City made of shiny disposable plastic objects from $0.99 stores

Dan sez, "Since you liked Chu Enoki's garbage city, you might like Chris Harvey's Mandala of Perfect Happiness, a sculpture made entirely from cheap plastic objects, many of them from 99 cent stores. Here are some pictures of it in my Flickr." Link (Thanks, Dan!)

[#1 posted by License Farm , January 12, 2008 1:12 PM]

This must be where Jim Woodring lives.

[#2 posted by Takuan , January 12, 2008 1:25 PM]

The dollars store is the prop and set builders best friend. Anyone can make a movie with ten million bucks, try doing it with twenty. Dumpsters are good friends too.

[#3 posted by wangleberry , January 12, 2008 1:46 PM]

looks like something a Hindu would worship

[#4 posted by Amayain , January 12, 2008 2:38 PM]

reminds me of the Watts towers...

[#5 posted by Takuan , January 12, 2008 2:43 PM]

really?

"There is no reference to worship of idols in the Vedas. The Puranas and the Agamas give descriptions of idol-worship both in the houses and in the temples. Idol-worship is not peculiar to Hinduism. Christians worship the Cross. They have the image of the Cross in their mind. The Mohammedans keep the image of the Kaba stone when they kneel and do prayers. The people of the whole world, save a few Yogis and Vedantins, are all worshippers of idols. They keep some image or the other in the mind.

The mental image also is a form of idol. The difference is not one of kind, but only one of degree. All worshippers, however intellectual they may be, generate a form in the mind and make the mind dwell on that image.

Excerpt from All About Hinduism by Sri Swami Sivananda"

[#6 posted by vorpalsword , January 12, 2008 6:07 PM]

That is what I have always thought cities should look like...

Let's all get together and build a real one.

[#7 posted by vorpalsword , January 12, 2008 6:14 PM]

P.S.--

@ #3 Wangleberry

That is such an ignorant thing to say... I do see the resemblance to a Hindu temple, yes, but (a) like Takuan said, Hindus do not worship objects, and (b) since when do Hindu gods look like non-anthropomorphic colorful towers?

Think a bit before making dismissive remarks about religions you are unfamiliar with.

[#8 posted by Takuan , January 12, 2008 6:16 PM]

peace, no need for snicker snack

[#9 posted by Teresa Nielsen Hayden / Moderator , January 12, 2008 6:35 PM]

Good one, Takuan. Christians would reply that they don't worship the cross, but rather the guy nailed to it, and otherwise venerate images rather than worshipping idols; but that's a fine distinction. It appears to me that what Sri Swami Sivananda is describing is a comparable practice, yet many Westerners comfortably refer to Hindu images as idols, whereas only Wee Frees and the like give Christian images that appellation.

[#10 posted by Takuan , January 12, 2008 6:46 PM]

appreciations for the Wee Frees; till now I only knew of them as Pictsies

[#11 posted by Miss Cellania , January 12, 2008 7:00 PM]

If all that stuff cost 99 cents each, there's a lot of money tied up in that piece.

[#12 posted by Takuan , January 12, 2008 7:04 PM]

oh the relativity of "a lot of money".

[#13 posted by StacyM , January 12, 2008 7:17 PM]

how did these plastics turn into a religious discussion?

[#14 posted by Takuan , January 12, 2008 7:30 PM]

in keeping with the teachings of the Flying Spaghetti Monster, all potential vessels of His Noodley Goodness are included. This means Tupperware, Ziploc brand containers and even the better choices at your local Daiso.

[#15 posted by Georgia Tills , January 12, 2008 9:10 PM]

Well it's kinda cute, and if my wee cousins had constructed this when they were still in the single digit ages, I would have rewarded them with pie. It is much 'less impressive' than the metal one made by Chu Enok though, especially considering that the metal one recycled unwanted trash as well.

[#16 posted by wangleberry , January 12, 2008 10:01 PM]

sorry everyone, i didn't mean to start a debate, i was merely making an observation that every hindu temple i've ever seen resembled these colorful garbage piles.

to the others who choose to take offense, i didn't claim to know everything about every fumb ducking religion. simply ignore me if you have a problem.

peace.

[#17 posted by Takuan , January 12, 2008 10:07 PM]

none taken or hopefully given, peace

[#18 posted by erindipity , January 12, 2008 10:10 PM]

Mandala.
How did he know??

[#19 posted by montchris , January 13, 2008 12:53 AM]

This reminds me a lot of a short animated film by PES called "Kaboom!"

http://eatpes.com/kaboom.html

[#20 posted by Happy , January 13, 2008 8:08 AM]

I think #6 Vorpal Sword - hit the nail on the head when he said "Let's all get together and build a real one."

Lose the anger and divison already. Different points of view make the world go round.

[#21 posted by Takuan , January 13, 2008 8:56 AM]

@19

That Kaboom is pretty dam good

[#22 posted by Coaster , January 13, 2008 7:29 PM]

I would have never gotten that far without sneezing and ruining it all. I'm impressed.