MARI'S TRAVELS WITH HER CAMERA

Saturday Sulpture:

Written by

maristravels

in

Outside the Caen-Normandie Museum of WWll in Caen, France.

That joyful moment in 1945.

Based on a photograph by Alfred Eisenstaedt which appeared in an issue of Life magazine in 1945, this sculpture has been much criticised by women’s rights groups since it was erected at the city-owned Mémorial de Caen. The French group, Osez le Féminisme, said at the time “we cannot accept that the Mémorial de Caen holds up a sexual assault as a symbol of peace,” but the city-owned Memorial de Caen refused to take it down. They based their objection on the fact that the sailor had been observed kissing ‘all he met, young and old’.

There are many copies of this sculpture (by Seward Johnson) in other parts of the world.

Comments

7 responses to “Saturday Sulpture:”

  1. Forestwood Avatar
    Forestwood

    Yep – not a fan at all.

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  2. Suzanne Avatar
    Suzanne

    I must admit for me it isn’t a symbolism of peace.

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    1. maristravels Avatar
      maristravels

      Agree! I take it as pure kitsch.

      Liked by 1 person

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  3. Anabel @ The Glasgow Gallivanter Avatar
    Anabel @ The Glasgow Gallivanter

    I do agree with the objections. That photograph (and hence statue) makes uncomfortable viewing.

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    1. maristravels Avatar
      maristravels

      Absolutely. It’s great to get the comments that so far have been made. It’s a bit crass and a bit stupid, especially after WWll and although I’m not surprised it was erected in New York, I am surprised the French agreed to it on what is virtually sacred ground.

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  4. Toonsarah Avatar
    Toonsarah

    Interesting that there were those objections to the sculpture – I’m not sure I could get so worked up about it.

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    1. maristravels Avatar
      maristravels

      Nor could I but it was the first stirrings of the feminist movement and I believe the original title was Unconditional Surrender which wouldn’t have impressed at a time when – especially in the USA – women were being persuaded back into the kitchen.

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