Array
The new Boston sculpture honoring Martin Luther King Jr. and Coretta Scott King has sparked intense reactions on social media due to its abstract depiction of an iconic photo.
Titled “The Embrace,” the $10 million bronze sculpture unveiled in Boston Common over the weekend aims to depict the hug that Martin Luther King Jr. and Coretta Scott King shared in a 1964 photograph shortly after he won the Nobel Peace Prize.
The problem: the 3D sculpture displays only two arms with no heads, chests, or shoulders embracing in thin air, leaving much to the imagination.
As multiple people of various political persuasions noted on social media, the sculpture takes on some rather sexual undertones depending on the angle from which it’s viewed.
‘Sexualised bronze blob’: $10 million Martin Luther King Jr statue receives mixed reviews #mlksculpture #MLKDay2023 #MLKWeekend https://t.co/ompFZHZ0rx pic.twitter.com/l1rXC59xAq
Daily Express (@Daily_Express) January 15, 2023
Some major public art dedicated to MLK Jr. is disappointing. I’ll give two examples, starting with the new Boston sculpture. And one example of my favorite.
