“Cut out People” This isn’t your average statue. It’s not a grand monument to a historical hero. It’s more of a… well, a conversation starter. It’s a collection of life-sized metal silhouettes, standing like a lineup of people who have wandered out of the neighborhood and mysteriously stopped. The figures, created by local artist Dan McCarthy, all have different postures. Some are gazing out at the harbor. Others seem to be chatting amongst themselves, their metal forms suggesting a lively gathering.
But there’s a twist to this art piece. Each person is missing their head. Their bodies have been cut off at the neck, as if someone took a pair of giant shears and snipped them off, leaving only the unfinished shadow of a human form. It’s a bit unsettling, a bit strange, but definitely intriguing.
The artist explains that it’s meant to symbolize the fleeting nature of human life. That our existence, all that we do, is all ultimately cut short. The missing heads are there to encourage us to think about our own mortality, sure, but to also embrace the unknown – the things that we can’t see yet, the things that still have to happen. It’s a reminder to appreciate the things we have and to live life to the fullest because in the end, it’s not the destination that matters but the journey itself.
The statue’s location is perfect for this message, standing right on the edge of the harbor where the waves crash in and the seagulls screech. You stand here and you can feel the city, the water, the world, all swirling around you. And the fact that we don’t get to see the faces of those cut-out figures makes us wonder: who are they? What stories did they have?
The “Cut out People” statue isn’t just an art piece. It’s an experience. It’s a question. It’s an invitation to think and to feel and to live every moment as if it’s the last.