Winter Park, Fla. just unveiled a statue meant to honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., but what was supposed to be a tribute to one of the most recognizable figures in Black history has turned into a full-on roast session — and the people of Winter Park aren’t laughing… well, some are.
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On July 14, Winter Park unveiled its “botched” statue of the civil rights leader during the city’s annual Heritage Unity Festival — and the backlash has already made serious waves across social media. Residents say the statue — with its cartoonish vibe, awkward proportions, and a face that looks nothing like Dr. King — doesn’t resemble the civil rights icon whatsoever, while folks on social media are flat-out joking that the city should “Take George Jefferson down, man!”
Although the mayor called it a “big investment” and the artist said the response has been “greatly positive,” the people are saying: respectfully, do it over.
“It looks awkward. It just didn’t look up to the standards that Winter Park is so well known for,” Jonathan Blount, co-founder of Essence magazine, told the Winter Park Commissioners, per to WESH 2 News. Blount highlighted the locals’ dissatisfaction, saying the statue appeared more like a caricature of Dr. King than a proper depiction of the leader.
“His feet were too big, his head was too big, his arm was too big — it looked really like a caricature of Dr. King and didn’t look anything like him,” Blount explained.
The artist, Andrew Luy, was selected by a committee to create the piece and defended his work. “I didn’t have direct contact with the King estate, but from what I heard, they were very happy with the representation of the sculpture of Dr. King,” Luy stated, per local reports.
Blount doubled down on the importance of having a statue that properly represents our leaders, stressing that a permanent monument must be up to the standard — and this just wasn’t it.
“Do it over. I mean, it just isn’t good enough for a permanent lifelong representation of someone who is so important to our history,” he said, even extending a hand to help raise money for a redo. And judging by the mayor’s response, the coin is definitely a concern.
Winter Park Mayor Sheila DeCiccio didn’t shy away from the complaints but did emphasize the cost of the work. “Maybe it didn’t come out the way everybody had hoped it would. I hear what you’re saying. Don’t know what we can do at this point. It was a very big investment.”
Needless to say, social media did not hold back. They rushed to social media to get their opinions off their chests and into the comments section.
“Looks like a short Mexican man, fr,” another penned. “That’s Nelson Mandela!” a third teased. “They do this on purpose smh! But they got them celebrities’ wax figures down to a T!” a fourth added. “Who makes these things?!” a fifth asked, alongside laughing emojis.
It’s important to note the city didn’t pick the artist directly. According to WESH 2 News, the artist was chosen through a selection committee which includes members from the arts, parks, and CRA boards, plus a community task force of Hannibal Square residents.
Dr. King’s family approved the design before it was unveiled, per the news outlet.
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