The story behind the artwork

Jon Weinberg was a Manager in the Boston office when we were in Copley Place.

Together with his partner in crime Josh Rutberg, they were famous for playing practical jokes and enlivening the esprit in the office. You may even be able to find some of their hi-jinks on old Summer Meeting videos (Think of the old TV show “Jackass”)

There were a few other important piece of background information: There was a piece of art that hung outside of finance. It was a split abstract canvas with a long fluorescent black light running down the center. It was generally considered hideous Orit Gadiesh was Chairperson of Bain at the time and put henna in her hair that made it look purple

On January 1, 2005, Jon transferred to the San Francisco office. The night before he departed, he snuck into the office with the two-piece painting that he had created himself and hung it on the wall. Created in the style of Pollock, meant to conjure a reminder of the ugly split abstract canvas. It remained in place until we departed Copley and then found its way into storage.

Gerard du Toit and David Bechhofer thought of the image as quintessentially Bainish. Slightly irreverent, demonstrating initiative, True North, humorous, poking fun at power, etc. They went searching for the painting and finally found it. Unfortunately, it wasn’t in very good condition as the stretcher behind each canvas had “racked” making it so that it wouldn’t hang properly on the wall. Gerard and David were told that it couldn’t be put up again.

Not wanting to take no for an answer, Gerard and David brought their own power tools into the office and attached both canvases to the wall in all four corners at the top of the central staircase for all to see. It was NEVER going to move again!!

But then, of course, we did a major renovation. By this time, the piece of art had become beloved by all. So the original canvases were taken off the wall, properly framed, and put up in a place of honor on the 10th floor of 131 Dartmouth Street. And from there it has moved again to 350 Boylston.

It is actually the ONLY piece of art that has hung on the wall in our last three offices.

And yes… the little purple stick figure in the corner is supposed to represent our then Chairperson – Orit Gadiesh.


txto