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RoboCop Statue Installed in Detroit’s Eastern Market After Fan-Funded Push

After years of crowdfunding, rights clearance and site wrangling, the 1987 icon finally has a public home.

Overview

  • The 11-foot bronze, weighing about 3,500 pounds, was set up this week at Eastern Market outside the FREE AGE production studio and is open for public viewing.
  • The project began with a 2011 tweet to then-Mayor Dave Bing and a 2012 Kickstarter that raised more than $67,000 from roughly 2,700 backers.
  • Detroit sculptor Giorgio (George) Gikas of Venus Bronze Works completed the statue in 2017, but it remained in storage for years as hosting plans collapsed, including a canceled Michigan Science Center placement.
  • Organizers chose an unarmed, approachable depiction, describing it as a friendly neighborhood RoboCop without a gun.
  • A formal unveiling is planned after winter, with organizers saying RoboCop star Peter Weller will be invited.