Spirit Of Detroit Analysis

The Spirit of Detroit is a sculpture made in the heart of Detroit. It is a large bronze statue, standing twenty-six feet high and is located at the Coleman A. Young Municipal center on Woodward Avenue. Behind the statue, is a Courts Tower's marble wall element that has various passages, symbols, and writings that symbolize Detroit. The extensively creative detail amidst the statue and the messages behind the sculpture provide a visual argument of hope for the people that walk by it every day and for the city as a whole. The Spirit of Detroit sculpture was shaped in 1958 by Marshall Fredericks. He died in 1998, and resided in Birmingham, Michigan when he passed. When Fredericks finished the sculpture, he waived his creative fee for constructing it. Instead of making a profit, it actually cost him money to produce. The cost of designing the sculpture was fifty-eight thousand dollars and underwent minor restorations in 2006. Fredericks cited that he created the work of art merely out of his civic responsibility. “Like many Detroiters, I have been impacted by the ills of this city, but together, we get to choose where we head from here. As long as we allow the spirit of every Detroiter to guide us forward to a strong, safe, prosperous city, I …show more content…
This sculpture stands out and illustrates a message to anyone who sees it or walks by. It was created in a time of decline for Detroit. It was built at the perfect time because this situation prompted its creation to acknowledge that the city may be struggling, yet not lifeless. The statue suggests that people who live here should be proud, excited, and hopeful for the things going on in the city and what the area offers. This symbol is accepted in the area and people who come to the area accept it. The creative detail and the messages behind the sculpture effectively provide a visual argument of hope for the people that see it every