It’s taken 5 years to make it happen. But it looks like it might well have been worth it.
They are way cool!
Big, heavy, impressionistic sculptures, fashioned out of a granite-like boulder, with hand tools, by african artist Raymond Chirambadare, sitting on a stool in Zimbabwe. They were brought to the United States by African importer Ross Parker of Call of Africa Imports.
Ross wanted to make a big contribution to the struggling street he moved his warehouse and picture framing gallery to on NE 13th Street, right by the Railroad tracks.
But just try and imagine getting approval to place $100,000 worth of Zimbabwean granite sculptures in the middle of a busy highway in Fort Lauderdale.
First, the attorneys.
They worry….. for a living! …. 2 years
And then there’s the engineers !
Yes, they looked at it six ways from Sunday ! ….. 2 years
Let’s not forget the politicians !
Let’s just call it differences of opinions ….. 1 year
Talks with the lawyers ….. endless meetings with engineers ….. public hearings out the wazoo!
Finally we were almost there. And then, at the last minute, City Hall advised that we would have to orient the sculptures sideways! No facing of traffic ! Slim side showing !
We were all out of fight! We capitulated and turned them sideways.
But we got the last word…….
We have the sculptures’ rears facing City Hall !