father junipero serra statue ventura

SUPPORT LOCAL JOURNALISM and get all the latest East County news from Star reporter Mike Harris. The city installed a bronze statue in 1989 to replace the deteriorating original. [15] During the 1987 Ventura County Fair, the wood block was temporarily moved to the county fairgrounds where the carvers' work became an attraction for visitors. In Ventura, LaVere, Tumamait-Stenslie and Father Tom Elewaut, pastor of the mission founded by Serra in 1782 and built by the indigenous people, issued a joint statement on June 18 agreeing to take down the statue and have it “moved to a more appropriate non-public location.” Get a digital subscription. Marieanne Quiroz, a spokeswoman for the district, could not be reached for comment. Emily Morris 2020-07-31T13:51:49-07:00 July 30th, 2020 | A statue of Father Junipero Serra is removed from in front of Ventura City Hall on July 23. The statue, sculpted by Uno John Palo Kangas, was placed in a prominent location in a public park across the street from the Ventura County Courthouse in 1936. A statue in Los Angeles and another statue in San Francisco were toppled on Juneteenth. [39] The council found that the bronze statue did not meet the requirements to be designated a historic landmark since the bronze cast had never been officially deemed as such after it replaced the concrete statue. The bronze statue of St. Junipero Serra in front of Ventura's City Hall. [3]:2 The wood replica was installed at the atrium of Ventura City Hall on October 7, 1988. A plaque at the base of the statue states: "The citizens of the City of San Buenaventura gratefully recognize the extraordinary efforts of Councilman Russell Burns (1918–1994) and master carver Wilbur Rubottom (1914–1993) to replace the decaying concrete 1936 statue of Father Serra by John Palo-Kangas with this bronze copy dedicated on October 20, 1989. "We've been seeing around the country and the world statues of racist and genocidal people being taken down and we think it's time that happens in Ventura," said Ben Leaños, 23, of Camarillo, one of the demonstration's organizers. It was June 2001, our first trip to California. Statue of Father Junipero Serra wearing a mask shortly after the COVID-19 outbreak. He gained sainthood in 2015 when he was canonized by Pope Francis. He enslaved us and degraded us as human beings.". The last of these nine missions, founded on March 31, 1782, was Mission San Buenaventura, which today is an active parish of 3,000 members located at 211 East Main Streetin Ventura. The wood replica was set in the atrium of the city hall for public display. The Indian Council objected due to Father Serra's alleged abuse and enslavement of the Chumash people. A statue of Father Junipero Serra stands in front of the San Gabriel Mission in San Gabriel, California on September 23, 2015. You can contact him at mike.harris@vcstar.com or 805-437-0323. All rights reserved. For a time Saturday, it looked as if a statue of Junipero Serra outside City Hall in downtown Ventura might join the growing ranks of toppled figures. [34], Serra was canonised as a saint by Pope Francis in September 2015, drawing national attention to Ventura's Father Serra statue. In late June, this movement hit close to home in Ventura. [3]:13[15], Based on the findings, Councilman Burns proposed the creation of a wood replica of the statue which could then be used as a model for a bronze cast to be put in place of the decaying concrete statue. The special public meeting will include the Ventura Mayor, City Council, and City leadership. Community Leaders Propose Moving Controversial Statue On South Coast . In 1935, Uno John Palo Kangas (1904–1957), a sculptor born in Finland and raised in Michigan, was commissioned by Ventura County and the Works Progress Administration to create a statue of Father Serra as part of the Federal Art Project. 2 statues removed, one more in works. Kangas had gained some acclaim in 1935 for a heroic statue of a Civilian Conservation Corps worker titled "Conservation of Man and Nature" that was installed at Griffith Park in Los Angeles. (Credit: Cbl62/wikimedia. [7] The clay sculpture was built around a frame of wood and chicken wire which Kangas then covered with layers of clay. [3]:13 In 1986, Burns' proposal was unanimously adopted by the Ventura City Council. "[30], The City's plan to display the wooden replica in the atrium of Ventura City Hall was met with objections from the city art committee and the Candelaria American Indian Council. [4] The statue was removed from its pedestal in September 1989 to make room for installation of the bronze cast. The Father Serra statue in Ventura, California, depicting Junípero Serra, the founder of Mission San Buenaventura, was commissioned by Ventura County through the Works Progress Administration as part of the Federal Art Project. The author, Rellis Smith, wrote: "To have statues such as the one in front of Ventura City Hall is a direct slap in the face of all Chumash and other Native American cultures. The original concrete Father Serra statue was declared Ventura Historic Landmark No. In all, 10,000 man hours were dedicated to creating the wood replica. The story announced: "'Fray Junipero Serra', by John Palo-Kangas, one of the scale models of sculpture to be shown at the Butte Art Center, beginning on April 21st, is in the original at the Ventura county courthouse at San Buenaventura, Calif."[8], Kangas next built a breakaway mold of the clay sculpture using plaster of paris. Father Serra was called by many "the apostle of California" and has long held an honored place in California's diverse and culturally collaborative history. 3 in 1974. [4][29] The bronze cast stands on a concrete base with an outer layer of polished black granite from the Andes Mountains. Statues of Father Junipero Serra are being taken down or torn down due to his historical involvement in enslaving and killing the native people of California. "[10], By the 1980s, it had deteriorated from years of exposure to Ventura's salt air and from the pooling of rainwater in the collar of the statue's robe, which formed a basin. But it wasn’t toppled by protesters. "Serra is not the historical hero people thought when this landmark statue to him was erected," the petition states. [31][25], In May 1980, primer paint was poured over the concrete statue; city workers sandblasted the paint from the statue. "Father Serra destroyed many tribes — their culture. The nonprofit Coalition for Historical Integrity has sued the city of Ventura over the Ventura City Council’s decision to remove the statue of Father Junipero Serra from the front of Ventura City Hall. In other states, some statues have been vandalized and forcibly removed by demonstrators. The Father Serra statue in Ventura, California, standing 9 feet, 4 inches, was displayed in front of Ventura City Hall between 1936 to 2020. "We all believe that the removal of the statue should be accomplished without force, without anger and ... without uncivil discourse, much less vandalism," the statement says. The public display of Serra statuary has been a source of controversy, particularly among those alleging that Serra was responsible for the suppression of the culture of Chumash people. Of course he was going to protect us. "The goal of this statement is to show the public that the Chumash, the Mission and the city are all committed to a peaceful, collaborative process," he said. [46], The attention and damage to the statues of Junípero Serra was renewed during the George Floyd protests which expanded to include monuments of individuals associated with the controversy over the genocide of indigenous peoples in the Americas. But, there’s been controversy about the way the settlers treated Native Americans. Members of the art committee felt the statue was too large and not harmonious with the design of the atrium. This statue of Father Junípero Serra in front of Ventura City Hall and other Serra statues will be removed. The nine-foot bronze statue of Father Junipero Serra was erected in 1989, replacing a cement version that had deteriorated since it was first erected in 1936 with funding from the New Deal. Pictured: The bronze statue of Father Junipero Serra at Ventura City Hall. Junipero Serra founded the city of Ventura in 1782 when he established the mission of San Buenaventura, and his statue has stood in front of the city hall since 1936. A nationwide campaign to remove statues of historical figures deemed to be racist is now bubbling up in Ventura. [1] The statue, standing nine feet, four inches in height shows Father Serra standing with his head facing to the left and wearing a Franciscan cassock with cowl, sandals, and a rope belt (or cincture), a rosary hanging from the belt, a book in his left hand, and a walking stick (or staff) in his right hand. (Credit Ken Lund/Flickr/ CC BY-SA 2.0) (Credit Ken Lund/Flickr/ CC BY-SA 2.0) The future of a statue St. Junípero Serra in the city of Ventura will be brought before the court of public opinion at a virtual community discussion to … The Father Junipero Serra statue, as seen here in front of Ventura City Hall, has been removed and moved to Mission San Buenaventura. [47] A statue in Carmel was removed for safekeeping. Ventura, Calif. — The public is invited to join the Ventura City Council for a virtual community discussion on Tuesday, July 7, 2020, at 6:00 p.m. about the Father Junipero Serra statue, located near City Hall on Poli Street. Although the historic figure is … Statue of St. Junipero Serra at the Ventura (California) City Hall (photo: Sh) Paul Kengor Nation June 25, 2020. A wooden version sits inside city hall. Emily Morris 2020-07-31T13:51:49-07:00 July 30th, 2020 | A statue of Father Junipero Serra is removed from in front of Ventura City Hall on July 23. Ventura Mayor Matt LaVere, the Barbareño/Venureño Band of Mission Indians and Father Tom Elewaut issue a joint statement agreeing to move a statue of missionary Junipero Serra. VENTURA (CBSLA) – The Ventura City Council voted unanimously Wednesday night to remove a controversial statue of Father Junipero Serra from outside its City Hall. The Father Junípero Serra monument has stood as a city landmark in front of the Ventura City Hall since 1936. "Saturday's demonstration is to hear our voices that we want to have the statue of Father Serra removed," Salazar, of Ventura, said. Please do not move or destroy the statue of Father Junipero Serra. Father Serra was called by many "the apostle of California" and has long held an honored place in California's diverse and culturally collaborative history. Father Junipero Serra(1713-1784) was a Roman CatholicSpanish Franciscan friar who founded nine Spanish Missions in California stretching from San Diegoto Carmel. [3]:6 After the concrete hardened, the mold was removed and Kangas smoothed the outer surface. Kangas was paid $5,000 for his work. Father Junipero Serra Statue in Downtown Ventura June 14, 2020 / Conejo Joe. "Comparison of Three Statues", a paper by Shirley Week (Kangas' daughter), October 9, 1990, p. 3, contained in Serra Statue ephemera file at the Research Library of the Museum of Ventura County. requesting that the City of Ventura remove the statue of Father Junipero Serra from its location near City Hall. 3 in 1974. This statue of Father Junípero Serra in front of Ventura City Hall and other Serra statues will be removed. During the weekend, two statues of Father Junipero Serra, a Spanish priest who established several missions in California in the 1770’s and helped lead to the settlement of the state, were removed by protesters in Los Angeles and San Francisco. Related news: Newsom apologizes to Native Americans in California, "The statue represents a very dark time in our history," said Julie Tumamait-Stenslie, tribal chair of the Barbareno/Ventureno Band of Mission Indians (Chumash). by Kimberly Rivers. NOTE: On June 18, 2020, the City of Ventura issued a press release stating that it plans to work with members of the community in moving the statue of Father Junipero Serra to a new, non-public location. "[3]:12 The City in 1984 commissioned studies of the statue by an art conservator, an engineering firm, and a concrete expert. Removal of a historic landmark requires a review under the California Environmental Quality Act. [3]:3 In August 1936, the Los Angeles Times published on its front page a large photograph of Kangas posing with the clay sculpture. More coverage: Intertribal powwow comes to Oxnard. VENTURA, Calif. The City loaned an initial sum of $15,000 to begin the process to be repaid by local boosters who raised more than $100,000 through the sale of limited edition 18-inch bronze replicas (hand-tooled by Charles Kubilos),[16][17] posters/lithographs,[18][19] and T-shirts, hats, and pins bearing the phrase "I Support the Serra Statue". But how do we best do it? The Father Junípero Serra monument has stood as a city landmark in front of the Ventura City Hall since 1936. [13] A crane from OST had been used to remove the statue in 1989 and the statue was to have been temporarily stored at the OST yard. [48] The Mission San Luis Obispo also removed their statue from public display. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) For a time Saturday, it looked as if a statue of Junipero Serra outside City Hall in downtown Ventura might join the growing ranks of toppled figures. Father Junipero Serra (1713-1784) was a Roman Catholic Spanish Franciscan friar who founded nine Spanish Missions in California stretching from San Diego to Carmel. A statue of Father Junipero Serra stands in front of the San Gabriel Mission on September 23, 2015. Yes. [3]:6 According to a contemporary of the artist, Kangas used Meiners Oak resident Gordon Douglas as a model for the face of Serra. [3]:2 The carvers' studio was open to the public, and busloads of schoolchildren, senior citizens, and tourists visited the studio to observe the process. Some missions moved swiftly, such as San Luis Obispo and the San Gabriel Mission, to move their statues by the end of June.. Junipero Serra founded the city of Ventura in 1782 when he established the mission of San Buenaventura, and his statue has stood in front of the city hall since 1936. on Saturday, June 20, to demand that the statue of Father Junipero Serra in front of Ventura City Hall be taken down on grounds that he had committed atrocities against Native Americans, including the local Chumash. [20][3]:17–19[21][22], The reproduction process began by taking precise measurements of all aspects of the concrete statue, using 1,782 points of reference. Father Junipero Serra Statue Mission San Buenaventura Ventura Ca - Buy this stock photo and explore similar images at Adobe Stock Following Serra's canonization in 2015, Serra statues were vandalized at Carmel Mission (smeared with green paint, "Saint of Genocide" written on a headstone),[42] Monterey's Lower Presidio Historic Park (decapitated),[43] San Fernando Mission (hands painted red and word "murderer" scrawled),[44] Mission Santa Barbara (decapitated and covered in red paint),[45] and San Gabriel Mission (cut with electric saw and splashed with red paint). [2], In 1935, Uno John Palo Kangas (1904–1957), a sculptor born in Finland and raised in Michigan, was commissioned by Ventura County and the Works Progress Administration to create a statue of Father Serra as part of the Federal Art Project. © 2021 www.vcstar.com. Photo by Stephen Heap. [32] In January 1991, four glass jars of orange and blue paint were thrown at the bronze cast; the words "Spirit of Crazy Horse" and an image of a clenched fist were also spray-painted on the sidewalk at the base of the statue. It belongs where it was placed, by the community of Ventura and the generous fundraising efforts to replace the historic statue. Go out and actually pay somebody to do the work? View of Father Serra Statue and California Street from steps of Ventura City Hall. Merriam said: "A beautiful statue is about to be made visible, exemplifying the spirit of this pioneering priest – noble, brave and holy – a patriot of patriots. Art Project ( part of the San Gabriel Mission in San Gabriel in! Acquiesce to it if it helps bring some healing to the present-day Chumash.. Disposition of the Ventura City Council in July the settlers treated Native Americans concrete hardened, the concrete in! 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