Our state capitol's new mural

[badger]

http://www.tulsaworld.com/articleimages/2010/20100820_capitolmural0000820.jpg
More info here. (http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/article.aspx?subjectid=12&articleid=20100820_12_0_ayOlhm376276)

It is entitled "Beyond the Centennial." Is that the eye from Lord of the Rings in the middle, except with beefy arms?

[sooner59]

wft?

[Mississippi Sooner]

I was thinking it looks kinda like The Thing.

http://www.ratewall.com/cpics/marvel_the_thing.jpg

[badger]

wft?

I agree, what **** the indeed. This was apparently the first mural at the cap by a Hispanic artist (a U.S. citizen from Mexico living in OKC).

I love every part of it except the scary eye, but might be able to understand wft better if I knew what it was... or what it was symbolizing. Is it from mythology? Is it from an Oklahoma fable? A fairy tale? Is it really the Lord of the Rings eye with beefy arms? WFT is it?!

[saucysoonergal]

Many lawmakers don't like the newest mural at the state Capitol and want it taken down, the chief of staff for the state House told a preservation commission Thursday.


MultimediaVideoview all videosLawmakers want mural removed

Aug 20Many lawmakers don't like the newest mural at the state Capitol and...

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Many Oklahoma lawmakers want state Capitol mural taken down Chad Warmington told members of the State Capitol Preservation Commission that House members have "a growing negative reaction" to the mural.

"They think it doesn't belong in the Capitol," he said. "It doesn't fit. It's not historic. It's not very well done."

Warmington denied the displeasure had anything to do with the mural being the first artwork by a Hispanic to be displayed at the Capitol.

"They don't know who painted this painting," he said. "They don't know if he's white, red, yellow, black. They have no clue. They don't like it. They think it looks more like a cartoon. There is no issue, none, with the ethnicity of the artist, with the background of the artist."

Paul Ziriax, who serves as secretary to the Senate, said several senators have also told him they don't like the mural, which hangs in the archway above the Hall of Governors on the second floor of the Capitol.

"We'd be wise to at least give them an opportunity to have their say," said Ziriax, a member of the preservation commission.

Richard Ellwanger, chairman of the preservation commission which approved the mural, defended the artwork and called it well done.

"People don't understand it," he said. "Stylistically it is a little different, but I think colorwise it fits in very well with many of the paintings on that floor ... and the murals that surround the rotunda."

The mural, "Beyond the Centennial," is by Carlos Tello. He is from Mexico and a U.S. citizen living in Oklahoma City. He is a self-taught fresco painter.

"Lawmakers, when they're elected, are chosen to represent all the people in their district independent of what side of the street they live on, their racial background, their ethnic background," Ellwanger said. "This is the people's house and the artwork should reflect that, as well. This is a diverse state, and it always has been. In fact, it's an entire state of immigrants.

"The fact that we have allowed a limited and narrow scope of work to hang in these halls is perhaps an issue that we should address," Ellwanger said. "Most of the artwork in here, and I'm sorry to say this, was done by middle-aged white men. And it's time that we took a broader approach."

Warmington said he agreed there is a need for diversity of art at the Capitol.

"I don't know if the Hall of Governors is the place for it," he said.

The mural was paid for by the Friends of the Capitol, a nonprofit group that helps fund art and repairs at the Capitol. The State Capitol Preservation Commission approved the mural and where it should be placed. Warmington, a member of the commission, voted for the mural.

Tello took inspiration for his mural from Oklahoma's centennial theme, "A unique history. An extraordinary future."

The left side depicts the state's history from land runs to the Dust Bowl, while the right side focuses on industries such as energy and space exploration.

Ellwanger suggested to Warmington and Ziriax that legislators upset with the mural appear before the commission.

"I, for one, will not succumb to that kind of pressure," he said. "It's an excellent piece of art."



Read more: http://newsok.com/many-oklahoma-lawmakers-want-state-capitol-mural-taken-down/article/3486898#ixzz0xABoVDeQ

[King Crimson]

it is a little bit creepy.

[Viking Kitten]

I love how the unnamed lawmakers who don't like it won't come forward and publicly denounce it. Instead they are going through some junior grade flunkie to try and get it removed. What a bunch of chickensh*ts. Art is subjective and not everyone is going to like it. But it was solicited and appproved by the Capitol Preservation Commission, so it's a bit late in the game to start playing Monday morning art critic.

[saucysoonergal]

vk, drink your koolaid elsewhere!!!!







;)






Don't make me admonish you.

[Viking Kitten]

Heh. Koolaid. "OH YEAH!!!1" *punches through the mural wall*

[badger]

I am still trying to figure out what the eyeball with beefy arms symbolizes... It seems like Mr. Beefy-armed Eyeball, is motioning the past and the future to move together. So, it's like the Capitol is bring the positives of yesterday and tomorrow to today. Mkay... so um... is that even an eyeball, or a shot of a person from high above? Maybe arms raised on top of... an egg yolk head. Mkay... egg yolk head. With... a pile of spaghetti behind him.

I'm awful with art. W. F. T.

[Mississippi Sooner]

The thing does have a very, very Mexican mural flavor it it. At least it doesn't have an eagle clutching a snake.

[badger]

The thing does have a very, very Mexican mural flavor it it. At least it doesn't have an eagle clutching a snake.

Why not? The eagle is our national symbol! Kill that snake, you bald eagle, you! :D

[soonerbrat]

I agree, what **** the indeed. This was apparently the first mural at the cap by a Hispanic artist (a U.S. citizen from Mexico living in OKC).

I love every part of it except the scary eye, but might be able to understand wft better if I knew what it was... or what it was symbolizing. Is it from mythology? Is it from an Oklahoma fable? A fairy tale? Is it really the Lord of the Rings eye with beefy arms? WFT is it?!

i think he did the mural at the school where I tutor, too. It's very creepy and it looks similar to that.

[yermom]

that's not an eye, it's the top of Tebow's head

[soonerbrat]

P.S. I thought it was creepy looking before I read the article and before I knew anything about the artist. the end.

[TheHumanAlphabet]

Going with the "everybody is a critic theme...


I am still trying to figure out what the eyeball with beefy arms symbolizes... It seems like Mr. Beefy-armed Eyeball, is motioning the past and the future to move together. So, it's like the Capitol is bring the positives of yesterday and tomorrow to today. Mkay... so um... is that even an eyeball, or a shot of a person from high above? Maybe arms raised on top of... an egg yolk head. Mkay... egg yolk head. With... a pile of spaghetti behind him.

I'm awful with art. W. F. T.

I don't get the center figure??? Its like a comic book character or maybe a luche libra figure???

[Viking Kitten]

It's El Chupacabra shapeshifting into a human.

[JohnnyMack]

STEP's greasy sandwich turtle head poking out?

[yermom]

is this some kind of central mural or just one of many? i'm not familiar with the layout of the capitol...

[Viking Kitten]

It's one of several throughout the Capitol, but it really is very different from all the others. I don't particularly like it either, but again, the time for critique was before it got put in place. They commission knew beforehand what it was going to look like. It has actually been in place several months now.

[picasso]

Eh, it looks pretty cool in a trippy Salvador Dali kinda way.

I think the state has bigger problems than this but it's their right to have it removed if they choose. It's paid for.

[JohnnyMack]

If the finger painter likes it, I like it.

[King Crimson]

Eh, it looks pretty cool in a trippy Salvador Dali kinda way.

I think the state has bigger problems than this but it's their right to have it removed if they choose. It's paid for.

sure. maybe. but it's OKC in a state that voted for Bob Dole....not Barcelona in early 60's.

[Chuck Bao]

I also like it a lot. It is very masculine, humanistic. Or maybe, the guy in the center is reaching up to heaven with his beefy arms and a cat’s eye painted on the top of his head looking to the future. Or maybe, he is flat on his back in water and a green Oklahoma above him is in his care. Or maybe, he has his hands up in surrender as he is being arrested for being high on paint fumes.

It is a very striking work of art, as art should be. Gee, if you want realism, just take a photo.

I agree with VK, picasso and other posters that it is too late to want to change it now and that our Oklahoma legislators have much more important things to do.

[IB4OU2]

Hispanic artists can work wonders with a little paint and some velvet.

[Mjcpr]

I thought it was a majestic brown eye. Just up from it looks like it could be a poop pile so I think I'm right.

[Tulsa_Fireman]

VIVA LA ANUS

[SicEmBaylor]

It looks like cheap *** crap to me.
I'm no art critic though.

[Viking Kitten]

I am not an artist, but it seems like the composition is just not very good. Seems like you've got three focal points, but because they all about the same size, I really don't know where to look. And it's almost like the big brown mass above The Thing creates a fourth point.

Picasso, am I wrong here?

[JohnnyMack]

Cooking. Cleaning. Vaginas.

Nope. Don't see anything there about art.

[Viking Kitten]

You left "keeping your man satisfied" off your list, but I always defer to your expertise in that arena anyway, JM.

[JohnnyMack]

Hey I knocked my wife up again, btw.

Boy x 3

[C&CDean]

Uh, that wasn't you.

[Chuck Bao]

I am not an artist, but it seems like the composition is just not very good. Seems like you've got three focal points, but because they all about the same size, I really don't know where to look. And it's almost like the big brown mass above The Thing creates a fourth point.

Picasso, am I wrong here?

I am definitely no picasso. And, I very much want to see his response to your question.

But VK, and I love and respect your opinion very much, but a mural, in my opinion, is about story telling. There doesn't need to be one focal point, like a painting. I haven't seen this artwork in person, but it still seems like the man whoever or whatever he is or doing is the focal point and, as I said before, very humanistic and appropriate in a non-religious way for our capitol building.

Would I have preferred picasso to paint the mural? Oh hell yeah!

[C&CDean]

What time is it in Thailand? Are you drinking already/yet?

[StoopTroup]

The first thing that popped out besides wondering WTF it is...WTF does not knowing the Ethnicity of the Artist have to do with anything?

1) Who is the Artist?

2) How was the Artist choosen?

3) In choosing...was there prior work like this done or was this simply the Grandson of someone who just graduated Art School and needed a little dough or...did he do it for free?

4) Why is it now taking more effort to get it down and have it repainted with a nice White Base Coat until a suitable replacement Artist can be hired and a panel of folks who have good sense can review the submissions of a few artists and then can decide on a replacement?

[Chuck Bao]

What time is it in Thailand? Are you drinking already/yet?

It is 7:30am on a Saturday morning and I just want to say how much I love you too!

Have you ever been in the post office at Madill? There is a mural painted back in 1941 by Ethel Magafan on the walls of the post office building that is just so tremendous and beautiful work of art for such a small town in Oklahoma. I am awed by it every time I go into the post office to mail a letter.

http://i802.photobucket.com/albums/yy301/ghuebsch62/OklahomaMadillPOMuralPrairieFireArtistEthelMagafan JT085.jpg

http://www.texasescapes.com/TexasArt/Oklahoma-Madill-Prairie-Fire-WPA-Mural-by-Ethel-Magafan.htm

[jiminy]

Ok, I get that the left is the past and the right is the future, and I can see that what looks like an big eye is actually a cap on the head of someone we are viewing from above and behind who is holding up a large brown kite and a kindergarten-quality line drawing of our fine state, but what really leaped out at me is this: "Most of the artwork in here, and I'm sorry to say this, was done by middle-aged white men".

Wtf is wrong with middle-aged white men?

[C&CDean]

It is 7:30am on a Saturday morning and I just want to say how much I love you too!

Have you ever been in the post office at Madill? There is a mural painted back in 1941 by Ethel Magafan on the walls of the post office building that is just so tremendous and beautiful work of art for such a small town in Oklahoma. I am awed by it every time I go into the post office to mail a letter.

http://i802.photobucket.com/albums/yy301/ghuebsch62/OklahomaMadillPOMuralPrairieFireArtistEthelMagafan JT085.jpg

http://www.texasescapes.com/TexasArt/Oklahoma-Madill-Prairie-Fire-WPA-Mural-by-Ethel-Magafan.htm

Been drinking all night then. Cool. I'm just getting started. Anyhow, some of the best art in this country is in the PO buildings. Seriously, go to NYC or DC and check out the old POs. Allsome stuff.

[StoopTroup]

The trick is getting those damn murals down to Postage Stamp size.

[Chuck Bao]

The trick is getting those damn murals down to Postage Stamp size.

Just so you can lick their backside? That is not passing judgment because I also think that artists are hawt.

And, I am going to repeat what I said before - picasso should be given a chance to paint a mural in our capitol building. As I see it, he tells a story with each one of his artworks.

And, it is far past due for him to update us on his latest works.

[Leroy Lizard]

Art should evoke emotions, not WTF's.

The problem is simple: He can't paint.

We can talk all day about diversity. That's another issue. The problem here is the guy can't paint. It looks like the murals commissioned by urban city councils painted over graffiti.

Speaking of diversity...

The state of Oklahoma needs to develop an identity, not try to throw in every hodgepodge artistic bent it can find. Go to Santa Fe and you will see a Southwestern theme. The state capital should have a rustic, Western theme. That's Oklahoma. Keep the pastel-laced Hispanic art out of the capital. There is nothing inherently wrong with it; it just doesn't fit the heritage of the state. What next? Zulu headgear? Maoist minimalism? German expressionism?

[picasso]

sure. maybe. but it's OKC in a state that voted for Bob Dole....not Barcelona in early 60's.

:D

VK, I can't really tell from lack of detail.

J Mack, it looks kinda cool but I don't have to see it every day. That could change.:)