On what would have been Alex Madonna’s 91st birthday—November 19—a rash of stenciled posters proclaiming “Alex lives” appeared around downtown San Luis Obispo. The exact number of posters is not yet known, though they have been spotted in Mitchell Park, in parking garage stairwells, near the creek, and, most notably, on the sign at the Madonna Inn.
The text and portrait were stenciled in—what else?—hot pink spray paint. It can only be concluded, given the color and joyful nature of the proclamation, that the tribute was intended to be a loving reminder of a resident who’s already difficult to forget (the man erected a giant, frothy, pink stone inn in plain view of the highway, for heaven’s sake).
The posters’ creator has not yet been identified, and there’s no denying that Alex Madonna is a bizarre and unlikely street art subject, but this may be credited as further evidence that the muses strike where they will.
This article appears in Nov 26 – Dec 3, 2009.