When it comes to Seward Johnson’s giant sculpture "Unconditional Surrender," the saying, "I may not know much about art, but I know what I like," immediately springs to mind. This statue seems equally the most-loathed and the most-liked piece of public art in Sarasota.
On July 6, it will be up to the Sarasota City Commission to decide whether it will remain on the bay front. An anonymous donor has agreed to put up more than $500,000 to pay for the statue, but the caveat is that it must remain in its current location.
We firmly believe this is one case where the fans should prevail. As we see it, the greatest advocates for keeping the sculpture on the waterfront are World War II veterans. Untold numbers see "Unconditional Surrender" as a monument to the enormous personal sacrifices made to keep the West free from tyranny.
Is it such a terrible price for the detractors to pay to please these veterans, especially when they will not be with us that much longer?
According to The Associated Press, about 1,000 of the World War II veterans are dying each day. A little more than a year ago, The AP quoted a World War II historian who predicted that the last survivor of the war would die in 2020.
Sarasota boasts an extraordinary wealth in the arts. No matter one’s taste, it’s probably safe to say that one of the downtown galleries, the Ringling College of Art and Design or the John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art can offer examples to touch the soul or captivate the imagination. Beyond that, the biennial Season of Sculpture serves up quite a sampling of eclectic creations. Indeed, that very exhibit gave us "Unconditional Surrender" the first time.
We’d also like to revisit, for the bayfront artwork’s detractors, the scathing greetings for two now beloved national icons. One is the Gateway Arch in St. Louis, which was pronounced "a giant croquet wicket," according to author W. Arthur Mehrhoff. The other is the Vietnam War Memorial in Washington, D.C., whose initial critics said it in no way conveyed the heroism and patriotism expected of such artwork. Now the "visual poetry" element that architect Maya Lin touted of her creation is a major reason for its acclaim.
We have no expectation whatsoever that "Unconditional Surrender" ever will enjoy the level of enthusiasm expressed these days for those works. Nonetheless, we believe the city commission should recognize its tremendous value as a reminder that beauty is eternally in the eye of the beholder. To many of our community’s residents, "Unconditional Surrender" is a beautiful image of effusive joy over the defeat of a great evil. If that evil had prevailed, we believe all of us would have a vastly diminished right to enjoy art of any and every type.
July 1st 2009 - 6:17PM