Art About Town: Sacramento... Mural "At Folsom Prison"

 

"The one red leaf, the last of its clan,

That dances as often as dance it can,

Hanging so light, and hanging so high,

On the topmost twig that looks up at the sky."

 

~Samuel Taylor Coleridge 

 

I have been wanting to photograph this amazing mural, since it was first done in 2018, as part of the Wide Open Walls Mural Festival. Sacramento has a lot of marvelous murals, only a few of which I have posted to this blog, but this one has been a favorite of mine to just enjoy viewing, when I visit. Sometimes the photographer must put the camera down, and enjoy the art. You see, it is located the side of the Marriott's Residence Inn, on L Street, and can be seen for blocks because of it's size. It takes up the entire side of the 15 story hotel! The mural is in honor of the 50th anniversary of the performer's concert at Folsom prison, and the release of Cash's album, At Folsom Prison.

 

 If the artist's style looks familiar, it's because Fairey is also the artist who created the iconic poster, "Hope" for President Barack Obama, for his 2008 presidential campaign. This mural image was based on the original photograph created for the album by photographer, Jim Marshall, in 1968. One of the most fascinating aspects of the mural, is that Fairey has Johnny Cash gazing toward the site of Folsom Prison, which is located about 20 miles northeast of Sacramento. I visited the grounds of Folsom Prison last month, and hoped to be able to visit the Johnny Cash museum, which sits just outside the gates, but it was unfortunately closed for renovations. I will visit there again sometime, I'd like to learn more about the musician's concert at the prison.

 

Mind Prisons

 "Only what slips through one's fingers, only what is never expressed in words, has no thoughts, exists completely. That is the price of proximity if you don't see it. Don't know that it's there. Then it's over, then you see it."

-Karl Ove Knausgard 

Autumn

Yesterday, Alan and I took a drive to Folsom, California, to have a look around the Historic district. We got going a little later than we had intended too, so we didn't have a lot of time to spend there, or visit the tourist sites much, but we did stop by Folsom Prison, for a few minutes, to check the hours at the prison museum. Unfortunately, it was closed for repairs. It was impossible to see the prison, without thinking about the possible legal problems of the current president. I think he thinks about it too, even as he knowingly creates events that could infect folks with Covid-19, aka, super spreader events. A likelihood so possible, that he makes attendees sign a release that says they won't sue him if they contract the disease. Sometimes it seems like he breaks at least one law a day... maybe two. You know him, and history does also, and will not be kind. This place could very will be his new home one day, and Mara-Lago it isn't. He was just bellowing again last night about locking up, among others, Joe Biden. Old bullshit, different day. He thinks he will be able to talk his way out of his problems should an arrest happen, should he be indicted. I am sure his psychotic narcissism wont let him think anything else. So, what happens when the real world, the world he doesn't get to script, doesn't live up to his expectations? When he finally has to answer for what he's done? And are the rest of us ready for it? Are we in mind prisons as well?

~Carly

October 17th 2020

Stockton, California