TINKIE WINKIE GOT CRACKED!

Tinkie Winkie got cracked.

 Poor Tink!

THE ORIGINAL LIMESTONE FIGURES

Tinkie Winkie is one of a major pair of toylike figurative sculptures carved by Tom Otterness from blocks of limestone and commissioned by Memorial Art Gallery. When they were first installed at the entrance to Memorial Art Gallery in 2013, all hell broke loose. Otterness’s past sin — assassination of a puppy in the name of “performance art” —was marched around for discussion. The museum lost some community support —  a number of people gave up their memberships and never returned. 

Other sage heads justified the purchase with the argument that everybody deserves a pass from youthful missteps. And families love the childlike round-y shapes of these oversized stone dolls. Ultimately, family fun trumps bothersome conscience. 

The story line that goes with the installation is more interesting. Ms. Tinkie Winkie is carving a partner for herself. It's emerging from the solid block of limestone standing across from her.  This is the biblical story of creation turned on its head. In Genesis, God created man first but here, it’s the lady holding the hammer. And she’s building a partner who is exactly her same height and size. The material is limestone like her.  These two will be equals.

(Let’s have a round of applause for Mr. Otterness!)

But then Tinkie developed a crack!

TINKIE WINKIE WITH BRONZE ARMOR

Mr. Otterness took back the damaged limestone figure and replaced it recently with one made of bronze. Now look at the piece.  Even better:  gather a bunch of kids (ages 6 through 9) and ask them about the difference. 

Tinkie Winkie is now a comic book figure and there’s nothing “equal” between her and the mate she’s digging out of limestone. The entire meaning of the sculpture  — the axis of equality — is gone. She’s donned an Ironman skin and the “friend” will do as she commands. 

Eventually the remaining large block is likely to crack and will it too be replaced with bronze? Uh-oh….Tinkie Winkie is digging her friend out of stone…there’s no “digging” bronze.” Now what?

I can only guess that somebody predicted scenarios like these and brought all this up in discussion. I would hope that a request for a new female figure  included insistence on cloning Tinkie Winkie right down to color and surface of the original. Instead, we got the dominatrix.

Maybe it isn’t too late? Otterness’ sculptures are pretty much interchangeable. Give him back Ironlady and wait for Tinkie Winkie’s twin to come into town. I’ll breathe easier.