I never knew why, I never really thought about it, but every time I passed this sculpture, I would take a picture. I guess you could say it spoke to me, but I never understood what it was saying. Then one day this past spring, I decided to take a closer look. As I was walking around and around, truly seeing it for the first time, I spotted the plaque.
Epiphany!
Lightbulbs!
Angels singing and clouds parting!
A genuine “Aha” moment if there ever was one.
The plaque read simply, “Self Made Man”. After all these years, I finally understood.
“Self Made Man” is a 14-foot-tall bronze sculpture located on Magnolia Street, and of all the beautiful public art in and around Spartanburg, this is my favorite.
In the words of sculptor Bobbie Carlyle, “This sculpture has a timeless feeling to it in style and also in its meaning. The meaning is a truth that all human beings must take accountability for where they are in life, for how their own decisions brought them to that point in life, and for where they go in the future”.
Something to think about.
Thank you for this blog! I love the Self Made Man as well. After the Daniel Morgan statue, this is my favorite of all time. Keep up the great work!
Is this Spartanburg, SC?