The Maine Lobsterman [1/15/2013]

       

[proof]: Portland's Lobsterman Sculpture

When I started my site visits on a rather warm January afternoon, I wanted to learn about the monuments that hid [ever so prominently] in Portland's backdrop. The Maine Lobsterman was the first sculpture that entered my mind. I have fading childhood memories of my dad making me read the bronze plaques while we walked through the Old Port-- and every time we passed the lobsterman, he would pause and gaze (for what seemed like far too long). As I approached the Lobsterman sculpture, there was not a soul in the surrounding area, nor really anything for that matter. The park was spotless with the exception of a few scattered patches of snow and a banana peel so appropriately laid to rest like a lobster.

A lobster shaped banana peel

Despite the sunshine, ample outdoor seating spaces, and its location in the hub of downtown, the Lobsterman sculpture was oddly undisturbed-- it was one of the first times I had seen the area so empty. When I approached the Lobsterman ten years later, and without my father, I spent a significant amount of time staring at the bronze face of a hardworking lobsterman before reading the plaque "The Maine Lobsterman/ By Victor Kahill/ for the World's Fair AD 1939/placed in this public square/ by the Portland City Council AD 1977." At first I appreciated the simple, vague description of such an iconic Maine sculpture, but after realizing that there were more words that described how the statue ended up outside the Nickelodeon then how it represents Maine character (which perhaps can go unsaid?) I ended up with mixed feelings.

The Maine Lobsterman sculpture, outside of the Nickelodeon, is one of three Maine Lobsterman sculptures in the world. The others reside on Bailey's Island and in Augusta-- until its 1979 move to Maine Ave. in Washington DC.  Today's Lobsterman sculptures are only reconstructions of the original. The state of Maine sought out Victor Kahill, a Lebanese immigrant, to capture the spirit of Maine via sculpture. He crafted the original lobsterman sculpture for the 1939 World's fair in New York. His project ran out of funding, and he had to abandon the idea of casting his sculpture in bronze. Ultimately, he constructed the Maine Lobsterman using plaster, which he then painted bronze. After its limelight at the World's Fair and then further display in the city of Portland, the plaster started to deteriorate and it was stored in a warehouse for the duration. In 1973, funds the Maine legislation appropriated $30,000 for three bronze castings of Kahill's lobsterman. 

But who was Kahill's lobsterman? Elroy Johnson was a Harpswell fisherman, who was known as a boisterous spokesperson for the fishing community. He frequented meetings in Augusta, and was hired as a Maritime consultant under Governor Edward Muskie’s lead. Although “Johnson was not elected by his peers to pose for the sculpture” Muskie affirms “that had there been an election held among the fishermen of Maine in 1939, he would have been chosen” (Bangor Daily News). While it seems as though Maine fishermen unanimously supported Johnson, there was not such unified support for Kahill’s interpretation of Johnson in his sculpture. Maine fisherman disagreed with Kahill’s choice of dress, arguing that Johnson should have been captured wearing a  sou’wester. In addition, they thought that Johnson should have been standing, instead of kneeling, while he pegged the lobster. And finally, they were disappointed that Johnson’s dog, Bruin, was not part of the sculpture. Perhaps less for their genuine affection for Bruin, and moreso their desire to represent Maine lobsterman in a more accurate light—which obviously includes showing off one’s boat dog. Most interestingly, the state of Maine seemed to regret excluding Bruin, and upon the unveiling of the statue, issued the dog a bona fide lobster license. Welcome to politics in Maine.  

Sources:

http://www.workingwaterfront.com/articles/Maine-Lobsterman-Memorial-to-Remain-on-Washington-DC-Waterfront/14801