The longtime president of a Lithuanian Frank Zappa fan club, was in Baltimore on recently to offer the Frank Zappa statue to the city's art commission.
"It's ready to be shipped to the U.S." said a public relations consultant and Zappa fan who also made the trip. "When Baltimore accepts our offer, we will pack and ship it out - our treat."
The musician was born in Baltimore and died of prostate cancer in 1993 at age 52 but never visited the Baltic area.
Zappa's music was popular among the Lithuanians particularly in the aftermath of the country's independence in 1990 from the Soviet Union.
The club commissioned the bust from Konstantinas Bogdanas, a respected sculptor who cast many portraits of Lenin during the Soviet era. And Zappa Club members managed to persuade the mayor and city council to place it in a public square in front of the Belgian embassy.
"It was just four years after our independence," Paukstys said, "The opportunity for this Zappa statue was also like a trial for the new system and the new democracy, if that was possible - or not."
Hopes are high for a friendly response from Baltimore, where last year Mayor Dixon proclaimed Aug. 9 as "Frank Zappa Day."
The Vilnius Mayor sent a letter to Dixon asking her to accept the gift.
"I hope that replication of the original statue of Frank Zappa in Vilnius and bringing it to Baltimore will perpetuate the memory of one of the greatest artists of the (20th) century," the mayor wrote.
He said the project has the go ahead from Frank's widow, Gail, who as head of the Zappa Family Trust has been protective of her late husband's image and music.
After reading this recently I was reminded of the Frank Zappa song - "What's new in Baltimore"
My first Zappa record was Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention - Freak Out
Overnight Sensations - one of my favorite releases
Billy The Mountain - one of my favorite songs
Music is the Best !
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