Artist responds to mixed reactions to 'awkward' MLK statue unveiled in Florida
The bronze statue, called "The Ripple," was unveiled in Winter Park, a suburb of Orlando, on July 12. It depicts King dressed in a suit, holding a book in one hand while the other extends upward in a wave. In front of it stands a polished, knee-high wall inscribed with one of King's most famous quotes, "Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere."
The project was sculpted by committee-selected artist Andrew Luy as part of a larger project to enhance the Martin Luther King, Jr. (MLK) Park in which it stands.
Critics voiced their opinions both to local media and online, with many pointing out its disproportionate head, body and limbs.
"It looks awkward. It just didn't look up to the standards that Winter Park is so well known for," Jonathan Blount, co-founder of Essence Magazine, told Winter Park commissioners at a July 23 City Commission meeting.
"His head was too big, his arm was too big, and it looked really like a caricature of Dr. King and really didn't look anything like him," he told local NBC News affiliate WESH2. "Do it over. It just isn't good enough for a permanent, lifelong representation of someone that is just so important to our history."
Mayor Sheila DeCiccio responded to concerns raised at the commission meeting, saying, "Maybe it didn't come out the way everybody had hoped it would." But, with the installation having cost $500,000, she said it isn't likely to change. "I hear what you're saying, don't know what we can do at this point. It was a very big investment," she said.
Sculptor says MLK statue was 'never intended to be a hyper-realistic'
The city shared a letter written by Luy on Aug. 6, addressing feedback and describing the artistic vision behind the statue.
"This sculpture was never intended to be a hyper-realistic replica of Dr. King. It was conceived through an in-depth, iterative process guided by a committee of Winter Park residents, civic leaders, and cultural stakeholders," the letter said. "Together, we focused not only on physical likeness but on capturing the spirit, message, and enduring presence of a leader whose impact continues to ripple through time."
Addressing feedback about the proportions of the sculpture, Luy said adjustments were made for symbolic reasons. Enlarging King's feet and shoes, for example, were representative of his metaphoric "big shoes to fill," while his left arm was adjusted to emphasize the "weight and power" of the book held in that hand. His head was enlarged to maintain visibility from multiple vantage points in the park and surrounding streets.
"While we could have used 3D scanning or digital modelling to produce a highly accurate, photographic likeness, the stakeholders emphasized a different goal: to create a sculpture with love, care, and remembrance, not just precision," the letter read. "The final work reflects that intent. We chose to depict Dr. King in a stylized, larger-than-life scale."
Luy also told WESH2 that the feedback he received from committee members and attendees of the unveiling was overwhelmingly positive, but that he welcomes all feedback. Comments below the city's official Instagram post of the unveiling were largely supportive, praising local leaders for highlighting a figure known for messages of unity, love and equality and calling it "beautiful."
"Proud to see us as a community still having a desire to showcase historical beauty and grow from this," said one commenter. "I love the fact that the people who once lived on that land were included in the art and memory."
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