Heritage Fest Cruise-In
Homecomings of the past
Team Xtreme in Kettering
Statues enliven downtown Dayton
Ordinary folks strike a pose in latest exhibition
> What do you think of the statues?
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
DAYTON — When you see them, go ahead and stare all you want. Take a photograph if you like.
That's what the organizers of City Life '08 want people to do when they view the 20 lifelike bronze sculptures by contemporary artist J. Seward Johnson Jr.
Extras
The life-size works will be on display starting Friday, May 16, through Aug. 15, in downtown Dayton.
Seward's works were featured in the city last year and have been displayed in museums and private collections throughout the world.
Some of his works this year pay homage to French impressionist painter Claude Monet, but mostly they are sculptures of ordinary adults, children and pets doing ordinary things.
"They're all different and unique," said Laura Woeste, marketing and communications director of Downtown Dayton Partnership. "It's really fun to see how the community takes to them."
Folks are asked to snap photographs of the sculptures and submit their interpretation of them in a monthly contest.
City Life brochures will include a map of all 20 sculptures. Brochures and contest details are available at www.downtowndayton.org. Printed copies will be available at the start of the exhibit at Courthouse Square, RiverScape, and in other locations downtown.
Contact this reporter at (937) 225-9338 or kmcallister@DaytonDailyNews.com.
Comments
By Brittany
June 9, 2008 2:49 PM | Link to this
Art is gorgeous and you that talk badly about it are just mad become someone else got some talent and did something with their life and you didn’t.DAYTON is NOT scary…and for the person who said that the statues were there to make it look like there were people downtown..you are and idiot. There are more people in downtown Dayton than anywhere else!!! Stop being so stuck up, where do you live “Centerville” or some place that pretends to be classy??? People make me mad…….
By Brittany
June 9, 2008 2:45 PM | Link to this
NO IT IS NOT YOUR STUPID TAX DOLLARS? But i bet if the pitiful amount of tax dollars you do pay went towards putting up a bar or a strip club you wouldn’t be complaining!!
By Brittany
June 9, 2008 2:36 PM | Link to this
I am sick of people not being cultured…why cant we look at art and appreciate it for what it is? Must we always turn it into racism/hatred? Art is beautiful and takes hard work, time and effort. Something most people know nothing about. Stop being ignorant and pigheaded and think about the thought behind something, instead of just turning it into a fight about white/black…jeez have some sense about things…it is bitter people who have caused war and hate since the beginning of time….
By CityLife Sponsor
May 14, 2008 1:11 PM | Link to this
As someone who has traveled all over the world, I can’t understand why suburb residents have a fear of downtown, but will spend money to travel to other urban centers that have far more in the way of crime, homelessness, drugs, etc. Interestingly, Dayton is ranked very high in terms of the quality of its arts, and everyone that I know who comes to Dayton loves it.
Side note: the sculptures are sponsored by businesses, not tax dollars. Read each sign, and get to know Dayton!
By concerned
May 14, 2008 12:07 AM | Link to this
Wow Wordell! racist much. It was just about statues. It doesn’t matter what article the DD ask people to comment on. It always turns into sad, ignorant, racist comments.
By Wordell
May 13, 2008 5:42 PM | Link to this
Bronze…low melting point. I suspect your statues will be gone and at a recycler and melted down before you all can flail your arms up in disbelief and wail: “It can’t be!!! How can one not appreciate the arts!!!” Daytonians>>>You live in a city run by the scum of the earth. Make downtown safe for white “honkey/crackers”, and all complaints will stop. You then will see an increase in tax revenues, (honkey/crackers spend money when they’re safe), and we then can fleece them even more.
By ButchC
May 13, 2008 5:14 PM | Link to this
I think that they are great! I just moved back to Dayton after 19 years and I think these are great!!! Now if we could just get the mayor to shed them god awful hats and clean up her office.
By Clancy
May 13, 2008 4:07 PM | Link to this
I think the one that is standing by City Hall is awful. It is a picture of a man with a turned up nose about to throw something in a trash can. Passersby have already put trash in the can!! Please move that fellow — or who knows what we’ll find in there…
By dsto
May 13, 2008 3:37 PM | Link to this
Welcome back creepy life-like statues! I personally love ‘em. We used them as part of a scavenger photo hunt for my daughters birthday.It was a blast! It’s real dangerous downtown?…Have any of you people actually been here? EVER? Or does Mister Rogers lock the door to your room? Pulease. Anyone scared of downtown..stay away..the look of fear on your faces ahould be an embarassment to you. It is nothing but a lie and a bigoted self delusional response to things you will never understand.
By Publius
May 13, 2008 2:49 PM | Link to this
Only people who believe everything they seen on TV news think downtown is “dangerous.” Centerville has more crime than downtown. But if your definition of “dangerous” is “sharing a sidewalk with someone who doesn’t look exactly like yourself,” then maybe it is.
P.S. Michael, Elton wants the duck suit back.
By Courtesy Flush
May 13, 2008 2:46 PM | Link to this
The statues just give the homeless and mentally ill that roam downtown something else to PEE on.
By mike
May 13, 2008 2:38 PM | Link to this
just drive by and look. afraid to get out ya n0
By mike
May 13, 2008 2:38 PM | Link to this
just drive by and look. afraid to get out ya n0
By Prince Boogerlaus
May 13, 2008 2:30 PM | Link to this
Compared to the pace of everthing else in downtown D8N, these statues move at the speed of sigh. I’ve come down with vertigo!
By the Strawboss
May 13, 2008 2:11 PM | Link to this
Gawd, always a whiner in the bunch. It’s not like your pay stub will have a “statue” deduction right after FICA. I once had a half hour conversation with one of them before I realized she wasn’t real, so I think they’re wonderful. Great listeners. I would like to see the artist replicate the Downtown Melee we had a few years ago. I’d love to see the double takes on that!
By George
May 13, 2008 1:47 PM | Link to this
The statues are fun! As to the “down to downtowners” I hope you enjoy your gas bill this summer! Living downtown is looking mighty smart right now!
By Chrisco
May 13, 2008 1:41 PM | Link to this
What a wondrful way to squander tax money. I’m not really sure which is more shocking when you see them. The fact that at first sight it looks like someone is downtown or the sad fact that this is a creative way to make it at least look to appear their are people downtown. Maybe they could take a cue make statues to put on porches of abandoned homes and look like their are happy families sitting on them.
By Ma Ubu
May 13, 2008 1:32 PM | Link to this
No matter how closely I look, all I see is Mickey Mouse.
By city resident
May 13, 2008 12:50 PM | Link to this
Is this my tax dollars at work?
By Born and Raised
May 13, 2008 12:13 PM | Link to this
The sculptures are cool. I had out of town guests last year who actually stopped at every statue and took pictures. It was neat!
By shari
May 13, 2008 10:06 AM | Link to this
The statues are adorable and a wonderful addition to Downtown. It lends itself to a positive, art-filled, fun atmosphere. I have always loved Downtown Dayton, the buildings are so beautiful. Hoorah for Downtown!!
By Daytonian
May 13, 2008 9:44 AM | Link to this
The statutes are fun and so is Urban Nights! Anyone who thinks downtown is dead should come down to Urban Nights this Friday evening and prepare to be surprised!
By Daytonian
May 13, 2008 9:43 AM | Link to this
The statutes are fun and so is Urban Nights! Anyone who thinks downtown is dead should come down to Urban Nights this Friday evening and prepare to be surprised!
By Michael
May 13, 2008 9:08 AM | Link to this
I like that the statues are back. They are fun and interesting, and, yes, some can catch you off-guard when you see them. With the Marilyn one not coming back this year, it’s “Goodbye Norma Jean.”
By areyouserious
May 13, 2008 8:49 AM | Link to this
I think Dayton should focus more on bringing people downtown and less on statues, those are the only people who think it is safe to sit on a bench in the city!
By Lil' Daytonian
May 13, 2008 8:38 AM | Link to this
I think there’re really cool.
By Vicount Crapentake
May 13, 2008 8:06 AM | Link to this
The statue of Bill Pout of DaytonMostMediocre.commedy is especially realistic. The bauble in his left hand gives this objet d’art a certain je ne sais quoi.
By Michael
May 13, 2008 8:02 AM | Link to this
So sad that we have to memorialize the downtowner with these things. It’s our own fault. All that yearning for a slice of grass in the ‘burbs, leading only to more infrastructure we can’t afford to support. We have a declining population in Montgomery County, yet more housing developments are “needed” each year. Stupid, stupid, stupid. Let’s do REAL planning for a change.
By A True Downtowner
May 13, 2008 7:57 AM | Link to this
I think the sculptures are a lot of fun!! It seems that many people who haven’t been Downtown in years, come down to see them. Hats off to the City Life organizers - you’ve done a great job!!
By Papa Ubu
May 13, 2008 7:56 AM | Link to this
There’re the only sentient beings in downtown Dayton.