This tile mural was installed on the masonry wall of the Orinda Community Center. To get close enough for a photograph you have to climb the stairs leading to the adjacent library. Thus the slanted angle.
Care to guess what it is a “visual metaphor” for? Here are a few clues:
Above the bull are images of people many of whom are glued to their iPhones. Transposed in front of them is a figure all in white. Why is he running? Is he a cricket player? Do you recognize the climate activist hidden amongst the crowd? How about the political sign?
Below is a close up of the bull – note the palm trees blowing in the wind etched on his torso. Humm, palm trees blowing in the wind … a hurricane?
And then there’s the crumbled figure at the bull’s feet. He’s not dressed like a matador. He’s dressed like a farmer. What does he represent?
Surrounding the the bull (on the red tiles) are images of wild animals – an owl, a lion and a wolf and others. On the blue tiles (and admittedly harder to see) are images of cartoon animals. I think that’s Goofy on the upper left.
I was completely stumped. What on earth was the artist trying to say? A murderous bull with hurricane tattoos, people who only see the world through the lens of their social media, a cricket player trying to run away from the whole bizarre scene?
Here is the official explanation.
Apparently it’s either La Course Camarguise or the Death of James Merry (a Scottish farmer who wanted to be a matador and practiced his skills by wrestling with a young bull. All went well until the bull grew to his mature size and then well …)
I don’t know if there’s any difference between teasing a bull in the bullring or wrestling a bull in a muddy field. Granted, in the bullring you might have a better chance of surviving. What am I missing?
Saying nothing in particular 
Wow, super interesting. There’s a lot going on in that painting. I don’t know about you, but I’m perfectly fine with admiring a bull from a distance. You won’t see me near one anytime soon.
I’m sure the farmer was used to dealing with bulls but just took on the wrong one.
You’re probably right.
I doubt if anyone, without the written explanation, would know what the artists’s intent was.
I was surprised.
My only problem with the mural is the size of the bull’s testicles. They are only slightly larger than mine and if you have ever seen a bull’s balls they are about four times that size. Of course, I am including the sack. Anyway, nice mural. Duke
We all know that bulls from Texas have much bigger balls than bulls from Scotland, now don’t we Duke!
There is a saying in Texas which delineates the difference between good bullshit and bad bullshit. I’m guessing the artist of this mural, if he, in fact, is from Scotland, probably has a sense of what that means. My point about bullshit is strongly demonstrated if one undertakes to search for the Loch Ness monster among the varied images. I’d not be surprised that Nessie is there somewhere hidden much like Waldo. Once the image is found, I’m quite sure the underside anatomy of Nessie will be on full view when utilizing a microscope. Really it is too bad the monster is not more definitively displayed in the mural. That would be, simply put, exciting. Again, thanks for raising this topic to a much needed public discussion and psychiatric evaluation. Duke
That legend is apparently one of those whoppers told in Scottish bars by half-drunk Scots. … perhaps the artist dated a drunken Scot at one time and saw the effects of over indulgence on the male apparatus? I’m sure Nessie is in there someplace – the important question being – is he/she on a cartoon tile?
Art that intentionally dates itself? They’ll have to replace it come spring.
Maybe the artist new a committee member… Or had leverage over a committee member, testicles in a vice kinda leverage.
It’s a very large piece and so I think it was probably commissioned. And it’s very colorful from a distance. If anything it’s a conversation piece for the clientele of the little outdoor cafe it looks over. People in these parts are very arty and we do border on the campus of UC Berkeley.
What an interesting piece of work. Did you notice that some of bees are upside down (maybe dead?). I think that tells us that we need to look after the pollinators, otherwise we’re not going to survive.
I think the people holding phones are taking photos rather than checking social media, although they could be taking photos to put onto social media. It reminds me of an occasion when I phoned a friend to tell him all about a trip I’d taken the previous day, only for him to tell me he knew all about it as he’d seen the photos on social media (put on there by somebody else). I think this tells us how social media is killing the art of conversion.
Good observation, Hugh. I had noticed the bees but not that one was upside down. I have a friend who doesn’t do social media but her children do. I don’t see her that often and so I’m grateful to at least see her kids every now and then. And sometimes it will provoke me to give her a call. So I guess it depends.
I just think back to the days when you had to either go out and meet people to talk or give them a call. Now, that can all be done by text, messinger or phone. My nephew (who is 21) finds it strange that I had to go out to meet a date back in the 1980s, where all he has to do is pick up his phone, open an app and send a message to someone who may like to meet him for some fun.
There are so many messages in this piece of art. You just have to look hard enough for them. It’s certainly something with many warnings.
The pandemic really affected how young people interact I think. And it drove many older people to become more reclusive. They don’t have to go to the stores – they can order on line! Glad the mural interested you Hugh! Have a jolly weekend!
That’s a rather convoluted metaphor. Interesting though…
As a person of Scottish descent I can attest to their love of wacky tales but why the “legend” of this crazy farmer who tried to wrestle a bull has held up is beyond me. Perhaps I just haven’t drunken enough whiskey!
I believe some artists are not as clever as they think they are. …. Anyway it’s too late to say the planet now …. 💜💜
I’m pretty sure this piece was commissioned and the artist was given the theme. I think the key word now is adapting to climate change and not trying to stop it altogether.
yez you are right 😁💜
Any piece of art that requires as much explanation as the artist said here, might not be making any point among the people who see it. I’m just saying…
I agree with you. I probably should have included a long shot of the mural. It adds visual interest to a blah wall which is the main purpose of a mural.
Reminds me of an old former P&G client who after an hour and a half long presentation (similar to that art) told me: “Great Brian. Very clear. When can you send me a one-pager?” I told him he already had a 20 page executive summary, that I didn’t think I could do a one-pager. he said:”yes you can.” 😉
I will be at the OCC tomorrow and will look for it. Lots of art in Orinda and some of it not to my taste. My favorites are the painted utility boxes and the mural over the library garage… oh! and the frog fountain.
A fantastic piece of art. I did work out some of it from the picture I’m pleased to say.