I attended a luncheon at City Hall yesterday honoring one of San Jose’s most notable citizens: playwright and film maker Luis Valdez. It was a wonderful and inspiring time, as all sessions with Luis and his wife Lupe are. However, it had one other element to it. Supervisor Blanca Alvarado asked Valdez a question that focused on the Plumed Serpent—Quetzalcoatl—and the meaning of art.
Valdez riffed for a fantastic few moments on the questions revolving around art and history, the importance of recognizing and understanding our history, and the horrible consequences of forgetting to honor and respect artists and what they create. Many other members of the arts community were there, as well as four council members, including the one who was the catalyst for it all, Sam Liccardo, whose enthusiasm was infectious and who recognized the importance of Valdez and Teatro Campesino in honoring and celebrating the soul of San Jose. Several performing arts groups—the Rep, San Jose Stage, Teatro Vision, and others—were present and all seem to really appreciate the sentiments and hopes that were expressed for the future of the city.
One other thing: with the Plaza in front of City Hall full of people waiting for the issue of the year, the “Little Saigon” naming, it was particularly meaningful to hear Valdez discuss symbols and their meaning in an historic context. I was able to add that our city should respect and learn from our history and commemorate those on whose shoulders we stand, whether it is Tiburcio Vasquez, Captain Fallon, or a person whose historic role deserves a statue, Janet Grey Hayes. This is more important than having our arts program be only “tinker toys” and “colorful animals” that will offend no one. In an era of renewed hope at the national and city levels, let us hope for just such an outcome. I will not comment on the results of the vote last night on the naming as I am firmly convinced that this battle will take a number of unpredictable turns (as it has each few weeks) before it is relegated to the list of epic political chapters in our city. I will, however, leave you with an apposite quote: “Those who forget history are condemned to repeat it.”
Would be nice to see Luis Valdez hook up with Barry Swenson and bring some theater into Swenson’s empty First Church building on the north end of St. James Square, rather than seeing it gutted and used as a lobby for a condo project.
It would have been nice to have read more about Valdez’s thoughts on the aesthetics of the Quetzalcoatl piece. I suspect that just like professionals such as doctors and lawyers, he would not badmouth something that supposedly honors his culture and was produced by a fellow artist, even it was created with the sinister intent to embarass the city of San Jose. Make no mistake about the fact that it was.
So recently I thought, why not embrace this turd and make it relevant to the history of San Jose rather than Mexico? After all, this town was the prune capital of the world. See where I’m going with this? We could have a little historical walk at that end of the plaza that followed the rise of this area to the top of the prune producing heap, complete with stations that had informational plaques. Perhaps a nod to the old Sunsweet HQ across the street where the annex now stands. The historical walk can end appropriately at the turd, the absolute culmination of any prune’s journey from the tree to the . . . well, you know where.
I would also like to hear his comments on Quetzalcoatl (not the piece in the park, but in general). But it’s disheartening to hear people fixate on the turd-ness of the piece. Like many people, I wasn’t impressed with the piece when it was unveiled, and I referred to it as a turd. But a few years later I learned what it really symbolized and my whole view of it changed. I still think it was executed poorly, but I now like it for more important reasons. I don’t refer to it as a turd anymore, and feel those that do should probably save that word for those that executed the piece, not for the piece itself.
To Mark T, I see where you’re going with the prune idea. And I see it going through committees and meetings and ending up with a medium sized statue of a prune, which we can refer to as the airborne turd for years to come.
3. There was a monument to the prune industry, specifically Pellier Park, on the very site where Louis Pellier introduced the prune to San Jose (next to the Fallon statue). This monument was created as a Bicentennial project and consisted of historical displays and a small orchard. The city allowed the developer who built the condos across the street to bulldoze the park on the condition that it be restored afterwards. The developer has not restored the park and the city has done nothing about it.
4. I have no idea what Quetzalcoatl is supposed to symbolize. San Jose was never part of the Aztec Empire. On top of that it was very poorly executed. Even if I were in favor of what it symbolized, it would be embarrassing because it’s such a piece of junk.
There is some nice public art celebrating the native people of this area by the river near the Adobe building. Right next to it fly the flags of the four governments who subjugated those native people.
I would be in favour of public art celebrating the founders of San Jose during the Spanish period, the development of the city during the Mexican period, or the contributions of the Mexican-American community since then. I don’t see how Quetzalcoatl does any of these. More Mexicans are descended from people who were oppressed by the Aztecs than are descended from Aztecs.
Other Mesoamerican cultures had similar deities, so if it had taken this into account it would be somewhat more representative. But still, by the time people started coming here from Mexico they had only the most tenuous ties to those older cultures.
Mark T. (#3),
Be careful what you wish for, you just may get it. You know, of course, that the City would have hire a very expensive outside consultant to study your proposal. After all, the complexity of this matter is well beyond the capability of the rank and file employees.
Tom,
” Enough with Little Saigon”. The City Budget and “Equity in the City” is far more an important subject. Equity is closely connected to Equality. Equity in the City is something that is “just, impartial and fair”.
There is no question in many of our minds that the Equity in our city is far out of balance.It is time we wake up and do the right thing. The neighborhoods need attention. The Police department needs staffing.
My post last night was brief. I wanted to get to Cinequest. So I will impart my aditional thoughts. Thoughts that have been expressed on this site many times in the past. Before I begin, I want you all to know that 10000 bc was pretty bad. But what was interesting was the paralel between it and the history of the (old) MHC guardians. Not much has changed in 102008 years.
Even the chosen one that would save the people from the scourge, resembled Marcela.
There are those that do not want change, and we all know who they are. They would create another Joan Of Arch in Marcels to simply sacrifice some one to cleanse the joint, er, Laundery Mat!
This whole process was like watching a drama, where the power brokers were attempting to walk the line, enibreated by to much power and control.
( Metro Active News CASHING IN), check it out.
If I was to point at any one negative thing, it would be the affect the Mercury News/ Nuevo Mundo had on the Hispanic community. The people that declared themselves leaders of the Hispanic Community, did not represent us! I have yet to research whether the Exclucivity clauses were a conflict of interest with those Hispanics. That will come. Certainly the lack of ethics was there. Most of these “leaders” were Nuevo Mundo Board Members while sitting on executive positions in city and county non profits, MHC, and GI Forum.
Sure they wanted a piece of the pie, but tell me, did a piece of the pie include sticking us with a plastic snake. What happened to the other $450,000.oo. Did a piece of the pie include many of our supervisors family in roles as movers where very large sums of money come in from foundations in the East Side.
What the city council should have hired was an excorcist. Hell, I bet John Michael would have done it for 5 grand. end of problem!
Yesterday while on a hike we learned from Joe Rodrigues that L.A. Chung was one that did not make the cut at the Mercury. I was very saddened by that.
She wrote a beautiful life story on Herb Gonzales. It published the day after Herb passed away at his home.
Herb was one of the artists that were shareing and working their art at my gallery on tenth st. Sand Fire & Imagination.
We all donated our art and love to kick off the First International mariachi Festival’s logo and poster.
Herb created his stone sculpture there, surronded by the adopted children from Peter Burnett school.
That work, the magnificent ButterFly Warrior and the Eagle with Snake have found a home at The National Hispanic University, His 20000 lb Moon Landing sculpture was donated to Leland High School.
His body of work included 50 + chalices, Ostrich eggs in the style of Faberge. hundreds of painting, and many marble sculptures that were donated to the local churches.
This comming Saturday and Sunday, the National Hispanic University will be in celebration of the Aztec New Year Celebration. Herb’s sculptures were permanently placed there as a lasting tribute to the future of education and one man’s dedication and devotion to his community.
Having been turned away at many galleries he found his way to mine. There he and other artists found a space for creating images of their passion.
The Mexican Heritage Plaza and Garden is also having a celebration. Make it a point to visit both.
I would strongly advise the whole city council, city manager, and RDA visit this celebrations. Art and life exists out side of the Plaza. Reach out to it.
Lets do away with the excessive control that prevailed for too many years at the MHPG, by too few.
Use what you have learned from Little Saigon and apply your good judgement to what could become a national premier to the visions of Heritage Gardens in this country.
Might be refreshing shooting from the hip. That would be better than hand passing out sticky dots at stacked community meetings, where not every one gets to vote.
Gil Hernandez
The same developer promised a park and trai conection at Tamien Station. Now is refusing to do either. His track recorrd speeks for himself.
Try reading the book, “1491” by Charles Mann. A ground braking story about the America`s before the arrival of the Europeans in 1492.
Tom, In view of where the city council is heading, let’s be brutally honest with where we are.
I have been involved along with Allan Osborn in most major projects requiring bronze sculpture fopr 30 years.
The Fallon was cramded thru the arts group. Cast in a foreign country, and politicisded into our public view with the help of Gonzo the Great.
Blanca , on the other hand used the mexican uproar to politicise the gate ways and effect some kind of fatal position to have a number of sculptures placed . One at Gore Park , they lost their asses, and the there at Ceasar Chaves Park we lost our asses.
When 75% of the $500000.00 dough was awarded to Robert G Pena,up front, for the original design, Someone changed the rules and we got a rattle snake with a face of the true Quetzaqualte, that resides at the Vatican in Rome. Here is a question for you Tom. Is it in the best interest of the Vatican to posses the God of Corn. That 22 inch stone is probably worth many millions of dollars.
The rest of the story is not so complicated. Politics in San Jose is well documented. You just have to know where to look.
After seeing Marcela torn apart by the dogs of denial, I went to the Mayors meeting and saw the worst of our greed and denial. Insider Consultants, packed meeting that were in critsisum of what actually saved the plaza, from the leaches that practiclly killed the host.
You see, it is not whether we have a plaza, It is about whether we have a process of government.
In 1991, when I did research at out public library, I found not any mention of Mariachi Music, history, etc.
I went to Salinas to visit with Mariachi Sol de Mexico’s, Jose Hernandez, who was playing at their Mariachi Festival. I asked Jose if he would come to San Jose to bring his beautiful Mexican, American Synphonic music and Frank Sinatra ballets to San Jose. He accepted!
Where did all of that money go in those early years? Yet in the last two years Marcela has banked two major Mariachi Festivals.
The vote that took place at the Mayors two community meeting were so unAmerican I almost had to vomit.
There we were with Johnathon Clark and other guys dressed as Mariachis. Marcela took on Mr Clark. She confronted him with the fact that he had sent out emails of her resigning.
Foundations are being approuched by the old guard back biting Marcela and the NEW BOARD. Clark, is on that team as is the rest of the politics that want to keep the old shit alive.
After reading in the Mercury News that Marcela had succeeded in commiting the City to take the helm, My thoughts were, “Now the city has to play with the old dogs. Brillant move.
Marcela is not the issue. The issue is the politics that has prevailed at the biggest Laundry Mat on the East Side in the Last 10 years. Do I really have to name the clones that have come out of that city funded project.
This process stinks of back room deals. It has to end.
I have never felt so much sadness for our city as I do this evening. I thought the Gonzales years were at an end. It has only just begun!
The Village Black Smith