Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

Kali

(54,990 posts)
Tue Mar 26, 2013, 12:02 AM Mar 2013

Gila monster reading a book draws looks in Tucson neighborhood

Last edited Tue Mar 26, 2013, 02:20 PM - Edit history (1)




Tucson Oddity: Gila monster reading a book draws looks in Tucson neighborhood

The huge Gila monster sculpture includes a literary device - the lizard is reading a book. The art is in the Dunbar Spring Neighborhood.

no story, but the link anyway http://azstarnet.com/news/local/tucson-oddity-gila-monster-reading-a-book-draws-looks-in/image_114a624b-ad36-5259-a0d8-a9028463ecc7.html

edit: yes there was a story! I knew there should have been as it is a regular column in the paper version and sure enough I saw it in the paper version last night. had to click a different link, http://azstarnet.com/news/local/tucson-oddity-gila-monster-reading-a-book-draws-looks-in/article_45420715-09ef-5f71-a5ca-fc2e520fcb8e.html

<snip>

"We've had lots of comments on it since it was installed in December," said Ian Fritz, president of the Dunbar Spring Neighborhood Association. "It's very sturdy and can be used as a bench. And that Gila monster seems to slow traffic in the neighborhood more than other methods" of traffic management.

Fritz said artists Hirotsune Tashima and Jason Butler created the big lizard likeness as part of a neighborhood reinvestment program.

The fact that the monster is shown reading a book ties the piece nicely to the Little Free Library. The library, about the size of a large suitcase, invites people to "take a book, leave a book" with no fees involved.

"It was kind of a community effort," with several people involved in the library design and construction, Fritz said.

<snip>

a bit more at second link
5 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
Gila monster reading a book draws looks in Tucson neighborhood (Original Post) Kali Mar 2013 OP
That's not a Gila Monster reading a book. Jenoch Mar 2013 #1
That big fat tail is incredibly creepy. kestrel91316 Mar 2013 #2
With summer coming on ChazII Mar 2013 #3
That is a beautifully rendered and realistic sculpture. n/t UtahLib Mar 2013 #4
Snort! ChazInAz Mar 2013 #5

ChazInAz

(2,535 posts)
5. Snort!
Tue Mar 26, 2013, 01:25 PM
Mar 2013

THAT's the sort of thing that I love about Tucson.
When we had a sewer line eruption a few years ago in the southwest side of town (A mainly Hispanic area), the powers-that-be took an unconscionable length of time to repair the long-neglected, antiquated line and clean up the damage. Once the work was done, one of our testier local artists created an enormous concrete sculpture for the neighborhood...depicting broken sewer lines spewing brown sludge. City Council was not amused.
It is unwise to piss off a Tucson artist.

Latest Discussions»Region Forums»Arizona»Gila monster reading a bo...