African Sculptures Meet 13th Street !
It's taken 5 years to make it happen. But it looks like it might well have been worth it.
They are way cool!
Big, heavy, impressionistic sculptures, fashioned out of a granite-like boulder, with hand tools, by african artist Raymond Chirambadare, sitting on a stool in Zimbabwe. They were brought to the United States by African importer Ross Parker of Call of Africa Imports.
Ross wanted to make a big contribution to the struggling street he moved his warehouse and picture framing gallery to on NE 13th Street, right by the Railroad tracks.
But just try and imagine getting approval to place $100,000 worth of Zimbabwean granite sculptures in the middle of a busy highway in Fort Lauderdale.
First, the attorneys.
They worry..... for a living! .... 2 years
And then there's the engineers !
Yes, they looked at it six ways from Sunday ! ..... 2 years
Let's not forget the politicians !
Let's just call it differences of opinions ..... 1 year
Talks with the lawyers ..... endless meetings with engineers ..... public hearings out the wazoo!
Finally we were almost there. And then, at the last minute, City Hall advised that we would have to orient the sculptures sideways! No facing of traffic ! Slim side showing !
We were all out of fight! We capitulated and turned them sideways.
But we got the last word.......
We have the sculptures' rears facing City Hall !
They are way cool!
Big, heavy, impressionistic sculptures, fashioned out of a granite-like boulder, with hand tools, by african artist Raymond Chirambadare, sitting on a stool in Zimbabwe. They were brought to the United States by African importer Ross Parker of Call of Africa Imports.
Ross wanted to make a big contribution to the struggling street he moved his warehouse and picture framing gallery to on NE 13th Street, right by the Railroad tracks.
But just try and imagine getting approval to place $100,000 worth of Zimbabwean granite sculptures in the middle of a busy highway in Fort Lauderdale.
First, the attorneys.
They worry..... for a living! .... 2 yearsAnd then there's the engineers !
Yes, they looked at it six ways from Sunday ! ..... 2 yearsLet's not forget the politicians !
Let's just call it differences of opinions ..... 1 yearTalks with the lawyers ..... endless meetings with engineers ..... public hearings out the wazoo!
Finally we were almost there. And then, at the last minute, City Hall advised that we would have to orient the sculptures sideways! No facing of traffic ! Slim side showing !
We were all out of fight! We capitulated and turned them sideways.
But we got the last word.......
We have the sculptures' rears facing City Hall !
Looks Great! Finally!!
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...Tim I saw them!
They are so beautiful! ...and shame on who decided to face those beauty sideways.... what a loss! ....think about it ... we could all enjoy them everyday driving to and from home....and now basically nobody can really appreciate the full beauty.....and they are not too large to face the traffic.....I'm speechless !
I'm very grateful to the donor and to everybody that worked hard to achieve this moment.
Thank you
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Bravo!! Fort Lauderdale.
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I have not yet seen this, but must make a point driving down in this side of town to see.
Not really into "art" like this but I got to see it. I don't think I would want to see this in my side of the "hood" but than maybe it would be a plus to it....
But than the little "wanna be's" would somehow destroy it.
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Tim, your blog always makes my day, but this is absolutely wonderful to see that the statues are finally going to be placed on the median up and down 13th Street. I remember going to meetings many years ago, when I was still semi ambulatory, upstairs at the Call of Africa warehouse and studio. When I could no longer climb all of those stairs, I could no longer participate in this very long ongoing battle but am so thrilled to see that it has come to frutition. Many thanks to Ross Parker, whose generousity of spirit will enhance 13th Street into a boulevard that will appeal to and invite redevelopment. I know that the committee that worked so hard on this ran into every possible obstacle. Thankfully, have a wonderful new mayor and a great current city commission, helped remove some of those obstacles and paved the way to finally getting this completed. Again, thanks so much to all of you who worked so very hard and had so much persistance to get this finally approved and to Ross Parker, you are truly amazing and your contribution is absolutely overwhelming. Great Job, everyone!!!
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Tim,
"We have the sculptures' rears facing City Hall ! "
Great !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Tim . . .
I'm with Lolly on that.
Your characterizations of the fretting lawyers, the ponderously pondering engineers, and the bickering politicians had me chuckling. But when you laid the final punch line on us---that the sculpture's rear faces City Hall---well, I'm on the floor laughing!
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Congratulations!
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More pics at http://lmyfortauderdale.blogspot.com/2010/05/middle-river-sculpture-event-sunday-may.html - Coming soon at this site (when I figure it out) - "You saw the dogs and cats for sale or rent - now hear Tim's cats getting sent."
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More pics at http://lmyfortauderdale.blogspot.com/2010/05/middle-river-sculpture-event-sunday-may.html - Coming soon at this site (when I figure it out) - "You seen the dogs and cats for sale or rent - now hear Tim's cats getting sent."
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Wow! What a great day it was. To all who helped put it together, thank you. We've come a long ways and still have a long road ahead.....
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Even more pix at http://myfortlauderdale.blogspot.com
PLUS Jackie Mason on the set of his new movie "IN A PICKLE" outside the Riverside Hotel AND in the guest spot - Sun Sentinel Staff reporter Scott Wyman and Former City Commissioner Tim Smith opine on the Bahia Mar project.
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We should read more about this contet:it's really engaging
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Fort Lauderdale has always been a great place to visit. I lived there for a year and it was great.
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It makes perfect sense to place it facing out, but your last comment was very funny. What do these people actually do during all this waiting time? This is a perfect example of bureaucratic red tape for a simple project.
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