Livermore Library Mosaic, originally uploaded by squidish.
This is the notorious library mosaic which had numerous spelling mistakes and for which the local council had to fork out another US$6000 to get the artist to return and fix her mistakes. This is the mosaic post-corrections as you can see Einstein is spelt correctly in the left corner.
So why did the council have to fork out additional money for what was the artist’s blunder? Well, it would have been illegal for them to get someone else to fix it as that would have been tampering and it wasn’t in the contract that the words had to be spelt correctly. You wouldn’t have thought that it was necessary!
I have to admit that I’m not impressed by the artist’s attitude. She was being rather precious to say the least. I have to admit that there are two things that stuck out in my head. This woman was a schoolteacher in her life before becoming a professional artist. Hmmm.
And this classic quote:
“I just wasn’t that concerned.”None of us are particularly good spellers anymore because of computers. When you are in a studio full of clay, you don’t give it much thought.”
“When you look at Michelangelo’s David, do you point out that one (testicle) is lower than the other?”
Um, Maria, you could very happily point out that fact because that’s the anatomical norm. And it tends to be the left one*. You see, Michelangelo knew his anatomy and did his homework.
And its a shame because she has blown her reputation in public arts not because she lacks talent but purely due to attitude. I really like the mosaic; I loathe her attitude.
*Gardner ED, Gardner-Gray-O’Rahilly Anatomy ISBN0-03-910810-4
The misspelled mosaic words:
Beckman: Otto Beckmann, German chemist or Max Beckmann, German painter
Corn Katchinas: Kachinas or Katsina, Mexican dolls
Eistein: Albert Einstein, German physicist
Gaugan: Paul Gauguin, French Impressionist painter
Luca Della Robia: Luca Della Robbia, Italian sculptor
Michaelangelo: Michelangelo, Italian Renaissance artist
Nefertite: Nefertiti or Nofretete, Egyptian queen
Schuman: Clara Schumann, German composer
Shakespere: William Shakespeare, English playwright
Thesues: Theseus, Greek hero and king
Van Gough: Vincent van Gogh, Dutch Impressionist artistSource: Livermore Public Library, verified using the Oxford American Dictionary
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“The Girls and Boys of Mother Goose”by Barbara Benson Keith.
