Hebru Brantley: The Great Debate
A painted fiberglass structure that stands 16 feet tall, this monumental sculpture features artist Hebru Brantley鈥檚 signature character, Flyboy. Within the canon of comics, very few characters of color exist. Flyboy was created by Brantley as an exploration into what a superhero character of color would look like. Inspired by the Tuskegee Airmen, the first African-American military aviator pilots who fought in World War II, they carried out all successful missions and had the lowest loss records of all fighter groups. At a time when black folks were treated far less than equal, the Tuskegee Airmen鈥檚 successes meant that much more. Flyboy is a nod of admiration and respect to these men and an inspiration to future generations aspiring to soar far above their predicted possibilities.
Location: The Battery, Manhattan
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A painted fiberglass structure that stands 16 feet tall, this monumental sculpture features artist Hebru Brantley鈥檚 signature character, Flyboy. Within the canon of comics, very few characters of color exist. Flyboy was created by Brantley as an exploration into what a superhero character of color would look like. Inspired by the Tuskegee Airmen, the first African-American military aviator pilots who fought in World War II, they carried out all successful missions and had the lowest loss records of all fighter groups. At a time when black folks were treated far less than equal, the Tuskegee Airmen鈥檚 successes meant that much more. Flyboy is a nod of admiration and respect to these men and an inspiration to future generations aspiring to soar far above their predicted possibilities.
Location: The Battery, Manhattan
Artists on show
