San Diego, CA - Some things are not black and white. Take the example of the Surfing Madonna Mosaic in Encinitas, a sleepy surf town just north of San Diego.
In late April a group of guerilla artists dressed up in orange safety vests and installed a beautiful stained-glass mosaic on public property. The local government authorities were caught off guard.
Since this is public land and the mosaic contains a quasi-religious theme, the officials of the North County Transit District and the city of Encinitas can’t be blamed for being concerned. In these days of wasteful litigation and changing religious values, the Surfing Madonna creates a problem for public officials.
They have handled this controversy competently, but with little imagination. The artwork was conceived and assembled with a great deal of loving care. A local arts dealer has estimated the mosaic to have cost about $1,000 in materials and 100 hours to build. While it was done without any official permission; it is still one hell of a gift to the people of Encinitas.
Mayor James Bond (I know…) had a very noxious perspective. He can only see the bad. Mayor Bond claims that there have been some complaints that the piece is sacrilegious and violates the city’s graffiti ordinances.
Everyone can agree that it does violate city ordinances and many will agree that the mosaic should be moved since it depicts a religious figure on public property (although I personally believe that we have taken the separation of church and state too far)...
…But how is this artwork offensive as a religious symbol? Seriously! Look at the message written directly on the mosaic, “Save Our Oceans”. It is clearly not meant by the artists to be an attack on religion. There is a stated mission to the piece. Anyone taking offense to the Surfing Madonna clearly wants to be offended. Show me where it is written that Our Lady of Guadalupe cannot surf. What religious dogma does this violate?
In his conventional wisdom Mayor Bond asks, “What’s to keep other aspiring artists from planting something on any other public facility”? The answer to his question is simple, the Encinitas Police Department. On the other hand, he has a valuable resource in his city…
…A group of artists willing to spend 100s of hours of their time and thousands of dollars to beautify his city. Use your imagination…
I’d like to balance this story with another comment from someone who expresses a similar view to my own, but displayed a small, but inexcusable lack of judgment when commenting on the mosaic.
Rev. Brian Corcoran of St John’s Catholic Church in Encinitas loves the artwork so much that he placed it in a church bulletin and named it, “Our Lady of the Waves”. I completely agree with the logic of his arguments, but can’t believe his inclusion of Che Guevara as a positive force of change in this world. He stated;
Perhaps Jesus Christ or Martin Luther King would be a better choice than Che Guevara, the Butcher of La Cabaña Fortress (this is where he executed 164 prisoners without due process).
Speaking of changing the economy, Guevara changed Cuba’s economy into a stagnant cesspool that has forced the formerly prosperous country (by Latin American standards) to live off of the foreign aid of countries such as Russia and Venezuela.
As a further testament to his character, Guevara abandoned two wives to spread savage wars around the globe. All in a fruitless effort to replace dictatorships with another dictatorship.
I’d like to leave you with a choice quote from Che Guevara, so-called agent of change;
The story of the Virgin Mary is nothing like the bloody story of Che Guevara. He is no role model for any sensible person.
In late April a group of guerilla artists dressed up in orange safety vests and installed a beautiful stained-glass mosaic on public property. The local government authorities were caught off guard.
Since this is public land and the mosaic contains a quasi-religious theme, the officials of the North County Transit District and the city of Encinitas can’t be blamed for being concerned. In these days of wasteful litigation and changing religious values, the Surfing Madonna creates a problem for public officials.
They have handled this controversy competently, but with little imagination. The artwork was conceived and assembled with a great deal of loving care. A local arts dealer has estimated the mosaic to have cost about $1,000 in materials and 100 hours to build. While it was done without any official permission; it is still one hell of a gift to the people of Encinitas.
Mayor James Bond (I know…) had a very noxious perspective. He can only see the bad. Mayor Bond claims that there have been some complaints that the piece is sacrilegious and violates the city’s graffiti ordinances.
Everyone can agree that it does violate city ordinances and many will agree that the mosaic should be moved since it depicts a religious figure on public property (although I personally believe that we have taken the separation of church and state too far)...
…But how is this artwork offensive as a religious symbol? Seriously! Look at the message written directly on the mosaic, “Save Our Oceans”. It is clearly not meant by the artists to be an attack on religion. There is a stated mission to the piece. Anyone taking offense to the Surfing Madonna clearly wants to be offended. Show me where it is written that Our Lady of Guadalupe cannot surf. What religious dogma does this violate?
In his conventional wisdom Mayor Bond asks, “What’s to keep other aspiring artists from planting something on any other public facility”? The answer to his question is simple, the Encinitas Police Department. On the other hand, he has a valuable resource in his city…
…A group of artists willing to spend 100s of hours of their time and thousands of dollars to beautify his city. Use your imagination…
I’d like to balance this story with another comment from someone who expresses a similar view to my own, but displayed a small, but inexcusable lack of judgment when commenting on the mosaic.
Rev. Brian Corcoran of St John’s Catholic Church in Encinitas loves the artwork so much that he placed it in a church bulletin and named it, “Our Lady of the Waves”. I completely agree with the logic of his arguments, but can’t believe his inclusion of Che Guevara as a positive force of change in this world. He stated;
“It could be anybody on the surfboard. Che Guevara, Buddha, Muhammad. You want to save this world? You want to save the ocean? You want to make a difference in this world? You want to change the economy? You want to change our society? You have to get involved. Get up and catch the wave.”
Perhaps Jesus Christ or Martin Luther King would be a better choice than Che Guevara, the Butcher of La Cabaña Fortress (this is where he executed 164 prisoners without due process).
Speaking of changing the economy, Guevara changed Cuba’s economy into a stagnant cesspool that has forced the formerly prosperous country (by Latin American standards) to live off of the foreign aid of countries such as Russia and Venezuela.
As a further testament to his character, Guevara abandoned two wives to spread savage wars around the globe. All in a fruitless effort to replace dictatorships with another dictatorship.
I’d like to leave you with a choice quote from Che Guevara, so-called agent of change;
“Hatred as an element of struggle; unbending hatred for the enemy, which pushes a human being beyond his natural limitations, making him into an effective, violent, selective, and cold-blooded killing machine. This is what our soldiers must become…”
The story of the Virgin Mary is nothing like the bloody story of Che Guevara. He is no role model for any sensible person.
BTW, if you were curious… Saint Christopher, the patron saint of travelers, is unofficially known as the patron saint of surfers...
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UPDATE: June 10th
The Artist is Revealed!
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UPDATE: June 10th
The Artist is Revealed!
