The Bronze Fonz
The Milwaukee Convention and Visitors Bureau will erect a life-size statue of Arthur Fonzerelli (aka The Fonz from Happy Days) mere blocks from the majestic, Calatrava-designed Milwaukee Museum of Art.
Now I’m not a serious art student, but I have spent the last four years working with several public art institutions in Chicago and Grand Rapids, so my perception has been that Milwaukee, like Grand Rapids, was trying to elevate its cultural profile with buildings like the MMA. The Bronze Fonz seems counterproductive to that goal and lame at an almost galactic level.
What it seems like to me is a bunch of Malfeasance Cooperative Baby Boomers in the CVB are trying to capture tourism dollars from people of their own generation who are nostalgic for Happy Days.
Not that I really give a shit, Milwaukee can do what they want, I just hate the precedent it sets. What pop culture icon will towns like mine try to immortalize? What? Grand Rapids, Holland and Muskegon have never been featured in any TV shows, let alone one that was even remotely successful?
Somehow I think that’s a good thing.
8 Comments so far
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thats a good point about the statue being precedent-setting. Although there’s also the school of thought that Milwaukee is in no position to set any kind of precedent for the rest of the country period.
By rev dave on 01.29.08 11:05 am
You’re right.
I started looking up other cities. Minneapolis has a statue of Mary Tyler Moore and Chicago has Bob Newhart (which is apparently at Navy Pier, fitting I suppose).
By Greedo on 01.29.08 11:18 am
Just erect a big, bronze Floyd Mayweather statue and get it over with already. Don’t follow Milwaukee, but instead follow Detroit’s lead with the boxing trend (Joe Louis). Philly’s statue of Rocky makes for a smooth transition from boxing to pop culture.
By cantle on 01.29.08 11:53 am
cantle… no shit. where you at?
You bring up a very good point, but the Joe Louis sculpture is a completely different piece. It a representational work of art. It could represent Detroit’s fighting spirit, or black empowerment, or it could just be Joe Louis’ fist.
A straighforward statue of Joe Louis would’ve been a limited image, destined for obscurity–just like the Bronze Fonz is destined to become.
Maybe if the Milwaukee artist made two giant thumbs up that people could walk between, now THAT would be art.
The Rocky statue has its surroundings to thank for its success. Place that anywhere but the top of the steps at the library and it carries significantly less impact.
By Greedo on 01.29.08 12:08 pm
Yeah, Newhart sitting in a chair and there’s a couch next to it so you can sit by him. It’s all interactive and crap.
It should be noted that the Joe Louis fist is symbolically punching Canada. The Fonz is going to retaliate by punching Lake Michigan, which will result in all of the state’s juke boxes turning on simultaneously.
By Mark on 01.29.08 1:09 pm
the Laverne and Shirley statue is in development as we speak…
By urob on 01.29.08 2:14 pm
wow, mark. that’s some deep and very well-thought out comedy.
By rev dave on 01.29.08 5:28 pm
Thank you. The Fonz is one of the few topics I can speak about it a deep and well-thought out manner.
By Mark on 01.30.08 9:53 am
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