What is the kissing statue in Key West? (2024)

What is the kissing statue in Key West?

KEY WEST (CBSMiami/FKNB) - A 25-foot-high bronze sculpture, portraying the world-famous 1945 image of a sailor and nurse locked in an immortalized kiss taken in New York's Times Square on V-J Day 1945, was installed Tuesday in Key West.

What is the story behind the kissing statue?

Visit the Unconditional Surrender AKA “The Kissing Statue” along the downtown waterfront, next to the USS Midway. The 25-foot installation recreates the famous embrace between a sailor and a nurse celebrating the end of World War II in New York's Times Square in 1945.

What is the kissing sailor statue controversy?

In October 2014, French feminist group Osez La Feminisme petitioned to have the statue removed and sent back to the United States, stating, "the sailor could have laughed with these women, embraced them, asked if he could kiss them with joy. No, he chose to grab them, with clenched fists, to kiss them.

How many Sailor kissing Nurse statues are there?

In total, there are five such statues located in Normandy, France; San Diego, California; Pearl Harbor, Hawaii and Hamilton, New Jersey. The one in Sarasota is the original in the series and was created in 2005. "I enjoy looking at it.

What does the Unconditional Surrender statue mean?

Dedicated in 2005, this Sarasota statue commemorates the scene in the United States on August 14, 1945, when Japan surrendered thus ending World War II. On that day, people in New York City and around the country celebrated the victory in the streets.

What does the kiss of death statue mean?

The base of the tombstone features a verse from Jacint Verdauger, a prominent Catalan poet. The verse expresses the idea that the person's youthful heart can no longer continue, their blood slows and freezes, their spirit embraces lost faith, and they feel the kiss of death as they fall.

What is the story of the kiss of death?

The exact origin is unknown, but an Italian source identifies the bacio della morte as the kiss given to the assassin delegated to "execute" a death sentence, as if to seal the solemn judgment and to wish success on the assignment.

What happened to the kissing statue in Sarasota?

The statue, which first came to Sarasota as a temporary exhibit in 2005, was bought by Jack Curran and donated to the city in his wife's memory. It was moved Thursday to create room for a new roundabout on U.S. 41 and Gulfstream Avenue.

What does the sailor kissing mean?

Most have seen the iconic photo of a sailor jubilantly kissing a woman in Times Square on August 14, 1945. The kiss came after news of Japan's surrender, effectively ending World War II. It's a celebrated photo, but the woman who was kissed says she didn't have much say in the matter.

Where is the sailor kissing girl statue?

The 25-foot installation – known as “Embracing Peace” – is one of the most recognizable ornaments of the San Diego bayfront, placed right next to the USS Midway. Hundreds of people visit the spot every day — many stopping by just to snap a picture recreating in the pose.

What happened to sailor kissing Nurse?

George Mendonsa, the sailor pictured in the famous photograph kissing a woman in Times Square amid celebrations of the end of the second world war, has died. He was 95.

Where did sailor kissing Nurse happen?

He watched from The Sullivans' rail as a swarm of Navy nurses boarded the Bunker Hill to care for the wounded. On August 14, he saw a nurse in Times Square and kissed her as a way of saying thank you.

Is the sailor statue still in Sarasota?

A giant statue modeled after an iconic photograph depicting a sailor and a woman kissing in Times Square at the end of World War II will continue to be prominently displayed along Sarasota Bay. A statue commemorating the end of World War II will stay along Sarasota's Bayfront — but in a new location.

Did ww2 end with unconditional surrender?

The German Instrument of Surrender was a legal document effecting the unconditional surrender of the remaining German armed forces to the Allies, and ended World War II in Europe; the signing took place at 22:43 CET on 8 May 1945 and the surrender took effect at 23:01 CET on the same day.

Why was unconditional surrender criticized?

Critics have claimed that the demand for unconditional surrender bolstered the Axis nations' will to fight and eliminated the possibility of an earlier, negotiated end to the war.

Why did the US want unconditional surrender?

The policy of demanding unconditional surrender was an outgrowth of Allied war aims, most notably the Atlantic Charter of August 1941, which called for an end to wars of aggression and the promotion of disarmament and collective security.

Why is it called the kiss of death?

The Kiss of Death Origin and Etymology

Most people associate it with Judas Iscariot betraying Jesus Christ with a kiss, but some believe that the phrase kiss of death refers to a practice among the American Mafia of bestowing a kiss on someone who has betrayed the Mafia don and is therefore marked for death.

What is the kiss of death forehead?

Jaume Barba's statue, El Peto de la Mort (the Kiss of Death), is one of the most intriguing sculptures in the Poblenou cemetery in Barcelona. It depicts a winged figure of death kissing the forehead of a young man, symbolizing his transition from life to death.

What is the kiss of death crime?

Kiss of death (mafia), a Mafia signal that someone has been marked for execution.

What does an Italian kiss mean?

In Italy, it is a common practice to greet someone with a light kiss on both their cheeks. This is true even if you are just newly acquainted or if you have known someone for quite a long time.

What is the Sicilian Kiss of Death?

The "kiss of death" (In Italian, "Il bacio della morte") is a sign used in the Mafia that signifies that a member of the crime family has been marked for death, commonly as a result of betrayal.

What is the famous kiss of death?

It depicts the moment in which Linda Christian kisses Alfonso de Portago at a brief stop during the 1957 Mille Miglia race in northern Italy. Portago was killed moments later when a tire burst at 150 Km/h in Guidizzolo, Cavriana.

What is the famous statue in Sarasota?

It's easy to access, easy parking, great background to take pictures, and overall a fun place to visit. “Smooch!” It's a large statue, about 25 feet tall.

Who lives on Bird Key Sarasota?

The island was once the home of circus magnate, John Ringling's nephew, John Ringling North. Today, it is the home of several celebrities including tennis pro, Martina Navratilova, Jerry Springer and AC/DC lead vocalist, Brian Johnson.

What is the VJ Day kissing statue in Sarasota?

It's called "V-J Day in Times Square," but is known to most as "The Kiss." The "Unconditional Surrender" statue in Sarasota was the first of several statues installed worldwide by sculptor Seward Johnson using an image of a lesser-known photographer, Victor Jorgensen.