Statue of Charles Linn
A statue of Charles Linn was previously installed in Birmingham, Alabama's Linn Park, in the United States.
| Statue of Charles Linn | |
|---|---|
| |
| Artist | Branko Medenica |
| Year | 2013 |
| Medium |
|
| Subject | Charles Linn |
| Location | Birmingham, Alabama, U.S. |
| 33°31′12″N 86°48′35″W | |
Description
The 8-foot (2.4 m) bronze sculpture depicts Charles Linn, and rests on a 5-foot (1.5 m) granite-clad base.[1] The statue is based on a painting displayed in the Linn-Henley Research Library (but shows Linn bearded, whereas the painting does not) and weighs approximately 800 pounds.[2] Linn's hand rests on a pillar, representing the establishment of the National Bank of Birmingham (Regions Financial Corporation).[3] The memorial also has plaques about Linn and identifying major donors.[2]
History
The statue was commissioned from sculptor Branko Medenica by the Alabama-Mississippi Chapter of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society in honor of their "Legacy of Leadership" campaign chairman, Arthur Henley, a descendant of Linn. The statue was announced in 2012,[4] and dedicated on "World MS Day" on May 29, 2013.[2] Medenica attended the dedication.[1]
On May 31, 2020, during the George Floyd protests, the statue was defaced and eventually toppled.[5] Medenica, who had incorporated a tribute of his own to his sister-in-law who died of MS, said he understood why the statue was toppled but lamented the loss of his personal commemoration: "They didn't know. I think it was like mass hysteria gone out of control. You know so it sad. It's sad." The artist has said he would be willing to restore the sculpture.[6]
References
- "The history behind Birmingham monuments damaged in protest". al. June 1, 2020. Archived from the original on August 29, 2020. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
- Natta, André (2013-05-28). "Statue of Linn Park's namesake to be unveiled Wednesday". The Terminal. Retrieved 2020-08-07.
- Huddleston, Clare. "Charles Linn sculpture to be unveiled in namesake park". www.wbrc.com.
- Diel, Stan (February 23, 2012). "Charles Linn to honored with statue in Birmingham's Linn Park". al. Archived from the original on September 27, 2020. Retrieved September 27, 2020.
- "Alabama protesters tried to remove a Confederate monument but the mayor told them he would finish the job". CNN. Archived from the original on 2020-06-03. Retrieved 2020-06-03.
- "BIRMINGHAM STATUE'S CREATOR HOPES OLD WOUNDS HEAL". June 5, 2020. Archived from the original on July 2, 2020. Retrieved September 27, 2020.