Located in Tryon NC, Zenos Frudakis’s sculpture consists of an eight foot tall, larger than life statue of Nina Simone.

Simone is seated and playing a keyboard and appears to be staring ahead, with a look of both introspection and outward determination.

The keyboard is depicted in the form of a wave, conveying grace and motion, and it appears to be floating in mid-air.

The statue rests on a seat of smooth stone atop a wide stone base.

Also included was a bronze heart containing Simone’s ashes welded to the interior of the figure’s chest.

The Nina Simone Plaza was designed specifically for the installation and includes a fountain, low wall, and obelisk of local dark blue and wheat colored stone.

Inclusion of the obelisk may be an allusion to Simone’s nickname as “The High Priestess of Soul” and her 1967 record album of the same name.

The Nina Simone Sculpture was dedicated on what would have been Nina Simone’s 77th birthday.

The dedication began with remarks from the mayor of Tryon. Crys Armbrust, the director of the Nina Simone Project, gave some brief remarks, and the Poet Laureate of North Carolina Cathy Smith Bowers recited a poem by Kwame Dawes intitled “What Do They Call You?” written in honor of Nina Simone.

Following the recital of the poem, the sculptor, Zenos Frudakis, gave some brief remarks.

Lisa Simone Kelly, Nina Simone’s daughter, gave the concluding remarks. At the end of the ceremony doves were released while music played.

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Nina Simone portrait sculpture in bronze by Paul Barton for the Nina Simone tribute Art Exhibit at the miLES Gallery New York, September 15th 2015.

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