The great civilizations of the old world worked in bronze for art, from the time of the introduction of the alloy for edged weapons. The Greeks were the first to scale the figures up to life size. Few examples exist in good condition; one is the seawater-preserved bronze now called “The Victorious Athlete,” which required painstaking efforts to bring it to its present state for museum display. Far more Roman bronze statues have survived. The ancient Chinese, from at least 1200BC, knew both lost-wax casting and section mold casting, and in the Shang dynasty created large ritual vessels covered with complex decoration which have survived in tombs. Over the long creative period of Egyptian dynastic art, small lost-wax bronze figurines were made in large numbers; several thousand of them have been conserved in museum collections. From these beginnings, bronze art has continued to flourish.

Common bronze alloys have the unusual and desirable property of expanding slightly just before they set, thus filling the finest details of a mold. Their strength and ductility (lack of brittleness) is an advantage when figures in action are to be created, especially when compared to various ceramic or stone materials. These qualities allow the creation of extended figures, as in Jeté, or figures that have small cross sections in their support, such as the equestrian statue of Richard the Lionheart. Modern statuary bronze is 90% copper and 10% tin; older bronze alloys varied only slightly from this composition.

But the value of the bronze for other uses is disadvantageous to the preservation of sculptures; few large ancient bronzes have survived, as many were melted down to make weapons in times of war or to create new sculptures commemorating the victors, while far more stone and ceramic works have come through the centuries, even if only in fragments.

It’s been called Africa’s Statue of Liberty, but as the African Renaissance Monument was inaugurated in Senegal’s capital, Dakar, on April 3, many were saying that it better represented many of Africa’s modern woes: megalomania and authoritarian rule.

President Abdoulaye Wade says the 170-foot-tall bronze statue of three figures is supposed to represent the fresh start African countries made when they declared independence 50 years ago. But the project has drawn criticism from nearly every sector of Senegalese society.

“It’s ugly and expensive,” said Ousmane Sow, Senegal’s most recognized sculptor. “It looks like one of those little plastic figures they used to give out in cereal boxes.”

It’s true that the design doesn’t exactly evoke traditional African themes. It looks more like the statue of Kim Il Sung in downtown Pyongyang. Indeed, it was built by a North Korean construction firm, which received the bulk of the $20 million earmarked for the project after President Wade personally intervened on their behalf.

Contracting the lucrative project out to foreigners caused outrage in Senegal, where unemployment sits at just under 50 percent. Many in the business community pointed out that a monument commemorating Africa’s emergence from centuries of intolerance and racism should at least be built by Africans themselves.

The entire process was plagued by what local transparency activist Jacques Habib Sy called “a confusion between the president’s personal interests and those of the nation.”

Mr. Wade drew the initial sketches for the statue with his own hand, and he’s now claiming 35 percent of its intellectual property rights. He will collect his share of tourist revenues and says the money will be put in a charitable fund.

“People feel it is a misplaced investment,” Mr. Sy said. “This statue has a sad reputation of being one man’s fallacy.”

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Statues are such an influential part of history that notable people all around the world have recognized their beauty. Here are just a few:

“I have a bronze statue of myself. I have these really big curls and water comes out of every curl. It’s hot.”
~Macy Gray

“The Statue of Liberty is no longer saying, “Give me your poor, your tired, your huddled masses.” She’s got a baseball bat and yelling, “You want a piece of me?”
~Robin Williams

“In every block of marble, I see a statue as plain as though it stood before me, shaped perfect in attitude and action. I have only to hew away the rough walls that imprison the lovely apparition to reveal it to others eyes as mine see it.”
~Michelangelo

“Pay no attention to what the critics say. A statues has never been erected in honor of a critic.”
~Jean Sibelius

“The sculptor produces the beautiful statue by chipping away such parts of the marble block as
are not needed–it is a process of elimination”
~Elbert Hubbard

“I have a wonderful make-up crew. They’re the same people restoring the Statue of Liberty.”
~Bob Hope

“The apathy of the people is enough to make every statue leap from its pedestal and hasten the resurrection of the dead.”
~William Lloyd Garrison

“Only he who can view his own past as an abortion sprung from compulsion and need can use it to full advantage in the present. For what one has lived is at best comparable to a beautiful statue which has had its limbs knocked off in transit, and now yields nothing but the precious block out of which the image of one’s future must be hewn.”
~Walter Benjamin

“Bronze in the mirror of the form, wine of the mind. ”
~Aeschylus

“The pigeon here is a beautiful bird, of a delicate bronze colour, tinged with pink about the neck, and the wings marked with green and purple.”
~William John Wills

Internationally acclaimed artist Gins Serrn will make a grand declaration of peace when he unveils the worlds largest bronze sculpture of Classical Mythology, The Union of the World: Monument to World Peace, on January 23rd in Mary Brickell Village, Miami. Since Phidias and Chares created Zeus and the Colossus of Rhodes both of which were destroyed over 2,000 years ago, no other sculpture has been created of such magnitude. Measuring 26 feet in height and 17,600 pounds in weight, today this bronze statue is the largest in the world. Miami will become its permanent home.
Similar to Frances offering of the Statue of Liberty to New York in 1886 as an icon of Freedom, The Union of the World is being offered to the City of Miami as a symbol of peace in the world, states Serrn.
Toms P. Regalado, the Honorable Mayor of the City of Miami, with artist Gins Serrn and Dr. Dame Evangeline Gouletas, Former First Lady of New York State and renowned real estate developer, will unveil the historical monument on January 23 at 6:00 pm. Mayor Regalado will also present the artist with the Key to the City of Miami for his artistic and humanitarian contributions to the world.
The Statue of Liberty in New York finally meets her mate, The Union of the World in Miami, making these the two most significant symbols of freedom and peace in America. The Union of the World will become a landmark  for the City of Miami, admired by thousands of people from all over the world.
Gins Serrn, who lived in New York most of his life, has had 150 exhibitions in 15 countries and has received international awards and recognitions. This year marks the 30th anniversary since his first exhibition in America at the Guggenheim Museum, New York. To create his monument for peace, he was inspired by the legend of Hercules. Born in the city of Ceuta, Spain, which according to the myth was one of the two Pillars, instead of separating the Columns of the World, the artist sculpted the hero uniting them.
The sculpture symbolizes the union of the Hellenic and Latino cultures with the history of the United States as well as the cultural ties of Europe with America. Interestingly enough this sculpture is also connected to the history of the United States through the origin of the US dollar. The two vertical lines of the US dollar sign ($) are the two Pillars of Hercules, adopted by Congress on July 6, 1785.
When Evangeline was introduced to Gins Serrn, she was moved by his artwork and touched by his dedication to peace. As a Board Member of UNICEF, Evangeline has long served as an advocate of world peace. For her latest development in Miami, SkyPalace, Evangeline focuses on the concept of fusing Architecture and Art. Children who grow up surrounded by art become more sensitive adults; people who are living day to day influenced by art become more inspired human beings – that lifestyle is what I envision for the residents of my buildings, states Evangeline.
The City of Miami has been for many years a haven for thousands of people who enjoy its climate, calmness, lush landscaping and diverse cultures. In contrast, today the world is facing turbulent times with eight major wars, and still the City will stand with this Monument, The Union of the World, as a symbol of World Peace.

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1. Step 1

   Pour a small amount of coconut oil onto a soft clean cloth and wipe the entire bronze statue with it. This helps the statue return to or stay in its most natural state. Coconut oil will not discolor the statue.

2. Step 2

   Dip a clean soft cloth in a solution of 2 cups distilled water and one tablespoon of a mild dish soap to clean grime away from the surface.

3. Step 3

   Dust the statue regularly, at least once a week. Too much dust can damage the surface. Use a soft, clean, dry cloth and dust the statue thoroughly. For hard-to-reach areas, such as the gun on a military statue, use a soft bristle brush.

4. Step 4

   Mix a paste of 1 tbsp. salt, 1 tbsp. of flour and 1 tbsp. of vinegar until you have a thick paste. Apply the paste to the tarnished areas of the statue. Allow the paste to sit on the on the statue for five minutes and wipe it away with a clean damp cloth. Use a dry clean cloth to polish the statue.

5. Step 5

   Cut a lemon in half and dip it in salt. Rub the lemon over the statue to eliminate tarnish. Use a dry, clean cloth to buff the shine back onto the statue.

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For many children who are visually impaired, learning multiplication tables and mathematical equations is simply not something they like to spend time doing. Math is hard for them. They would rather be playing games. Senior Sheila Schneider has developed something that she believes will bridge that gap.

Schneider, the first legally blind student to major in sculpture at the University, has created a series of sculptures she believes will be appealing to kids and help them learn math more effectively.

“The sculptures would create a gestural language for students,” Schneider said. “The project allowed me to still be a sculptor and create something to help someone else.”

The six sculptures are hand-held and feature mathematical equations on the surfaces.

Schneider said she put a lot of thought into the design of the product.

“I wanted them to be appealing to kids so I incorporated curved surfaces,” she said. “There are very few flat surfaces. I also put holes in them because after observing kids, I found that their little fingers always like to find holes.”

Schneider said one of the reasons she wanted the design to be so appealing is that she understands firsthand how hard it can be for visually impaired students to learn math.

“Math was very difficult for me in school,” Schneider said. “I was very artistically inclined, but math and science? I hated them!”

Deana McDonagh, an industrial design professor, thinks appeal is an important part of the success of the project.

“We just want them to be beautiful little sculptures that you’ll want to pick up,” she said. “Students will not only be feeling them but reading equations in a very non-threatening, non-competitive way.”

Schneider said being able to apply the Braille to curved surfaces was the most challenging part of the project because usually Braille is used on flat surfaces only.

Another challenge is that Schneider had no experience reading Braille until this project.

Schneider said she would like to have her foam prototypes converted into bronze sculptures by the summer.

Long-term goals include commercializing the product for school systems and home use and even using the idea to create interactive playground equipment.

“People don’t realize when they see a child what their potential could be,” Schneider said.

“So many people look at those who are blind in a specific way. Allowing them opportunities to be productive and independent is really important.”

McDonagh also stressed how important the project is even for those without visual impairment.

“We all experience some form of disability, especially with age,” she said. “This is a very exciting new way of approaching design.”