Memorial Sculpture of Kobe Bryant and His Daughter Gigi Placed on Site of Tragic Helicopter Crash

 

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A post shared by Dan Medina (@medina_sculpture)

On January 26, sculptor Dan Medina began his day at 4:30 a.m. He unloaded his 160-pound bronze statue and began a solitary walk to install the piece in the hills of Calabasas. And there, from sunrise to sunset, his incredible memorial to Kobe Bryant and his daughter Gianni “Gigi” looked out across the landscape. On the second anniversary of the helicopter accident that claimed their lives, along with seven other victims, Medina wanted to make a statement.

In bringing his bronze sculpture to the site of the accident, which has turned into a makeshift memorial, he hopes to start a dialogue with officials about permanently placing the piece on site or nearby. In the piece, Kobe lovingly puts his arm around Gigi as they share a warm glance. Tucked under Gigi's arm is a basketball—a nod to Kobe's greatness and the sport that Gigi also played.

Medina spent 90 minutes hauling the sculpture up the hill, overcoming obstacles such as his wagon breaking halfway through the trek. He pushed through, carrying each piece individually, as he knew that's what Kobe would have advised.

“I’m not the biggest sports fan you’ll ever meet, but Kobe, for me, was bigger than basketball,” shared Medina. “He was an [intellectual], he spoke multiple languages, he was an avid reader. I met people who said that he was maybe the surrogate father or surrogate guardian to their children because of the way he spoke.”

It was also important for Medina to include all the victims of the tragic crash, which occurred when fog disoriented the pilot and he crashed into the hill. All passengers, including the pilot, perished in the accident. Medina included the names of all the victims on the pedestal of the sculpture, along with the phrase “Heroes come and go, but Legends are forever.”

Throughout the day, as people came to pay their respects, fans took photographs with the statue. For Medina, it was an emotional experience to see the effect that his art had on others. “I’ve had so many parents cry in my arms today,” he said.

The Southern California-based sculptor is also working on a life-size version of the statue, which he would love to see installed in downtown Los Angeles. Until then, he's hoping that the momentum of his spontaneous decision to erect the statue will start a dialogue with officials about giving the sculpture a permanent, public home.

Sculptor Dan Medina installed his moving memorial to Kobe and Gianna Bryant on the anniversary of their passing.

He hauled the 160-pound bronze sculpture to the site of the helicopter crash that claimed nine lives.

 

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A post shared by Dan Medina (@medina_sculpture)

The names of all the victims are inscribed on the statue's pedestal.

 

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A post shared by Dan Medina (@medina_sculpture)

The sculpture sat in place from sunrise to sunset in hopes to bring enough attention to start a dialogue about giving it a permanent home.

 

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A post shared by Dan Medina (@medina_sculpture)

Medina is also working on a life-size sculpture that he hopes to install in downtown Los Angeles.

 

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A post shared by Dan Medina (@medina_sculpture)

Medina has said that he's looking to donate his work for a permanent, public installation.

 

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A post shared by Dan Medina (@medina_sculpture)

Dan Medina: Website | Facebook | Instagram
h/t: [Today]

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Jessica Stewart

Jessica Stewart is a Contributing Writer and Digital Media Specialist for My Modern Met, as well as a curator and art historian. Since 2020, she is also one of the co-hosts of the My Modern Met Top Artist Podcast. She earned her MA in Renaissance Studies from University College London and now lives in Rome, Italy. She cultivated expertise in street art which led to the purchase of her photographic archive by the Treccani Italian Encyclopedia in 2014. When she’s not spending time with her three dogs, she also manages the studio of a successful street artist. In 2013, she authored the book 'Street Art Stories Roma' and most recently contributed to 'Crossroads: A Glimpse Into the Life of Alice Pasquini'. You can follow her adventures online at @romephotoblog.
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