Is A Russian-Trained, Chinese Sculptor The Best Choice To Create The MLK Jr. Memorial?
- Posted on July 6, 2011 at 9:47pm by
Mike Opelka
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On August 28, 2011, the dedication of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr’s Memorial will take place on the Mall in Washington, DC. Yes, that date has significance, as Dr. King delivered his famous “Dream Speech” on August 28, 1963. The four-acre site is in the final stages of preparation and DC is making plans to handle crowds of up to 500,000.
Lei Yixin (seen above, working on a model) is the artist selected by the foundation to sculpt the granite likeness of MLK Jr. and Lei’s work has the approval of at least two of Dr. King’s children. But not everyone is happy about the fact that a Chinese sculptor was selected to craft the image of this American icon. Earlier today on MSNBC, artist Ed Dwight, one of the loudest of the unhappy voices was given considerable TV time to vent his spleen.
After watching the interview, it should come as no surprise that Mr. Dwight expected to be the one selected to create the final work of art. He was not, and his displeasure just might be affecting his objectivity.
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Comments (65)
Chet Hempstead
Posted on July 6, 2011 at 11:17pmI found some pictures of a sculpture of Dr. King done by Ed Dwight, the guy in the video.
http://www.houstontx.gov/savvy/archives/win08/graphics/mlk_statue.jpg
http://www.joeyablonsky.com/mlk.jpg
and I have to say, I would have gone with the Chinese guy, too.
Report Post »Netsurfer2
Posted on July 6, 2011 at 11:15pmDon’t we have anyone in America that can match or do better than this guy??? It is so ridiculous to import people to do our jobs! I say, find someone in America to do the job.
Report Post »nomercy63
Posted on July 6, 2011 at 11:14pmHere we go again!!!!!!
Report Post »Grandmadar
Posted on July 6, 2011 at 11:04pmWonder where the followers of Obama will put his statue one day? Hopefully not where the other Presdidents are sculpted.
Report Post »dragos598
Posted on July 6, 2011 at 10:58pmSorry meant to say lenin
Report Post »dragos598
Posted on July 6, 2011 at 10:54pmKinda reminds me of the stalin or marc statues that were around in soviet russia
Report Post »thecontemporaryphilosopher
Posted on July 6, 2011 at 10:53pm@ americamyheart:
You have it exactly right. Couldn’t have said it better meself.
thecontemporaryphilosopher.blogspot.com
Report Post »Nazzareno
Posted on July 6, 2011 at 10:44pmI’m a sculptor and the sculpture in the photo is a mechanical reproduction from a scanned photo. No need for a sculptor to make this kind of sculpture, just the CNC machine.
Report Post »CatB
Posted on July 6, 2011 at 10:29pmMade in China .. like the everything else these days.
Report Post »V-MAN MACE
Posted on July 6, 2011 at 10:24pmAs far as any racist comments that might be forthcoming, I will say up front that there are black Asians, and that we were mixing together millennia ago. Our features are apparent in darker-skinned Asians like Tibetan Nomads.
Report Post »Skee
Posted on July 6, 2011 at 11:54pmThat is from the Vietnam war.
Report Post »V-MAN MACE
Posted on July 6, 2011 at 10:21pmThe man has great artistic talent. The posture is confrontational. This posture is what the Nazi Police State Thugs do when they get in your face, with their arms folded, elbowing you. The sculpture looks Maoist.
I think an American should have sculpted it, and a WHITE American at that. IMHO.
Report Post »RepubliCorp
Posted on July 6, 2011 at 10:15pmThe people paying for it can pick anyone the like. Looks alright to me
Report Post »stereojoe
Posted on July 6, 2011 at 10:14pmTruly American! Outsource our heroes! Outsource our history! I‘m surprised he’s not part of a union.
Calling Mr. Jackson; Mr. Sharpton. ¿Donde estan ustedes?
Report Post »chips1
Posted on July 6, 2011 at 10:13pmSometimes it pays to put another slant on the discussion. It looks great.
Report Post »NothingToLose
Posted on July 6, 2011 at 10:08pmbest choice? may be not, but black men can’t sculpt
Report Post »Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
Posted on July 6, 2011 at 10:05pmIf he is an immigrant to America and a citizen or in the process of becoming a citizen, then no there is nothing wrong with it.
Report Post »nptden
Posted on July 6, 2011 at 10:04pmThis is appropriate for a Marxist/Mao POTUS. We got the message Hussien. Trouble is the MLK people are starting to see through you. One thing you will never have to me concerned about is a monument. You will go down in history like Benedict Arnold.
Report Post »jim
Posted on July 6, 2011 at 10:03pmMLK looks like Mao.
Report Post »theBigToe
Posted on July 6, 2011 at 11:50pmexactly what I thought.
Report Post »miles from nowhere
Posted on July 6, 2011 at 10:01pmHow about a gay, atheist, Polish midget, blind in one eye and suffers from shaky hands.
Report Post »Thatsitivehadenough
Posted on July 6, 2011 at 9:56pmAnother last straw? Will Van Jones be giving the keynote speech? Tell the communists aren’t consolidating their influence and power in America? Try. I dare you.
Report Post »Thatsitivehadenough
Posted on July 7, 2011 at 2:14amThat should have been :
Report Post »Another last straw? Will Van Jones be giving the keynote speech? Tell ME the communists aren’t consolidating their influence and power in America? Try. I dare you.
BuckleUpAmerica
Posted on July 6, 2011 at 9:56pmLooks pretty damn good to me.
Report Post »stage9
Posted on July 6, 2011 at 9:55pmNo, he would be better suited for an Obama memorial though.
Report Post »AMERICAMYHEART
Posted on July 6, 2011 at 9:52pmMLK Jr. would judge a person by the content of their character not the school they studied at or the race he/she was!
Report Post »It looks like a beautiful sculpture!!!!
No one is stopping the others from doing their own sculpture
Aaron in Polk County
Posted on July 6, 2011 at 9:52pmTalent is Talent regardless of where it is born.
Report Post »Swift Justice
Posted on July 7, 2011 at 2:41pmWhy not, MLK (Michael King) was a member of the communist party anyway…so I would say it is
Report Post »fitting…
tower7femacamp
Posted on July 6, 2011 at 9:51pmnice statue
Report Post »fastfacts
Posted on July 6, 2011 at 11:51pmIT LOOKS LIKE A GREAT SCULPTURE BUT REMEMBER…
Though some may say they are, RUSSIA AND CHINA are not our friends; not enemies, but not friends. Like just today a report came out that Iran has the capabilities to launch a nuclear warhead thanks to China and Russia. ( http://tiny.cc/hm6h7 )
And what about the help they are giving to the countries we are trying to put sanctions on: NKorea, Iran, Cuba, Venezuela, etc. Those are more likely to be called OUR ENEMIES.
Report Post »@leftfighter
Posted on July 7, 2011 at 1:02amAm I the only one that’s galled by the size of this statue?
Was he somehow a greater man than either Lincoln or Jefferson? I have no problem at all with a sculpture on the mall but why is it larger than two of our greatest Presidents?
By comparison, Tampa has a statue in honor of another martyr of the 1960′s.
Here’s a pic:
http://img.groundspeak.com/waymarking/display/6f80b91f-c782-4e82-8695-71e1b5e4e5b9.jpg
It’s a life-sized statue for a larger-than-lafe man and another one of the greatest Presidents in history.
Report Post »drattastic
Posted on July 7, 2011 at 1:30amSounds like a perfect fit if he is a commie. Like it or not folks MLK would be there hand in hand with the socialist today . Believe it.
Report Post »jeffyfreezone
Posted on July 7, 2011 at 12:03pmHe’s probably less communist than most of our homegrown artsy fartsy pukes!
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