At the brink of war, America, which has distinguished herself as a world leader and a responsible country knew that she would be at the center stage of the showdown. The war eventually came with anxiety and patriotism contemporaneously looming across the country. The media shifted interest in the war. Countless patriotic books and artistic artifacts were born during and after the time of war, but nothing has done much for the history of war than the picture taken by Alfred Eisenstaedt at times square after the war. The image quickly found its way to magazine front pages and quickly became synonymous with the end of war. The image inspired the modeling of a fiberglass statue that was to be symbolic and famous art that was indented to be used to raise awareness and encourage public and corporate donations towards Michigan World War II Legacy Memorial. The statue did just more than that as the public took an interest in it and the six month period that the statue was to remain in Royal Oak Park was not going to be. Public interest grew, and bronze made replica replaced the fiber class model. The bronze statue stands to date in San Diego
Descriptive analysis
The statue of unconditional surrender is one of the four iconic arts by Jonson Seward. Inspired by a photograph by Alfred Eisenstaedt, The Kissing Sailor is today the most famous monuments in San Diego. It is a 23-foot tall, full-color statue of a sailor kissing a nurse and a motorist. The statue is in Royal Oak Memorial Park. Apart from serving its intended purpose, the icon of no surrender has gained fame and has become almost synonymous with peace and patriotism. The statue is detailed and captures thematic details like the nurse in uniform with seamed stocking and the straining muscles in the neck of the soldier. A man dressed in navy regalia and a nurse kiss. Clear interpretation disappears between jubilation and forced kissing. Vice President Levin says, then there was no forced to kiss, and the two people are in a jovial mood. A closer look at the statue reveals details that show that that the artifact was intentionally created to depict a forced kiss.
Interpretive analysis
Themes in the statue are more or less prominent. The figure sparked patriotism and included all Americans from different professions to the celebrating; they are contributors to the success of the American campaign. The suppression of communism and the promotion of democracy is the central theme of the art. Michigan also has constitutional significance and Michigan contribute immensely to the war. As put by Levin, the vice president of the United States, Michigan contribution to the war is immense (Meyer, Zlati, and N.p).
Evaluative Analysis
The Unconditional Surrender is a symbolic statue that has captured the attention of people from all walks of life. The title name which the figure goes by is by itself a demystification of the intended message. The communists had surrendered to American power and ideologies. Using the idea that women should be submissive and should surrender to their male companion was an acceptable belief. The man is dominant and usually overpowers the female, and their intention prevails. Relating these facts with the cause and the end of the war can help us get into the head of the artist behind it. Folded clothes of the nurse and straining muscle at the back of the sailor show that the couple is not in unanimous consent to kiss. The American law considers kissing someone without their consent a sexual assault, and the conspicuity of such effect in such a symbolic statue is absurd and possibly retrogressive. The statue with its conspicuity can easily capture and keep attention but can also destract drivers. A truck accident happened when the statue was set up. Different from other artists, the kissing sailor statue is colorful, enormous and it is a man forcefully kissing a woman. The combination of such themes distracts almost anyone, and it better didn't be a driver. Although the vice president’s message is clear, it does not clearly demystify the reason why controversies already surrounded should a statue with such significance allude from a photograph. I agree artwork sometimes captures unintended thematic concerns and unexpected effects; the controversies surround the Unconditional Surrender have a basis on noticeable effects that are hard to ignore. The public, however, ignores such controversies and associate the statue only with patriotism and the winning of the war. Levin defends the figure, saying it does not portray any forced kissing, and the couple is in jubilation mode.
Conclusion
The fact that the model served the purpose it was meant for should abate some of the criticism, but the statue just like the photo that inspired it is an adult content. Apart from serving the purpose intended, the statute has become a tourist attraction symbol. Sentiments from the visitors can link the photo to neither patriotism of war. It is a beautiful and colorful, magnificent creation and that pairs are sufficient to attract people. The orientation and thematic concerns are upsetting to minors, especially now that the war is long gone; nothing is conspicuous of the statue of the kissing sailor except beauty and misplaced Navy regalia. The society is tolerant to the statue despite the controversies surrounding it. The artists do not like the statue, but the people like it. In fact, the public demand grew, and the statue remained in Sandiego after the planned six-month period. The figure fit different contemporaries, and the viewer can interpret it in a manner that best suits the own situations. Post-war themes of the art seem forgotten. The navy regalia links people to with patriotism and the name of the statue was the success of the nation in the battle; "unconditional surrender". Today, people refer to the figure as the kissing sailor, much of its meaning lost and controversies looming. I construed that the only reason why the statue remains relevant is its place in the artistic world and its synonymy with San Diego tourist’s attraction policies. The forced woman could stir up debates, but the people are used to the absurdity of the photo. The color, size and the location of the statue place it at the top tourist’s attraction symbols. In the minds of most visitors, the statue was created for beauty send few can link the iconic figure to History. Art is interpretable in a manner that the creator does not intend. Themes in art don’t have much connection to the views than the beauty in it. Creator’s thematic concerns cannot create a following but beauty does, considering the case of the kissing sailor, the beauty, elegance and coloring of the statue was enough to pull populations. Themes never became crystal; clear and in some instances shrouded by ambiguities, but the artifact remained attractive.
Work cited
Meyer, Zlati. "Giant WWII Kissing Statue Comes to Royal Oak." Detroit Free Press. N.p., 2016. Web. 31 July 2016.
