Police, SU relocate statue to respect fallen officers
Members of the Syracuse Police and representatives from Syracuse University reached an agreement to relocate a controversial statue after nearly a month of disagreement.
Jessica Posner, a recent SU alumna, sculpted an 11-foot statue titled ‘Wigged Monument,’ with a black base and a massive plastic foam yellow wig. It was temporarily removed early last week from its location in Foreman Park, out of respect for an Oct. 30 memorial ceremony for Officer Wallie Howard and other fallen police officers. Controversy erupted over the close proximity of the statue to the memorial for Syracuse police officers who died while on duty.
‘We’re very pleased that it’s been moved,’ said Jeffrey Piedmont, president of the Syracuse Police Benevolent Association. ‘Our problem wasn’t with this particular statue, it’s with statues being there in general. We’d like it to go back to how it originally was, and not have statues on that half of the park.’
The statue is scheduled to return to Foreman Park in its originally intended location near the front of the park. It is currently being stored near the Comstock Art Facility building on Comstock Avenue next to Manley Field House until it is reinstalled. The decision to move the statue was made as part of an agreement between the Syracuse Park Department and SU, said Pat Driscol, the Syracuse park commissioner.
‘Both the Syracuse PBA and Syracuse University have been very cooperative in this effort,’ Driscol said.
Posner, the sculptor, said she agreed with SPBA and SU’s decision to relocate the statue out of respect for police officers killed on duty.
‘The university acted in a way that was best for everyone, which is why they removed the statue on my behalf,’ Posner said.
But Posner said she is not completely satisfied with the process.
‘It’s a little disheartening for me because it happened without a discussion with the PBA,’ she said. ‘It just removed a piece of art. In a way it’s censorship.’
Posner said she hopes to open a community discussion about her statue once it is reinstalled.
She said, ‘Hopefully it will be welcomed back.’
Published on October 27, 2008 at 12:00 pm
