The 10-foot length of “Burro With Bird on Shoulder” was wrapped in whitish fabric before Copper Tritscheller’s bronze sculpture’s unveiling in a Central Park ceremony this morning, as if against the chill. The veil looked like it was hiding a very tall, very thin person on a deceptively simple pedestal that looked like a cube of concrete. Deceptive, because that pedestal is actually 3,600 pounds of concrete drilled down 2 feet deep, a foundation designed to let “Burro” withstand 200 mph winds: “Burro”‘s innocence and seeming fragility are deceptive, too: it’s not for nothing that Bird is seeking him out for refuge.
A little after 9 this morning, at Palm Coast Mayor Milissa Holland’s signal, the five City Council members joined artists Harry Messersmith and Tritscheller and unveiled “Burro,” the inaugural sculpture that is to be the first of five big works that will form a sculpture garden in Central Park, realizing a dream of artist Tom Gargiulo and Arlene Volpe and their Gargiulo Art Foundation–a dream for art in public places fermenting for a decade, with many other sculptures and art works already on display elsewhere around town. Gargiulo is contributing $100,000 of his own to the foundation’s plan for the sculpture garden, and hoping to raise an equal amount from donors: the city is not on the hook for any of the money. ‘Burro’ in particular is dedicated to the memory of the late Richard Schreiner and his wife Arlene.
“Art in public places is so very relevant for us all,” Holland told the crowd of artists, donors, council members, staffers and others gathered at the unveiling site, with City Hall as a nearby backdrop. “It is treasured because it identifies our community as a place that values culture. Community art ties us together in a simple, uncomplicated way. It makes us happy and it makes us think. It gives us an opportunity to communicate and to engage in a larger conversation.”
“It’s the same old thing,” Gargiulo said. “Art is unique. It’s different. It’s not familiar. So whenever you have something that is not the status quo, people are going to have a lot of questions about it. A [perfect example would be how Vincent Van Gogh’s work was not liked. The impressionists’ works, and today people have them hanging in their homes. ‘Nude Descending a Staircase‘ started a riot in [1913], and today people like it, maybe not all people. There’s still some people that are upset with it.”
That’s what art does at first “because it’s new, it’s fresh, it’s different,” Gargiulo said. “And then it grows on people. I think ‘Burro With Bird’ will grow on people.”
The sculpture, oriented to face City Hall but positioned at the center of a circular path that allows looking from every angle, near and far, is one of many burro works by Copper Tritscheller, the New Smyrna Beach artist who’s also done a lot of work with bats (the flying kind, not the baseball kind).
“I kind of like the idea of the burro walking,” Tritscheller said. “It’s probably even like a Walt Disney leftover childhood fairy tale where animals walked and talked with you, but it was also to celebrate how we’re alike rather than to see the differences. For me when people see something they relate to, they’re more open to understanding it.” She tries to make bats less frightful for the same reason. “We sometimes can be apprehensive of things we don’t understand, so if you and I look alike, if we’re walking, then, OK, you’re a little bit more familiar.” So she thought of giving animals a few human characters to entice the eye, give the work a second look.
(© FlaglerLive)
Artists are not always the best source of explanation for their own work. Other artists, other eyes, are better suited to that end–an end with no end, since an art work may be interpreted and commented more copiously than the Talmud. This morning, two artists gave “Burro” two vastly different interpretations–one earthy, the other aesthetic. Messersmith, three of whose sculptures will soon join “Burro” in Central Park, gave the morning assembly his creation story of Tritscheller ‘s Burro and Bird.
“They’re our friends,” Messersmith said. “It occurred to me that the bird lives in our air space, and came down to earth to invite burro to come to the sky. The burro lives on the ground and its feet remain firmly planted here. So the bird invited the burro, maybe stretch up and stand up and join me in the sky. Well, burro said, I can’t do that, but I can provide a perch for you. So they’re friends, they’re our friends, and they share this beautiful environment for us. And that’s ‘Burro With Bird On Its Shoulder.’” (Gargiulo, Holland and Tritscheller all credited Messersmith for being the force that breathed life in Gargiulo’s vision.)
“My fear is that they’re going to spoil it for the sculptures that are coming,” Graham said.
To Holland though, “Burro” is just the beginning. She said it would “soon be the talk of Town Center,” showcasing the area as Palm Coast’s new Innovation District and symbolizing the creativity the council is hoping to foster there, with culture flavoring the future: “This is our vision for Town center,” Holland said, “a mix of high-tech companies, housing, the park, the arts, coffee shops, entrepreneurs and retail in a walkable neighborhood. It is accessible and has the infrastructure to support collaboration and innovation.”
The Town Center Sculpture Garden at Central Park is part of the city’s and the Gargiulo Art Foundation’s Art in Public Places initiative. The non-profit foundation is seeking donors to join the effort. For information, call the foundation at 386/466-0617.
(© JJ Graham for FlaglerLive)
joseph Pulitzer says
Seriously.
snapperhead says
It’s very appropriate for it’s location. No better place to have a statue of a jackass than in front of city hall.
Charlie says
I’ve seen some other sculpture’s that look like this sculpture on TV documentary on Satan Worshippers !
Joe says
It’s still creepy looking!
Debbie says
Unbelievable, there are much better ways to donate your money, such as schools and teachers pay. Not to mention aid for those unable to afford medical services in the beautiful state of Florida. Schools suffering and low income people suffering and ridiculous amounts of money spent on statues in the park.SMH
JJ Graham says
Gertrude
(A Bedtime Story inspired By Copper’s Burro and Bird) written by JJ Graham with some equally inspired drawings by Salvo Art Kids
Little did she know but there was a great creative being, a divine artist (so to speak), that some (like the kind man on her back) referred to as “Heavenly Father,” looking down from his celestial perch. So pleased was this Heavenly Father with Gertrude, that one night when all was quiet, he sent down a flaming chariot and ushered a slightly startled Gertrude into the heavens.
So happy with Gertrude was Heavenly Father, that he decreed that she would never again carry anything on her back and would henceforth walk upright in grace and ease.
Gertrude would soon come to know that she wasn’t the only creature that’d earned Heavenly Father’s favor. Her best friend became a bird named Phillip who had one time delivered an olive branch of sorts to these despairing folks on a big boat and also found favor with Heavenly Father.
Gertrude and Phillip became the very best of friends. So beautiful was their friendship that Heavenly Father’s celestial heart filled with joy, so much so that one day he decided to place a divine creative spark in the very kind heart of an Artist named Copper.
Copper would take this spark and become inspired to create a wonderful work of art that would be symbolic of Heavenly Father’s affection for the friendship between Gertrude and Phillip and it would be anchored to our Mother Earth. Heavenly Father hoped that it would inspire mankind to become friendlier and more affectionate.
But to his dismay some people (not all) where very nasty and didn’t quite have the heart to comprehend it at all. They had forgotten what it had been like to be a child. They had lost the magical imagination they had once been blessed with as children and became angry and bitter. They said very hateful and hurtful things and thought they were being funny. It reminded Heavenly Father of some of the mean harsh things that were said about the love he’d sent down to at one time burden Gertrude’s back. And his celestial heart was filled with shame.
As he stared down some of his faith began to be restored. The Children along with some of the adults who could still remember being children loved it and were actually inspired by its gentle message. This at least gave Heavenly Father hope. As far as the others were concerned Heavenly Father sighed and understood. Fortunately lovers were going to love, and haters sadly, they were just going to hate. And he smiled a heavenly smile to himself, for he also realized that creators like Copper and himself, well they would always create.
FlaglerLive says
The reaction has been especially strong on Facebook:
Gail McDonough says
Disturbing and creepy. I like to walk around that peaceful park.
Hope Flagler doesn’t get “treated” to anything like that.
Richard says
Are you kidding me? This will be the laughing stock of Palm Coast. A jackass in Central Park near City Hall, ROTFLMFAO. Personally I think it’s racist! There are many other animals that are more relative to this area than a jackass. This piece would work well in Nevada where they run wild. Although the disclaimer is that I am not into art of any kind.
Agkistrodon says
Is it intended to appear Neither female or male?……………just saying.
Derrick Redder says
So much of A life like symbol for such an Ass.
Bronxite says
Mixed feelings, sculpture is pretty, but it’s ugly too. It’s pretty ugly.
This sort of emperor’s new clothes art would be more at home at 26 federal plaza in Manhattan.
The town center could have been a gem; similar to Las Olas Blvd in Lauderdale or DeLand downtown.
With low income ( so called affordable housing) & the unavoidable widening of the main Street t o accommodate future growth, it will fall short of expectations. NOT NICE.
thomas conrad says
I hope the taxpayers didn’t pay for this ugliness.
Dave says
The slender feminine tall burro symbolizes proud female Mexican immigrant women. The bird symbolizes both thier hope and America, what a beautiful piece.
Vinny says
Why not a BIG GREEN KERMIT THE FROG wearing scuba gear ?
Jolene Dehart says
OMG the thing is off the chain. Not pleasant to look at and I see no way that represents anything at all about flagler county. We have maybe ONE token burro in the county and honestly that sculpture doesn’t even look like a burrow.
Art Fan says
Art is art. You don’t have to love this particular piece to appreciate that we have local artists creating something for a public space.
mark101 says
Again our city waste money. Remember the homeless in the city or the the drainage on the streets. I just went to the store, the water is standing in the streets from this little bit of rain we had so far. To the city, fix the infrastructure before you waste money on these “artsy things. There is time for that later.
JJ Graham says
A limp and a speech impediment folks, that’s what ya get for donkey hating in the Bible.
CAROL PAULTON says
I love the idea of a sculpture garden. People see what they want to see and I’m sorry to see so many people are seeing something satanic. I think it’s beautiful. Odd but certainly not threatening. If good art makes people think and discuss this sculpture is a huge success.
timothy Lanning says
How ironic in a town full of jackasses that our first “art statue” is a donkey.
Concerned Citizen says
To our Mayor and City Council,
But what are you doing about the homeless situation?
Callthemasiseethem says
Who the heck picked this out for our public park? It is disturbing.
Heidi shipley says
Somebody has donated a work of art to our community. It may look strange it may look funny but to some it’s a beautiful piece. The gesture of donating to the collection is even nicer. I say “ thank you”
Maybe other artists that feel they can do better can come forward.
Weldon Ryan says
I applaud Tom an Arlene of the Guargiulo Art Foundation for taking the bull by the horn and bringing recognition to the arts! We’re in a town/city that has nothing to offer except a couple of malls and a big water tank. Get real people and at least appreciate the dialog that this work of art has introduced. It may not be your cup of tea but certainly it has spurred dialog. That’s what art should do! Provoke and/or stimulate people. What strikes me as odd is that as our city hall has been built not a penny has gone into the arts as mandated by law. This city hall cost a good 10 million but yet not a piece of art had been commissioned to anoint city hall. I for one am thankful to the Gargiulo Art Foundation for coming up with the private donations to make way for an area of art appreciation. Not to mention the hard work and creativity of the artists. My only complaint is that we need more inclusiveness in the process but the bottom line is getting the job done in regard to art in public places about Palm Coast enhancing and enriching our lives with creativity and possibilities.
Outsider says
Can anyone read? It cost the city nothing. As a left-brained kind of guy I’ve never been an “artsy” type of person, so I will refrain from voicing any interpretation I might have. However, I would like to say “thank you” to the artist for generously donating his time and effort to the city in an attempt to make Palm Coast a better place. I don’t quite understand why he would deserve the same type of derision we usually give to the meth heads and criminals that normally occupy the front page. He may as well get used to it however; no doubt some acronym-labeled advocacy group will soon be attacking him for assigning gender to an “obviously” gender-neutral piece!
JJ Graham says
People are acting like it’s a welcoming greeter/ mascot it’s not. It’s quiet unassuming and meditative. Also we have a bit of an animal theme going with the Panther and the Sea Turtles. A gentle feminine Burro with a bird shouldn’t cause such a troll ruckus. If all the asses in this town were quiet and meditative we have a bit more harmony.
Robjr says
Let’s see how many of these detractors can pull 100 grand out of their pockets and slap it on the table as a donation.
Lily M says
That thing is going to come alive at night and steal children…mark my words lol.
Sgt. Buford Stanley says
A Giant 10ft Sea Turtle with a Potato on its back would have been a better Art sculptor .
CALLTHEMASISEETHEM says
This was a decision made for public lands by a very small elitist group. Most of the comments here by artists appear to be dismissive of the general publics opinion. Basically they are saying that you peasants do not understand art. But I can guarantee you the one thing that will not be dismissive will be the ballot box in 2020.
Concerned Citizen says
I have to agree with CALLTHEMASISEETHEM
The public did not seem to have any say so on what was happening with public land. I don’t seem to recall any public discussions opened by our esteemed mayor and City Council. This just kind of happened as many things do in this County with no regard to the voters.
@ JJ Graham
I’m not an abstract art fan but was willing to give it a chance. However that died rapidly when you referred to those of us who don’t like it as “assholes” That really showed a lot of disrespect. Not that you care.
If you’re so worked up over the big red rooster at Chicken Pantry then file a complaint with city code enforcement. Maybe we can do the same with the ridiculous Burro.
Please remember how our City Council and Mayor only represent small elitist groups and special interests at the next election.
Dave says
People fear what they dont understand and this is the perfect example. I am seeing so many people with self insecurities in these comments. You do not need to feel dumb or uncultured just because you do not understand the art. And no one is thinking that, only yourselves.
JJ Graham says
@concerned citizen asshole is a broad statement, if you took it personally it’s a bit absurd because you’re using a pseudonym. My comment was referring to certain individuals that called it Satanic and I’m doubling down on that. There are plenty of people in this community who appreciate abstract art (although the sculpture is not abstract in execution.) Maybe we shouldn’t have a Jazz festival because not everyone likes Jazz. My point being concerned one that everything does not have to be for you and those who share your opinion. There will be other sculptures, some of them may not be my cup of tea, but I will assume that they are someone else’s and not attack them, acknowledging that I live in a diverse community and understanding the importance of tolerance. Bravery is something that is appreciated in the field of creativity, when I believe in something I don’t feel the need to cloak myself in a pseudonym. I do realize that that makes me a target. Fire away whoever you are.