Posted on 10/09/2004 10:30:13 AM PDT by MikalM
The artist who created the now-infamous Livermore library mosaic that contains 11 misspellings says she no longer wants to fix it because of the "nasty messages from people who don't understand art."
Maria Alquilar, who complained that her name, too, was often misspelled, said she had been overwhelmed by dozens of phone calls and more than 1,000 e- mails since her errors -- from "Eistein" to "Shakespere" to "Michaelangelo" -- were widely publicized.
Fed up, Alquilar said Friday that she was reconsidering her decision to correct her work because the people of Livermore had been so mean.
"If I come out, there will probably be a demonstration," she said. "There is so much anger. I am so upset, I can't even think straight."
Alquilar will wait for the issue to die down before she makes a firm decision, but she said she would prefer that the city just tear up the piece, which measures 16 feet in diameter and includes 175 historical names and cultural words.
"I will consent if the city wants to pay to have it removed," she said.
City officials, who paid $40,000 for the mosaic, said they hoped Alquilar would correct the mistakes but had not received an answer.
"She indicated that she is not sure if she wants to come back," said Assistant City Manager Jim Piper. "We will get her final decision next week."
The city has not decided what to do if Alquilar, who lives in Miami, refuses to return, but officials are evaluating their options....
(Excerpt) Read more at sfgate.com ...
Believe it or not, there's a law. Once an "artist" is paid to create something for a public building, the "art" cannot be altered without the permission of the "artist."
I don't remember if it's federal or state law.
But when you're committing words PERMANENTLY in front of a LIBRARY they should be spelled correctly.
A person of minimal intelligence and professionalism can check the spellings of words in an exhibit to be used in a public display. That is the point of this protest: like many artists, Alquilar is of the opinion that she can turn out crap at the taxpayers' expense, then insult people who question her professionalism. Preposterous excuses about "not understanding art" or "names not having standardized spelling" don't cut it. A seventh grader would be red-marked for misspelling Shakespeare's name, and an artist who claims to be competent to use a computer can run a spelling check.
Fix the mural or have it removed.
"A seventh grader would be red-marked for misspelling Shakespeare's name, and an artist who claims to be competent to use a computer can run a spelling check."
You've misunderestimated this woman Fred. This whole grammar hysteria is very much like the nonsense I have been hearing from lefties the past four years who keep whining about President Bush's tortured syntax and texasisms while failing to credit him for his substance. I encourage the paragons of grammatical correctness here to vote kerry as he is the candidate of perfectly grammatical sentences with empty hollow ideas.
"George Bush obviously has problems with speaking in a grammatically correct way."
Fortunate I was exposed to the Texican language in my early adult years. First I worked in the oil patch, and later engineering & construction (oil patch related).
My mother had proper New England roots. She assured me most southerners were dumb and worthless; witness how they talked.
My Dad, however, hailed from Wyoming, compelling me to be openminded, lest I judge my grandmother too harshly.
So when I heard petroleum engineers and geologists talkin texican, I paid attention.
Contrary to my Mother's ideas, these guys had masters degrees in their professional fields, and were a lot of fun to work with and get to know.
So I can understand every word Bush says, and mostly I agree with him, too.
Texican is real American talk.
Misunderstand her? If she is a legitimate artist, it is her job to communicate. That is what art is, communication. She has the responsibility to make you understand her. The jarring disharmony of misspelled words act as a barrier to that communication.
Unless that communication is to be about her ignorance and sloth, and arrogance in refusing to do her job as an artist and remove the communication flaws in her work.
Again, an exercise in sophistry. The analogy is ridiculous, because there is no comparison between answering a question off the top of your head, and detailing a work you've had many months or years to prepare. Furthermore, the identities of the figures in this mural are important to the work, so the spelling of their names is part of the art itself.
Finally, your analogy fails because it offers a false alternative. If I thought the President's professionalism was as shoddy as this woman's, I would indeed withhold my vote, but that doesn't mean I would need to vote for Kerry.
"This is really not too much to ask of anyone providing goods or services for profit."
40,000 bucks is fair market value for this piece. She delivered the piece under a contract wherein the work cannot be altered without the artist's permission. She thinks it's O.K. and I agree with her. The deal is done. Join the grammar police here and vote kerry, the grammitically correct empty suit. Give me Texasisms, primitive mispelled art and solid clear thinking anyday.
Amazing. Even illiteracy and philistinism have their defenders! Anything can be rationalized, of course. Maybe we oughta organize 'Special Olympics' type events for certifiable morons like this 'artiste'. Why not go all the way? Replace in our libraries the books of Shekspeer and company with works by those misunderstood idiot savants.
So because in this day and age we can find historical evidence that the name has changed, we are expected to except a misspelling that diverts from the currently accepted spelling?
That is kind of like moral relativism. (I will only accept you morality when it suits me.)
I understand that "Artists" have different concepts and ideas of how they see their "Art".
But to become upset and whine like she does because here art is not accepted by the people of livermore and then to say that she will correct it if the City pays.
that is rediculous.
If she were so concern about the art in the first place and thought that the misspelling were such and intracit part of that art she sould have included that with her explination.
Artist commonlly send discriptions of what their art represents especially abstract, because they are afraid that people will not understand.
I think this was just a lazy "artist" trying to cover a mistake and the get more money out of the City of livermore.
When you pay $40,000 for $50 worth of paint and canvas, you have a right to expect quality. The woman didn't even proof read her work.
"Again, an exercise in sophistry. "
I think my logic is sound. You want to nitpick the grammatically-correct spellings of personal names while overlooking the content of the woman's ideas. The analogy stands. I've never seen Bush's personal, unedited writings, but I trust that he doesn't write like an Oxford scholar. I would guess that John Kerry writes with a much more rigid adherence to grammatical rules.
You seem to be of the opinion that art has to be strictly representational, which would wipe out the past 90 years of what some term "degenerate art." Picasso or DeKooning works look nothing like real life representations of people. I for one do not want to go back to an era of art, where everything is depicted as a photographic looking representation of the subject. I don't see that you can't apply the same principles to words.
"Maybe we oughta organize 'Special Olympics' type events for certifiable morons like this 'artiste'."
Again, this is the same tiresome argument I hear from my lefty friends that blubber on with the 'bush is a moron' schtick. Kerry speaks in a more grammatically correct way than Bush, but has less content. I think the Cat and the grammitically correct church ladies here should vote Kerry. I'm sticking with the inarticlate, but solid content of the misunderestimated George and the foul talking Cheney.
"Also, you allege that anyone who criticizes her spelling mistakes is part of the "grammar police" and would vote for John Kerry. This is simply a fallacious argument of distraction and has nothing to do with the logical argument."
No, I think the analogy is solid. Just because you disagree with it doesn't make it fallacious.
This woman fulfilled her contract, the deal is done. At this point I think she should give the city council the same treatment that Cheney gave Pat Leahy on the senate floor.
With all due respect, you are a fool.
"With all due respect, you are a fool."
yes, a misunderestimated fool.
Touché
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