Man Unveils Interactive Toothpick Sculpture of SF That Took 35 Years to Create

http://thoughtcatalog.com/2011/man-unveils-interactive-toothpick-sculpture-of-san-francisco-that-took-35-years-to-create/

by vamsee • 15 years ago

113 22 15 years ago

thoughtcatalog.com

URSpider94• 15 years ago

You just made my Sunday night.

cloudwalking• 15 years ago

I was impressed, but then I learned there are a dozen paths through. Now I'm baffled.

goatforce52• 15 years ago

Likewise. For the first 45 seconds or so I was like "Oh, that's kinda neat" but it went on to show more and more tours interwoven together and his little hidden personal details in it... That's a thing of beauty right there.

CallMeV• 15 years ago

What happens to the sculpture, now he has completed it? Does it go on permanent exhibition somewhere? Curious to know its fate. I would like to visit San Fran some time, and I would pay to go and see that sculpture if I did.

swift2• 15 years ago

It's currently at the Exploratorium, but I have no idea how long it'll remain there.

swift2• 15 years ago

Haha, wow. Went to the Exploratorium today and saw this guy there with his sculpture. Now it's on the front page of Hacker News! What a coincidence.

He said that when people ask him when he started building it, he replies "Well, I got up real early this morning."

kloncks• 15 years ago

I wonder how many people living in San Francisco actually know its beautiful history.

sliverstorm• 15 years ago

I think that may be waxing just a tad romantic. I know a thing or three about San Francisco's history, and I wouldn't call it beautiful.

arethuza• 15 years ago

I'm struggling to think of anywhere that has a history that I would call beautiful.

gojomo• 15 years ago

Don't ask for the 'Great Quake and Fire of 1906' path.

rpedroso• 15 years ago

Not to be a pedant, but I believe that this is not a Ruth Goldberg machine, but rather, a Jolly Ball track: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d4qlXjhUHvg

delinka• 15 years ago

Mr. Gorrell does indeed get this wrong. (It's 'Rube', btw)

CWIZO• 15 years ago

I've just recently returned from my first trip to SF. This video really made my day, and it feels so much more real now that I've actually seen most of this things.

Those of you who live in SF, you can't imagine how lucky you are! I envy you all!

keyle• 15 years ago

This just makes me thinking that people just have misplaced talent. Just imagine if cancer research and solving aids was as approachable as building things with toothpicks, we'd probably be way further than we are in solving the world's problems.

brunt• 15 years ago

I couldn't help but think of how fragile it is, and how I could never spend so much time making something if I knew it could (physically) break so easily.

billybob• 15 years ago

Yeah. One of the nicest things, for me, about making software is that it lasts. It may become irrelevant, sure, but it doesn't rot, and you can make copies.

mcrittenden• 15 years ago

Exactly what I was thinking. The thought of tripping and falling and destroying 35 years worth of work makes me really uncomfortable.

goatforce52• 15 years ago

Tibetan Buddhism isn't for you then:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sand_mandala

"Sand mandalas traditionally take several weeks to build, due to the large amount of work involved in laying down the sand in such intricate detail." "A sand mandala is ritualistically destroyed once it has been completed and its accompanying ceremonies and viewing are finished to symbolize the Buddhist doctrinal belief in the transitory nature of material life."

ernestipark• 15 years ago

the best part is the centrifugal force.

hugh3• 15 years ago

Like most of these sorts of projects, it's a combination of "impressive" and "kinda sad".

edit: Removed bit about children

bstar• 15 years ago

At 55 seconds he says the Toll Booth "has the time our son was born". This man achieved a work of art that is far from sad. It's very obvious that this has tons of sentimental value, but it is also a wonderful work of art. I hope I can achieve a long-term disciplined accomplishment like this in my lifetime (my children notwithstanding).

Man Unveils Interactive Toothpick Sculpture of SF That Took 35 Years to Create

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