Yeah, I see the similarity now. Don’t you?
]]Cost to Coeur d’Alene: About $100,000 – $110,000 (until the first
]]wet then hard freeze of winter annihilates the LEDs…)
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ADDENDUM on August 10, 2013: Our local skewspaper, the Coeur d’Alene Press, finally reported the story today in an article headlined Like a rainbow in the park.
LOL. You gotta admit it, CdA does not miss a beat when it comes to controversial ‘art’. I think it looks like a twisted hammock and it has a likeness akin to some weird football field. It also reminds me of one of those stretchy holders that secures a hair do.
Comment by Stebbijo — August 9, 2013 @ 6:19 pm
Comment by Dan Gookin — August 10, 2013 @ 12:53 pm
Dan,
Thank you for putting up the YouTube segment from the Council meeting. Your comments and reason for voting against the contract award were absolutely appropriate. I wouldn’t have any particular objection to awarding the contract to an out-of-area artist if that artist had come to Coeur d’Alene, spent some time here, and then designed an art piece that most people could look at and intuitively say, “Yeah, that captures the essence of my impression of my visit to Coeur d’Alene, too.” But Rainbow is not distinctly Coeur d’Alene; in fact, it’s not even vaguely Coeur d’Alene, nor is it vaguely anyplace else.
From the opening still before starting the video, it does look like two giant garden slugs facing off for a duel to see who gets the water bottle, though.
Comment by Bill — August 10, 2013 @ 1:29 pm
That’s funny! Garden slugs. I didn’t see that until you pointed it out. I keep seeing Star Wars. Also, the maquette doesn’t really reflect McEuen. My guess is that the artist shopped this piece around and didn’t bother changing it.
All the finalists were similar to this piece in many ways. All were rather emotionless steel, high-tech structures. Nothing organic. Nothing reflective of the area. I know one local artist who no longer submits art to the City. Quoth he, “I don’t think the City appreciates my kind of quality.”
Comment by Dan Gookin — August 10, 2013 @ 1:56 pm
I was told many years ago that Sandi wanted an arch for Fourth Street and she wanted an underground parking garage. This no doubt reflects the existing and future high rises on Front but in no way reflect the historical architecture on Sherman nor does it reflect the history and/or the natural beauty of the area.
Is this ice storm proof?
Finally, as one involved with Addison Dogs, it is said that when our beloved dogs die they cross the Rainbow Bridge. Enough said.
Comment by Susie Snedaker — August 10, 2013 @ 5:04 pm
Susie,
Your story of the Rainbow Bridge needs to be told completely:
Just this side of heaven is a place called Rainbow Bridge.
When an animal dies that has been especially close to someone here, that pet goes to Rainbow Bridge.
There are meadows and hills for all of our special friends so they can run and play together.
There is plenty of food, water and sunshine, and our friends are warm and comfortable.
All the animals who had been ill and old are restored to health and vigor; those who were hurt or maimed are made whole and strong again, just as we remember them in our dreams of days and times gone by.
The animals are happy and content, except for one small thing; they each miss someone very special to them, who had to be left behind.
They all run and play together, but the day comes when one suddenly stops and looks into the distance. His bright eyes are intent; His eager body quivers. Suddenly he begins to run from the group, flying over the green grass, his legs carrying him faster and faster.
You have been spotted, and when you and your special friend finally meet, you cling together in joyous reunion, never to be parted again. The happy kisses rain upon your face; your hands again caress the beloved head, and you look once more into the trusting eyes of your pet, so long gone from your life but never absent from your heart.
Then you cross Rainbow Bridge together….
Comment by Bill — August 10, 2013 @ 6:53 pm
Here in the land of forest, water and mountains–we get plastic and steel from the desert. A bit too carnival-esque for my taste and I’m not just talking about the art.
Comment by Old Dog — August 11, 2013 @ 10:23 am
We have lost it, here. It’s over. We have been sold out by the best of them.
The hubby and I went to Jimmys for breakfast this morning. At least there, it still feels real and retains an atmosphere of days gone by.
Then we drove back home thru downtown. I wanted to see the newer art that had replaced Ganesha, ect. – to see if they are equally as bad. It’s horrible – they just need to shut down the entire area from cars and make it a foot and bicycle gallery. I seriously, cannot stand it — with McEuen Park going in and the commercialization of Tubss Hill, it’s going to be exactly how Bill describes it — slugs in a garden. The local mood of CdA is toast … it has been replaced by a culture of artificial snobbery by people who think way too much of their “visions” … it’s ruined.
Then, we drove down by the college to take a closer look at the stuff going in there and get the husband a real view of the ‘poop art’ — it’s all way overdone and looks “gaudy.” It reminds me of a second hand thrift shop where there is the one area overloaded with everyone’s Christmas donations. It’s excessive.
I wish it all would just stop …
Comment by Stebbijo — August 11, 2013 @ 12:30 pm
If we accept the premise that Coeur d’Alene’s major (and now maybe only) industry is tourism, then it follows that the reason people have come to Coeur d’Alene is to see Coeur d’Alene. People don’t come to Coeur d’Alene to see Malibu or Laguna or Taos or Santa Fe or Eastsound or Eureka Springs or Crested Butte or even Ketchum. But we now have some people in this community that seem to be trying their darndest to erase what made here a place visitors would seek out and remember favorably. Some of these people, notably the Bloemster and Goodlander, have never really been anywhere else, so their desire to change, to erase the history and culture of north Idaho, seems to be more out of envy of other areas than appreciation and pride for our own.
Comment by Bill — August 11, 2013 @ 12:39 pm
Thank you Council Member Gookin for your voice of common sense.
I remember when the city installed the feather art on N.W. Blvd. which was to represent some history of our area. I have no idea what happened to the canoe art that was suppose to following at the same location? And the city allowed art of bears, eagles, and fish wood carvings in the park. Now our leaders have moved us away from local history to San Francisco art that has no sense of community at all.
I also remember how many times the council encouraged support of local businesses. “Shop Local” has gone by the way side too. Our community relationship is disconnected/in divorce proceedings. I pray that more common sense people are voted into office this fall and we return our focus to our original community values.
Comment by LTR — August 11, 2013 @ 2:21 pm