The Spirit of Detroit
| Basics: | |
| Location: | Downtown Detroit, Michigan |
| Artist: | Marshall Fredericks |
| Materials: | Bronze |
| Gilt | |
| Marble | |
| Year Built: | 1958 |
One of the most well-recognized symbols of Detroit, this large sculpture has become a key part of the City’s identity.
Key Details:
The sculpture was commissioned in 1955 and was cast in Norway. Marshall Fredericks, the sculptor, never officially gave the sculpture a title, but the name was eventually derived from his inspiration, the Bible verse (2 Corinthians 3:17): “Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.”
The enormous figure is holding a sphere in its left hand, symbolizing God, and a family in his right, symbolizing human relationships. The inspiration is explained more directly with an inscription reading “The artist expresses the concept that God, through the spirit of man is manifested in the family, the noblest human relationship”.
The sculpture has is so recognizable that it has been used historically as an icon for various identity graphics and is currently used in various official city logos. In addition, the jerseys of Detroit’s professional sports teams have been placed on the sculpture when they are in the playoffs, helping to bring recognition of their success.
If You Go:
The sculpture is located at the prominent and busy terminus of Detroit’s primary thoroughfare, Woodward Avenue. Across the street is the Detroit International Riverfront with a number of additional monuments as well as expansive views of the Detroit River and Windsor, Ontario. In the immediate vicinity are a number of historic skyscrapers and cultural landmarks.
Source:
http://byways.org/explore/byways/13754/places/37208/
This work by Matt is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License.
