I’ve noticed the giant bear standing on the rock in front of what i was told was your house, beyond the useful landmark it provides me to find my lobster pots at night and a new tattoo idea for my forearm, I would like to know; Is Urs Fisher a genius or simply a constructed fallback from a selected few who find that good art is today as rare as a 14-pounder lobster? On a side note, Jeff Koons’ Lobster is a fantastic tribute to this beautiful marine invertebrate.

Dear Lobsterman,

I too love lobster, though sadly it is high in cholesterol. Is Urs’ Bear a great work of art? What makes any work great I often wonder…the image and its effect on the viewer. Though the bear+lamp combo is a simple one, the image and its huge scale create a powerful effect on the viewer, whether they be an art aficionado like myself, or the fishermen and surfers who pass by this rough oceanfront landscape. Since I installed it over 3 years ago it has been welcomed by those who know and those who don’t know art- a sign to me that this object and image are a big success.
As far as Koons and lobster, that’s another matter altogether, a reference to the great Salvador Dali (and his mustache). Dali is a big influence on Koons in my view, though few know it.
See you on the high seas!