By Kathy L. Collins
Responding to the many calls to bring the popular sculptures back to historic downtown Plant City, the Plant City Photo Archives and History Center has partnered with the City of Plant City, Arts Council of Plant City, the Greater Plant City Chamber of Commerce, Florida Humanities Council, Downtown Business and Merchants Association, All-A-Bloom Florist, George and Cassandra Banning, Art Lounge Gallery, Improvement League of Plant City, and Unity in the Community to bring a sculptures exhibit to Plant City beginning in mid-July. The sculptures will be on display throughout downtown Plant City until Saturday, November 1.
Gil Gott, Executive Director of the Plant City Photo Archive and History Center said, “The sculptures are part of the ‘Man on the Street’ collection that J. Seward Johnson refers to as ‘Celebrating the Familiar.’ They are all things and people that we see in everyday life. But these are solid bronze. They are life-size and weigh up to 700 pounds.”
The Sculpture Foundation has agreed to lend 10 sculptures for the exhibit installed in and around McCall Park and the Union Station area. There will be one at the Bruton Memorial Library and one at the Plant City Photo Archives and History Center. The sculptures reflect themes and the diversity of our society including race, ethnicity, military, children, elderly, photography, summer, tourism and the great outdoors
There are several events scheduled to celebrate the return of the Plant City Sculpture Exhibit.
“During the summer, the Plant City Photo Archives and History Center will sponsor a photo contest where people will take photos of the sculptures along with their friends, family members, etc. We will also set up tours so that people can visit all 10 and learn more about them. In late September we will have a private reception, film showing and tour for about $25 per person,” said Gott.
For further information and locations of the sculptures, call 754-1578 or e-mail info@plantcityphotoarchives.org.
