From the Daily News:The decaying marble statue that sits at Union Turnpike and Queens Blvd. in Kew Gardens was crafted almost 100 years ago with the loftiest of intentions.
A strapping young man, molded in the classical form, is the personification of Civic Virtue, triumphant over the twin sirens of Vice and Corruption.
These days, however the monument is looking less than virtuous.
"It's deteriorating," said Mary Ann Carey, district manager of Community Board 9, which includes Kew Gardens. "We were told if it's left to its own devices, it will eventually crumble into dust."
The statue is owned by the city, so it falls under the Department of Citywide Administrative Services, which manages city-owned buildings and property. But Parks Department officials said they have been charged with caring for it over the years.
Parks officials said a proper cleaning and repair would cost "tens of thousand of dollars."
29 comments:
Anything that gets a 100 year run is a good thing. Maybe its time to let it go and see if Manhattan has any more civic rejects to dump in Queens.
Maybe even Ms. Marshall will have a Queens Artist design and produce a public work just for Queens. Nahhhh.
Maspeth Mom said...
Just like in real life... The statue should bemoved outside City Hall as a reminder.
As if they've ever felt guilty about spending tens of thousands of dollars on anything else.
Sort of symbolic when you think about it.
Sure we have little else in Queens, lose this and school girls everywhere in the nabe will lose their first sex education exposure.
I think Helen Marshall said no way it's getting repaired because of the statue's sexist depiction of Civic Virtue standing astride two mermaids signifying corruption...
www.forgotten-ny.com
Sort of symbolic when you think about it.
"My sentiments also." - Edward Gibbon (Speaking to Deke DaSilva via Ouija Board)
And why the hell does the Daily News have to use that faux "clever" photograph of the statue's "private parts" obscured by the "walk sign"?
They have all sorts of "cheese cake" photographs and slide shows everyday of Hollyweird stars in various states of undress, and all of a sudden they become prudes and iconoclasts?
(The last 2 paragraphs are solely Deke DaSilva's editorial content. Edward Gibbon doesn't like to speak much, he finds these times too depressing, and believes that history ends up repeating itself. It's all contained in his seminal book The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire. He spends most of his time in the afterlife playing foosball with Ben Franklin and Jimi Hendrix.)
Parks officials said a proper cleaning and repair would cost "tens of thousand of dollars."
.... And we are willing to spend that for a statue in Central Park, but not out in Queens.
(There, I finished his thought)
If only it had something to do with bike lanes...
Maybe if you put a sombrero on his head or something, and make it multicultural. The mermaids could be manipulated with just a little money and transformed into abused, pregnant Latina waitresses...
The restoration of Civic Virtue will likely start when the restoration of the Winfield War Memorial is completed. The people who can remember that one are starting to die off...
Yes, i do remember years ago Claire Shulman saying the same thing about it being a sexist statue.
Get a grip, I'm a women and think it's a nice statue.
Get a grip
Yeah baby!
Let's have some fun with Fat Boy and the 2 ladies. Dress them up like they do with Manneken-Pis in Brussels.
These are my favorite Manneken-Pis costumes
08/01 Elvis Pressley
22/04 Nelson Mandela
17/05 Gay Pride
12/10 Christopher Columbus
06/12 Santa Claus
(Which one is yours?)
Can't we have some fun on Queens Boulevard? Manneken-Fat Boy.
This is our Rego-Forest Preservation Council photoset to help raise awareness and call for a restoration of the Civic Virtue:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/8095451@N08/sets/72157616200783330/
It was designed by the famed Frederick William MacMonnies in 1920 & sculpted by the Piccirilli Brothers. Please circulate our link to help play a role in its future.
Thanks for the link - I'm certain wealthy art patrons will help the cause -
It's beautiful . . .
Let's tear it down and put up another 40 story condo with tax abatements aplenty that no one will move into.
The hacks hate it because, like their gleeful gutting of housing, labor, and employment legislation, its a product of the Reform Movement.
If it falls apart then they can pitch it out and replace it with a noble on horseback riding down the peasants and entitle it "The Right Honorable City Councilman"
Something more in tune with the new Golden Age.
Only tens of thousands of dollars to restore the statue?
Mere ice cream money for the Staviskys.
Let's grab Evan by his balls...hold him upside down...and shake him 'til all of his Parkside's ill gotten $$$$$ falls out of his pockets.
Let's grab Evan by his balls...
--------------------------------------------------
You're assuming he has 'em??!?!!?!
hell yes. he has balls.
anyone that parades around here the way those hacks do have 'em and plenty too!
the ones without 'em are john q public that just takes the abuse and sends them back to office again and again.
the ones without 'em are john q public that just takes the abuse and sends them back to office again and again.
True dat!
PS Evan does have balls. They're called Toby!!!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/8095451@N08/sets/72157616200783330/
Thanks RF for the pictures - this is a great sculpture so many people have driven by it over the years in this location. I speculate the location is also to blame for the sculpture's deterioration aside from the lack of maintenance it has ever received. Civic virtue should be at least minimally restored and preserved. Perhaps even moved back to it's original location to restore it's symbolism of triumphant over the twin sirens of Vice and Corruption.
What about the NYS Pavilion?
What about the Dutch Kills Millstones?
I remember every time we drove back that statue when I was a little girl (longer ago than I would care to admit) we used to burst out laughing at that statue, which for some reason we called Philly Gumbo. It still makes me laugh.
Poor guy, he's just hanging out!!
Why has the Parks Department obviously ignored this part of our heritage. Would such decay ever be permitted in Manhattan, hmmm? They're NOT Women - they are chunks of marble, crafted to depict corruption in the guise of serpents! Are they female?; I didn't check. I'll grant you they may be Baroque and anachronistic but a society that casts away art because of one (1) superficial interpretation is not too far away from a society that endorses book-burning. What's next: do we decimate statues of Columbus (ringer of the death-knell of indigenous native cultures) or slave-owning past Presidents? Perhaps Fiorello had a Napoleonic complex and didn't like looking a 'Fat Boy'? If we are to cast away important Public Art - let's at least be consistent. Perhaps our Congressional representatives and Council Members from distant Districts should have consulted the opinions of the local community board? We're better than that and NOW: we are all agreed that Civic Virtue should be restored in Kew Gardens.
Civic Virtue does not depict a nude man standing over 2 women. The figures are an allegorical representation of Greek mythology. Hercules stands over but not on top of 2 female sirens symbolizing vice and corruption, which Civic Virtue denounces in society. Some politicians cannot bear passing it en route to Borough Hall. Just examine the track record of those who had to step down in recent years due to their shattered oath not long after being elected to public office. This is a peaceful statue designed by the world-known Frederick MacMonnies, who was the last major American Beaux Art sculptor. Civic Virtue is public art that belongs to & in Queens. On behalf of the citizens of Queens who wish to secure its future where it has sat for 71 years, it is unethical behavior by Department of Citywide Administrative Services, the NYC Design Commission, and select "public servants" to concoct a deal to transport Civic Virtue to the privately-owned Green-Wood Cemetery in Brooklyn. This was not agreed upon by the Queens constituency. We pay our fair share of taxes. Join http://www.triumphofcivicvirtue.org
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