Robocop Statue
It all started way back in February 2011…
Much has been written and said about it, but long story short, 2,718 people (who will be in our RoboBackers section shortly) from all around the city and all around the world contributed $67,436 through Kickstarter to build a statue of RoboCop in Detroit, MI USA. Amazing!
It is real and it is happening. Fundraising ended on the night of March 26th, 2011 and now production time begins. The RoboTeam in Detroit is already collaborating with some amazing talent and partners to deliver a statue that will make the city and project backers proud.
It is real and it is happening. Fundraising ended on the night of March 26th, 2011 and now production time begins. The RoboTeam in Detroit is already collaborating with some amazing talent and partners to deliver a statue that will make the city and project backers proud.[1]
Contents
Story
On Monday, February 7th a random dude in Massachusetts tweeted a message to Detroit Mayor David Bing:
@mayordavebing Philadelphia has a statue of Rocky & Robocop would kick Rocky's butt. He's a GREAT ambassador for Detroit.
Shortly after, Mayor Bing tweeted back:
@MT There are not any plans to erect a statue to Robocop. Thank you for the suggestion.
The internet went haywire over the idea. Detroiter John Leonard started a Facebook group called Build a statue of RoboCop in Detroit and galvanized an effort to bring Robo to life. Now, teaming up with friends and doers from around the city, region, country, and world, we're making use of newfangled internet fundraising tools and social networks to can bring this vision to reality.
Location
Detroit
Specifically, the Imagination Station is offering a piece of its property on Roosevelt Park facing Michigan Central Station as Robocop's new home.
Production
Casey V. Westbrook and crew are currently leading the charge to pour a weatherized 7 foot tall iron statue (UPDATE: perhaps bronze and perhaps larger, depending on cost and other factors). Take a look at his work here. The last project Casey worked on was an epic action installation with Matthew Barney in Detroit. See a picture and read about it in Art Forum here.
UPDATE: We're extremely excited to announce that Fred Barton Productions (www.the-robotman.com) has stepped-up with an offer to donate the use of the very same materials they are using to create their amazing 1:1 Robocop statue. Barton’s 1:1 statue has been painstakingly retooled from a variety of studio sources and original stone molds assuring unprecedented accuracy and detail. Detroit’s statue is going to be completely the real deal, scaled-up in size from these pieces. Barton is MGM's Official Licensee for Robocop; they are the leader in studio licensed celebrity robotic replicas -- including the amazing Robocop bust you see below.[2]
