Artistic Expressions

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.

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!

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.

Denver's Big Blue Horse -- Love it or hate it?

A little over a year ago, a very large, very blue rearing mustang, aptly called BLUE MUSTANG, was installed on the road approaching Denver International Airport.  During its construction, BLUE MUSTANG killed its creator, Luis Jimenez, when a large piece of the thirty-two-foot-tall sculpture fell on him, severing an artery in his leg.  At night, the massive steed's eyes glow red, and are visible from miles away.  This, combined with it's emaciated figure and it's killer reputation, has sparked a debate among the citizens of Denver about what they want out of the city's public art.  The debate was well summarized in a New York Times article published in March.

As a Denver native, I don't love that this is the first piece of art that most visitors will see in Denver, but I  also think the debate has gotten too inflammatory and negative.  So what's your opinion?  Do you love Jimenez's the low-brow, urban style or do you think it's too over the top for a municipal art program?

Vote in our poll here, and give your thoughts by clicking "comments" below this post.

Photos courtesy of Denver International Airport.

Government and the Arts

As a new administration takes charge in Washington, we all have hopes and expectations about what they'll do.  I assume we can all support an increased focus on the arts, and President Obama has laid out plans to do just that, including increased funding for the National Endowment for the Arts, increase funding for art education -- even creating an "Artist Corps". 

What's your opinion?  What role do you think the government should take in encouraging the arts?  Are Obama's plans wide-ranging enough?  Share your thoughts by clicking "Comment" below.

5th Annual Art/Literary Competition Winners!

Sculptural Pursuit is proud to announce the winners of our 5th Annual Art/Literary Competition:

Sculpture:
Grand Prize Winner - Candace Knapp, Florida

1st Place Winner - Nobe Babayan, California
2nd Place Winner - Maria Papalia, Pennsylvania
3rd Place Winner - Johan Hagaman, Tennessee

Painting:

1st Place Winner - P.D. Packard, New York
2nd Place Winner - Sara Shamma, Syria

Poetry:

1st Place - Aiko Morioka, California

Our sincerest thanks goes out to all who entered.  We enjoyed looking at the diverse range of work we received, and we thank you all for your participation!  Keep an eye out for profiles of the winners in the January 2009 issue of Sculptural Pursuit!

Public Art -- When Worlds Collide

Public art adds to the cultural landscape of a community, but what happens when a piece causes a collision between two of those cultures?  That's the subject of the P.O.V. documentary, The Last Conquistador, to be broadcast on PBS July 15 (check your local listings for the time).

The film, by John J. Valadez and Cristina Ibarra, explores the moral dilemma facing sculptor John Houser as he creates the world's largest equestrian sculpture, a tribute to Juan de Onate, Spanish explorer and first governor of New Mexico.  While many of the people of El Paso, where the monument will be placed, are excited to see a tribute to their Hispanic heritage, the Native Americans of New Mexico are outraged.  Their ancestors were the victims of Onate's genocide, and the wounds are still fresh.

The documentary is a powerful examination of the role of public art and the responsibility of the sculptor to see both sides of the story.  It's an engrossing hour for anyone who wants to create public art or is interested in the history of the American Southwest.

We will be presenting an in-depth feature on the sculptor and his monument in the October issue of Sculptural Pursuit.

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]