Cardiff Kook
Chesterfield Drive and 101,
Cardiff, California
92007
This is the Cardiff Kook! He's located in Cardiff-by-the-Sea, a beach community in Encinitas, which is on Highway 101 on your way towards San Diego! Officially, the six foot statue is called Magic Carpet Ride, was created by Matthew Antichevich, and was installed in 2007. Surfers, however, have a very low opinion of the statue due to its unrealistic depiction of someone surfing. Local surfers refer to the statue as a "kook" or a wannabee surfer. Supposedly the feet are positioned incorrectly and the hands are odd in appearance. Antichevich, the artist, however, stated that the statue was always intended to portray a novice surfer, a young boy who was learning how to surf, and was about to fall off his board. The area is additionally known for drawing in novice surfers, as well.
The statue cost over $120,000, and sadly due to the budget had to be scaled back. At one time the surfer was female, but this cost too much. At another point, there was going to be a wave part added onto the statue, but again, this cost too much.
Since then the Cardiff Kook, as he is now called, is "vandalized" often, with people dressing the statue up in a variety of outfits and costumes. No actual damage is ever done to the statue, though. The Kook has been Zorro, a lucha libre, Alice in Wonderland, Vincent Van Gogh, and Uncle Sam. He has been seen in pumpkin heads, Santa hats, clown costumes, and pleated, pink skirts. One of the most memorable was when an entire fifteen foot paper mache shark head was built around the statue giving the surfer the appearance of being eaten. Another epic scene was of a pterodactyl carrying the surfer off in a very impressive prehistoric scene.
Antichevich, the artist, is not pleased with the constant decorating and "vandalism" of his sculpture.
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First Created: 2021-06-16
Last Edited: 2021-06-16
