Artistic Expressions

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

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.

Using Art to Change the World

A couple weeks ago, I posted about Recycling Week in the U.K., and how several artists throughout the country had created sculptures out of used soda cans.  Well it seems that here in the U.S., CNN has also decided to use sculpture as a means of telling the world about the green movement.  The news giant commissioned Indian artist Suryakant Lokhande to create a sculpture out of recycled materials.  The product is a tiger, meant to represent the fragility of the environment.  CNN has posted a short video about the process of creating the tiger on their website. 

Don't miss the National Black Arts Festival in Atlanta

The National Black Arts Festival is one of the premier national and international celebrations of the art, music, and culture of people of African descent. The mission of the NBAF is to engage, cultivate and educate diverse audiences about the arts and culture of the African Diaspora and provide opportunities for artistic and creative expression. Major funding for this organization is provided by the Fulton County Commission under the guidance of the Fulton County Arts Council, Georgia Black United Fund, Georgia Council for the Arts, The Kendeda Fund, The Nonprofit Finance Fund/Doris Duke Charitable Foundation, and the Woodruff Arts Center: Alliance Theatre, Young Audiences, Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, High Museum of Art, 14th Street Playhouse.

Just a few of the festival's visual arts offerings:

embrace: the fine arts fair of the national black arts festival

embrace: the fine arts fair of the National Black Arts Festival returns to the festival schedule this summer after two very successful years.  Embrace is a unique gathering of the nation’s top art galleries, displaying and selling museum quality fine art to serious collectors looking to build their collections at reasonable prices.

July 17-20, 2008, Mason Murer Fine Art, 199 Armour Drive, Atlanta, GA 30324, Thursday July 17, Preview Party 7-10 p.m., Friday July 18, 12 p.m.-9 p.m., Saturday, July 19, 12 p.m.-9 p.m., Sunday July 20, 12 p.m-6 p.m., Preview Party Pass $75 (Includes 3 day pass), Day Pass $10 (July 17-20), children free, day passes include admission to lecture series, 404.879.1500

Studio Clout - Too Black, Too Fast

Too Black Too Fast is an exciting exhibition which features paintings by Nashville’s Michael McBride and sculpture by Atlanta’s George Nock (formerly with the NY Jets). The exhibition spotlights the history of the slave jockeys that were the nation’s first professional athletes who contributed to the development and birth of the thoroughbred racing industry.  This exhibition is supported by a documentary directed by Donnie Betts (Music Is My Life, Politics, My Mistress) and a soundtrack produced by three-time Grammy Award winning writer and producer Shannon Sanders (India Arie, Heather Headly, Lyle Lovett).  Curated by Michael McBride and Linda Lima.

July 14-27, Opening Reception/Party: Monday, July 14,  6p.m. – 11p.m., Hours: Monday – Saturday 12 p.m.-10 p.m., Sunday 12 p.m.-6 p.m., 144 Walker Street, Atlanta, GA 30313, 404-688-2787

The Official National Black Arts Festival Artists’ Market

The Official National Black Arts Festival Artists’ Market moves downtown to the Georgia World Congress Center this summer to accommodate MORE independent artists, MORE art and MORE patrons.  The Market features an eclectic array of original paintings, works on paper, sculpture, mixed media, photography, ceramics, unique textiles and beautiful hand-crafted jewelry.  Textile artist K. Joy Peters, who has coordinated the market since 1988, returns to coordinate this special 20th Anniversary edition.

July 24-July 27, Thu-Sun 11 a.m.-8 p.m., Sun 12 p.m.-6 p.m., Georgia World Congress Center, $5

New Interactive Exhibit at the BECA Gallery

It looks like the BECA Gallery in New Orleans is letting you put your two cents in, but voting starts tomorrow and ends on Saturday, so vote soon!

The BECA Gallery aims to serve as a bridge by which emerging contemporary art flows between New Orleans and the larger national and international contemporary arts community. At 5 months old, our
artist-run gallery is an 1100 square foot renovated warehouse space situated in the heart of the New Orleans Warehouse Arts District located directly across the street from the Contemporary Arts Center and within walking distance of the Ogden Museum of Southern Art. Our gallery program exists as a place for both innovative local, regional and international emerging contemporary art to grow and flourish in an environment accommodating to both artists and collectors. Half of the gallery's exhibits feature local and regional emerging contemporary art and half feature international emerging contemporary art.

The gallery has decided to hand over its curatorial reins to the world public for its exhibition 'FOUR' opening August 2, 2008 in New Orleans.  'CURATE THIS!' and 'FOUR' will be an interesting experiment that many galleries wouldn't risk embarking upon, but this new artist-run gallery located in the heart of New Orleans is excited about the possibilities and hopes to make this unique event an annual international public project.

For this exhibition,  BECA gallery will be enlisting the input of art enthusiasts from around the world via 'CURATE THIS!', an online juried event which allows anyone from anywhere in the world with an internet connection and email access to select 10 artists from the collection of submitted works. From June 18-21, 2008 art enthusiasts from around the world will view the works submitted by artists from all corners of the globe online at http://www.becagallery.com/gallery/12562/CURATE%20THIS! Here, the world will vote to choose the top 10 artists of 'CURATE THIS!' 2008 working in 2D and 3D mediums including, but not limited to painting, sculpture, mixed-media, drawing, printmaking, fiber, textiles and photography.  The chosen top 10 artists will have their selected works featured in the upcoming 2008 edition of the publication titled, 'CURATE THIS!', which will be available on the gallery's website.

From the top 10 artists chosen, the top 4 artists who have received the highest number of votes will have their works physically exhibited at 'FOUR', the gallery's third international contemporary art exhibition opening August 2, 2008 at BECA gallery.

To participate in the selection process, you must be 18 years of age and cast your vote by first visiting http://www.becagallery.com/gallery/12562/CURATE%20THIS! beginning June 18th. Here you can view a slide show of the works submitted and select your top 10 works by emailing the title of each of your chosen works (in order of preference) to [email protected]. Only one vote per person is allowed. In order to prevent multiple and automatic voting, you must supply your name and address along with your vote. Voting will take place from June 18-21. The votes will then be tallied and the top 10 artists and their works will be announced to the public on June 23rd and their works will be displayed online at www.becagallery.com. On June 24th, the gallery will reveal which four artists will exhibit their works during 'FOUR': An Exhibition of International Emerging Contemporary Art.

BECA gallery - Bridge for Emerging Contemporary Art
527 St. Joseph Street
New Orleans, LA 70130
(504) 566-8999
Hours: Wed.-Sun. (11am-4:30pm) and by appointment
www.becagallery.com
http://becagallery.typepad.com

[email protected]