Thursday, December 15, 2005

the Belmont Library is ruined

Mike Martin and I took these photos of the Belmont Library's fantastic installation of moonlit seascapes early this year, and I regret not posting them sooner - because I went in today and the paintings are GONE!!!

The librarian said they took them down because they have been there for two years, and also that "some kids" had come in once and taken pictures and that they didn't know what to do with them anymore. Aargh! That was probably me and Mike!

library view
There were nine or ten dusty seascapes propped against the wall on top of the bookshelves, each with a label stuck to the front. Don't recall now the name of the artist.

library
Alien beach on the moon. Fantastic is the best word to describe these paintings. Individually they are okay, strange and interesting, but all together along the top of the library bookshelves was a perfect installation.

library1
It's like the Martian Chronicles. Look at what is on all the books. Skulls!

library skulls
All of the books have skulls on them. What does this mean? Are they pirate treasure? Is reading dangerous? These skulls beneath the seascapes gave me shivers of pleasure. They shivered me timbers.

Belmont Library, barren
RUINED!!!!

Belmont Librarians, please bring back the paintings!!! This was a big inspiration for Meatballs at Stuffy's. Am I the only one that loved them and has commented on their absence?

2 comments:

  1. ...Really odd, nice touch that a public library is bedeckled in skulls like that. You'd think that a place that was skull-friendly would be more understanding of martian seascapes? Two years is too long to look at a group of paintings? No paintings is better than old paintings? "I don't know what to do with my painting."? The nerve! Positive Spin: Belmont Library Interested in Showing Fresh Work.

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  2. Martin, I am so glad you documented this. You are right. It is sick and sad that these gloomy alien seascapes are missing from their bookshelves.

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