Posted on 10/06/2004 7:24:40 PM PDT by Nasty McPhilthy
LIVERMORE, Calif. (AP) - It didn't take a nuclear physicist to realize changes were needed after a $40,000 ceramic mural was unveiled outside the city's new library and everyone could see the misspelled names of Einstein, Shakespeare, Vincent Van Gogh, Michelangelo and seven other historical figures. "Our library director is very frustrated that she has this lovely new library and it has all these misspellings in front," said city councilwoman Lorraine Dietrich, one of three council members who voted Monday to authorize paying another $6,000, plus expenses, to fly the artist up from Miami to fix the errors.
Reached at her Miami studio Wednesday by The Associated Press, Maria Alquilar said she was willing to fix the brightly colored 16-foot-wide circular work, but offered no apologizes for the 11 misspellings among the 175 names.
"The importance of this work is that it is supposed to unite people," Alquilar said. "They are denigrating my work and the purpose of this work."
Alquilar said it took her quite a bit of her own time and money to create and install the work, and that it sat idle at her Santa Cruz studio for two years until the city cleared the way for its installation.
There were plenty of people around during the installation who could and should have seen the missing and misplaced letters, she said.
"Even though I was on my hands and knees laying the installation out, I didn't see it," she said.
The mistakes wouldn't even register with a true artisan, Alquilar said.
"The people that are into humanities, and are into Blake's concept of enlightenment, they are not looking at the words," she said. "In their mind the words register correctly."
I am pretty much into art myself.
I imagine that she doesn't know how to draw very competently at least, and is ignorant on other levels too. Nevertheless, I still find her stuff has appeal.
I'm always interested that so many Freepers are artistic.
What kind of stuff do you do?
Your tax dollars at work!
EI..STEIN is that Ben Stein's super smart father?
Did someone give her a list of names spelled correctly for her to copy? Where did she get the names from? leave no liberal behind....
Hey, that's a good idea! Make it sort of an "I SPY" thing. Dollars to doughtnuts say those sharp-eyed kids turn up a lot more mistakes in the mosaic than just a some misspelled names!
From post: "The mistakes wouldn't even register with a true artisan, Alquilar said. "
I wonder if that is because they are the product of our schools - and, like many, lack the ability to read and write -
So how is the turn around coming - ? Did President Bush give a % - ?
just my thought and a wonder -
Cheshire Cat was many decades ahead of his time by outlining post-modern deconstructionism.
You mean Whats-his-name Blake? The guy who directed all the Pink Panther movies??
What a Maroon!
I remember seeing the local story when this happened. I'm a proofreader, and the "creative spelling" excuse just didn't fly with me. I sent it to one of the editors I work with, and he thought it was hilarious... and glad that it wasn't him!
Not to mention that Livermore is home to Lawrence Livermore Labs ... full of rocket scientists!
Wow, $46K+ for mediocre art.
Ahem. Shouldn't that be "no apologies"?
"Alquilar's, primitive paintings, ceramic sculpture, ceramic installations, metal sculptures and lithographs are owned by corporations, Museums, Private, City and Federal Art Collections in the United, Mexico and Italy."
Would it be too much trouble to punctuate this a little bit, and to complete the name of the country?!
How about some contact paper?
I've been an artist since I was a kid and I have a dictionary AND a spell checker. I enjoy using them both.
Her work is truly dreadful. Ugly, amateurish.
There are many different art worlds out there. A whole group of artists make "public" work or paint murals. They are usually sponsored by various governments or foundation funding. Most of their work will never see the inside of a decent museum or a good viable gallery. They exist on the government dole or by hawking their work on the shopping channel. There are some very rich and very bad artists out there.
That's all well and good, but I can't figure out which of Blake's concepts she's referring to ...
Don't do the crime if you can't do the time ...
OR
Keep your eye on the sparrow ...
Oh ... not THAT Blake ...
No, she probably MEANT The United States of Mexico. Have you heard of the Atzlan movement? They think California, Arizona, New Mexico and Texas still belong to Mexico and they are working to take it back! It's war by over breeding and non assimilation. A large portion of our population hate this country!
Hey , don't look at me. My spelling is atrocious.
Oh, yes, I have heard of the Aztlan invasion movement. Criminal and intensely wrong.
Looked good to me! :-)
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