This mural has been on the wall facing the public parking lot west of 209 First Avenue W. since 2009.
Someone must have looked up from the street on First Avenue and didn’t like what they saw. Which may explain the email I got last week.
“Can someone,” it said, “please paint over the hideous disgusting mural on the side of the building in the parking lot across from Brick and Mortar… Please!”
The writer was talking about the wall at 209 First Ave. W. That’s the side of the building that houses an Italian restaurant. In recent years it was called Gamberetti’s and now, run by the same people, it’s Vito’s.
But the restaurant inside has nothing to do with the wall outside. The building is owned by a limited liability company whose principal member and agent, with an address on Bryant Drive, is in the business of rental properties.
It was the building owner who, in 2009, commissioned a recent fine-arts graduate of Oregon State University to paint the wall. In June that year the artist was interviewed by the Democrat-Herald.
He told the paper he had to finish by the 26th because as an ROTC member, he was to report to the Air Force for flight training shortly after that.
The mural is supposed to show Icarus of ancient Greek mythology. That’s the boy who ignored his father’s warning and flew too close to the sun with his wings of feathers and wax. The sun melted the wax, the wings fell off, and young Icarus met his end in the sea below.
(Why a future pilot would pick the motif for this work is a question we at the newspaper at the time did not think to ask.)
As I wrote in a Saturday column on Sept. 19, 2009, that guy on the wall is no Icarus. The figure on the wall is an old guy, and bald. A zombie. A guy with the dead eyes and shrunken skin of an Egyptian mummy come to life after five thousand years.
Well, harrumphing about it in the paper had no effect at all. Fifteen years later the mural is still there.
I can’t say I have worried about it much since. And if people are put off by he image, they don’t have to look at it again. Go downtown but don’t look up. (hh)
This head reminds me of the desiccated skull of an Egyptian mummy.
I always enjoyed this rendering of Icarus – he probably shaved his head for air lift. He was probably a little crazed from having the need to be close to the sun. He tried, but did not succeed. It is kind of like a greed of self – wanting more than we can bear.
My husband has been a pilot for over 48 years, and he says there is an object lesson there. Everything has its limits, and we need to respect them.
We love the mural.
The recent graduate (in 2009) who painted the mural got his money for his painting that took not much of his time, as it is background and wings, mostly. Then, he left town to serve in the Air Force. So, he gets the last laugh!
I live near downtown old town and have since before the mural was painted. It was a great addition and the subject matter is endlessly fascinating to think about. Albany needs more…
He’s cool, leave him be
As an artist, who worked professionally at a local university for 24 years, I’ve had opportunities to paint several murals. Admittedly not on this scale however. My feeling is this particular one is well executed but not finished. His service for his country may explain this.
Of course that is conjecture on my part.
The earlier stages of a painting, illustration, mural etc can be pretty rough. In my experience it can be the final touches that bring it together.
A far worse piece is the ‘twisted sister’ piece two blocks down on Ferry and First.
Better than boring tile wall.
The best walls in downtown Albany are the brick ones where they have been cleaned and repaired and stripped down to the old signage painted on them in the 1800s advertising grocery stores, etc. Next to that, I prefer the boring, plain, old brick walls.
That is such a wonderful mural! Wish we had more because its so much better than a boring ugly plain wall! They should do more especially when people come across the bridge as it would make the city look so much nicer :) Whoever doesnt like it, well they can just look the other way!
Seeing that face up close, I see the old man I’m becoming. My professional life was successful, rewarding, and respected.
But then my wings melted. Retirement is what many strive for, but that’s when it happens.