Statue Of Iconic WWII Moment Heading For Key West

WLRN Public Media | By Nancy Klingener

Published December 21, 2016 at 3:11 PM EST

Embracing Peace by Seward Johnson is based on an iconic photograph from the end of World War II.

A 25-foot tall statue based on a famous photograph is joining the snowbird migration from Michigan to Key West.

Embracing Peace by sculptor Seward Johnson shows a sailor kissing a nurse, an image shot by photographer Alfred Eisenstaedt in Times Square on the day Japan surrendered, ending World War II.

Since June, the statue has been at a memorial park in Royal Oak, Mich., and has helped raise awareness and funds for veterans. Now it's heading to the the Custom House, a museum of art and history in Key West.

Time for Fun, another sculpture by Seward Johnson, has been in front of the Custom House museum in Key West for more than five years.

Johnson has a winter home in Key West and the museum is home to several of his works.

"We are opening an exhibit in January, focusing on the history of the U.S. Navy in Key West," said Cori Convertito, the museum's curator. "We wanted that out front, to kind of gel with what was going on inside the museum."

The statue should be in front of the museum for at least a year while the Navy exhibit is up, Convertito said.

"We're hoping to do some quirky events where we get people to dress up or come down and do contests for longest kiss or best dress," Convertito said.

Embracing Peace will replace another Johnson statue that's been in front of the museum for more than five years. Time for Fun depicts dancers from a Renoir painting.