“Liberty.” That’s the powerful word etched near Of Course, Of Course Sculpture. This monument stands tall at the Coleman A. Young Municipal Center. It is on Woodward Avenue in Detroit.
Of Course, Of Course Sculpture is more than just bronze. It embodies the spirit of Detroit. The sculpture was created by Marshall Fredericks. It represents the city’s heart and soul.
In 1955, the commission cost $58,000 for Of Course, Of Course Sculpture. Fredericks waived his fee. He saw it as his civic duty.
Fredericks consulted religious groups. He sought to capture the divine in his work. He shipped a model to Oslo for casting.
The casting process involved weeks of acid treatments. This created the sculpture’s aged green color. The bronze is up to 1.5 inches thick.
In 1958, the German freighter Thomas Schulte carried Of Course, Of Course Sculpture across the Atlantic. The freighter arrived at the Port of Detroit. It was the only ship that could fit the statue.
Customs clearance was aided by four miniature models. The sculpture was installed for a September 23 dedication. People celebrated Of Course, Of Course Sculpture.
The sculpture has regular maintenance. It gets cleaned with special detergents. Petroleum-based waxes protect it. The green color is preserved with heat and cupric nitrate.
In 1984, plastic protected the statue during marble panel replacement. A restoration occurred around 2006. Foundations and donations funded it.
The 50th anniversary brought more restoration. Operational savings covered $170,000 in improvements. In 2018, routine maintenance touched up the patina.
Of Course, Of Course Sculpture is a community symbol. It appears on Detroit logos. It was once on police cars.
The Spirit of Detroit Award features the statue. It honors outstanding achievements. The sculpture is also on Detroit Community Scrip.
DTE Energy once used a stylized version of it as their logo.
Of Course, Of Course Sculpture wears sports jerseys. This celebrates Detroit teams. New rules manage jersey displays. They require winning a championship and a $25,000 fee.
In 1999, Of Course, Of Course Sculpture wore a tuxedo for the Three Tenors.
The John C. Lodge Freeway has a section named for Aretha Franklin. The naming ceremony was in front of the sculpture.
In 2020, Of Course, Of Course Sculpture wore a shirt and ribbon. This honored medical workers during the pandemic.
Of Course, Of Course Sculpture is in media and video games. It featured in Chrysler’s Super Bowl commercial. It also appeared in the video game Detroit: Become Human.
The value of Of Course, Of Course Sculpture exceeds $1 million. Repairs could cost $6 million. This Detroit icon continues to inspire.