The infamous Pokemon Go statue makes headlines once again appearing, this time, up for auction. Now, the mysterious disappearing and reappearing figure will have a permanent home with an unidentified owner after being officially sold for $2,000.
On September 25, the Neal Auction Company put the fiberglass statue of the rodent-like character Pikachu up for public bids. With the auction opened to audience members sitting in folding chairs to phone shoppers, Pokemon fans were present in all shapes and forms. After only seconds, the price rose from a few hundred dollars to the total $2,000 where the auctioneer finally dubbed the item sold. Though the item found a new owner, the statue was still admired from afar in the lobby of the center.
The aptly-named “Pokemonument” first appeared in a Lower Garden District park on August 1st following the rise in popularity of the Pokemon Go game. However, the statue mysteriously disappeared just as it came on August 14th with no warning, leading the statue to become a local story. Although the figure remains popular in the city, the identity of the artists or the people who moved the Pokemonument still remains unknown.
In its brief history, however, the statue has suffered some setbacks. In the park, unknown assailants tagged the monument with graffiti and even beaten the bronze tail with a bat. Fortunately, these damages were later corrected and refurbished for the auction, restoring the image to its former glory. Even with the vandalism, the statue’s spot on Terpsichore street became a popular site for both fans of the character to take pictures and for fans of the game hoping to catch a wild Pokemon. Though few may understand its origins, many locals can simply admire the work.
Though the Pokemonument now has a new private owner, the proceeds from the auction benefit will go to the Lower Garden District Parks and Fountains Fund. Even if the statue is aware from the public eye, the monument will still go down in public history as one of the more unusual events in the city.
