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."
Very apt literary allusion, but right book, wrong character, inaccurate quote. The Cheshire Cat was in "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland", not "Through the Looking-Glass and What Alice Found There".
The character in "Looking Glass" that you're thinking of is Humpty Dumpty, who says:
"...and that shows that there are three hundred and sixty-four days when you get un-birthday presents -- -"
"Certainly," said Alice.
"And only one for birthday presents, you know, There's glory for you!"
"I don't know what you mean by 'glory,' "Alice said.
Humpty Dumpty smiled contemptuously. "Of course you don't -- till I tell you. I meant "there's a nice knock-down argument for you!'"
"But `glory' doesn't mean `a nice knock-down argument,'" Alice objected.
"When I use a word," Humpty Dumpty said in a rather a scornful tone, "it means just what I choose it to mean -- neither more nor less.
"The question is," said Alice, "whether you can make words mean different things."
"The question is," said Humpty Dumpty, "which is to be master -- that's all."
Alice was too much puzzled to say anything, so after a minute Humpty Dumpty began again.
"They've a temper, some of them -- particularly verbs, they're the proudest -- adjectives you can do anything with, but not verbs -- however, I can manage the whole lot! Impenetrability! That's what I say!"
"Would you tell me, please," said Alice, "what that means?"
"Now you talk like a reasonable child," said Humpty Dumpty, looking very much pleased. "I meant by "impenetrability' that we've had enough of that subject, and it would be just as well if you'd mention what you meant to do next, as I suppose you don't intend to stop here all the rest of your life."
"That's a great deal to make one word mean," Alice said in a thoughtful tone.
"When I make a word do a lot of work like that," said Humpty Dumpty, "I always pay it extra."
Well, you've done your job. We are united in agreeing that you're an illiterate moron with an inflated sense of self, and you're stealing six thousand taxpayer dollars.
Oh, one more thing: the citizens of the great state of Florida thank you very much for reinforcing their post-2000 image as dunderheads.
Hopefully, the city of Livermore can send her a check for $60.00 and convince her that it's really for $6,000.
Why did the library buy the mural? Or allow it to be installed? Surely they saw it beforehand.
I tend to agree with you..
While the artist could be held somewhat responsible, it was the Library's responsibility to review the art and sign an agreement that the art meets their requirements..
As a commercial artist, I am familiar with the need to "proof" all work for proper grammar and spelling..
But a Fine artist does not generally work with text...
I am used to making notes of all "questionable" spellings, use of grammar, etc.. and providing all suggested changes to the contractor for approval..
Usually, the contractor will also "proof" my work, and note any changes, spelling errors, etc...
It is then their responsibility to "approve with noted changes", or require me to "make noted changes and re-submit for approval".. so they can proof the art again..
Only when all changes have been approved by the customer do I have "final art" to be sent to production..
So, in defence of the artist, I would suggest, unless they can show final, approved art with correct spellings, it was the Library's responsibility and not hers..
If they simply let her "do her own thing", then they have no one to blame but themselves..
Shirley ewe mien "sleigh".
John / Billybob
They should have left it misspelled and put a picture of the artist next to it.
I agree. I thought a lot of her work was very nice.
She sounds like a real LIBERAL DINGBAT though, like so many artists.
BTW, I'm also an artist (ultra-conservative)
That is an excellent idea!
My guess is that the term artist is being used loosely.
I'm an illustrator by trade, and I hate to be associated with the term artist. The Pieta is art. I can guarantee you that whatever this guy did was crap.
Be that as it may, no such exchange with the Cheshire Cat appears in either book. Nor can I locate that quote by Googling for it myself. Curiouser and curiouser. And the Cheshire Cat makes no appearance at all in "Looking Glass".
Lewis Carroll put the same concept in the mouths of two different characters, in two different books.
If so, it wasn't the Cheshire Cat. And a search for the word "words" in both books turns up no other similar discussion about the meanings of words, except for the one with Humpty Dumpty. However, there is a fun little discourse on labels and metalabels:
You're right that the more extensive discussion is in the first book with Humpty Dumpty."The name of the song is called 'Haddocks' Eyes.' "
"Oh, that's the name of the song, is it?" Alice said, trying to feel interested.
"No, you don't understand," the Knight said, looking a little vexed. "That's what the name is called. The name really is 'The Aged Aged Man.'"
"Then I ought to have said, 'That's what the song is called'?" Alice corrected herself.
"No, you oughtn't: that's another thing. The song is called 'Ways and Means': but that's only what it's called, you know!"
"Well, what is the song, then?" said Alice, who was by this time completely bewildered.
"I was coming to that," the Knight said. "The song really is 'A sitting on a Gate': and the tune's my own invention."
Humpty Dumpty actually appears in the second book.
Searchable etext of both books can be found at:
I have no objection to her lack of spelling or her art but I don't think that the taxpayer should be paying for it.
Yeah, her website is full of pompous and stupid descriptions of her work, which makes her a liberal, probably.
What kind of artwork do you do?
Why not just leave it as is, and make sure the artist's name is prominently displayed? (maybe with it's own mis-spelling)
I know lots of people who smoke dope who can spell quite well, and several who don't indulge who can't spell for squat.
"Her imagery combines iconography of primitive cultures to depict the paths to enlightenment."
Translated: she puts ugly doodles of people's faces in her crap.
Apparently, though, this is not the path to spelling enlightenment.
Ask? Hell, demand it! Plus jackhammer rental money to get rid of this piece of crap. Put in a planter.
Whuthaver.
I looked at her website. She is pretty good. It looks like the misspellings were intentional- the looseness of spelling to suit the style. I think she and the mural should be left alone. An artist should have the right to be a bit spacy.
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