CLOVIS, Calif. (FOX26) — You may know Blake McFarland from the Toronto Blue Jays or more recently from his YouTube Channel. Now he is a Clovis local — who raised eyebrows — after installing a 300 lb. firefighter sculpture in front of Fire Station #1.
The twist was that it was without city approval, all while filming the process as a social experiment.
“I wanted to Go out in the downtown area downtown Clovis and find a specific spot that could just use a piece of art,” said McFarland.
McFarland, better known online as BM Sculptures, posted a video titled “This Feels Illegal.” In it, he shares his artistic process, loads the artwork onto a truck, wheels it downtown, and secures it into concrete as curious pedestrians walk by.
Luckily, firefighters and the city loved it! Usually, public art requires permits, insurance, and city oversight. None of that is seen in the video — only the artist and a few helpers getting the job done.
“It was literally the best ending ever because I heard or found out that the fire crew loved it the city liked it”
The video has already racked up over 400,000 views, with social media buzzing over the bold move. Clovis City’s Instagram also posted the statute and that’s how they found McFarland.
The statue is still standing; a new home was found at the Fire Training Facility. “We actually relocated it to the firefighter training Academy, which is like best case scenario,” said McFarland.
Click here to learn more about Blake McFarland.