The Famous Kissing Statue on Sarasota's Bayfront

Unconditional Surrender, the 26-foot sailor and nurse by the bay, recreates the most famous kiss of 1945. Here is the story.

Drive along the bayfront in downtown Sarasota and you cannot miss them: a sailor and a nurse, about 26 feet tall, locked in a dramatic kiss. The sculpture is called Unconditional Surrender, and it is one of the most photographed spots in town.

It was created by artist Seward Johnson and recreates the famous photographs of a sailor kissing a nurse in Times Square on V-J Day, August 14, 1945, the day the end of World War II was announced in America.

The statue has stirred plenty of debate over the years, about art, history and the moment it portrays, which is part of what makes it interesting. Today it stands near Marina Jack and Bayfront Park, a short walk from restaurants, boat tours and the water.

Make an evening of it: photos at the statue, a stroll along the bayfront at sunset, then dinner downtown.

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