The cat Jackson died this Friday, the 13th, four years ago, and in his memory a resident, supported by other people who knew the animal, gathered support and promoted the creation of a sculpture, which is now on display on one of the walls of Barreirinha.
The basalt work, by sculptor Pepe Baptista, was unveiled this afternoon, in a simple ceremony in which a plaque was also unveiled saying how much the cat “was adored by everyone”.
“JACKSON, the king of the area, among other names, was adored by everyone who passed by Largo do Socorro, he belonged to everyone and belonged to no one! He was without a doubt a handsome and very kind cat, he will be missed”, reads the plaque.
Sónia Fernandes, the driving force behind the initiative, reminds JM that, as a resident, she passed by Jackson every day and could not remain indifferent to the animal’s presence.
“It was impossible to go there without having to throw him a ‘party’ or have some contact with him, and it wasn’t just with me, he really made himself present and made himself loved”, she recalls.
Regarding the cat’s death, she says that it fell from the wall of the Socorro viewpoint and did not survive. It was when she was trying to get over Jackson’s death that the idea of becoming a sculptor came to her. She got to work and today she managed to make what she says is “a dream” come true. She now knows that when she passes by the place again “it will be there”.
The construction company Sales Faria & Andrade sponsored the initiative, as stated on the plaque, unveiled by a teacher who used to feed the cat on the street.
The piece of art is about 50 to 60 cm long by 30 cm wide and about 25 cm high at the head and depicts one of Jackson’s poses resting on the wall.
Thanks to Sally Warr for the two photos below.
