Artist Modifies Design of Martin Luther King Memorial Statue - washingtonpost.com: Members of a powerful federal arts commission expressed satisfaction today with changes to a memorial statue of Martin Luther King Jr. after the architect smoothed away wrinkles in King's brow and re-shaped the mouth to impart a hint of a smile.
The design had run into trouble with the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts, which has the power to veto projects such as the King memorial on the Tidal Basin. The commission's secretary said in an April letter that the depiction of King with his arms crossed was too "confrontational" and reminiscent of the "Social Realist style" popular in Communist countries. Last year, critics complained after a Chinese sculptor, Lei Yixin, was selected for the memorial.
At their monthly meeting this morning, commission members reviewed illustrations of proposed changes to King's face and to the bottom and sides of the sculpture. Several said most of their concerns had been addressed.
