| The Palo Alto History Project |
| The Go, Mama! Statue Ash Street at California Avenue |
| Go Public Art! Is a city street the place to debut innovative public art? And even more, should taxpayer dollars be used to pay for it? California Avenue is an important economic viaduct in the city, but has also increasingly become a kind of drive- thru art gallery. Collector of contemporary art Gerald Brett, has been the driving force behind this Palo Alto “Avenue of the Arts.” As a member of the 7 member Palo Alto Public Art Commission he has helped raise money and spend city money on sculptures like Marta Thoma's bronze sculpture, "Go Mama!" Brett calls it a "fabulous piece of surrealism." It’s also a sculpture of a Mexican doll with a face is in its belly. $6,250 of taxpayer money went for the statue and some folks have a laundry list of other things for which the money might be better spent. -Matt Bowling |
| One of Mama's faces |
| Go Mama! on the run |
| Go Mama in front of the Palo Alto Bed & Breakfast, "Hotel California" |
| The map below shows the California Avenue shopping district |
| Go Mama from across California Avenue |
| Go Mama! up close |
| Another of Marta Thoma's Palo Alto works, the distinctive "Rrrun" |
