So, how did I become a ~20 foot bronze statue at the
@millenniumgate in
@atlanticstation ? Here’s the story.
🗽🗽🗽
Rodney Cook is a good friend, board member of
@brawlforacause , and president of the National Monuments Foundation. He teamed up with
@stan_mullins , a world-renowned artist / sculptor to design, fund, and build the central figure in Atlanta’s new Peace Park. Chief Tomochichi was head of the Yamacraw tribe when settlers landed in Georgia. He started our state’s tradition of peace by welcoming colonists and engaging in peaceful diplomacy with England.
🕺🏼🕺🏼🕺🏼
One night, over drinks and cigars with Rodney and Stan, they noticed I had similar facial features and body type to Tomochichi and his heir Toonahowie. They compared old paintings of the two with me, then ordered a genetics test to see if I had any native blood. When the test came back saying I was ~7 generations removed from a Native American ancestor, Rodney introduced me to one of the descendants of Pocahontas for her approval to stand as model for the chief. After her green light, I found myself posing in a loin clothe for hours on end in Stan’s amazing studio until he had the pictures, mini-model, and iterations he needed to build the 20 foot cast for the eventual bronze statue.
🗽🕺🏼🗽
Fast forward over 3 years later, and here we are. The first step for the chief will be keeping guard of the Gate Museum until the Peace Pantheon is build in the new Cook Park. Then, the chief will take his rightful place as cofounder of Georgia atop the pillar to look over Atlanta for the next couple hundred (thousand?) years.
🤯🤯🤯
To say it’s surreal and mind blowing to see a version of myself like this is an understatement. I’m so grateful to Rodney, Stan, and all the others involved with this massive undertaking, and I look forward to the day when I can take my grandkids to the chief to show them what pop used to look like. Go check out the Chief at Atlantic Station and let me know what you think!
