Monday, August 15, 2011

"Cardiff Kook"


On July 22, 2007 a local artist was commissioned to create a surf sculpture that would memorialize the surfers in the small beach community of Cardiff-by-the-Sea.  It has been criticised from day one because the surfer is 'scrawny' and his pose is not surfer-like.
The actual name of the artwork is "Magic Carpet Ride" but it is instead referred to by locals as the "Cardiff Kook". A 'kook' is slang for someone who is posing to be a surfer. Over the past 4 years since its unveiling, it has been regularly, very comically and sometimes elaborately, defaced.

 The most recent loving addition to the statue is a pterodactyl nabbing the surfer.  This is one of my favorites.

The same artist who did the pterodactyl also did jaws

and created a surfer posing in a more life-like way.

The surfer has posed as St. Valentine,
 and has wed.
He has been an advocate for countless things,
and has fought for our freedom.
He has showed his multicultural side, educating the community on Cinco de Mayo,
 as well as educating the community on surfer etiquette.

He has shown off his sports skills (while surfing), such as wrestling
and playing volleyball.
He has found part time work as an elf,

a clown,

 and even an artist.

Although this statue is regularly scrutinized I think that the community would not want the surfer statue removed, he is way to fun to dress up.



1 comment:

  1. Joseph Joubert said, “There is always some frivolity in excellent minds; they have wings to rise, but also stray.” I think life without frivolity would make living not worth it. I loved this blog post. I loved all the creativity of the Cardiff artists. The 'kook' is a canvas of expression. We all need that. Very cool. Thanks Brady for sharing.

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