Overview
- The 11-foot, roughly 3,500-pound bronze sculpture by Giorgio Gikas of Venus Bronze Works was completed in 2017 and is now bolted outside 3434 Russell St.
- FREE AGE’s Jim Toscano agreed to host the piece after buying the Eastern Market building about three years ago, clearing the last obstacle to a public unveiling.
- The fan campaign began after a tweet to then-Mayor Dave Bing and a 2012 Kickstarter that raised more than $60,000 from over 2,700 backers.
- Years of setbacks included storage out of public view and a 2021 decision by the Michigan Science Center not to host the statue.
- Organizers opted for a non-weapon-bearing design and plan a larger public celebration after winter with an invitation to star Peter Weller.