This imposing 25-foot-tall statue is one of a number by the artist Seward Johnson. Originally displayed in Florida under the name Unconditional Surrender, it is now called Embracing Peace, a name that has been in use since around 2015. The statue depicts a kiss between a sailor (George Mendosa) and a dental assistant (Grete Zimmer Friedman) on the declaration of the end of the war with Japan in 1945. It’s based on photographic images, taken in Times Square and published at the time. There is some controversy over whether the…
