Monday, June 24, 2002 | 11:22 a.m.
A lithograph drawn by Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman for the grand opening of the new S2 Art Group gallery downtown drew some surprised looks, and not just because of the mayor's artistic talent.
The portrayal of two homeless men -- named "Hale and Hardy," a reference to healthy, able-bodied people -- wasn't at all what S2 owner Jack Solomon was expecting from the former defense attorney. When Solomon took Goodman a lithograph plate to practice on, the mayor had drawn a caricature of a Mafia figure.
The full-color finished product unveiled on Friday instead depicted a scene of homelessness that is typical in the neighborhoods surrounding the gallery in the newly designated art district, near Main Street and Charleston Boulevard. The men are carrying a sign that says "Will work for food."
Goodman says when he sat down to draw, he considered the fact that lithographs are traditionally used as a social commentary. When asking himself what type of social statement he could make, the first thing that popped into his mind was the most significant issue facing the city -- homelessness.
"Since homeless is very much of the forefront in Las Vegas' society, I felt I would make a statement concerning the homeless," Goodman said.
Goodman admits that by using the "Hale and Hardy" reference, he is taking a shot at those homeless people he so frequently mentions, who he says are of sound body and sound mind and who refuse to help themselves.
"These are the ones who are able-bodied, of sound mind, yet these are the ones who refuse to help themselves," Goodman said. "I'm taking a shot at those homeless. I have no comments for those that can help themselves. Hale and Hardy have no place here."
Linda Lera Randle-El, a homeless advocate, said she was appalled that the mayor would choose to draw a picture of two homeless men, using it as an opportunity to knock those who can not help themselves.
Lera Randle-El said the mayor does not understand that while men and women on the streets may look able-bodied and of sound mind, the fact that they want to be homeless is a sign of deeper problems that are worth trying to solve.
"For him to keep using disparaging remarks against a group of people who are not financially able to contribute something to us at this point, does not make them fair game for him to take a shot at," she said.
Lera Randle-El said she works on the streets with homeless people every day, and it may take weeks or months to delve into the psyche of those people who seem fit to work, but would rather live on the street.
"He does not understand that you can not see the psyche, he can not see the soul," she said. "He can not tell who is broken and who is not.
"When a person chooses to be homeless, to be that means something is really wrong and we need to find out what is it that made that person feel better to be in squalor than to be someone comfortable," she said. "Some people are just more broken than others. When someone chooses to be homeless, something is radically wrong somewhere."
Solomon defended the mayor's decision to draw whatever he wanted.
"We don't micromanage the artists," he said. "We would not have commissioned one of our great artists to do that subject matter, but the artist has artistic control."
"We thought people would get the wrong idea, that we're rednecks," Solomon said. He said that he called the mayor's office to make sure that the image was what Goodman intended, and he was assured by an assistant that it was.
"We didn't think many people would want to put that on their wall and look at it every day," Solomon said.
Solomon added: "If you think it's our political position, it's not. We're not in politics. He is in politics."
The proceeds of the 25 lithographs produced from Goodman's drawing, which cost $275 apiece unframed, will go to a fund to be created to continue developing the district, Solomon said.
Four of the lithographs have sold already.
Solomon also credited Goodman with having the vision to push the art district.
"It's his energy that will make this art district happen," Solomon said. "If it were not for him, we never would have made the investment we made here, taken the risk."
archive
