Kennedy's Eternal Flame
Dayton, Ohio
Despite its title, there is no flame at Kennedy's Eternal Flame -- although this outdoor sculpture does suggest that JFK was the Human Torch. The head at the top of the body is familiar, but the ragged form beneath it makes it look as if JFK is being consumed by his own charismatic incandescence.
Sculpted in 1964 by artist William Thompson, this artwork -- unsettling for the conventionally predisposed -- was considered so important that when the original deteriorated in 1998 it was replaced by an exact bronze copy.