America the (not so) Glamorous

To me, this picture of the Statue of Liberty is fitting to describe the general American public more than the one right now does. The hard truth is that America is not all that glamorous and it shows in every way. The intention of this picture seems to be to exploit that.

The thing about this picture that struck me is that there was something familiar about it. I then realized that I had seen this pose before. Every day, I walk through campus and see construction workers, students, professors in that pose on a curb, smoking a cigarette. This made me choose this picture because it really is a representation of the general American public. While this alternate statue is certainly not one to be displayed in New York, the concept is interesting because Lady Liberty is no longer this high and mighty figure. She is just like one of us. This picture even humanizes her, which I think is interesting.

• 

Read Full Post »

“You Maniacs! You Blew it Up!”

In this snapshot from the Planet of the Apes (1968), the protagonist realizes he hasn’t been living on another planet populated by apes, but rather he’s living on the planet Earth, after mankind annihilated itself. This image relies heavily on the emotional aspect of this icon, making it the absolute image of a failed mankind. Here, the statue ascends to a position higher than a symbol of opportunity and friendship, but rather the statue stands for America, the modern way of life, civilization, and the sum of mankind’s accomplishments. When Dard stated that “the Statue of Liberty has never aged… Liberty is the premier monumental icon of modern times.”, he describes exactly the emotions invoked by this icon, only they’re used in a new way: this is the destruction of the ageless and the loss of modern times, as well as humanity itself. This scene heavily uses the sense of national pride and wonder bestowed in the statue to make the post-apocalypse closer to home, by showing a universally American icon covered in rust, abandoned and buried up to her feet in the ocean, with her torch still pointing up. No other landmark would have the same effect as the Lady buried in the sand: the White House could be in ruins and Mount Rushmore could crumble, but nothing could embody America like lady liberty in the sand.

Read Full Post »

The Red Nosed SOL

If I were to drive past this billboard I think that I would definitely do a double take. Seeing a large, 3D red clown nose on Lady Liberty is an alternative depiction of this very “monumental” and recognizable figure. I believe that the concept behind Red Nose Day and this billboard itself is to deliberately be vague. I knew that I had seen advertisements for Red Nose Day before but I had to search on the web to find out what it was all about. I discovered that Red Nose Day was started in the United Kingdom by an organization called Comic Relief. The fundraiser has since been started in the United States. The mission of this initiation is to have people buy a red nose at Walgreens and where them to raise awareness and money for children living in poverty. The money goes to “some of the neediest communities in the US and some of the poorest communities in the world.”

          It is very interesting that the Statue of Liberty was chosen for the advertisement of this campaign. I think that one of the reasons that the Statue of Liberty was chosen was because the juxtaposition of her stone face and serious disposition with a goofy red nose is eye catching. Secondly, in almost any context the Statue of Liberty symbolizes patriotism and civic duty. It takes a sense of civic duty for people to donate to charities that are not benefiting themselves in any way. Also, the United States has a history of thinking of itself as a “City upon a hill” in charge of setting good practice for other countries. For this reason, it is interesting to note that the money not only goes to children in America that are struggling but also children all over the World. This is an example of how patriotic icons that have transformed and endured through time to further instill in Americans that we are a powerhouse and because of this it is our duty to help our own as well as help others.

Read Full Post »

Statue of Liberty and Law (Firms)

This is an advertisement for the a law firm called Jacoby & Meyers. It is a firm that has offices all across the nation. The use of the statue of liberty in this advertisement plays a very specific role. When the ad says “We take the hardship out of citizenship,” it is catering to a specific meaning that the statue of liberty has taken on. The use of the word citizenship evokes a sense of nationalism, as, of course, citizens are members of the United States who worked hard to get here and theoretically have pride in the country. The word citizenship also draws attention to the connection the statue of liberty has with immigration. For immigrants, becoming an American citizen was a very important feat and it meant opportunity and the potential to achieve your dreams through hard work. As Evertz discusses in her article, the statue of liberty became a symbol for immigrants and hope for those who came from nothing to have a chance to succeed with the poem written by Lazarus. The poem uses imagery that connects to another important word used in this advertisement: hardship. Lazarus talks about the homeless, the tired, the poor, and the wretched, which all imply strife and hardship which immigrants went through to become a citizen and live in the United States.

The law firm Jacoby & Meyers would use these words coupled with the statue of liberty to elicit a sense of patriotism and the value of hard work. The law offices are basically saying that they will do the hard work for you since it took hard work to become a citizen. The statue of liberty is also recognized for justice is sometimes associated with law, which connects directly to the law firm. Also, as discussed, the statue of liberty can also be seen as nurturing, which a law firm would want to use to convince their clients that they will take care of them just as the statue of liberty took care of the wretched and poor that came before her. The law firm is saying that they will take in whoever and work for them no matter what. Also, the statue of liberty is slightly altered in that instead of holding a light, she is giving the thumbs up. This may be to show positivity and them trying to convince potential clients that they are good and worthy of business since even the statue of liberty will endorse them.

Read Full Post »

Peace Corps Ad

This ad was used by the Peace Corps during the 1960’s. The ad depicts the Statue of Liberty with her hand which usually holds the torch, empty and pointing away from the United States, telling the viewer that if they want to “make America a better place”, they should “leave the country”. At first, these words may be shocking to some people since it looks like an ad attacking America by telling people to leave the country. However, on closer inspection, the viewer sees it is a Peace Corps advertisement looking for volunteers. The ad makes sure to place these words around the statue which seems to try and draw the connection that the statue spoke these words herself. This is important because if she could speak, her words would carry weight since she is perceived by many to be the embodiment of America. The ad appears to make the connection that if people want to be “good” Americans, they should listen to what the Statue of Liberty has to say. Since the Statue of Liberty represents American values and ideals, the Peace Corps most likely decided to use the Statue of Liberty as the symbol of America with the moral authority to tell people to get out of the country and broaden their horizons. This ad is both a reinforcement but also a spin on the values of what the Statue of Liberty represents. The statue is usually viewed as being the welcomer for the United States. However, in this ad she is speaking to Americans by basically telling them that instead of being content on staying in the United States, they should leave the country and experience new and different things. Since the Statue of Liberty welcomed countless amounts of people to America, it is somewhat implied that Americans viewing this ad should almost repay that debt and personify the best of America while traveling overseas to help others.

Read Full Post »

Statue of Liberty Levi’s Advertisement

Levi’s used the Statue of Liberty for this advertisement in 1971.  Levi’s is known as a popular American brand of jeans, so it would make sense that the company would play into their “American-ness” and the iconic value of the Statue of Liberty.  It was interesting to me that the founder of Levi’s (founded in 1853) was a German immigrant, so the Statue of Liberty’s original meaning may have had great significance to the company and its origins.  The statue wearing the Levi’s jeans demonstrates the idea that the jeans are exceptionally American – even Lady Liberty wears them.  The plaque that Lady Liberty is holding also remains the same as the original, which has the date the country gained its independence inscribed.  The camera angle and the wide stance of Lady Liberty gives the feeling that the Statue of Liberty is powerful, idolized, and should be looked up to – maybe viewers should follow her example and buy Levi’s jeans to be just as powerful and American! 

Read Full Post »

July 4th Protest

The Statue of Liberty immediately calls to mind the United States’ reputation of new opportunity and a better life for immigrants. Bertrand Dard writes, “Imagine the effect that this colossal structure, the Statue of Liberty, must have had on those arriving in New York Harbor, seeking a new world and a new life! Liberty, after all, was the culmination of their hopes and dreams.” This association between immigrants and the Statue was effectively used by activist Therese Patricia Okoumou when on July 4th, 2018, she scaled to the bottom of the Statue, protesting the United States’ separation of migrant families, as well as the detention and bad treatment of children. Okoumou spent around 3 hours on Independence Day on the base of the Statue, refusing to get down. In an interview with The Guardian, Okoumou is quote with saying, “I was thinking of Lady Liberty above me, you are so huge, you have always been a symbol of welcome to people arriving in America and right now, for me under this sandal, she is a shelter”.

While Okoumou did not alter the visual image of the Statue of Liberty, she utilized the universal knowledge of the Statue’s reputation and used it very cleverly to protest against the mistreatment of migrant families. Her protest called attention to the Statue of Liberty on the most patriotic day of the year in the United States. Doing this showcased the irony of celebrating the history of the United States, which boasts itself on its diversity and history of being a ‘melting pot’, while there were families being torn apart at the hands of this very country’s policies.

Quote from: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2018/jul/07/statue-of-liberty-protester-patricia-okoumou-interview

Read Full Post »

“Mother of Exiles”

Artist Justin Teodoro created this image of the Statue of Liberty in June of 2018 after First Lady Melania Trump wore a jacket that said “I really don’t care” while visiting migrant children detained in Texas. The girl in the image is likely a reference to the crying Honduran girl whose picture dominated the news cycle in June as networks covered the backlash against Trump’s family separation policy.

Teodoro interprets the Statue of Liberty as a representation of the American Dream and its promise to all immigrants. The Credo Reference article asserts that Emma Lazarus’ poem solidified the connection between the Statue of Liberty, immigration, and the American Dream when it was added to the statue’s pedestal in the early twentieth century. This image expands the association with immigration, however, by giving the Statue of Liberty a much more active role. The Statue of Liberty truly becomes the “mother of exiles” as she leads an immigrant child into America, which is symbolized here by the red, white, and blue path at the bottom of the image. Her status as a mother-like figure in this image also questions the role of the First Lady. In placing a new version of the First Lady’s jacket on the statue, Teodoro seems to suggest that the Statue of Liberty—as a representation of the American Dream and the promise of freedom to all immigrants—is the United States’ real female role model.            

Teodoro preserves only some of the components–the crown, greenish color, torch, and outstretched pose– that Dard argues are essential to the statue’s status as an icon. Although this statue is covered by the jacket, she is recognizable because she is still “striding forward and holding high the torch of liberty,” which evokes the values of freedom and opportunity for all. This statue is not, however, dressed in her typical classical clothing, which, Dard notes, evokes a sense of timelessness. In dressing the statue in Melania’s jacket, Teodoro rejects her timelessness and questions the longevity of the justice, freedom, and opportunity that she represents. This emphasizes the tension between the American values that the icon represents, and the country’s current immigration policy and apparent apathy toward immigrants.

Read Full Post »

Jet Airways Ad

This is an advertisement from Jet Airways, a major Indian international airport. It depicts the statue of liberty with a bindi, which is a dot worn on the forehead that is associated with Hinduism and Jainism. Both the Statue of Liberty and the bindi play important parts in selling this airline to people. By using the Statue of Liberty, Jet Airways is invoking many of the meaning that Americans have come to associate with the monument such as freedom and immigration. The ad’s slogan, “India just got closer,” speaks to those meanings as they are saying that they make it easier to travel between the United States and India. It is also worth noting that an airline based in India chose to use the Statue of Liberty over any other symbol, demonstrating how notable it is around the world and its ability to represent the United States and its ideas. The use of the bindi on the forehead of the Statue of Liberty is also interesting because it is not strictly Indian. While Hinduism is the majority religion in India, it is also practiced by large populations of people in other countries in the Indian subcontinent, Southeast Asia, and other places around the world. However, the use of it in this ad shows that to Americans it has become closely related to India. It also shines a light on the extent of the American people’s knowledge about India.

Read Full Post »

The Statue of Liberty

By Chelsea Meloccaro UTSA and Mathilde Fleury Angers

DID YOU KNOW…?

The Statue of Liberty is a representation of the American Declaration of Independence during the American Revolution. In 1865, The Statue was proposed by Frenchman Edouard de Laboulaye a French jurist, poet and anti-slavery activist. He wanted The Statue to symbolize the friendship between France and America when they became allies during the war. It was meant to be a gift from France to commemorate the centennial of the American Declaration of Independence.

Ten years later, in 1875, the sculptor Frederic Auguste Bartholdi, designed The Statue meant to be finished in a year. The Statue was a joint effort between America and France. However, only her right hand was finished by 1876 and was displayed at the American centennial exhibition. Due to the lack of funds between both France and the United States, led to a standstill in the construction. The Americans were to build the pedestal and the French were responsible for The Statue and its assembly in the United States.

The French people donated $250,000 to contribute to the construction of the monument. In 1885, Joseph Pulitzer urged the Americans’ to donate money towards the pedestal. Americans raised over $102,000 in donations of less than $1. Alexandre Gustave Eiffel (the designer of the Eiffel Tower) designed the structure in a combination of iron as a secondary skeleton and the outer layer copper. Giving The Statue the ability to move during high winds and storms. The original color of The Statue was copper but oxidized over time and turned green. When The Statue was completed in France in July 1884, it was disassembled, reduced to 350 individual pieces, and shipped to the New York Harbor on June 17. The disassembled statue was placed in storage until the pedestal was completed a year later.

In August 1885, the 87ft granite pedestal was built on a former military base, Fort Wood on Bedloe’s Island. The Pedestal was designed by Richard M. Hunt and built by General Charles P. Stone. When completed, the final cost was $270,000 and the money mostly came from public donations. In 1903, the famous poem “The New Colossus” by Emma Lazarus was engraved on the pedestal. The poem is celebrating the spirit of republicanism and freedom. The Statue was reassembled in 4 months, on April 1886, and was finally inaugurated on Ellis Island, on October 28 of 1886 by the President Grover Cleveland. Its original name was “The Statue of Liberty Enlightening the World.”  In 1924, when The Statue became a national monument, the name changed to become The Statue of Liberty. In 1956 Ellis Island was also renamed Liberty Island.

The Statue is 305 feet tall from the ground to the torch, it is the tallest statue in the United States. Lady Liberty symbolizes the friendship between America and France, but is also a symbol of freedom and hope for those entering into the country. In 1892, when Ellis Island opened as a federal immigration station, 14 million immigrants passed through the station welcomed by The Statue of Liberty. The Statue became a landmark for immigrants and a symbol of new beginnings and hope.

Today The Statue is still a symbol of freedom, and has become a true icon. 4 million visitors per year come to visit Lady Liberty. In 1984, UNESCO named Liberty Island a world heritage site. The Statue is also part of popular culture because it appears in many movies, video games, books, etc. The original statue, a smaller version, is in Paris in the Pont de Grenelle. Today we can find many other versions of The Statue not only in America and France, but all over the world. The reputation of The Statue of Liberty has made it the icon it is today. It’s one of the most famous monument in the world and for this we can say that, it’s not only a national icon but an international one as well.

The New Colossus By Emma Lazarus

Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame.

With conquering limbs astride from land to land;

Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand

A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame

Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name

Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand

Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command

The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame.

“Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!” cries she

With silent lips. “Give me your tired, your poor,

Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,

The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.

Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,

I lift my lamp beside the golden door!”

Bibliography:

Unknown. Fact Monster. “The Statue of Liberty.” Last Modified October, 2015.
http://www.factmonster.com/ipka/A0101054.html

–.The Statue of Liberty- Ellis Island. “Statue Biography.” Accessed April 21, 2016. http://www.libertyellisfoundation.org/statue-of-liberty-history

–. The Statue of Liberty-Ellis Island. “Statue History.” Accessed April 21, 2016. http://www.libertyellisfoundation.org/statue-history

Wikimedia Commons. “Statue of Liberty, NY. JPG.” Accessed April 28, 2016

Read Full Post »