Veronica's Surrealist Pages |
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As for my creative side, all my ideas are original, come from my own inner reflections and inspired by work of Masters in their fields.   |
VERONICA GIORDANO Phone: 941.301.5972 Internet writing and editing Services, Event and Promotions Planning, Virtual Office Administrative Projects NY Times Square "Kiss" Inspires "Unconditional Surrender" Unique Sights, Florida Road Trips Publish Date: 10/24/2009 (Photo Courtesy of Sarasota Season of Arts /Herald Tribune) When photographer Alfred Eisenstaedt snapped a photo of a young sailor and nurse kissing in the heart of New York City's Times Square, he made a historical decision captured over fifty years later in Sarasota, Florida. More than fifty years later, artist J. Seward Johnson is renowned for his life-size, seated bronze statues seen on urban streets all over the United States. The first statue, made of Styrofoam, stood 26 feet high and first appeared along the Bayfront of Sarasota in 2005. City residents and politicians petitioned for the sculpture to be resurrected and an aluminum version was returned to Sarasota in 2008. A non-profit group, Sarasota Season of the sculpture, sponsored the event and needs to raise $675,000 in order to keep "Unconditional Surrender" on city's bay front. The group has sponsored public events, beginning with a Valentine's Day invitation in February of 2009 where couples were photographed sharing their own kisses and $100.00 charge went to benefit the statue's funding. The statue is located at the end of the causeway by Tamiami Trail and Ringling Blvd. It is near many restaurants, GWIZ, the Science Museum and Marina Jacks, where there are chartered boat rentals and dinner cruises nearby. The story of the young soldier returning from WWII in New York City and the nurse he kissed became a Life Magazine photo and was celebrated worldwide. The artist, J. Seward Johnson, earned a place in world history after giving up painting to design life size bronze structures. His work has appeared in international exhibits in Washington, D.C., restaurants in Rome, Italy and he was commissioned for corporate work for companies such as the Nike Corporation.l He is best known for the 100 foot giant statue, "The Awakening", a sculpture of a man made of five separate aluminum pieces, emerging from the earth. The statue was featured at Hains Point, Washington, D.C. in 1980. In North America, exhibits have traveled from Canada to Yale University, New York City to the Jacksonville Art Museum here in Florida. For more information on planning an event with Sarasota Season of Events, visit sarasotaseasonofculture.com , or contact the non-profit group at (941) 366-7767.
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