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Monument to Joe Louis

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234: 36: 251:(1938–2008), and poured by the legendary bronze artist, Rolf Kriken, is a 24-foot-long (7.3 m) arm with a fisted hand suspended by a 24-foot-high (7.3 m) pyramidal framework. The sculpture weighs 5000 pounds and the total weight including the framework is 8000 pounds. 288:, the fist was symbolically intended as a statement against racism. Graham referred to the sculpture as a "battering ram". It is claimed to be an historical metaphor, even down to its placement (pointing toward Canada). 291:
The sculpture was vandalized by two white men in 2004, who covered it in white paint and left a sign which read, "Courtesy of Fighting Whities". Graham responded that the piece was "working" if it aroused passion.
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Zaslow, Jeffrey (4 March 2004). "In Detroit, a Blow To 'The Fist' Touches A Sensitive Nerve; Controversial Sculpture Is Defaced With Paint; Vandals Deny Racism".
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Colby, Joy Hakanson (10 July 2006). "Art 'hospitals' heal history: Conservators battle against time and abuse to fix and preserve precious artwork".
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The sculpture is one of two monuments in Detroit honoring Joe Louis. The other is a full-size statue of Louis located inside the
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7.3 m × 3.5 m × 7.3 m (24 ft × 11.5 ft × 24 ft)
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It represents the power of his punch both inside and outside the ring. Because of Louis' efforts to fight
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in front of the monument with a statement indicating it was for "helping to ease the pain of
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located at the intersection of Jefferson Avenue and Woodward Avenue in
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In 2013, Detroit-based artist Jerry Vile placed a 4-ft. tall can of
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https://www.dia.org/art/collection/object/monument-joe-louis-46291
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Dedicated on October 16, 1986, the sculpture, commissioned by
319:, a sex act in which Crisco is sometimes used as lubricant. 357:"Monument to Joe Louis | Detroit Institute of Arts Museum" 404:"Detroit sculpture of Joe Louis' fist getting overhaul" 493:"The Real Story Behind Detroit's Giant Joe Louis Fist" 448:"Fist of a Champion - Detroit's Monument to Joe Louis" 549:"Detroit's massive jar of Crisco up for sale on eBay" 490: 577:"Artist Gives Detroit Crisco, "To Ease the Pain"" 666: 524:"How do we honor Joe Louis? Rename Cobo Center" 521: 473: 315:." Many interpreted the can as a reference to 254:The inscription on the back of the arm reads: 34: 599: 574: 626: 469: 467: 465: 232: 667: 491:Daily Detroit Staff (July 10, 2015). 462: 335: 302: 428:"Joe Louis Memorial – Robert Graham" 351: 349: 700:Vandalized works of art in Michigan 247:from the Mexican-American sculptor 213:, is a memorial dedicated to boxer 113:8000 lbs. total including framework 13: 14: 716: 627:Barcelos, Chris A. (2023-05-04). 401: 346: 274:DETROIT. THE DETROIT INSTITUTE OF 705:Cultural depictions of Joe Louis 695:1986 establishments in Michigan 690:Sculptures of African Americans 620: 593: 575:Olshansky, Clara (2013-07-31). 568: 541: 522:Riley, Rochelle (May 8, 2017). 278:ON THE OCCASION OF THE MUSEUM'S 675:Tourist attractions in Detroit 600:Broderick, Ryan (2013-07-31). 515: 484: 440: 420: 395: 373: 329: 270:A GIFT FROM SPORTS ILLUSTRATED 1: 685:Bronze sculptures in Michigan 647:10.1080/14681811.2022.2061441 322: 276:ARTS AND ITS FOUNDERS SOCIETY 272:TO THE PEOPLE OF THE CITY OF 7: 10: 721: 228: 189: 184:Detroit Institute of Arts 179: 138: 120: 103: 95: 81: 73: 59: 49: 45: 33: 26: 21: 54:Robert Graham (sculptor) 16:Memorial in Detroit, USA 629:"Adventures in fisting" 508:originally appeared in 381:"Memorial to Joe Louis" 164:42.328694°N 83.044544°W 280:CENTENNIAL. 1885-1985. 238: 237:Showing title of piece 554:Michigan Public Media 236: 204:Monument to Joe Louis 169:42.328694; -83.044544 40:The sculpture in 2019 22:Monument to Joe Louis 313:Detroit's bankruptcy 110:5000 lbs. fist alone 477:Wall Street Journal 299:convention center. 160: /  528:Detroit Free Press 450:. 26 November 2007 303:In popular culture 244:Sports Illustrated 239: 383:. detroit1701.org 199: 198: 712: 659: 658: 624: 618: 617: 615: 614: 597: 591: 590: 588: 587: 572: 566: 565: 563: 562: 545: 539: 538: 536: 534: 519: 513: 507: 505: 503: 488: 482: 481: 471: 460: 459: 457: 455: 444: 438: 437: 435: 434: 424: 418: 417: 415: 414: 408:The Detroit News 399: 393: 392: 390: 388: 377: 371: 370: 368: 367: 353: 344: 343: 333: 297:Huntington Place 207:, known also as 175: 174: 172: 171: 170: 165: 161: 158: 157: 156: 153: 143: 38: 19: 18: 720: 719: 715: 714: 713: 711: 710: 709: 680:1986 sculptures 665: 664: 663: 662: 625: 621: 612: 610: 598: 594: 585: 583: 573: 569: 560: 558: 547: 546: 542: 532: 530: 520: 516: 501: 499: 489: 485: 472: 463: 453: 451: 446: 445: 441: 432: 430: 426: 425: 421: 412: 410: 400: 396: 386: 384: 379: 378: 374: 365: 363: 355: 354: 347: 334: 330: 325: 305: 281: 279: 277: 275: 273: 271: 269: 265: 263: 261: 259: 255: 231: 168: 166: 162: 159: 154: 151: 149: 147: 146: 139: 116: 91: 69: 41: 17: 12: 11: 5: 718: 708: 707: 702: 697: 692: 687: 682: 677: 661: 660: 641:(3): 279–286. 619: 592: 567: 540: 514: 510:Detroit Unspun 483: 480:. p. A.1. 461: 439: 419: 394: 372: 345: 342:. p. E.1. 327: 326: 324: 321: 304: 301: 266:ROBERT GRAHAM 230: 227: 197: 196: 191: 187: 186: 181: 177: 176: 144: 136: 135: 122: 118: 117: 115: 114: 111: 107: 105: 101: 100: 97: 93: 92: 90: 89: 85: 83: 79: 78: 75: 71: 70: 68: 67: 63: 61: 57: 56: 51: 47: 46: 43: 42: 39: 31: 30: 24: 23: 15: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 717: 706: 703: 701: 698: 696: 693: 691: 688: 686: 683: 681: 678: 676: 673: 672: 670: 656: 652: 648: 644: 640: 636: 635: 634:Sex Education 630: 623: 609: 608: 607:BuzzFeed News 603: 596: 582: 578: 571: 556: 555: 550: 544: 533:September 30, 529: 525: 518: 511: 498: 497:Daily Detroit 494: 487: 479: 478: 470: 468: 466: 449: 443: 429: 423: 409: 405: 398: 382: 376: 362: 358: 352: 350: 341: 340: 332: 328: 320: 318: 314: 310: 300: 298: 293: 289: 287: 286:Jim Crow laws 282: 267: 256: 252: 250: 249:Robert Graham 246: 245: 235: 226: 224: 220: 216: 212: 211: 206: 205: 195: 192: 188: 185: 182: 178: 173: 145: 142: 137: 134: 133:United States 130: 126: 123: 119: 112: 109: 108: 106: 102: 98: 94: 87: 86: 84: 80: 76: 72: 65: 64: 62: 58: 55: 52: 48: 44: 37: 32: 29: 25: 20: 638: 632: 622: 611:. 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Index


Robert Graham (sculptor)
Detroit
Michigan
United States
Coordinates
42°19′43″N 83°02′40″W / 42.328694°N 83.044544°W / 42.328694; -83.044544
Detroit Institute of Arts
https://www.dia.org/art/collection/object/monument-joe-louis-46291
Joe Louis
Detroit
Hart Plaza

Sports Illustrated
Robert Graham
Jim Crow laws
Huntington Place
Crisco
Detroit's bankruptcy
fisting
Detroit News


"Monument to Joe Louis | Detroit Institute of Arts Museum"
"Memorial to Joe Louis"
"Detroit sculpture of Joe Louis' fist getting overhaul"
"Joe Louis Memorial – Robert Graham"
"Fist of a Champion - Detroit's Monument to Joe Louis"

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