrier was erected in 1906 by a group opposed to the use of animals in medical experiments. It displayed a plaque condemning pro-vivisection students at the University College. Outraged and embarrassed, those students destroyed it. The new statue is plainer, sans fountain or plaque, but it is still a terrier, modeled after the pet of sculptor Nicola Hicks.

Che Guevara Statue, Bolivia

Infamous revolutionary Ernesto “Che” Guevara fought for the rights of the poor, inciting passions along the way. While some condemn his violent methods or philosophy, to the farmworkers in the town of La Higuera, he remains “Saint Ernesto.” There, on the spot where the leader of a guerilla Marxist movement was captured and executed, residents dedicated a bust in his honor in 1997.

Posted in Bronze Statue | No Comments »

Nativity Scene- A Symbol of the Season

December 7th, 2011

We can all recognize the signs of the holiday season approaching; Christmas trees, oversize stocking hung from the fireplace and force-feeding yourself more chocolate goodies than you ever thought possible.  Another often seen sign of this anticipated time of year is the Nativity scene.  Manynativity scenes are simply of the babe Jesus wrapped in swaddling clothes and cradled in the arms of the Virgin Mary with a protective Joseph standing above them but can expand to include the three wise men, farm animals and even the star that announced the Son of God was being born.

The nativity scene is a visual depiction of the Holy Bible’s books of Matthew and Luke.  The gospels describe Jesus being born in the little town of Bethlehem where he was laid in a manger because there was no room in the inn.  Angels proclaimed him a savior of the world for all people to come and adore.  The story continues with the wise men following the star to Bethlehem to bring Jesus expensive gifts.  Meanwhile the King Herod, ruler of the land, hears of the future king and orders a massacre of all the toddler boys in Bethlehem, the family flees safely and later settles in Nazareth safely.

Although this biblical story has been present since the creation of the Bible it is a man named Saint Francis of Assisi who is credited for creating the first three dimensional nativity scenes in 1223.  Saint Francis was an Italian catholic who, later in life, had a vision that he must return to his homeland, where he lost his taste for worldly life and began seeking spiritual order.  Eventually Saint Francis withdrew from society completely and began preaching the Catholic doctrine.  Saint Francis created thenativity scene as an effort to cultivate the worship of Christ within those around him.

Eventually the scene’s popularity became common in Western culture, Inspiring works of art all over the world from tabletop displays to life-size recreations of the biblical scene.  Today it is one of the most recognized signs that the Christmas season is upon us.

World's Most Controversial Monuments

Monument to the Soviet Army

Associated Press

Outgoing president Alan García wanted to leave Peru a surprise and hoped a 120-foot statue of Christ would protect Lima. But not everyone likes surprises—not Lima’s mayor, informed only days before its June 2011 unveiling, and not locals frustrated that construction was outsourced to Brazil

García’s surprise statue certainly isn’t the first to spark controversy. Some of the world’s most impressive bronzemonuments have backstories of bickering, which, in addition to good gossip, give travelers insights into local culture, history, and priorities. Even when a monument’s construction is well publicized, a positive reception isn’t guaranteed, whether because of differing aesthetic tastes, costliness, or partisanship.
Outside Madrid, unhappy locals have railed against a certain site for so many years that the government has formed a commission to recommend modifications. Read on for the inside story on that and more monumental controversies.

Second World War Monument to the Soviet Army, Bulgaria. 

Soviet-era war memorials honoring Red Army soldiers are often vandalized. But this WWII monument in the capital, Sofia. got an especially colorful makeover in June 2011: fresh paint transformed the bronze soldiers into Superman and other pop-culture figures. Tourists and locals flocked to see the monument, but the Bulgarian Culture Minister Vezhdi Rashidov was not amused, calling the makeover a “crime.” The soldiers have since been scrubbed to their original state.

Valley of the Fallen, Spain

Dictator Francisco Franco ordered the construction of this monument outside Madrid to honor those who died for his cause during the 1930s Spanish Civil War. And he enlisted political prisoners to carve the massive basilica into a mountainside—infuriating many Spaniards. After years of demonstrations and debate, in May 2011, the government assembled a commission to evaluate its future. Its initial recommendation calls for Franco’s body to be removed from the site.

Crazy Horse Memorial,
South Dakota

The Sioux fought unsuccessfully to block the development of Mount Rushmore on hallowed Native American ground. Out of defeat, they decided to erect their own monument: the bronze Crazy Horse Memorial, which is being carved into Thunderhead Mountain within eight miles of Mount Rushmore. Yet it has sparked its own controversy within the Native American community. Some view its construction as an attack on the landscape and an affront to Crazy Horse’s beliefs.

African Renaissance Monument, Senegal

President Abdoulaye Wade didn’t win any popularity votes when he funneled millions into the construction of a monument to the African Renaissance. A waste of money wasn’t the only reaction to this 160-foot bronzecolossus unveiled in April 2010. It depicts a stylized muscular man with a baby in his arms, emerging from a volcano and pulling along a half-naked woman—and has been criticized for both skimpy clothing and sexism.

Christ of the Pacific, Peru

Former President Alan García may have thought he was leaving a gift for his public, but the 120-foot Christ of the Pacific has been nothing but a monumental headache since its surprise construction was revealed in June 2011. Lima’s mayor was angry at not being consulted, while others questioned why it was designed and built in Brazil, not Peru. The one aspect that can’t be debated: Christ of the Pacific is now the world’s tallest Christ statue.

Brown Dog Statue, London

A small dog statue in London’s Battersea Park looks harmless, but it’s a 1985 replacement of a statuewith a fraught backstory. The original terrier was erected in 1906 by a group opposed to the use of animals in medical experiments. It displayed a plaque condemning pro-vivisection students at the University College. Outraged and embarrassed, those students destroyed it. The new statue is plainer, sans fountain or plaque, but it is still a terrier, modeled after the pet of sculptor Nicola Hicks.

Che Guevara Statue, Bolivia

Infamous revolutionary Ernesto “Che” Guevara fought for the rights of the poor, inciting passions along the way. While some condemn his violent methods or philosophy, to the farmworkers in the town of La Higuera, he remains “Saint Ernesto.” There, on the spot where the leader of a guerilla Marxist movement was captured and executed, residents dedicated a bust in his honor in 1997.

Posted in Bronze Statue | No Comments »

Nativity Scene- A Symbol of the Season

December 7th, 2011

We can all recognize the signs of the holiday season approaching; Christmas trees, oversize stocking hung from the fireplace and force-feeding yourself more chocolate goodies than you ever thought possible.  Another often seen sign of this anticipated time of year is the Nativity scene.  Manynativity scenes are simply of the babe Jesus wrapped in swaddling clothes and cradled in the arms of the Virgin Mary with a protective Joseph standing above them but can expand to include the three wise men, farm animals and even the star that announced the Son of God was being born.

The nativity scene is a visual depiction of the Holy Bible’s books of Matthew and Luke.  The gospels describe Jesus being born in the little town of Bethlehem where he was laid in a manger because there was no room in the inn.  Angels proclaimed him a savior of the world for all people to come and adore.  The story continues with the wise men following the star to Bethlehem to bring Jesus expensive gifts.  Meanwhile the King Herod, ruler of the land, hears of the future king and orders a massacre of all the toddler boys in Bethlehem, the family flees safely and later settles in Nazareth safely.

Although this biblical story has been present since the creation of the Bible it is a man named Saint Francis of Assisi who is credited for creating the first three dimensional nativity scenes in 1223.  Saint Francis was an Italian catholic who, later in life, had a vision that he must return to his homeland, where he lost his taste for worldly life and began seeking spiritual order.  Eventually Saint Francis withdrew from society completely and began preaching the Catholic doctrine.  Saint Francis created thenativity scene as an effort to cultivate the worship of Christ within those around him.

Eventually the scene’s popularity became common in Western culture, Inspiring works of art all over the world from tabletop displays to life-size recreations of the biblical scene.  Today it is one of the most recognized signs that the Christmas season is upon us.

Nativity Scene- A symbol of the Season

We can all recognize the signs of the holiday season approaching; Christmas trees, oversize stocking hung from the fireplace and force-feeding yourself more chocolate goodies than you ever thought possible.  Another often seen sign of this anticipated time of year is the Nativity scene.  Many nativity scenes are simply of the babe Jesus wrapped in swaddling clothes and cradled in the arms of the Virgin Mary with a protective Joseph standing above them but can expand to include the three wise men, farm animals and even the star that announced the Son of God was being born.

The nativity scene is a visual depiction of the Holy Bible’s books of Matthew and Luke.  The gospels describe Jesus being born in the little town of Bethlehem where he was laid in a manger because there was no room in the inn.  Angels proclaimed him a savior of the world for all people to come and adore.  The story continues with the wise men following the star to Bethlehem to bring Jesus expensive gifts.  Meanwhile the King Herod, ruler of the land, hears of the future king and orders a massacre of all the toddler boys in Bethlehem, the family flees safely and later settles in Nazareth safely.

Although this biblical story has been present since the creation of the Bible it is a man named Saint Francis of Assisi who is credited for creating the first three dimensional nativity scenes in 1223.  Saint Francis was an Italian catholic who, later in life, had a vision that he must return to his homeland, where he lost his taste for worldly life and began seeking spiritual order.  Eventually Saint Francis withdrew from society completely and began preaching the Catholic doctrine.  Saint Francis created the nativity scene as an effort to cultivate the worship of Christ within those around him.

Eventually the scene’s popularity became common in Western culture, Inspiring works of art all over the world from tabletop displays to life-size recreations of the biblical scene.  Today it is one of the most recognized signs that the Christmas season is upon us.

Bronze statue of Japanese film director Shindo set up in Moscow

A bronze bust of renowned Japanese film director Kaneto Shindo was set up in a park in Moscow on Saturday, with some 100 people, including actors and those in the film industry in Russia, attending the unveiling ceremony.

Russian bronze sculptor and Shindo's friend Grigori Potocki made the bronze statue of the 99-year-old director, and a nonprofit organization led by the sculptor provided the funding.

Potocki called Shindo ''a wonderful romantic'' and ''the first great foreign film director'' introduced to Russia in the early 1960s, when the Soviet Union first opened itself to the world.

Shindo is the oldest active director in Japan and one of the most renowned Japanese directors in Russia.

His films have won the Grand Prix at the Moscow international film festival three times with ''The Naked Island'' (Hadaka no Shima) in 1961, ''Live Today, Die Tomorrow'' (Hadaka no Jukyu-sai) in 1971, and ''Will to Live'' (Ikitai) in 1999.

Shindo, who also writes the scripts for his movies and for others, has directed 49 films in total, and 231 of his scripts were made into films, many of them winning awards at film festivals in Japan and abroad.

Teddy Roosevelt statue mounted in Oyster Bay

 Oyster Bay's Theodore Roosevelt bronze statue is finally where its supporters always wanted it.

After five years in a temporary, less visible location, the life size bronze statue of Roosevelt atop a horse was placed early Thursday in a newly created mini-park on Route 106 at the gateway to the hamlet.

"I'm absolutely thrilled to have the custom statue placed where it belongs," said Michael Rich, a member of the committee that commissioned the bronze artwork.

The committee always wanted the likeness of the area's most famous resident in his Rough Riders uniform at the triangle-shaped site, but the land had not been available. So it was placed across the street in front of the Boys & Girls Club of Oyster Bay-East Norwich, at Route 106 and Berry Hill Road, in 2005.

The 2 1/2-ton large bronze sculpture - a copy of one in Portland, Ore. - was removed from the temporary site several weeks ago to be cleaned and covered with a protective wax. Thursday, after 8 a.m. a crane and crew from Skylift of Orient lifted the life size statue from a flatbed trailer and placed it on its new concrete base.

The Oyster Bay Town Board spent $473,000 in 2008 to buy the triangle from developer and Islanders owner Charles Wang. It spent another $581,000 to prepare the property. The nonprofit statue committee paid $2,500 to remove the temporary concrete pedestal, while more than $7,000 in moving and waxing work was donated.

In addition to the custom bronze statue, the triangle features five trees, each representing an Oyster Bay resident killed during World War I, including Quentin Roosevelt, a son of the former president.

"After 90 years, to see this come to completion is just fantastic," town historian and committee member John Hammond said, referring to how long the bronze statue has been envisioned for the site. "A couple of hundred years from now, people will be enjoying this. It makes an absolutely fabulous entrance to our community."

Bronze Sculptors of Big Statues’ Custom Bronze Statue of the Family to Be Relocated To the Front of American Fork Hospital

Intermountain Healthcare’s custom bronze statue of the family will be moved to the front outdoor courtyard of American Fork Hospital

The custom bronze statue of the family, previously installed inside the front lobby of American Fork Hospital in American Fork, Utah, is being moved to a sunnier setting, just a few hundred feet outside.
The bronze sculpture will be carefully removed from its original home in the middle of the front lobby, and lifted to its new foundation in the outdoor courtyard at the front entrance of the hospital.

The life-size bronze statue will only be moving a short distance, but will need intensive attention to detail and heavy machinery nonetheless.

To move this 1,200 pound bronze statue of four life-size figures, a crane will be used to raise the statue at specially designated points, engineered to withstand the most pressure. At these strongest lifting points, the statue will be lifted and transported all at once to its new setting outdoors.
Bronze sculptor, Matt Glenn, of Big Statues, who sculpted and installed this custom bronze statue several years ago, is coordinating all engineering procedures with the American Fork Hospital Personnel.

The construction manager of the relocation remarked he was very grateful to have the artist’s advice on where to lift and how to move the statue. The bronze statue was secured to its concrete base by steel all-thread bars, drilled into the bottom of the statue. Having all of the exact measurements of where these bars and pressure points are located, will make the guessing game he anticipated obsolete and ensure the safest movement of the bronze work of art.

Once placed and secured outside, the bronze statue will require very little upkeep. Many of bronze sculptors who install their statues outside, coat them with a light layer of wax to ensure they retain their original shine, however some decide to leave them untouched. If undisturbed, the bronze may begin to developed a more antiqued look with a slight change in hue over many years exposed to the elements. Either way, these bronze statues are indestructible once properly installed.

This bronze statue of the family was sculpted after the exact silhouettes in the Intermountain Healthcare logo. With all four figures, husband, wife, daughter, and son, holding hands together, their bodies recreate the image of a strong and loving, single unit. Intermountain Healthcare seeks to uphold this commitment to healing and helping both the individual and entire family of their patients, and the bronze recreation of their logo serves as a physical realization of their characteristic motto.
For more information about bronze sculptors Matt Glenn and the bronze sculpting foundry, Big Statues, visit http://www.bigstatues.com.

Bronze Sculpture Company, Big Statues, Presents Nurse, Triathlete, and Mother with Bronze Bust

Bronze sculptor, Matt Glenn, of BigStatues.com has just completed a museum-quality bronze bust for the Core Family, to honor their mother, Jacquie Core.
Jacquie Core has been an Ironman Triathlete as well as a registered nurse for over 33 years, and her family wanted to create a lasting tribute that would honor her daily service.
Her son, Jesse Core approached bronze sculptor, Matt Glenn with several pictures and ideas for a bronze sculpture that would capture her unique personality. Matt Glenn created several clay versions of a bust, or sculpture of her head and shoulders, before settling on the final design. To get the perfect likeness, Big Statues worked for over four months to get just the right texture and look of her hair, skin, and uniform.
The final result is a stunning 2 foot tall bronze sculpture of a strong, heartfelt woman with a friendly smile. The combination of her sweet spirit with the power and weight of the bronze material captured her distinctive confident and caring personality exactly. Cast in a classic bronze patina and mounted on a rich wooden base, the bronze bust of Jacquie Core will be accompanied by an 8 inch by 10 inch bronze plaque, engraved with one of her family’s favorite quotes, “The best patient care always starts with empathy.”
The bronze statue was shipped this Wednesday, October 26th and will be unveiled at Mr. Core’s home this weekend.
The custom bronze bust has been a growing trend in Big Statues’ recent clientele over the past year. Working with customers interested in honoring family members, patrons, and institutions all with such rich histories and accomplishments, but ultimately limited by their spending budgets, Big Statues has been able to offer an economical alternative for these consumers. Because the bust is only a sculpture of a person’s chest or waist up, it does not capture the full body of the figure. However the sculpture is still life-size, and when elevated on a table or stand, it creates the same desired effect of feeling as if the person sculpted is truly standing in front of the viewer.
For more information about the bronze sculpting process, bronze sculptor Matt Glenn, and the bronze sculpture foundry, Big Statues, visit http://www.bigstatues.com.