I can not grasp it, this moment – the now. It is a memory even as I breathe it in. Always here and yet never fully formed.
There is controversy surrounding this statue of Greta and George. There are those campaigning to save it. Others would rather see it removed. Doubt is cast both on its beauty and the history of the moment it portrays.
So which is it: the romantic reunion of a couple in love… or a kiss stolen by a drunken sailor from a passer-by?
Thank you to Milford Street for inspiring this post. His image of choice is of a soldier who passes his days in laughter, at a small distance from the above couple in Tuna Harbour Park, San Diego CA, near the USS Midway Museum.
vic briggs 
Great shot. I have a photo of this also, but the day was a bit hazy and did not have the brilliant blue background that you got.
My personal opinion….It is two people caught up in the moment back then.
Thank you 🙂 We were lucky – the weather was amazing. Crisp in the morning, but very sunny.
I haven’t made my mind up as yet, which I understand to be rather unusual, as most people either love it or hate it. A marmite statue if there ever was one.
PS: Marmite… I knew there was something else I had to decide on.
It represents the joy at the end of a long struggle. VJ Day, to me.
It’s an iconic picture and I think this is exactly what the sculptor had in mind. It’s location in San Diego empathises that.
Yep, very familiar with the photo, haha.
I don’t overlay the misogynist argument of “stolen kiss” onto the joy of winning WW2. haha. 😉
I often think that no matter what inspired a piece of art to begin with, the viewer will make it their own by infusing it with a narrative that fits with the goings on in their life. 🙂
Yes. Some do indeed. Makes fact finding quite interesting at times, haha.
I think sometimes we all over think things…I like it and she seems happy enough in his embrace, she certainly is not in a resistant position and her arms are relaxed. It’s a statue to me that represents impulsive joy and connection.
On a more humerous note…She does seem to have big feet though doesn’t she lol
You’re quite right – her feet are very big. I thought she might’ve borrowed the shoes and stuffed the tips with cotton 🙂
hehe – maybe because of the war times she had to compromise and do just that
I love it. What a great statue to have. Really? People want to get rid of it because they are trying to interpret what is going on in the mind of a statue????
Thank you, Suzy. Those opposed to the statue argue against it on the basis of an interview Greta gave – the girl in the photo that inspired the statue – who said she was grabbed in the street and that it was him kissing her, not the other way around. I wanted to include the interview, but wasn’t able to get hold of the original and it didn’t seem appropriate to use second-hand information.
I think people should lighten up, seriously. There is nothing wrong with this, it’s beautiful in either case. It’s life and love and humanity.
I thought it a rather unusual statue. In a strange way it made me think of Ancient Greece where statues were painted in vibrant colours in temples. This to me appears to be a modern equivalent. It’s funny in a way that traditionalists this of statues as being white or of a uni-coloured metal, when originally that wasn’t the case at all.
🙂
I like it immensely (it’s a perfect photo too) I can’t imagine who would object…though now that I think about it, it does convey a sort of female surrender that is possibly akin to the phrase “he took her” and therefore is possibly anti-feminist! 🙂
But I’m over-thinking it and should lighten up!
Thank you, Lee-Anne. There is something very sunny about that statue on a warm winter’s day, isn’t there? I’m glad you like it. As for the surrender… in the context of love I suppose it need not have negative connotations, although I’m certain that many will not agree.
WOW what a wonderful click ! I wish I could see that statue someday.
Thank you, Lala.
Do you live far from San Diego? It is certainly worth a visit and this is one of many treasures it has to offer.
When I was there, the wales had just returned and we were able to see a mother and child play in the distance.
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Bloody drunken sailors! (Stop stealing the navigators’ rum.)
When they ban “Gone with the Wind,” tear the statue down. Not a moment before.
lol
I really like it and think it would be shame to tear it down. Irrespective of its origins/history, no matter what , after this business (controversy) it will have an interesting story behind it no matter what!
🙂 Indeed.
I just read my repetitious poorly written comment and have to apologise. #Thunderbrain – not much sleep.
No worries. Hope you got some rest 🙂
Sort of kind of….
Not really… lol
Though it is in sight 🙂
Ah, interesting question…a moment in time can have so many definitions
Do you have a preference? Or do you believe it to always be contingent?
I honestly don’t know what to say about this statue. As a statue that was inspired from the famous photograph during the times of war, it created hope and unconditional love. I found it to be quite beautiful as well. But after reading an article about how the two “lovers” did not even know each other and the epic photograph was taken at the perfect spur of moment, it gives you a kind of mixed frenzy. Because I remember there being a stir-up since the two didn’t even think something like this could create such an icon dedicating such romanticism in American pop culture. History points to drunk sailor snagging a kiss but culture roots for passionate romance.
I was similarly stumped and this is in part why I wanted to share it with you 🙂 Searching for answers and perhaps I shall be persuaded one way or another.
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