TULSA, Okla. — On Tuesday, the Riverview Neighborhood Association held a meeting with the City of Tulsa to discuss a statue that’s supposed to go on Cry Baby Hill.
The meeting was held at the Brut Hotel near 21st and Riverside.
The statue is getting a lot of negative feedback, especially online.
The City handed out papers at the meeting with the common concerns they were hearing.
You can read the papers handed out at the meeting below:
They allowed the residents and local artists to place their questions on the paper, which they said would be taken into consideration before the final decision of the statue.
“There are three main issues. One is that the neighborhood didn’t like it, one is that Cry Baby Hill is not consistent with the ethos of Cry Baby Hill or the attitude and culture and one is that the artist was not a local artist,” said Blake Ewing, Tulsa chief of staff.
FOX23 spoke to two local artists, Brenda Angel and Ben Sinor, who both submitted designs for the statue.
Angel shared with FOX23 her feelings after seeing this proposal that won.
“I’m very shocked, absolutely shocked, and concerned at the disrespect for the RFP process,” Angel said.
Sinor said this is an opportunity a local artist like himself missed out on.
“When I saw this RFP not only is it an opportunity for my portfolio but it’s an opportunity to be a part of the community, let the community’s voice shine through and make something meaningful that’ll last generations here,” Sinor said.
The statue design was chosen by a panel of nine people including a Riverview resident and the Tulsa mayor.
Residents feel like the chosen design is not a representation of Cry Baby Hill or the Tulsa Tough Race.
“Does it say, ‘Oh I’m Tulsa?’ I don’t think so. Everyone I know in Tulsa, they’re overcomers, they’re people of faith,” Angel said.
While these are the concerns, Ewing with the city said this uproar wouldn’t have started if the artist, Ken Kelleher, never released his renderings.
“To our surprise, the Sunday before Zink Lake opens, the artist puts his concept image on his Instagram. That’s the baby you have seen with booty shorts and Timberlands,” Ewing said.
The City plans to take everything from the meeting, whether it was questions or concerns, and take them into account before deciding on the final design of the “Cry Baby Cry” statue.
Brenda Angel’s proposed Cry Baby Hill statue design can be seen below:
Ben Sinor’s proposed Cry Baby Hill statue design can be seen below: