Thursday, November 22, 2007

The Magical Mosaic

The thing that differentiates Canada from the U.S., it's often been said, is that while we pride ourselves on being a melting pot where speedy assimilation is almost mandatory, Canada has been able to celebrate its diversity through a magical mosaic. Each culture stands unique and distinct, impeded into the binding materials that make one great nation of shimmering, colorful tiles.

While Barcelona is arguably the mecca for true mosaic work lauded by Gaudi but going back to Medieval times, there is much of the same work to be found here in the city by the bay. All of these are in varying extensions of the 941 plus two zip codes, though most here in the 94110.

A plea to Reya of the Golden Poppy: I've not been able to find the work of your friend Deborah on York Street, unless you're mistaken and it's actually the bench I photographed on 22nd closer to Folsom. Either way, that's one of the best works in the 'hood.

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6 Comments:

At 5:26 AM, Blogger Reya Mellicker said...

oops. The bench would not be Deborah's work. Her house is at 955 York. I think the only mosaic on the front of the house is between the front doors and the garage doors, an evil eye? Can't remember.

It's good to be reminded that San Francisco is loaded with great mosaic artists. Deborah's creations are part of the amazing arts community of your crazy city by the Bay.

BTW after 4 Hugh Grant movies I admit I'm mystified by his appeal. He's so unctuous and sleazy, though I enjoyed About a Boy, a sweet, heart warming film.

 
At 8:14 AM, Blogger Ladrón de Basura (a.k.a. Junk Thief) said...

Reya - I suspect Deborah would not appreciate a stranger just showing up to start photographing her habitat. I can be bold when necessary but don't show up unannounced quite like that.

I'll admit About A Boy is not half bad. Isn't that the one with Badly Drawn Boy music? Boy, what a boy movie. Somehow I got distracted from Fassbinder by Brideshead Revisited and Two's Company.

 
At 2:24 PM, Blogger marxsny said...

Another thing that differentiates Canada from the US is that the Canadian Government is not led by a retarded chimpanzee.

 
At 7:31 AM, Blogger Salty Miss Jill said...

I LOVE mosaics!

You must go to Turkey to gaze at the many there. It's mosaic paradise.

 
At 9:31 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

"Lauded by Gaudi" has a lovely sound in English. In Catalan, probably not so much.

And Marxsny: have you heard Stephen Harper talk? Perhaps not retarded like our own dear Prez, but certainly not of genus Homo.

 
At 10:48 AM, Blogger Ladrón de Basura (a.k.a. Junk Thief) said...

Mark - Huntington makes a good point below, but they are on the whole saner than in the U.S., Quebecois and all.

Jill - I look forward to having you as my Istanbul guide one day.

Huntington - Most things sound better in Catalan, but perhaps not this. If Australia and Spain have come to their sense politically, we can have hope for the U.S.

 

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