Fountain of Eternal Life — Attraction in Cleveland

In the 1970s & 1980s, the area around the mall was a gay cruising scene at night. I have always admired the multi-cultural & pan-religious elements The four granite representations of the 'geographical civilizations of man' are a bit murky. One (with Ganesha, remover of obstacles) references the Indian subcontinent. Another represents African traditions. One might be classical Northern European and a fourth seems vaguely Pacific/Aboriginal? Art is about stirring thoughts without necessarily conveying a fixed imagination. I am less sure about the globe which represents superstitions and legends of mankind. A turtle makes me think of Terry Pratchett's Disk World creation myth. Finally man, (and he is nude) rises up from the flames of man's internecine conflicts 'reaching for eternal peace'. The fountain commemorates those lost in war. When I visit, I find myself singing "The Green Fields of France (No Man's Land)" by Eric Bogle. "Did you really believe that this war would end wars? Well, the suffering, the sorrow, the glory, the shame The killing and dying it was all done in vain Oh Willie McBride, it's all happened again And again, and again, and...

It is beautiful and it is a Pokemon Go gym.

“The Fountain of Eternal Life, also known as the War Memorial Fountain and Peace Arising from the Flames of War, is a statue and fountain in downtown Cleveland, Ohio designed by Cleveland Institute of Art graduate Marshall Fredericks and dedicated on May 30, 1964. The sculpture, which honors Greater Clevelanders who served, died, or were declared missing in military service, is situated on Veterans' Memorial Plaza (formerly Mall A) as part of the Cleveland Mall” Wikipedia

“This Figure expresses the main theme of the Memorial Fountain, namely, the spirit of mankind rising out of the encircling flames of war, pestilence, and the destructive elements of life, reaching and ascending to a new understanding of life. Man rising above death, reaching upward to his God and toward...

The Fountain of Eternal Life, also known as the War Memorial Fountain and Peace Arising from the Flames of War, is a statue and fountain in downtown Cleveland, Ohio designed by Cleveland Institute of Art graduate Marshall Fredericks and dedicated on May 30, 1964. The sculpture, which honors Greater Clevelanders who served, died, or were declared missing in military service, is situated on Veterans'

The centerpiece is a 35-foot bronze figure represents man escaping from the flames of war and reaching skyward for eternal peace. The bronze sphere represents Earth. Heavy granite use on 4 sides. Located on the Mall. Breathtaking from my hotel room...