The City of Crown Point to Host Giant Iconic Kissing Couple Enhancing Exhibition Honoring all Branches of Service

City-of-Crown-PointOn Monday, April 23rd the installation of the dramatic Embracing Peace sculpture by renowned American artist Seward Johnson will begin at approximately 8am at the Legacy Fields Sportsplex located at 1313 E North St. near the main entrance.

The sculpture itself, as well as the installation process, will be visually stunning and will present an opportunity for spectacular television and still photos. Beginning Monday morning, the spectacular figures will arrive and a huge crane will lift the sailor and nurse high into the air. The City of Crown Point, The Crown Point Redevelopment Commission and The Seward Johnson Atelier, a not for profit entity that encourages the placement and sharing of public art, has brought the enduring kissing couple to the Crown Point Community.

This 25-foot tall sculpture in bronze honors the moment in New York City when an anonymous sailor embraced a nurse during the jubilant celebration when the end of the war was announced. The sculpture has attracted tourists and residents in various cities across the United States from Florida to California as well as in Times Square, NYC, center city Rome, Italy, and Civitavecchia, Italy. A casting of the sculpture had been on display in historically relevant sites in Europe as well, including the Mémorial de Caen in Normandy, France, and is currently sited at the Bastogne War Museum in Belgium.

The Foundation’s Curator, Paula Stoeke, notes, “One key purpose of public art is to initiate dialogue within communities. This monumental sculpture is provocative in its very presence, and should turn heads as well as start conversations. Crown Point is creating a special opportunity for visitors to interact with the sculpture and be affected by its symbolism. We hope that part of the result will be the telling of individual stories from the greatest generation, to those that follow.”

A passion for detail, an uncanny realism of pose and a striking palette are qualities often connected with the works of American sculptor Seward Johnson. Well-known for recreating life in our times in vividly realistic bronze, Johnson steps back into history with his work entitled Embracing Peace, to pay homage to the veterans of World War II. At a time when we are losing these heroes in great numbers – statistics suggest that 1200 people of this generation pass daily – it is an ideal time to honor their service and sacrifice. With this sculpture, Seward Johnson breaks the barrier of the two-dimensional, delivering a captivatingly lifelike, monumental three-dimensional interpretation of the iconic image that encapsulated the joy of the conclusion of the war, and the homecoming. This artwork honors the memory of the past, reminding us of the sacrifice of a nation, and awakens a younger generation to a turning point in our nation’s history.

“With this work, I wanted to evoke a time of unity. The moment captured in the embrace of these two strangers encapsulates the spirit of having fought a successful campaign defending our values, and celebrates the expression of sheer joy at the homecoming.” Seward Johnson

About The Seward Johnson Atelier and Artist Seward Johnson:
The Seward Johnson Atelier, Inc., was created to promote the appreciation of, and education about, sculpture and public art in general, utilizing the creation, maintenance, sales and public placement of Seward Johnson’s artwork as its instrument.