The following
photograph-rich article is about mermaid artworks and artifacts
found in Coney Island, Brooklyn, New York from the viewpoint of
visual anthropology and cryptozoology.
All photographs
featured here were taken by Takeshi Yamada. Yamada is one of the
most active artists in New York City and has had over 400 fine
art exhibitions internationally. This manuscript was produced by
Dr. Eriko N. Bond, an active art critic and author in New York
City, as told by Takeshi Yamada.
MERMAIDS IN CONEY ISLAND 2007
Article by Takeshi Yamada and Dr. Eriko N. Bond
Part 6
Commercial Lettering
Mermaid Avenue in
Coney Island is home to many large and small retail and grocery
stores, health clinics and restaurants that have the word
“mermaid” in their names. These signs can be categorized as
“conceptual mermaids” as opposed to “pictorial mermaids”. Shown
here are some examples.
Street sign by one
of three exits of the Coney Island-Stillwell subway station.
(September 5, 2007)
Street sign
(September 10, 2007)
The store Mermaid
Farms is gone but the sign remains on the side of the building.
(September 5, 2007)
Mermaid Manor
(August 29, 2007) Fresh Mermaid Farm
(August 29, 2007)
Mermaid Food Plaza
(March 20, 2008) Mermaid Health Center (September 4, 2007)
Mermaid Pharmacy
(September 4, 2007)
Mermaid Gifts &Bags
(September 4, 2007) Mermaid Optical (September 4, 2007)
Double-tailed
mermaids of Starbucks Coffee. Starbucks came here last year.
(September 5, 2007)
Mermaid Horizon
photo-developing order envelope. This store closed down in 2006.
It is safe to speculate that this is not the only store with the
name “Mermaid” which has disappeared from the landscape of Coney
Island in recent years. After this store closed, Furniture Land
opened on the site but it also closed down within a year.
Collection of Museum of World Wonders. (March 18, 2003)
A&S Neptune’s
service vehicle with a painting of Neptune. Neptune is a god
from ancient Roman mythology and King of the Sea. The photograph
was taken on Neptune Avenue by the post office. Detail on the
right. (September 7, 2007)
Gift Shop Items
Despite my
expectations, almost no gift or game shops sell mermaid-related
merchandise in the amusement park area.
Malaysian mermaids
(some with bird’s wings) at Lola Starr Gift Shop on the
boardwalk. In many Asian countries, mermaids are part of native
mythologies and religious rituals even today. Sadly, in today’s
America, mermaids are considered nothing but sex symbols of the
old worlds of “exotic”, remote countries. (September 12, 2007)
Shown above are
examples of gorgeous T-shirts with mermaid images produced by
Lola Starr Gift Shop on the boardwalk. These are designed by the
shore owner herself. Several mermaid posters and silk-screen
prints are also sold here. (September 12, 2007)
“Pirate Cutlass” and
“Mermaid Princess” at the gift stand by the Surf Avenue entrance
of the Astroland Amusement Park. A weapon toy for boys and a
fashion toy for girls (this is so typically sexist but funny).
Even a simple toy mermaid like this is hard to find in the
amusement park district in Coney Island today. (September 2,
2007)
Takeshi Yamada, Sea
Rabbit (“Seara”), and two tattooed mermaids in bikinis by the
Surf Avenue entrance of Astroland Amusement Park. (August 25,
Saturday, 2007)
END
Copyright by Takeshi Yamada, Museum of World Wonders in Coney
Island, Brooklyn, New York, October 2007. Revised in March 2008.
All Rights Reserved.
E-mail: yamada108@aol.com
Special thanks to Dr. Eriko N. Bond, Lauren D. Travis, Maremi
Kakushina, and Abraham Morris.
Also
special thanks to Kris Roth (Senior Proofreader)
http://www.sideshowworld.com/SSA-15.html
http://www.roguetaxidermy.com/members_detail.php?id=528
http://www.horseshoecrab.org/poem/feature/takeshi.html
http://www.brooklynpubliclibrary.org/events/exhibitions/other/worldwonders.jsp
