Thursday, June 3, 2010

More on the Mosaic Man removing his mosaics

Per the earlier post today.... EV Grieve reader Marjorie Ingall passed along these photos from a few weekends ago...




Already this morning, Marjorie and several other readers have written to say that they hope that Jim reconsiders removing the mosaics; that they are vital and iconic part of the neighborhood....

11 comments:

Melanie said...

Oh why??They are important to the hood.

EV Grieve said...

I haven't seen him in some time. Have you Melanie?

Melanie said...

I haven't seen him in a few weeks--but my schedule has been irregular as well. I will keep an eye out for Jim and ask him about this when I see him.

Anonymous said...

Looks like someone is picking up thier marbles and heading home. Sad really - that after so much community financial support for so many yearsm that the Mosaic Man would chose to take his work away. Well, the world doesn't owe anyone a living. If you choose to beg support of your art from the kind heartedness and sympathy of others, don't be a pissy jackass if one day that handout is no longer there. I liked his art around the hood, until I realized it comes with strings attached and conditions for perpetual financial handouts.

Bianca said...

Oh no. How come??

glamma said...

i'd say that mosaic man is the furthest possible thing from a pissy jackass.

anon - how do you suggest the art gets paid for?

WB said...

It certainly seems like he's threatening to take them all down if he doesn't get money. I think people would be willing to donate to him, to keep them up, if someone communicated what the deal is in a way that people can understand. If he does pull them all down, that would a pretty spiteful thing to do. Public art shouldn't come with strings attached, as anonymous said.

Just think about Ray, and how grateful he is for all of the help the neighborhood gives him. Makes for an interesting comparison. But Mosaic Man might just be desperate for money, and this is his tactic.

Anonymous said...

Why does the art "have to be paid for"? And who says it hasn't already been paid for?

My understanding is that Mosaic Man's art is both commissioned - meaning a business or property owner has already paid for it. Or that it was done on public property by Mosaic Man, not unlike tagging. He has "taken" public property for his own use and given back his art..

In either scenario, Mosaic Man has been compensated. His "free" public installation have helped him win paid private commission, and his private commissions have earned him some cash.

Seems that the only problem is that his commissions have been too few and far between to make for a comfortable or even livable career.

And for that, (the very realization that artists frankly far more talented all over the globe have come to since art began) Mosaic Man threatens to take back his art? Art that has already been given to and paid for by the community.

RyanAvenueA said...

I love that they add a little flavor to the neighborhood, and they were definitely one of the first things I noticed when I moved in across from one. Donating wouldn't be a problem if I knew how/where/when. I always thought this was a hobby, not something we'd eventually be extorted for.

Mose Aicman said...

It's a shame. Hungry children in Africa are starving for mosaic art, hope he sends them there . . .

Jill said...

What could be more satisfying than art and a conversation about it, except maybe cash...