For This post, I chose the public art piece Uncommon Friends by D.J. Wilkins. I chose this sculpture because I visited it in the past with my brother while he was visiting various landmarks in Florida. Because he lives in Ohio with my mother, I chose this specific one because of the important memories I share with him while he is down here. The Sculptures are of various famous inventors who were friends that often came to ft Myers, Henry Ford, Harvey Firestone, and Thomas Edison. Wilkins did his research by asking multiple people who knew them and knew they were close friends; the subject of this painting is seemingly three famous friends relaxing around a campfire and possibly listening to music. A significant thing I gather from this art is that even though we see these people as historical or famous, they still have friendships or bonds like everyone else or, like my brother and me. Especially with how busy their lives are, they still have time or make time to relax and share old memories with the people closest to them.
Another aspect of the sculpture that people often look past is the Alligator with babies, a manatee, and various types of fish. I think these points tie it into the city of Fort Myers's rich and vast wildlife and mangroves; without the other additions, I feel the sculptures could have been put anywhere in Florida and wouldn’t have been noticed. Living in Fort Myers, things like an abundance of wildlife can be overlooked. Still, my brother pointed out the beauty of Florida that is often taken for granted by locals, especially when compared to a place like Ohio. In addition to the art subject, I felt relaxed; people enjoy themselves with nothing but friends, music, and fire, specifically with Harvey Firestone Lying back. Today, there is an abundance of insignificant entertainment to keep yourself busy, like Tick Tok, Youtuber, and Netflix. I was making time with family and friends far and in between. This piece of art spoke to me about relationships and making more time for those closest to me.
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