‘The Gallery of Lost Gargoyles’

By Ivy Fan, Eastside News

Have you ever looked at a building and thought, “That really needs a gargoyle?”

Madison locals Bob Kann and Jim Good have — many times. Their new book, “The Gallery of Lost Gargoyles: A Laugh-Out-Loud, Too-Good-to-Be-True History of Madison’s Art, Architecture, and Nonsense Mixed in a Blender and Served Hot,” takes readers on a zany, lore-filled journey exploring 21 iconic Madison buildings and the gargoyles that (allegedly) once perched on them.

Banish the thought of boring stone-chiseled, bat-winged, snarling gargoyles from your mind! These Madisonian gargoyles range from bright red 3-D-printed skaters popping ollies to smoke-blowing inflatables that rival the size of buildings.

Each gargoyle feature includes a brief history of the building, local legends of its mischief and the story of its demise in an imprecise blend of fact and fiction. Good brings the creatures to life in bold, Technicolor linocut prints, carved by hand in his east side gallery.

For Kann and Good, this collection was a “dream project.” About two years ago, Good — an architect by training — sprung the idea to write a book about gargoyles in Madison. Knowing Kann had written several local history books, he proposed a collaboration.

That collaboration quickly turned into a full-blown partnership. The duo started with a shortlist of around 40 buildings — some iconic landmarks, and others simply places they liked. Each building warranted a scouting trip, complete with location-specific activities, like partaking of Teddywedgers’ iconic pasties while contemplating the building’s gargoyle potential.

With scouting complete, the two worked on the gargoyles themselves. Sometimes the creation would start with the linocut. Other times, the story would take shape first. The process was “super, super collaborative,” emphasized Kann, describing how each creator iteratively adjusted his piece of the puzzle to fit into the vision.

The two sought inspiration from bizarre architecture features like the bulbous green domes atop East High School. Otherwise, historical tidbits became the focal point, such as in the case of environmentalist John Muir’s carved wooden likeness at the University of Wisconsin’s North Hall, based on his time there as a student and knack for intricate inventions.

The result? A 124-page love letter to Madison history and architecture in the form of outlandish gargoyle tales just on this side of believable.

“Not only did we amuse ourselves,” laughed Good, “we’re also amusing other people.”

Want to see for yourself? Grab a copy at Lake City Books, visit jimgoodgallery.com to purchase online or check one out from the Madison or Middleton public libraries.