Photo by Evan Carroll
In my scan of new Richmond District photos on Flickr last week, I came across some strange ones of statues sitting in the pews of a Internet Archive sanctuary. The IA moved their headquarters into the church at Clement and Funston in early 2010.
The photographer, Evan Carroll, was attending a conference at the IA recently when he took the pics. I asked him what those figures in the pews were and he replied:
Brewster Kahle, the director [of the Internet Archive], explained that it was his idea to create Terracotta Archivists after he saw the Terracotta Army [in China]. If you work for the IA for 3 years they have a statue made in your resemblance and add it to the collection. I only photographed a few, but I remember somewhere around 30 in the building.
Forever immortalized in terra cotta! Definitely a little odd but I suppose it’s better than getting a gold watch or a gumball machine (which I got for hitting 5 years at my last company). Creepy or cool?
Sarah B.
Terra cotta figures sit in the back row of the sanctuary. Photo by Evan Carroll
Photo by Evan Carroll
Love this!
That B.K. was inspired by the Terracotta Army is very telling, considering the purpose for which those were created . . .
Employees deserve to receive a bonus themselves, not the chance to add another creepy statue to B.K.’s shrine honoring himself and to put more money in the pocket of the very fortunate artist who makes these.