Statue of Michael Jordan facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Statue of Michael Jordan |
|
|---|---|
| The Spirit, Michael Jordan's Spirit | |
 |
|
| Artist | |
| Year | 1994 |
| Medium |
|
| Dimensions | 3.7 m (12 ft) |
| Location | Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
| 41°52′51″N 87°40′23″W / 41.88070°N 87.67307°W | |
The statue of Michael Jordan is a famous bronze sculpture. It's also called The Spirit. Artists Omri Amrany and Julie Rotblatt-Amrany created it. You can find it inside the United Center in Chicago, Illinois. It has been there since March 1, 2017.
This statue was made after Michael Jordan first retired from basketball. He had just won three championships in a row! The statue was shown to the public on November 1, 1994. It was placed outside the United Center at first. The sculpture is 12-foot (3.7 m) tall. It stands on a 5-foot (1.52 m) black granite base. Even though some people didn't love it at first, the statue became a special spot. Fans meet there during championships. It's also a rallying point for Chicago Blackhawks fans.
Contents
The Story Behind the Michael Jordan Statue
Why Was the Statue Made?
Michael Jordan played his whole career with the Chicago Bulls. He was drafted in 1984. He led the Bulls to three championships. These wins were in 1991, 1992, and 1993. During these years, he was an NBA All-Star. He was also the NBA scoring champion. Plus, he won the NBA Finals MVP award each time.
After Jordan retired in 1993, the Bulls owner, Jerry Reinsdorf, wanted to honor him. He asked for ideas from artists. Twelve artists sent in their plans. In January 1994, Omri and Julie Rotblatt-Amrany were chosen. They built the statue for the Bulls' new home, the United Center. Before 1994, the Bulls played at Chicago Stadium.
How the Statue Was Created
The artists worked very hard on the sculpture. Their studio was kept secret. The husband-and-wife team and three helpers worked 16 hours a day. They worked for four months! Michael Jordan himself sat for measurements and photos. This helped make sure the statue looked exactly like him.
The sculpture weighs 2,000-pound (907.2 kg). It is 12 feet (3.7 m) tall. It sits on a 5-foot black granite base. The base has a special message: "The best there ever was. The best there ever will be." It also lists all of Jordan's achievements. The statue was made using a method called lost-wax casting. This project led to more similar work for the artists.
The statue's official address is United Center, 1901 W. Madison Street. Its official name is The Spirit. It is located inside the United Center near Gate 4. The United Center opened on August 18, 1994. The statue shows Jordan in mid-air. People guess it might be from his 63-point game in 1986. Or maybe it's from his 1988 slam-dunk contest. It could also be inspired by his famous Jumpman logo. Jordan is shown doing a right-handed slam dunk over two opponents. The statue is touched up before each basketball season.
The statue was put in place on October 31, 1994. It was shown to the public on November 1, 1994. Michael Jordan, Jerry Reinsdorf, and Larry King were there. Jordan's jersey number was retired during the ceremony. Only Jordan's knee is connected to the base. The statue is hollow inside. It was built to last through all kinds of weather. After Jordan retired for the second time in 1998, a quote was added to the base. It's from the 1992 film A River Runs Through It. The quote says: "At that moment I knew, surely and clearly, that I was witnessing perfection. He stood before us, suspended above the earth, free from all its laws like a work of art, and I knew, just as surely and clearly, that life is not a work of art, and that the moment could not last."
Where Is the Statue Now?
In 2015, the Bulls announced plans to move the statue. It would go into a new atrium. Statues of Bobby Hull and Stan Mikita would stay outside. Construction started in mid-2015. On March 1, 2017, a celebration was held. It was for the opening of the new 190,000-square-foot (18,000 m2) United Center east addition. The statue is now inside this new atrium. It's between the new addition and the original United Center. You can visit it daily from 10 AM to 6 PM. It stays open later on event days.
