The Great Larryville Snake Hunt Continues! (Day Three) / Plus, Is It Art, or Isn't It? (Campus Edition)

In a story practically crying out for religious interpretation (serpents have invaded the Garden of Eden that is Larryville), officials and citizen recruits are continuing their search for a number of "South American bushmaster vipers" that were (possibly) dumped near Haskell University. Haskell biologist Chuck Haines, in today's LJ-World, explains that it's a fairly common occurrence for people in Larryville to keep venomous snakes in their home (illegally) but dump them near Haskell when they move out of town.

Richard: "The obvious way to prevent this kind of occurrence is to pass legislation allowing for domestic venomous snake ownership and, taking inspiration from young Judson King and his hedgehog presentation, I plan to take this issue before the city fathers at the next meeting."


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Just when you thought the recent wave of tree-related local art was over, along comes internationally known artist Patrick Dougherty to turn an elm tree near Spooner Hall into a piece of art known as "The Bedazzler" (which involves arranging 6000 pounds of sticks around the tree to create something akin to a "giant bird's nest," according to the artist). The work-in-progress is pictured below and, as you can see, it's already attracting an audience (click to enlarge). But is it art, or isn't it?

Chip: "Not art. He's simply ruined a perfectly lovely tree."

Richard: "Art. Or more precisely: nature transformed into art. While we might otherwise pass by this tree without giving it a second thought, Dougherty draws our attention back to the landscape. Allow me to quote Wallace Stevens here: 'I placed a jar in Tennessee /And round it was upon a hill./ It made the slovenly wilderness / surround that hill.'"

But what do the LJ-World talkbackers think. Here's a good example:

"Lawrence, Kansas (Berkley of the Midwest) does not understand the value of the Arts. If you can't eat it, drink it or smoke it, what good is it? Stan Herd is tolerated because he uses a tractor, so he is sort of mowing. Mowing is understood in Lawrence."