Saturday, July 28, 2007

Cardiff Statue Contender

It should have been this guy,


13 comments:

  1. It is a drag JP has at screen stuff.
    How can we make things not so difficult for JP?

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  2. lol now there's a likeness.

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  3. the fat dude looks like duke compared to Fairy Mary!

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  4. I sat at the statue today for about half an hour at high noon and listened to the people as they walked by the statue and made comments.

    100% positive.

    Scientific no, representative probably, good for Cardiff certainly.

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  5. I was distressed to hear of so much controversy regarding the surfer statue. I contributed to the sculture (sight unseen) in memory of my son who loved to surf as well as to support public art and honor the surfing heritage of the community. The complaints seem to be directed at the physique and lack of skill of the surfer. Even the most skilled and/or seasoned surfer (male or female) started somewhere. I ask you to remember your first experience, full of daring and bravado despite lack of skill. I think the statue accurately depicts the hope and offers encouragement to all to join in the fun and challenge of surfing. This community reached out to you, how about extending that reach to some new kid starting the sport and quit wasting time complaining.

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  6. It's too bad that Matthew decided to mix Michelangelo with a surfer. Hard to believe he really studied all of the surf mags he proports to have.

    The solution is easy, however. Just cut off the arms (that's been done in art, before, right?!=)

    Then redesign the arms and re-attach them .. .so the pose has some semblance of reality . . . then again, how about just putting some boobs on it?

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  7. Most people like it. Good, so get over it and let the immature art critics amuse themselves. Who cares if JP doesn't like it? Who cares if the weatherman doesn't like it? Who cares if the statue is criticized? Was it to be beyond evaluation? Are surfers not sophisticated enough in the fine arts to be allowed to have an opinion about a surf sculpture placed at the beach?

    Who cares if this blog covers the statue 24/7/365? Start your own blog to chronicle all of the great things that you have done for this city that only gets better by the day because of everyone's great efforts. We bloggers need a role model to show us how to be productive and stop complaining. Show us the path for we are lost.

    But don't think that showing us the path is going to change that people who love to surf either think the statue was a waste of money or think it is just wrong. JP's photoshop of the Tony Gwyyn statue is what a lot of surfers see in the Cardiff statue (see statue-fever-sweeps-county.html). Surfers say there is no way the artist surfs.

    It doesn't look like a beginner. No beginner has that flowwy delicate posture. You actually have to be accomplished to stand like that and then if you did it would not be functional or help you to experience the joy of surfing. Falling is not the fun. It is not a beginner and the artist even said so and I think that is the biggest insult to the artist that I have hear from anyone. The only surfer that has called it a beginner is Jerome Stocks and his surfing credentials are in serious question now. If this were a beginner the surf community would not have reacted as they did. If it were a good celebration of the grom-surf-stoke that would have been wonderful and is a good idea for a future statue. Instead the artist attempted what everyone is saying that they didn't want in a statue. They say nobody wanted a statue of a ripper, except the artist who created the sculpture.

    If you care what surfers think about the statue you are going to be disappointed so just let it go. Let's move on.

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  8. You're wrong 10:14, the fat man pose is identical to the sculpture.

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  9. 9:09

    Very good points.
    I like the idea of the famous,"Anonymous" that could do a better one for 50k. Well, that is possible. First, one would have to raising money. Well first you would have to call a meeting to see if anyone 'really' cared enough to get involved. Then a committee formed to set goals and explore costs and the sticky art problem. Something very mysterous sometimes occurs during these committee efforts. They end up with, not the perfect choice of any one, but a mix choicen to appease all. All with good intentions. When it is cast in bronze, and ends up not exactly what you thought it would be, that's a problem. Not enough freedom of the artist or too much freedom of the artist can be an obsticle. Picking the right artist can be important. Having a good team and making the right partnership is important.
    It can be done, though. It could take years of effort and commitment.

    Does anyone care enough to think about it?
    Does anyone care enough to do anything about it?
    We could get it started.
    Who wants explore options and do something possitive?
    I think Leucadia Roadside park is a perfect location.
    Public art can be very cool.

    Let me know if anyone really cares. I will set up a meeting.


    Thank You.

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  10. You've made some good points. Michaelangelo didn't have to put up with a committee when he made for example, "David". He had a 19' block of marble nobody wanted because of a fault in it. He spent 4 years behind a fence creating it before it was unveiled. The rest is history. Oh yeah, except for one art critic during a war that knocked one of David's hands off with a cannon ball, and at some later date, with the intervention of a retentive committee, they stuck a fig leaf over his weiner. There, I said the W word.

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  11. I think the statue would work if the artist would shift and tilt the position of the surfer to appear as if he is droping in. As it stands now, it look like a balerina poppin a squat. The drop is the only "skill" move I can see in this statue and the position is all wrong. I don't see a backside bottom turn or working the line. I don't think people expect perfection that's not a componet of art, but I think they expect truth.

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  12. I live and surf in Cardiff. I was really disapointed in the statue. I know this topic is old, but it's hard not to be reminded, everyday, when I drive by it at least twice. I'm not bashing the artist, just the pose.

    I will donate some cash in the name of my company to change the statue...

    Or, donate $ to organize a large party somewhere in Cardiff to raise money to replace the statue. Music, food, donated raffle prizes, even a contest...Anybody else?

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  13. Hey get over it, i have driven by tons of times and didn't get into the detail. Why does it have to be about the details... or that.. its about all the joy that have surfing has brought to this region. its art not a surfer mag photo.

    My question is for the people bitching, when was the last time you contributed to any public project and have something for all to share.

    I love surfing and have spent some of my greatest moments of my life with friends on these beaches, but I can't stand idiots that have to pick everything apart and have to create one style.

    Get your brain out of the lineup and next time if you want to bitch get involved in your community and then you will know what is going on and can contribute your thoughts. Otherwise shut up.

    I wasn't involved in this project and I have no right to bitch now.

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