The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Artists tell back story on their inspiration behind King statue
They aim to portray moment of divine communication.
The media was recently invited to Inferno Art Foundry in Union City to witness the bronzing of an 8-foot statue of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. where artists Kathy Fincher and Stan Mullins were on hand to answer questions and supervise the assem- bly of this massive artwork. Fincher, who designed the piece over the course of four years, described how she and Mullins worked on the sculpture around the clock for about three months during the summer of 2022.
The statue, which will be unveiled April 1 and will reside in Atlanta’s Historic Vine City, is one of 18 statues dedicated to 300 years of Georgia’s icons of peace. Depicting his famous “I’ve Been to the Mountaintop” speech, King is rendered with eyes cast toward the heavens, his doctorate robe trailing in the wind and his Bible in hand. The finished sculpture will be poised atop a rock from Stone Mountain.
During the design process as she researched statues and monuments of King the world over, Fincher discovered that none depicts him in a moment of talking to, praying to or seeking God. This inspired her to portray this moment of divine communication as the spirit of the Lord flows through his figure.
As large portions of the sculpture were carefully lifted and hand-welded together, Fincher discussed the incredible level of detail and commit- ment to accuracy that she and Mullins embraced during the creation of this piece. During the design process, they were able to borrow King’s father’s robe, which they referenced in the studio to ensure that the velvet patches on the sleeves were created with precision. The Bible in King’s hand was modeled after the Bible his brother owned that is now kept in the National Monument Museum’s library. Fincher requested that they send her a photograph of the specific page that outlines Moses’ death, and that page bore a red star that had been drawn in the margins next to that passage as well as the stain of a bookmark that was permanently kept in that spot of the Bible.
There are several parallels that Fincher has drawn between King and Moses. “The whole ‘Mountaintop’ speech was the last minute and a half of his last speech; he was killed the next day. And Moses died after seeing the Promised Land,” she explained. His robe likewise transforms from the iconic doctorate robe into one more akin to what Moses would have worn.
In all her research, Fincher kept coming back to King’s powerful faith.
“Hopefully this is how he’d want it done, showing him talking to God,” said Fincher. “That’s what I want to sculpt: his spirit.”
Mullins, an Athens-based artist who works in a wide variety of media, ranging from watercolors to oversized stone monuments, was a perfect pairing with Fincher for this project. His career spans more than 25 years, and his techniques and styles have been informed by countless travel experiences as he seeks spiritual enlightenment. Mullins has a background in the classics, while Fincher’s background leans heavily toward the works of classical masters, and together they have created a truly moving statue in a baroque style.
For Fincher, this King statue is the latest in a series of bold artistic explorations. She is one of the most licensed children’s painters in America and uses a combination of classical art training and expressionism to create works that have earned her the nickname of the “feminine Rockwell.” Her extensive experience painting children with cherubic round faces and the storytelling nature of her works have proved essential in creating a sculpture that not only looks like King but also portrays deep emotion and narrative.