Statue of Famous World War II Kiss to be Installed in Royal Oak Monday

Royal Oak, MI — An iconic statue of a sailor embracing a nurse to celebrate Japan’s surrender and the end of World War II in 1945 will be installed in Royal Oak Monday at 13 Mile Road and Woodward Avenue, the future site of the Michigan WWII Legacy Memorial.

The statue arrives at 9 a.m. and will be hoisted in place at 11 a.m. It will remain in place for one year.

The 25-foot statue is inspired by the famous photograph of a returning sailor, taken in Times Square on V-J Day, Aug. 14, 1945, by Alfred Eisenstaedt, after it was announced that Japan had surrendered unconditionally to the Allied Forces.

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Seward Johnson’s sculpture, “Embracing Peace,” also is known as “Unconditional Surrender” and, simply, “The Kiss.”

“We are so excited to have this iconic statue come to the site of The Michigan WWII Legacy Memorial,” Debi Hollis, president of the group planning the permanent World War II memorial said. “We are grateful that the Seward Johnson Atelier chose this location as one of only four venues in the world to display this work.

“It’s a perfect spot and will build further awareness for the memorial throughout Royal Oak, Oakland County and the entire state,” Hollis said. “We believe the enthusiasm about the statue will help drive the fundraising we need to complete this project.”

Several events will be held with the statue as a backdrop. Details will be posted on the Michigan WWII Legacy Memorial website.

The city of Royal Oak approved the temporary installation earlier this year.

“We as are privileged to host this stunning work as we are to be the location of The Michigan WWII Legacy Memorial,” Royal Oak Mayor Jim Ellison said in a news release.

Art critics have panned the towering sculpture, calling it a “monstrosity, kitsch and tacky,” Royal Oak City Manager Donald E. Johnson wrote in a memo to city commissioners earlier this year. A feminist group in France petitioned to have it removed, claiming it depicted sexual assault.

Although controversial, the towering piece has been “wildly popular”with veterans and the public, and is often a backdrop for photo re-enactments of the famous embrace and kiss.

Paula Stoeke, director and curator of the Sculpture Foundation, which owns most of the artist’s work, said a key purpose of public art is to initiate dialogue within communities.

“This monumental sculpture is provocative in its very presence, and should turn heads as well as start conversations,” Stoeke said in the news release. “Royal Oak is creating a special opportunity for visitors to interact with the sculpture and be affected by its symbolism. We hope that part of the result will be the telling of individual stories from the greatest generation, to those that follow.”

Johnson, the American sculptor who created “Unconditional Surrender,” said he’s excited his work will be a centerpiece at the Michigan memorial “to highlight this important historic moment, and to honor our veterans of every era.”

A passion for detail, an uncanny realism of pose and a striking palette are qualities often connected with Johnson’s works. Well-known for recreating life in our times in vividly realistic bronze, Johnson steps back into history to pay homage to the veterans of World War II.

At a time when we are losing these heroes in great numbers — statistics suggest that 1,200 people of this generation die daily — it is an ideal time to honor their service and sacrifice.

With this sculpture, Seward Johnson breaks the barrier of the two-dimensional, delivering a captivatingly lifelike, monumental three-dimensional interpretation of the iconic image that encapsulated the joy of the conclusion of the war, and the homecoming. This artwork honors the memory of the past, reminding us of the sacrifice of a nation, and awakens a younger generation to a turning point in our nation’s history.

“With this work, I wanted to evoke a time of unity,” Johnson said. “The moment captured in the embrace of these two strangers encapsulates the spirit of having fought a successful campaign defending our values, and celebrates the expression of sheer joy at the homecoming.” Seward Johnson

Local funding has been provided by Jack and Annette Aronson.

“We’ve been proud supporters of The Michigan WWII Legacy Memorial for the last three years,” Jack Aronson said. “Sponsoring the installation of this iconic statue near the site of the memorial was another great opportunity to help raise awareness and funds for the project.”