Sculptor Omri Armany is breaking his silence amid criticism of his latest work.
On Sunday (October 27), an eight-foot bronze statue of Miami Heat legend Dwyane Wade was unveiled outside Kaseya Center. However, many NBA fans quickly voiced their disappointment, claiming the sculpture looked nothing like Wade.
Now, in a conversation with Front Office Sports on Monday (October 28), Armany addressed the backlash, revealing Wade’s direct involvement in the statue’s design process.
“I want to be an artist that creates an in-your-face response and you cannot expect all of human society will have a positive reaction,” he told the outlet.
“Some people will come with a goofy response or angry response. That’s not because of what the art is itself, but rather how it makes them feel. So, if this is my part of being a psychologist, fine.”
Much of the criticism was centered around Wade’s face. Many were not pleased with the depiction of Wade’s jawline – most claimed it was too large to be Wade, and others said it looked more like Kelsey Grammer, the “Frasier” star.
“Our society is a** at sculpting. Why is the NBA, in particular, so bad at hiring sculptors? Where is Michelangelo when you need him? This sh*t looks like the monster Mortal Kombat version of Dwayne Wade,” one user quipped on X.
“Did the artist ever actually look at a picture of Dwayne Wade BEFORE making the statue???” another wrote.
View this post on Instagram
Armany says he worked with artist Oscar Leon and that many fans twisted Wade’s remarks during the statue’s unveiling. He also revealed that the Hall Of Fame guard visited their studio several times during the creation process.
“He knew exactly what he wanted,” Armany said. “He was very happy with the piece. He was joking when he turned around and said, ‘Who is this guy?’ It was like, ‘How did I get here where somebody made a sculpture for me?”
“Some people took it like he didn’t recognize his own sculpture, which is completely the opposite. It was just an expression. Sometimes people take the expression literally instead of trying to understand the depth of it.”
And Wade agrees. According to The Post, the retired NBA legend called the making of the statue a “beautiful process” to be involved in.
“Personally, I’m biased, I think it’s one of the best statues that’s been created because of what it represents for us and for me,” Wade said.
In a statement to ESPN, the basketball legend turned TV host also said “It don’t need to like me,” adding that he cares, “but don’t.”
“If I wanted it to look like me, I’d just stand outside the arena and y’all can take photos,” Wade told the news outlet. “It don’t need to look like me. It’s the artistic version of a moment that happened that we’re trying to cement.”
“I care, but I don’t,” he said regarding the viral backlash. “The social media world is about opinions. Everyone has an opinion. Everyone, use y’all opinions. Please talk more about us. Talk more about a statue, come on down to see it, take some photos, send some memes. We don’t care… I don’t know a lot of people with a statue. Do you?” he continued.
Anybody here, y’all know anything about the process of a statue? No one out there do neither. And so, it’s an unbelievable process to be a part of. And it’s a complicated process.”
Wade’s sculpture marks a historic first as the only statue to be erected outside Kaseya Center, the Miami Heat’s home arena.
Armany also shared the direct connection between his most recent work and one of his most iconic creations – the Michael Jordan statue, The Spirit, which stands outside Chicago’s United Center.
“I was looking at this one as continuing a tradition,” Omri Armany said. “Dwyane was about 11 years old when his father took him to see the sculpture of Michael Jordan in Chicago after we unveiled it.”
“Now, Dwyane is part of the next generation who is getting the tribute. I would like to see another 11-year-old kid with his father inspired by this statue and, 20 or 30 years from now, will have his own statue unveiled.”
They really gave Dwayne Wade a statue of Antoine Walker. pic.twitter.com/izk47fGGtr
— ValidHaitian (@haiti4eva) October 28, 2024
Dwayne Wade on his statue:
“WHO’S THAT GUY.” ???????????? pic.twitter.com/NGL7ZN2NYX
— NBACentel (@TheNBACentel) October 27, 2024
The Wade sculpture depicts one of his most iconic moments from his Heat career.
It captures his triumphant celebration after sinking a one-legged, game-winning three-pointer as time expired, breaking a 127-127 tie against the Bulls in double overtime on March 9, 2009.
Wade, who finished with 48 points, six rebounds, 12 assists, four steals, and three blocks, leaped onto the scorer’s table and yelled, “This is my house!”
“That’s what makes things a little bit harder because, at the end of the day, you’re still looking at hundreds of hundreds of pounds of bronze that has to be standing safely for many years to come,” Armany added.
