What’s the story behind the human statues mounted on poles in front of Jacksonville Veterans Memorial Arena?
The statues are part of a display titled “Talking Continents” by Spanish artist Jaume Plensa. According to the Cultural Council of Greater Jacksonville, the six kneeling figures represent the six inhabited continents of the world. The sculptures change color at night and are said to communicate this way through the universal language of color. Plensa placed the sculptures atop 30-foot polls so observers are forced to look up towards, what he called, “the beautiful Jacksonville sky.” Each sculpture is made of fiberglass, steel and LED lights.