Weekly Photo Challenge: Monument

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The work, “Unconditional Surrender” by Seward Johnson II, is based on a famous Life magazine photo by Alfred Eisenstaedt taken in Times Square on Aug. 14, 1945, the day the Japanese announced their surrender. In response to copyright issues, Johnson states that he used a similar photograph of the kissing couple taken by Victor Jorgensen, which is still in the public domain

The statue represents what is an incredible moment in any service member’s life.

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This more than life size statue made of a foam core with a urethane outer layer was a temporary exhibit on the San Diego harbour park, near to the Midway until May 2012. It was criticised for being “kitsch” but many couples liked to imitate the pose, and in a navy town it is most appropriate.  Wikipedia

Apparently it has been replaced with a bronze statue though I don’t know of its size.  Maybe you have seen the new statue?

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If you would like to see what others have come up with for this challenge then go to the Daily Post @ WordPress Weekly Photo Challenge

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Heyjude

I have lived in the UK for most of my life, but when young I definitely had wanderlust and even ended up living in South Africa for several years which was a wonderful experience. I now look forward to a long and leisurely retirement doing what I like most - gardening, photography, walking and travelling.

36 thoughts on “Weekly Photo Challenge: Monument”

  1. Nice one, Jude! I have been absent from blogging for a few days, and probably more….I’ll maybe see if I have a monument if I get a moment!

      1. Thanks for your thought, Jude. Not ill, but running myself a bit into empty, never advisable with MS….but, things that have to be done, have to be done (family stuff). I’m trying to rest now, so the blog may not see much activity. We shall see! 🙂

  2. I have seen this in San Diego and loved it. That was a few years ago so not sure of the new one. Lovely photos.

    1. Well I was almost too late – they removed it in May 2012 after extending its temporary stay and I took these photos in March 2012! Interesting, though I can see why it would be seen as “kitsch”. It did look kind of like a blow up doll.

  4. You know – the other day I biked out by there looking for this statue and just assumed I had missed it. People didn’t like it? I thought it was awesome, and not knowing it may no longer be there I miss it even more, How sad!

    1. Well, according to Wikipedia (which we all know is completely true) they have replaced it with a bronze statue, but I have no idea how big or where. Just assumed it would be in the harbour park with the other sculptures.

      1. Wikipedia and it’s truth is a funny one… Daniel Tosh had his viewers go on there and write hordes of false facts about him, They ended up locking his page down! It was sooo funny! 😀

    1. There are a few in the US – Sarasota has one! So get yourself there when you get back to Florida 🙂

  7. We have that same statue at the Marina in Sarasota, FL ~ same size too. It arrived as a temporary exhibit and became permanent.

    But had to leave temporarily after getting hit by a car.

      1. I think it was an accident.

        I don’t have strong feelings about it, one way or the other. It suits the spot.

    1. Cheers Jo! We don’t seem to do BIG over here do we – I can only think of Nelson’s Column. And Blackpool Tower, but that’s not really a monument.

        1. Ah, well you see how ignorant I am about London Pete! I shall have to track these down when I visit there at the end of the month – thanks 🙂

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