Artist's Statement
I received an email from my
friend Aaron two weeks ago titled "Apex
Bathroom Tile that contains what looks like
a Tim self-portrait" with the following
image attached:
"It seems strikingly obvious
to me," Aaron wrote, "but I'm not
going to say where it is in the tile for fear
of prejudicing. Second email will be a closer
up of area in question. I expect a delegation
from Rome at any moment."
After I sent him the rendering
featured in this week's cartoon to confirm
I was interpreting the image the same way he
saw it, he sent me this closer view.
"I mean come
on," he wrote, "that's crazy."
"I see it as having a more
haunted, gaunt look than your rendering," he
said, "possibly an artifact of the speckled/
mottled tile giving the face a diseased look.
It reminded me of one of your faces of someone
stupified by drugs, life, work, etc. I will
take a couple more establishing shot photos
for context and send them along. It's in a
fancy tile shower stall on the second floor
with a several colors of tile: green, black,
whitish. It was installed by a company named
Portuguese Touch and considered to have been
kind of an extravagant waste of money, but
it is a great shower and I use it pretty much
exclusively."
The address of the building
that houses the miraculous image is being witheld
out of respect for the privacy of the occupants.
Those wishing to make contributions to the
Church of the Blesséd Tile may do so
directly below.
$5 - $10: The blessings of the
tile upon you and your pet[s]
$10 - 25: Comfort for spiritual
afflictions (doubt, grief, ennui, and/or the
blues)
$25 - 50: Healing of non-life-threatening
injuries and illnesses
$50 - $100: healing for major
medical problems or intercession on
behalf of deceased loved ones (your choice)
$100 - up: guarantee of Heaven
(no harps)
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