Sickness Writer Seeks "Chippy" Artist
I've never understood vandalism; tipping over tombstones, smashing windows, littering. Such activities aren't metal, they aren't punk, they're just ignorant.
However, Guerrilla Art is something I respect. It's a nice slice of anarchy, but in a creative way. I don't mean someone spray-painting "Cooter Wuz Hur" on the water tower. I mean creative, imaginative street art. One night it just appears, and makes a statement. These days this type of artwork is no longer limited to graffiti on rail cars or abandoned buildings. Artists are putting up elaborate art installations overnight, often as a way of attracting attention to a cause and/or their work.
Such an installation has appeared in Eau Claire in the middle of the Chippewa River. A sculpture in the form of "the Loch Ness Monster," appeared out of nowhere. Once discovered, the Department of Natural Resources declared "Chippy," as it's now being called, an illegal obstruction and wants it removed, both for environmental and safety reasons (it's in the middle of a navigable body of water).
An artist who only calls his or herself "The Phoenix" has taken credit for the art, and says it'll be removed within the next 10 days. In the meanwhile, the Eau Claire based company Menards (where you save big money) has came forward offering to buy the sculpture and put it in one of the ponds on their property. There is also talk of finding a place for it in the Eau Claire park system.
Apparently, "The Phoenix" also took responsibility for putting a large yellow-y rabbit head sculpture in the same location last year, but it washed away (if anyone has a photograph of this rabbit head, e-mail it to Wisconsin Sickness please).
"The Phoenix" obviously wants attention, and By God, I want to give it to him (or her). Anyone creating anarchistic cryptozoology installations is someone who must be heard. I'd like to interview "The Phoenix" right here on Wisconsin Sickness. The gauntlet has been thrown down. E-mail me! May Chippy survive the ages, where ever it ends up.
For more details regarding Chippy's situation you can click HERE.
