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Sometimes it’s true, isn’t it? Things can be hidden right in plain sight. Remember that classic Edgar Allen Poe story, “The Purloined Letter,” about criminal evidence left in the open where everyone could see it – and no one noticed? It’s amazing how often we pass by remarkable things around us without seeing them. So my next couple of blogs will offer some observations about beautiful art in greater Fort Lauderdale that very few of us stop to appreciate. If we ever see it at all.
How about the sculpture of the Native American man on A1A? If you’ve visited Fort Lauderdale, or if you live in the area, I’ll bet you’ve gone by it many times without seeing it. He’s so hard to miss that he’s easy to miss, if you know what I mean. The sculpture rises about 25 feet into the air and sits less than a half-block south of A1A and SE 5 Street, in the busiest part of the Fort Lauderdale beach. This lovely piece is made of some kind of wood – I’m not sure what. It obviously has been on the west side of the coast road facing the Atlantic Ocean for a very long time. The large sculpture is weathered and cracked, but I find it a beautiful work that is sadly ignored by the hundreds who pass it daily.
To me, he looks like a Seminole brave, judging by the headdress topped with two tall feathers. With his eyes half closed, maybe he’s sleepy. Or maybe his furrowed brow means he’s troubled by what he sees. I like to think he’s waking up and squinting into a brilliant sunrise across the sea. The statue is sculpted in 360 degrees, with the back of his head having just as much detail as the front. And there’s a lot of detail to enjoy. His long hair flows down from below the headdress past his shoulders. The lines in his eyes, cheeks, nose and forehead are strong and expressive. The headdress and feathers look wonderfully authentic, to my eye anyway. It’s a lovely bit of craftsmanship and deserves to be appreciated by many more passersby. My hope is that some artist eventually may want to paint this Native American in vibrant colors that would make him stand out from his surroundings. In the meantime, though, I hope you’ll stop and take a look when you’re at the beach. He’s been waiting a long time for someone to notice.
How about the sculpture of the Native American man on A1A? If you’ve visited Fort Lauderdale, or if you live in the area, I’ll bet you’ve gone by it many times without seeing it. He’s so hard to miss that he’s easy to miss, if you know what I mean. The sculpture rises about 25 feet into the air and sits less than a half-block south of A1A and SE 5 Street, in the busiest part of the Fort Lauderdale beach. This lovely piece is made of some kind of wood – I’m not sure what. It obviously has been on the west side of the coast road facing the Atlantic Ocean for a very long time. The large sculpture is weathered and cracked, but I find it a beautiful work that is sadly ignored by the hundreds who pass it daily.
To me, he looks like a Seminole brave, judging by the headdress topped with two tall feathers. With his eyes half closed, maybe he’s sleepy. Or maybe his furrowed brow means he’s troubled by what he sees. I like to think he’s waking up and squinting into a brilliant sunrise across the sea. The statue is sculpted in 360 degrees, with the back of his head having just as much detail as the front. And there’s a lot of detail to enjoy. His long hair flows down from below the headdress past his shoulders. The lines in his eyes, cheeks, nose and forehead are strong and expressive. The headdress and feathers look wonderfully authentic, to my eye anyway. It’s a lovely bit of craftsmanship and deserves to be appreciated by many more passersby. My hope is that some artist eventually may want to paint this Native American in vibrant colors that would make him stand out from his surroundings. In the meantime, though, I hope you’ll stop and take a look when you’re at the beach. He’s been waiting a long time for someone to notice.
posted by LauderBLOGGER at 3:09 PM
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