Tuesday 29 October 2024

Dwyane Wade Statue Sculptor Defends Work Amid Fan Backlash

On Oct. 27, Dwyane Wade's legacy with the Miami Heat was cemented in history with the unveiling of a new bronze statue outside the team's Kaseya Center home, making Wade the first Heat player in history to be memorialized in metal. But the statue quickly drew criticism online for its lack of resemblance to the three-time NBA champ. 

Now, the statue's sculptors are speaking out in regard to any negative reactions. When asked about the backlash against his work, artist Omri Amrany stood by his creation. "I couldn’t do better than that. I don’t think anybody else can do better than that," he told Miami sports reporter Will Manso. "It is what it is, and we will love it forever."

Amrany and co-sculptor Oscar León stated plainly that they did their best. "At the end of the day we want to do the best job possible with human hands," they explained. 

"I want to be an artist that creates an in-your-face response and you cannot expect all of human society will have a positive reaction," the Israeli-born Amrany told Front Office Sports. "Some people will come with a goofy response or angry response. That’s not because of what the art is itself, but rather how it makes them feel. So, if this is my part of being a psychologist, fine."

Amrany, who met with Wade several times during the sculpture process, has also created statues of other basketball legends including a Michael Jordan piece in Chicago and the misspelled Kobe Bryant statue unveiled earlier this year in Los Angeles. 

Wade, for his part, is well aware of the jokes that have been made about the statue and its apparent resemblance to actor Laurence Fishburne

“The social media world is about opinions. Everyone has an opinion," he told reporters. "Send some memes. We don’t care. It was a special moment yesterday, my family and I."

"It doesn't need to look like me; it's an artistic version of a moment that happened that we're trying to cement," he added. The statue depicts Wade's famous "This is my house" celebration from a 2009 victory over the Chicago Bulls. "I appreciate all the comments that everyone has because I'm in on the joke, guys, like I laugh all the time. I'm cool. I saw some memes of it; it's kinda got a little Laurence Fishburne lower jawline." 

Regardless of how the statue looks, it's the sentiment of having Wade's career cast in history forever that counts. 



from Men's Journal https://ift.tt/ozFmvXD

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