Disturbing Sculptures Art Gallery (that’s really the name)
1100 Highway 101
Crescent City, California
Well, if you’re gonna name your art gallery “disturbing,” you’d better deliver. And this Northern California roadside attraction earns its name. One minute you’re cruising north on Highway 101, almost to the Oregon state line and promised nirvana, and the next minute you’ve U-turned so fast your dog yelps.
According to a Roadside America article, this gallery is the home of 3 artists, two of whom appear to be quite normal (driftwood sculptures and chainsaw sculptures). But the third, who luckily was not on-site the day I visited, has some issues.
According to one of his partners, artist Val “…escaped from the Ukraine during the Cold War, and somewhere along the way was abducted by space aliens. This has heavily influenced his work.” No shit, Sherlock!
STILL, YOU CAN’T DENY THE ARTISTRY AND POWERFUL EMOTIONS. AGAINST THE STARK WHITE WALLS OF A MORE-TRADITIONAL GALLERY…instead of hodge-podge in the weeds in front of a shipping container… THESE WORKS WOULD BE STUNNING.
Some more-typical northern California art …
D R I F T W __ __ __ ???
AND BECAUSE THEY WEREN’T DISTURBING ENOUGH…
obsessive hobbyist 