The Civitas: Scandalous Statues - Rock Hill, SC
Posted by: 
neoc1
N 34° 56.085 W 081° 00.193
17S E 499706 N 3865807
The four Civitas statues are located at the each corner of the intersection of Dave Lyle and Gateway Boulevards.
Waymark Code: WMQVXH
Location: South Carolina, United States
Date Posted: 04/03/2016
Views: 5
The controversial Civitas statues were commissioned in 1988 and sculpted by Audrey Flack. These four statues symbolize the spirit and history of Rock Hill, SC. The 22' high, bronze, identical, female figures are wearing classical robes that were a bit to revealing around the upper body for some of the citizens of Rock Hill. Consequently, the offending parts were filed down to give a smoother appearance after the sculptures were installed.
Each Civitas statue holds a medallion over her head. The medallions each have a different symbolism.
Stars represent Inspiration
Gears represent Industry
Flames represent Knowledge
Lightning Bolts represent Energy
At the base of each statue is the inscription:
CIVITAS
with the
stars of inspiration
symbolize Rock Hill's
creative spirit
as a cultural city.
Ironically, Rock Hill, according to their website below, q.v., likes to compare its development as a cultural center to Florence, Italy. Florence, however, is more tolerant of the creations of their artists.