Please Help Us with the “Tank Man” Statue Project-making the 20th century’s icon image of a single man defying tyranny forever imbedded in the memory of the world
On the eve of the 30th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square Massacre we launch this “Tank Man” statute campaign, hoping to bring to life this unidentified but most iconic young Chinese man who blocked the path of a column of People’s Liberation Army’s tanks that were heading down Chang’an Avenue in Beijing near Tiananmen Square on June 5, 1989, the day after hundreds or thousands protesters were killed.
The image of the Tank Man has since become a symbol of the 1989 pro-democracy protest, as well as a symbol of human courage and non-violent resistance against oppression worldwide. Time Magazine named the Tank Man one of the “Most Important People of the Century,” stating that “with a single act of defiance, alone Chinese hero revived the world’s image of courage.” The Tank Man’s heroic act has inspired many countries and communities in the world to create their own “Tank Man” moments during their fights and struggles for freedom and human rights.
However, China’s state-led censorship created a collective amnesia in which new generations do not recognize the Tank Man nor the circumstances of his bravery. To establish a statute for the Tank Man, we can celebrate his life, recognize his act, preserve his legacy, safeguard the memory.
Thomas Marsh, a well-known sculptor who was commissioned to create the world-first Victims of Communist Memorial statute will design, sculpt, create molds, and have cast in bronze life-sized one standing figure of the “Tank Man,” based on the iconic images captured near Tiananmen Square on June 5 1989 which will be unveiled in 2019.
Thomas Marsh will also create a gypsum cement casting of this sculpture, with appropriate coloration, suitable for the dedication ceremony planned for June 4, 2019. The molds will be permanent casting molds, suitable for future castings and will become the property of Initiatives for China. As part of the permanent placing of the Tank Man sculpture, Thomas Marsh will create a simplified 2-dimensional image of the tanks, printed or drawn on canvas, or possibly in another material, which will be suitable for exhibition along with the statue.
While this campaign will be flex-funded, we have a hard goal of raising $150,000, with half of that fund going straight to Thomas March’s work, and the remaining part for finding the statute an appropriate permanent home in Washington, D.C. , inscribing the Tank Man to UNESCO Memory of the World, and making replica statutes at a 7″ size which will be shipped to each funder who will contribute $1000.00 or more to this project.
There are three methods to contribute to this important project:
Paypal: www.citizenpowerforchina.org/donate
Send in Check to Initiatives for China 415 2nd Street NE. Suite 100. Washington, D.C. 20002
Thank you,
YANG Jianli Ph.D.
Survivor of the Tiananmen Massacre, Former Prisoner of Conscience of China
Founder and President of Citizen Power Initiatives for China
yangjianli@initiativesforchina.org
(857)472-9039
“坦克人”雕像-让一人对抗强权的形象永远镶嵌在世界记忆中
在天安门广场大屠杀30周年纪念日前夕，我们发起坦克人雕像项目。这位至今身份和生死不明的中国年轻人曾于1989年6月5日在天安门附近长安街上只身挡住中共坦克列队，其英雄壮举已经成为1989民运的永久象征，充分体现人类不畏强权的勇气和非暴力抗争的精神。三十年来，天安门坦克人激励了世界上许多国家和社区争取自由和人权的斗争，他们在各自的抗争中都创造了自己的坦克人时刻和形象。人们或许忘记了甚至不知道八九民运和六四屠杀，但无人不识坦克人。《时代》杂志将坦克人评为20世纪最重要人物之一。
然而，中共的信息审查让中国人集体失忆，年轻人不知道坦克人，不了解他的英雄壮举。为了发扬坦克人精神、为了纪念他和他所代表的整个一代六四人，我们为坦克人树立雕像，肯定其历史价值，让他永久地活着。
美国著名雕塑家托马斯·马什制作了世界首个共产主义纪念受难者雕像，他将设计、雕塑、制作模具、铸造一个真人大小的”坦克人”；我们拟在六四三十周年纪念日在美国国会为坦克人雕像揭幕。
虽然这项集资活动相对灵活，但我们的目标是筹集15万美元，其中一半资金直接用于托马斯·马什的工作，其余部分用于在华府寻找雕像落成的永久地点、”坦克人”联合国申遗，并制作7英寸大小的复制雕像，寄送给本项目的每位出资超过（含）1000美元者。
公民力量希望借助这一活动纪念1989民运三十周年，祭悼64屠杀死难的英烈；恳请各位鼎力支持！请上网捐助:
Paypal 网上捐助: www.citizenpowerforchina.org/donate邮寄支票：Initiatives for China 415 2nd Street NE. Suite 100. Washington, D.C. 20002
谢谢。
楊建利六四屠杀幸存者，前良心犯公民力量发起人