It seems that Lei Yixin was selected to create the 28 foot statute of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. for the Mall in Washington DC. Having lived just outside of DC for most of my young life, a monument to Dr. King is long overdue. It seems some people are are bit upset by the artists selection…
“Dr. King’s statue is to be shipped here in a crate that supposedly says ‘Made in China.’ That’s just obscene,” Winfrey Young says.
According to the article – “She and her husband, Gilbert Young, a painter, are leading a group of critics who argue that an African American — or any American — should have been picked for such an important project.”
I can’t help but quote Mr. Yixix:
“He has always dreamed that people from all over the world will not be judged by the color of their skin — that we would all be brothers and sisters and enjoy equal opportunity. Now I have the luck to get this opportunity…”
He’s got a point. And frankly, the initial concept for the sculpture is rather impressive in my opinion.