Artistic Expressions

Who Owns Cultural Artifacts?

For years, museum officials in London and Athens have been quarreling about the "Elgin Marbles," a collection of archaic stone sculptures and that were taken from the Acropolis by Britain's Lord Elgin in the early nineteenth century while Greece was controlled by the Ottoman Empire. 

The debate over ownership of the priceless antiquities has continued for ages, but officials of the British Museum, where the carvings are currently on display, continue to claim ownership and have argued that Athens doesn't have an adequate space in which to display the sculptures.

Athens has now answered that argument by building an ultramodern museum to house the pieces that Lord Elgin left behind.  The Greeks have also made sure to leave enough empty space in the museum for the remainder of the Elgin Marbles, the return of which they will continue to pursue.  To read more about the fantastic new museum and the continuing argument, check out this article from NPR.

Where do you think the sculptures should be?  On one hand, the British Museum is one of the most visited museums in the world (only the Louvre gets more traffic), which gives around six million people per year the opportunity to see the priceless Greek treasures.  The Acropolis averages roughly half a million visitors each year, so the pieces are certainly more accessible where they are in London.

On the other hand, the sculptures were created by Greeks, and depict Greek gods, Greek wars, and Greek traditions.  They are a major part of Greek history and a great source of pride for Greece, so don't they belong where they originated? 

Take the poll and click "Comment" below to tell us your thoughts.

This Month's Poll - Is Public Sculpture Too Tame?

A couple months ago, the New York Times ran an article by Ken Johnson about how the focus of public sculpture in New York City has changed.  In the article, Johnson asserts that, "Outdoor art isn’t what it used to be. Once it honored heroic individuals and upheld values that whole populations could embrace. Today, excepting memorials like the Vietnam veterans wall, outdoor art serves rather to divert, amuse and comfort."

Johnson goes on to compare some of NYC's classical figurative sculptures with the newer, quirkier public pieces that are more popular today, such as Tom Sach's Hello Kitty figure in the Lever House plaza.  Johnson says that contemporary outdoor art offers "unobjectionable, mildly decorative or entertaining and relatively empty experiences."

But I think some would argue the opposite.  To me, contemporary public sculpture seems to be more provocative than the statues of heroic individuals that Johnson refers to.  Rather than serving to "divert, amuse and comfort," I think most contemporary public sculpture seeks to engage viewers to think about the art and form an opinion. 

But what do you think?  Has public sculpture gotten too "well behaved"?  Weigh in by taking our poll and clicking "Comment" below.

Photo:  DANCERS by Jonathan Borofsky.  Photo courtesy of the City and County of Denver.

This Month's Poll: The Conception vs. Construction Debate

The other day I was reading about a controversy involving Damien Hirst, and it got me thinking about the role of the artist in the creation of his or her artworks.  Due to high demand for his work, Hirst relies heavily on his band of assistants to execute his ideas, sometimes barely involving himself in the constructions of his pieces at all.  In the 90s, Hirst's series of spot paintings, which consisted of symmetrical lines of colored dots, were selling for a lot of money.  But Hirst only painted about 5 of them, leaving the other 300 or so to his band of assistants.  Hirst was criticized for not being involved enough in the creation of his work, but he responded by saying that, as the person who conceptualizes the pieces, he deserved the artistic credit (and the paycheck), even though his assistants did most of the work.

This isn't a new debate; sculptors throughout history have relied upon the technical expertise of artisans to carve their marble or cast their bronze.  As a sculptor, doing 100% of the work yourself would make it difficult to produce enough work to maintain a successful career, but do collectors have the right to expect a certain level of involvement from the artist to whom they are writing a check?  

What's your opinion?  Do you believe that creative ideas make you an artist, or does an artist need to be involved in the execution of those ideas?  Click "Comment" below to give us your thoughts, and take the poll below!

Loveland Show Prize Winners

The Sculptural Pursuit team had a great time meeting and visiting with artists at this year's Loveland Invitational and Sculpture In The Park shows in Loveland, Colorado. To show our appreciation to the artists and advertisers who support us, we did prize drawings for the artists who participated in either show. Our supplier advertisers also donated some exciting prizes to the drawings.

Here are the winners of the gifts donated by our supplier advertisers:

Supplier                            Winner Name
PCF Studios, Inc                 Tim King
Ball Consulting, Ltd.            Dwayne Cranford
A Cut Above                       Rebecca A. Bowman
Bicknell Supply Company    John Houser
Bicknell Supply Company    Diana Fierin
Triple D Game Farm            Dan Toone
Triple D Game Farm            Sharon Fullingim
Chavant, Inc.                       Maryann Eikens
Shidoni Foundry                  Merrilee Cleveland

Hammer & Pen Productions also gave gift certificates to the following drawing winners:

Winner Name                      City, State
Larry Starck                           Loveland, CO
Maryann Mansfield                 Palisade, CO
Dan Chen                              Eugene, OR
James Moore                         Galeton
Richard Bell Smith                  Phoenix, AZ
Merle Randolph                      Marion, OH
Danae Bennett-Miller              Bend, OR
Jane Isaki                              Loveland, CO
Linda Serrao                          Walnut, CA

Congrats to all the prize winners, and thanks to all the advertisers who awarded prizes!  We hope to see you all again next year!

Is Nudity Acceptable in Public Sculpture?

Recently, a sculpture called JOURNEY TO THE NEW by Itzik Asher has been making waves in Delray  Beach, Florida.  The abstract figurative sculpture depicts three nude figures, and represents Jewish refugees fleeing persecution in Ethiopia.  The problem:  the sculpture is visible from the entrance of a local middle school, and the school's PTA believes that the nude figures are inappropriate for their children. 

The sculpture is privately owned, and resides on the property of a private shopping center, but the PTA is petitioning the city to force the owner to move the sculpture.  You can read more on this issue in this article from the Palm Beach Post.

Nudity is nothing new in public art, but is it appropriate? 

Take our poll here and give us your comments below!

Photo courtesy of Brandon Kruse/Pam Beach Post

Deadlines Approaching - Don't Miss These Opportunities!

International Sculpture Symposium - Spain

Deadline: July 24, 2009   

A municipality in Spain invites all sculptors to participate in its XX Sculpture Symposium at open air. The symposium will have a duration of 18 days, from the 25 of September to the 12 October 2009.  The material to be carved will be the granite, in any existing typology in Galizia, provided that its acquisition will be possible for the organization.  The dimensions of the block to be used are limited to a maximum of 1.80 x 1.80 x 0.50 meters, 1´62 m3s or similar dimensions inside this given volume of reference.  The theme will be free. The granite cannot be painted or covered with any other material. But, if in the work it is initially planned the combination of the granite with another material like solid metal or wood, it will be the organization that on the basis of its technical and economical possibilities will decide the feasibility of the work.  Every participant will use his/her own utensils.  The organization will furnish lacing to the compressor, electricity, maintenance of chisels.  A diamond disk will be delivered to every participating artist for the realization of the work.  If a sculptural proposal consists in a parallelepiped, or if for its execution it is essential this figure, the organization will facilitate four cuts to the stone, indicated by the artist in his/her proposal.  In other cases, the same number of cuts will be facilitated to the blocks to give the same opportunities to all the artists, if these cuts will be technically and economically possible for the organization.  The organization will pay the travel expenses, food and lodging for the participating artist. The prizes will be:  

This Month's Poll - Does Satire Belong in Public Art?

Earlier this year, the Czech Republic commissioned artist David Cerny to create a monumental sculpture to celebrate the nation's six-month stint as president of the European Union.  The sculpture was to be a collaborative piece created by twenty-seven international European artists to celebrate the unity of the continent and was planned to be on display for six months at the European Council building in Brussels.

But when installation day arrived in January, the finished product, called ENTROPA turned out to be a politically incorrect nightmare and a headache for diplomats across Europe.  The vast sculpture is a pieced-together map of the continent, each country represented by a sort of stereotypical caricature of that country's people or history. 

For example, Germany is represented by a grey block intersected by autobahns that, some people say, resemble a swastika.  France is draped with a sign that says, "Grève," or, "Strike!"  One of the most controversial parts of the sculpture is Cerny's portrayal of Bulgaria as a Turkish Toilet. 

But perhaps the most outrageous part of the story is that, despite what the Czech Republic asked for, the sculpture was not at all a collaboration.  Cerny and a small group of friends created the entire piece as a hoax meant, according to Cerny, to "find out if Europe is able to laugh at itself."  Given the outcry against the piece, and its eventual early removal, the answer to that question seems to be a resounding NO.  You can read more about the controversial piece here, and there is a full list of countries and their portrayals on Wikipedia.

Looking at Cerny's other work, it seems that this sort outcome should've been predicted when commissioning the piece, but I think it raises a larger question.  This sculpture may have been intended to be satirical and humerous, but given the venue, not many people were laughing.  Most felt that it was just inappropriate.  Others would argue, however, that the sheer amount of attention the piece has gotten makes it successful.  It has forced people to talk about stereotypes and cultural perceptions, so how could it be a failure? 

My question is this.  Satire is often offensive by nature.  That being said, does it have a place in public art?  Should the knowledge that a piece of public art will offend someone prevent it from being commissioned?  What do you think?

TAKE OUR POLL NOW!

Support Sculpture While You Shop!

Socrates Sculpture Park in Long Island City, NY, will be hosting an open air marketplace from June 27-28.  The Makers Market will include products from over 30 makers, including textiles, ceramics, turned wood bowls, glassware, jewelry, furniture, motorcycles and more.

A preview of the event will be held on June 26th with tickets available for $50. The ticket price includes cocktails and hors d'oeuvres and will be tax deductible since a portion of every ticket purchase will go to support Socrates Sculpture Park.

For more information or to purchase tickets online, click here.

Controversial Public Art - The Big Red Rabbit

Last month we talked about Luis Jimenez's controversial BLUE MUSTANG sculpture at Denver International  Airport.  Our reader poll was split right down the middle between the sculpture's supporters and detractors, which just goes to show you how divided opinions can be when it comes to public art.  Thanks to all who participated!

This month, we'll talk about a piece of public art that's still in the development stages.  If you've been to Denver in the last couple years, you've no doubt seen Lawrence Argent's I SEE WHAT YOU MEAN, a forty-foot-tall blue bear peering in the windows of the city's convention center.  After it was installed, public opinion was mixed about the piece, but now that it's been in place for a couple years, the people of the city seem to have grown to appreciate it.

Argent's latest project is over a new piece he's been commissioned to complete for a new terminal in Sacramento's airport, scheduled to be completed in 2011.  The proposed piece is another larger-than-life, brightly colored animal -- this time a bunny leaping toward a vast, granite suitcase.  The fifty-foot rabbit, which will appear to be leaping through the walls of the airport towards the baggage claim where a large granite suitcase awaits him, comes with an $800,000 price tag -- a price that has been difficult for residents to stomach in a city that's been hit hard by economic collapse.  Many residents in the city have openly wondered why the county is spending so much money for a giant bunny when money is so scarce in the area. 

Argent says that the bunny represents, among other things, the leap we all take when we travel, opening ourselves up to the unknown.  Airport officials believe Argent's piece will do exactly what public art should do -- get people to think and talk about art, while adding a little whimsy to the airport.  Their support, however, hasn't silenced some critics, who believe the money would be better spent hiring more police officers or providing other essential services.  Though the money for the project comes from airport fees and not taxpayers, some still believe it should be used to help with a failing economy.

What do you think?  Is the red bunny worth the cost to the city?  Is the airport the right setting for the piece?  Does Sacramento deserve props for their continued focus on the arts, or would the money be better spent elsewhere given the state of the city's economy? 

Take part in our poll, and give us your opinion by clicking the "Comment" button below.

Calls for Entry -- Deadline JUNE 1, 2009

Atlanta Artists Center call for National Show
Deadline: June 1st
Exhibit Dates:  August 29 - September 29, 2009
Fees: $35 non-members, $30 members
Website:  www.atlantaartistscenter.org

Majestic Galleries call for Juried Competition
Deadline: June 1st
Exhibit Dates: June 26 - July 26, 2009
Fees: $30 - up to 3 works per artist
Website:  www.majesticgalleries.com

Wichita National All Media Craft Exhibition call for Entry
Deadline: June 1st
Exhibit Dates: September 4 - October 18, 2009
Fees: $30 - up to 3 entries
Website:  www.wcfta.com