The Jamaica Observer’s Entertainment Desk continues with the 24th of its biweekly feature looking at seminal moments that have helped shape Jamaica over the past 60 years.

At the time of his death in 2008 from cancer, Christopher Gonzalez was hailed as one of Jamaica’s foremost sculptors. But his name is synonymous with the Bob Marley statue that was shunned by the singer’s family and Jamaica’s Government 40 years ago.

Gonzalez was based in Atlanta, Georgia, when he heard of the Jamaican Government’s plans to commission a bronze depiction of the reggae king who died in May 1981 at age 36. He wrote to the Administration of Prime Minister Edward Seaga that year, expressed interest, and was eventually selected to do the piece which took six months to complete.

When his work arrived in Jamaica in 1982, there was a frosty reception.

“I don’t think Mrs Booker [Marley’s mother] liked it. The prime minister declared that it was a great piece of art work but said that it wasn’t appropriate for what they had planned,” Gonzalez recalled. “It was very obvious from then that they had no intentions of putting it up.”

The statue faced the National Stadium in east Kingston. It had Marley in characteristic pose, gesturing passionately in performance, his guitar slung low. Many who saw the piece, including Bunny Wailer, sneered and demanded it be removed.

With public pressure mounting, that is exactly what happened. The Seaga Government commissioned another respected Jamaican sculptor, Alvin Marriott, to work on a more conventional monument. His piece was unveiled in 1984 and was mounted where its predecessor stood.

Gonzalez’ piece was sent to the National Gallery in Kingston, where it stood in obscurity for 20 years. On October 21, 2002, the controversial work was unveiled at the Island Village in Ocho Rios.

At the time, Gonzalez told the Observer, “It means a whole lot. It was made for outdoors so it’s good to know that it’s open to a wider audience than the National Gallery.”

It was a bitter-sweet occasion for Gonzalez, who was born in Kingston to a Puerto Rican father and Jamaican mother. His reputation suffered because of the Marley statue debacle.

He said requests for private commissions dried up and he was never considered for a government commission.