Come one, come all, to marvel at the majesty of the Bay Area’s newest sculpture: the titan of the tech industry, Steve Jobs.
Or at least that’s what a group of the Apple innovator’s loyal followers will probably exclaim if or when their new Indiegogo campaign succeeds. The new project, entitled, “Let’s build a statue of Steve Jobs!” has 60 days to raise US$50,000 to erect the imposing likeness.
The group of young San Francisco entrepreneurs behind the crowd-funded project timed the campaign with the theatrical release of “Jobs,” starring Ashton Kutcher. Inspired by the six-and-a-half-foot bronze statue of Jobs unveiled in Hungary in 2011, this project has lofty aims for a statue of “Statue of Liberty and Colossus of Rhodes proportions.”
Imagine a towering figure of Jobs beckoning coders and developers across the Golden Gate Bridge into the promised land of Silicon Valley. When they mention a statue the size of a world wonder, the mind starts to wander.
Like countless others, these Jobs disciples were inspired by his larger-than-life persona and imposing list of accomplishments, and they want to commemorate the man while his passing is still recent.
“The memory is still fresh in our imaginations,” they wrote in the project’s “motivation” section. “Now is the time to capture our sentiments and express them before their potency fades through time. This statue is intended to instantiate the admiration we have before we forget.”
The project is budgeted based on quotes for a life-sized Jobs statue, but its size will be directly proportional to the amount raised. So far, that amounts to $159.
The “huge Steve Jobs fans” admit they’re not exactly qualified to build a statue, so they’ve identified “world-class sculptors” whom they’ve coordinated with for building specifications and price quotes. They’ve also budgeted additional expenses such as transport and engraving.
An attempt to reach the founders for additional details has gone unanswered.
As for the eventual location, they intend to hold a poll among project contributors to determine where exactly in the San Francisco area to put the statue. To motivate contributors to donate, they also provide perks: $1 gets a contributor credit, $35 gets a Jobs bumper sticker, and $300 earns tickets to the unveiling, among other things. On the pricier end, a $999 donation gets your name on the statue’s plaque, and $1,955 buys you an invitation to a formal VIP unveiling event.
The sentiment is admirable and the motivations seemingly pure, but with $49,841 need to reach their goal—and a mountain of further cash to attain a Colossus of Rhodes-like stature—these Jobs devotees have a long way to go.
“Steve Jobs once said he wanted to leave a dent in the universe,” they wrote. “Whether the mark he made becomes indelible remains to those who are still around. We are the bearers of his legacy. This statue will act as a reminder for the preservation of a memory worth remembering.”
