LOS ANGELES—Former Brooklyn, New York turned Oakland, California-based sculptor Branly Cadet is set to create a statue of Jackie Robinson that will be unveiled in the 2016 season at Dodger Stadium, the Los Angeles Dodgers formally made the announcement on Tuesday, December 22.
The Robinson statue will be approximately nine to ten feet tall and will be centered around a “Leveling the Playing Field” theme, according to a press release from the Los Angeles Dodgers. The location for the placement of the Robinson statue is to be determined.
“The Dodgers have a rich history of breaking barriers and it all began with Jackie Robinson in 1947,” said Dodgers’ President and CEO Stan Kasten. “Therefore, it is altogether fitting that our first statue at Dodger Stadium be of Jackie. The class that Jackie exhibited while still performing at the highest level made everything that has happened since not only in baseball, but in many respects throughout American society, possible. It is with great humility and joy that the Dodgers launch this project in concert with Rachel Robinson and the Jackie Robinson Foundation. We know Branly Cadet’s artistry will result in a tribute to Jackie that will resonate with Dodger fans for decades to come.”
Cadet, a Cornell University graduate, studied figurative sculpture at the New York Academy of Art, Arts Student League, and the Vaugel Sculpture Studio and L’Ecole Albert Defois in France. Cadet won the prestigious James Wilbur Johnston National Figure Sculpture Competition and has completed several private and public commissions.
Cadet’s work consist of the creation of the William Shakespeare medallion at the former Booth Theatre site in New York City, and the Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Memorial located in front of the New York State Office Building in New York City. Currently, he is working on a privately funded large-scale monument for the City of Philadelphia.
“I am so honored to have the opportunity to design a sculpture memorial to Jackie Robinson for the Los Angeles Dodgers,” said Cadet. “He is an icon of American history being celebrated by a legendary team in a grand city. I’m excited to create a design that is both befitting of this context and pays homage to his legacy as a sports hero and civic leader.”
Jackie Robinson’s wife and founder of the Jackie Robinson Foundation, Rachel Robinson, released the following statement regarding the honor: “We’re thrilled that the Dodgers will honor Jack with the inaugural statue at Dodger Stadium. Branly Cadet’s excitement for the project is heartening, and I look forward to the unveiling with great enthusiasm.”
