Shaping Up

Since December 2020, pedestrians on Kings Highway near its intersection with Tanner Street in Haddonfield, New Jersey have had one more to contend with, or so it seems!

The walkman-powered woman is actually made of solid bronze and one among a nationwide cohort of Trompe l’oeil sculptures created by the prolific artist J. Seward Johnson, Jr., known for his lifelike statues that often catch folks off guard with their vibrant colors and fine details.

This sculpture, entitled “Shaping Up,” was created back in 1987. It was acquired by Haddonfield Outdoor Sculpture Trust and is one of several sculptures they have added to beautify the streets of downtown Haddonfield.

The sculpture is 66 inches tall and weighs in at 500 lbs. It required a forklift and four men to install it!  The statue was chosen for the freedom of being outside, which was particularly poignant given the fact that the world had struggled through the first nine months of major impacts due to COVID at the time.

The statue continues to be an inspiration to locals and people can often be seen jogging past and waving to the bronze lady as they plot their own paths along Kings Highway.