This is the statuary and fountain ready to be unveiled at the new Bern's Park on South Howard Avenue. The park is located south of Kennedy Boulevard and two blocks from Bayshore Boulevard and is named in honor of Bern Laxer, famed restaurateur and founder of Tampa's world renowned Bern's Steak House. A report from Bay News 9 on Bright House said this about the park:
"More than half a century after Bern Laxer opened his steak house, the city is preparing to unveil Bern's Park. The park will bear the name of Laxer, who died in 2004, ... The park has been in the works since 2003, and has been spearheaded by planner Laurie Potier-Brown. The first phase of the project is set to be completed in a couple of weeks."
"It does entail these beautiful walkways that will be lined in brick, and the fountain, which will be two-tiered," Potier-Brown said. The fountain will be the first in Tampa to use reclaimed water."We're placing eight benches surrounding the fountain, so people can enjoy the fountain at night," she said. "There will be lights on the sculpture and the water will be flowing."David Laxer said his father would have approved of the park."He's the type of person that would really enjoy that park a lot," he said. "Life sometimes gets a little bit too fast, and you need to just sit back and enjoy it."
9 comments:
I like the sculpture! They seem to be encouraging drinking wine while sitting back and enjoying life. Hmmm… on second thought, that would do it.
I hope you'll go back there for pictures at night once it's formally open. :)
What a great fountain! Another reason to visit Tampa! Your city does some really neat things, Frank!
But, hmmmm, what do you think would be different about this fountain if it was built in Paris?
I know what Jacob is referring to about what would be different about this fountain if it were in France. Heck, the French even had a bare breasted Joan of Arc on their currency. Can you imagine a bare breast on currency in the USA?
The Diego Rivera murals in the building of the Legislature in Mexico City would never be found in the U.S. Capitol, either. The scenes depicted include a priest cavorting with a prostitute and capitalists exploiting labor.
Jacob AND Dave - I thoroughly documented the three sculptural figures and very carefully chose one image to feature. As you can tell the model was obviously uncomfortable in her draping. From my research in most foreign countries, models in France, Italy, etc., etc. would be more free to dance about without restriction. (We American's develop great imaginations.)
Remember what Rivera completed for Rockefeller in NYC? The 1930s "battle of Rockefeller Center."
No, I don't remember what Rivera did...tell me!
I do remember a certain pious attorney general who did a little draping, though.
That really is going to be nice. Maybe one of these days you can get a shot at night with the lights on.
What a lovely memorial. I'm not going to make any comments about you three guys and your deep philosophical musings on "to bare or not to bare".
I love this fountain and am so glad to see that we're continuing to create small parks like this in Tampa.
Once I was there with my family and children,l it was crazy because we took a lot photos standing next to the statue, my little son was sitting over the horse he got a good time there.
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