Modern Architect, Lloyd Ruocco, designed the San Diego Civic
Theater as a series of compromises with three other architects. In 1964, Ruocco commissioned his friends
Ellamarie and Jackson Woolley to design a series of unusual bent and hammered lighted
copper reliefs for the theater walls.
They were not well received.
San Diego has, in the past, been a more than traditional sort of town
when it comes to art and architecture.
By the time I first saw the sculptures at the theater, the
lights had been turned off and their core purpose was destroyed. Years later when I dozed off in the orchestra
section over Mahler accompanying my old friend Harry, many of the pieces had
been removed leaving only a few copper blotches on the walls. Yesterday, for the Blue Man’s massive wall of
sound, nothing remained to soften the drama of their surrealism.
I knew I would like the Blue Man Group, and I did. I’m a sucker for the wall of sound, the
masses of color, and the surrealistic and slightly dadaistic humor of it all. We were up there, half way down the arm of
that lower balcony reveling in those not bad-at-all, appallingly expensive
seats. We were clapping and hollaring
with the best of them with slight gratitude that we were not in the first few
rows wearing trash bags.
There was only one break near the start. One group was ushered in, and the Blue Man
Group stopped their act to sing, “You’re late, you’re late” while spotlighting
the miscreants. Sprayed paint, pounding
drums, dramatic blown toilet paper, and giant electronically-color-queued,
translucent balls filled this large theater at the end. We loved it. As I left, I turned and could almost see the
Woolley’s copper works still on the walls.
LINKS:
LOVE the Blue Men! YESSSSSS! Glad you had fun!
ReplyDeleteThat was really fun!!!!
ReplyDeleteBlue men good, hiding the art, not so good. Does you know where those copper pieces reside now?
ReplyDeleteI read about half of Limits to power today. Got tired, then bored. A very negative but prococotive book. Don't recommend it.
ReplyDeleteSeveral of the links follow the work. They were stored for years in the basement of the theater, and later most of the small pieces were sold. Of the two big pieces, one is at the mingui museum in Balboa park.
ReplyDeleteSuch an odd thing to do to sculpture art, but then this kind of thing probably happens all the time. Tastes change, styles go in and out of favor. I saw Blue Man Group in Vegas years ago and did enjoy them. I think Vegas is a perfect venue for them.
ReplyDelete