Conceptual Artist’s Cup Runneth Over With Creation Using 14,000 Bras

I must offer a word in defense of Nicolino, the conceptual artist who constructed San Francisco’s “Bra Ball.” That, as you doubtless know, is an installation of 14,000 bras weighing nearly 1,200 pounds.

Emily Duffy, a rival artist, was quoted in Parade magazine as saying that Nicolino had stolen her idea, pointing out that she had unveiled her own (slightly smaller) “Bra Ball” earlier in the year in Oakland.

Well, all I know is that a decade ago, Nicolino stopped in L.A. and several other cities during a whistle-stop train tour in search of discarded bras.

Of course, his dream at that time was to stretch them across the Grand Canyon--his statement on “breast obsession in our culture.”

Grand Canyon authorities said no, whereupon this column’s ever-helpful readers suggested several alternate plans, including a bra bridge across the Los Angeles River.

But Nicolino had a new vision: “Statue of Liberty Barbie,” a 12-foot-high sculpture of bras in the shape of the famous lass.

I don’t think Liberty Barbie was ever built; Mattel, Barbie’s El Segundo parent, declined to endorse the project.

I lost track of Nicolino after that, but the point I’m making is that his interest in bras is certainly nothing new.

Dog daze: Surely the machines that Walter Johnson of Long Beach observed in the back of a truck are unrelated to the driver’s business, right? (see photo).

Don’t know much about geography: One wonders whether a massive earthquake displaced several cities, judging from the Office Depot map spotted by Charles Vorsanger of Pasadena (see accompanying). I’m going to miss Signal Hill, but I wish it the best of luck in its new home up north. I also congratulate Phoenix on landing the Winter Olympics.

As we bid goodbye to 2001: The Seal Beach Sun published some of its more unusual police blotter items, including these:

* “A man called the police to ask if it was OK to walk on the pier while he was having ‘moronic thoughts.’ ”

* “Three people with guns were detained by security” until it was determined that they were history buffs “trying to re-create the Battle of Gettysburg.”

* “A man brought a desk, chair and phone and sat in the street. He claimed he was an artist with poetic license.”

* “A customer found $40 at the bank. She returned the money but later called the police saying she wanted it back.” An, uh, unrealistic thought.

More old business: I’m still hearing from readers who’ve found strange car names. Jim Kessell points out that Toyota’s Cressida takes its name from the Trojan woman of medieval legend who was unfaithful to her lover, Troilus.

So can you trust a Cressida car?

Linda Whelan can’t figure out where Subaru came up with the Justy.

I couldn’t find it in medieval literature or anywhere else, but Justy sort of has the creepy ring of a prison worker.

Speaking of creepy, Julie Towery wants the dumb-name competition opened up so she can include a motor home: the Damon Intruder.

miscelLAny:

Numerous UCLA football fans--I didn’t realize there were that many left--wrote to correct my assertion that their team lost its last four games.

Actually, UCLA lost only four of its final five games.

The late Times columnist Jack Smith used to allow himself three mistakes per year, as I recall. Here it is only Jan. 4, and I’m down to my last two.

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Steve Harvey can be reached at (800) LA-TIMES, Ext. 77083; by fax at (213) 237-4712; by mail at Metro, L.A. Times, 202 W. 1st St., L.A., 90012; and by e-mail at steve.harvey@latimes.com.