Public Art Review issue 18 - 1998 (spring/summer) by forecastpublicart

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PublicArtReview SONS AND

DAUGHTERS

ISSUE 18

FOREWORD

Deborah

Karasov

W e have chosen "Sons and Daughters" as the title for this issue of PAR because these words imply a relationship. Correspondingly, I believe that one concern relating to youth and public art, although not the only one, is relationship. In this sense, the association of artists to the youth with whom they work requires that they respect their young partners and demands equally that they be aware of the concrete conditions of their world, the conditions that shape young people.To try to understand the reality that youth today live is a task that many artists have. Without this understanding, we have no access to the way youth think and perceive, so only with great difficulty can we engage them as real creators. Without relationship we have dead-end products, forms, objects, like dust pile materials left over from the school year looking pointless and irrelevant the following fall. In contrast, we feature in this issue projects with sons and daughters, real people, whom the artists try to assist in responding to their world: the chance to make mistakes and experiment; the need to mourn and learn from their murdered friends; the reponse to the Hollywood industry overtaking their fishing village; and the opportunity to experience sheer joy in their own creations. In the book Teachers

as Cultural

Workers,

the great educator Paulo

Freire tells the story of little Carla, wandering the streets of a Sao Paulo slum, almost naked, with a face so dirty that it was an object of mockery for other children and adults. One day the little girl's grandmother approached a teacher and asked that Carla be allowed into the school, saying also that they couldn't pay the small amount of tuition.That is fine, the teacher said, but I do require that Carla come bathed, with clean clothes. The next day Carla came to class completely changed, clean, with a pretty face, her presence heightened. She began to have confidence in herself and to see herself as a member of the class.The grandmother likewise began to believe not only in Carla but in herself as well. A naive bystander might say that the teacher's intervention was bourgeois, elitist, but this is not the case, writes Freire. Her intervention made it possible for the child and the grandmother to conquer a spaceâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;that of their dignityâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;in the respect of others. I invite you, after reading this issue, to tell us if public art can be as significant an intervention as a request to bathe. Can public art help us to know what our sons and daughters are thinking, to understand or intervene in the conditions of their world? I would like also to note that this issue introduces Andrea Weiss as our wonderfully diligent assistant editor.

A PROJECT OF FORECAST PUBLIC ARTWORKS

PublicArtReview SONS

AND

DAUGHTERS

features E X P L O D I N G THE MODEL

POPOTLA AND THE MOVIE

CRIMES OF STYLE

ON YOUTH AND ART

MAQUILADORA

EXCERPT

Melinda Stone

AlysonPou

CARNIVAL OF YOUTHFUL INVENTION

JefFFerrell

Christine Baeumler

DARE TO LISTEN THEN TEACH D e b o r a h Karasov

interviews and project reviews CONVERSING W I T H CHRISTO

RITSUKO TAHO

MONUMENTAL PARIS

AND JEANNE-CLAUDE

MULTICULTURAL MANIFESTOES

Leni Schwendinger and

Jack Becker

A n n Wilson Lloyd

Mark Kramer

LA P R I M E R A JORNADA DE ARTE PUBLICO Y MURALISMO Jose Curbelo and Constanza Carballo

B Y R N E OUTSIDE TALKING WITH DAVID BYRNE Jack Becker

reports and book reviews THE ONE P E R C E N T SOLUTION? Judy Arginteanu

V E I L E D HISTORIES M a r k Van P r o y e n

TANGLED M E M O R I E S 40

A n d r e a Weiss

listings 42

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EXPLODING THE MODEL ON YOUTH AND

Alyson

ART

Pou

Author's

Note: On December

9, 1997

the topic of public art and education at the Department Invited participants

the author convened a discussion of Cultural Affairs in New York

on City.

were artists Sheila d e Bretteville, Peggy D i g g s , A n d r e w G i n z e l , Julia

M e l t z e r , P e p o n O s o r i o , A m a n d a R a m o s , and M a r y E l l e n S t r o m ; J e r r i A l l y n , artist and director of education Department

at the Bronx

Museum;

C h a r l o t t e C o h e n , director of New York

of Cultural Affairs' percent-for-art

New York City

Board of Education's

City

program; M i c h e l l e C o h e n , program director of

Public Art for Public Schools; Patricia Phillips, writer,

critic, and dean of fine and performing

arts,

SUNY

at New Paltz; A n n e P a s t e r n a k , director of

Creative Time; and C e s a r Trasobares, artist and former director of the Metro Dade Public Art in Public Places program. Three readings sent to the participants for discussion: "Critical Pedagogy and Cultural

ahead of time served as a starting

Power: An

Interview

with Henry A.

point

Giroux"

by David Trend in B o r d e r Crossings: C u l t u r a l W o r k e r s a n d t h e Politics o f E d u c a t i o n (New York: Routledge,

1992),

"The New

Social Sculpture"

by Eleanor Heartney

C o n d i t i o n : A m e r i c a n Artists a n d T h e i r C r i t i c s (Cambridge: "The

Kudzu

Effect (or: The Rise of a New Academy)"

v i e w , Issue 15, Vol. 8, No. 1 (Fall/Winter of the

Cambridge

by Joyce Kozloff

1996). The following

in C r i t i c a l

Press, 1994),

and

in P u b l i c A r t R e -

article represents a sampling

discussion. I. P U B L I C SCHOOLS

LYSON

/â&#x20AC;˘A -L.

POU:

EDUCATION

CAN

DEFINED

BROAD

TERMS.

ANYTIME

ENGAGE

s h a r i n g o r i m p a r t i n g i n f o r m a t i o n w e are e n g a g e d in t h e process o f e d u c a t i o n .

. A . I see e d u c a t i o n as a t w o - w a y street. K n o w l e d g e is p r o d u c e d r a t h e r t h a n r e -

ceived. H o w e v e r , this p o i n t o f v i e w is n o t necessarily shared by t h e e d u c a t i o n system. W h a t is t h e real p u r p o s e o f t h e e d u c a t i o n system in this c o u n t r y ? Is it to liberate t h e m i n d , t o give individuals t h e tools a n d k n o w l e d g e t o m a k e b e t t e r lives (left) Alyson Pou, Under The Hunter's Moon, detail, Bronx, N.Y,. 1996. Photo by the artist

f o r themselves? O r is it to t u r n o u t w o r k e r s w h o will c o n f o r m t o t h e class roles a n d j o b s f o r w h i c h t h e y are m o s t u s e f u l w i t h i n a p r o f i t - d r i v e n e c o n o m y ? H e n r y G i r o u x says in Border Crossings: Cultural Workers and the Politics of Education: " W e n e e d t o m a k e a link b e t w e e n s c h o o l i n g a n d t h e r e c o n s t r u c t i o n o f p u b l i c

(inset left) Under the Hunter's Moon, installation, 1996. Photo by the artist

life, d e f i n i n g schools as a d e m o c r a t i c p u b l i c sphere." H e p r o p o s e s that w e r e i n t r o d u c e d e m o c r a c y as a radical social practice i n t o o u r schools. In o t h e r w o r d s , a process that r e c -

ognizes t h e n e e d f o r c o n t i n u a l r e e v a l u a t i o n â&#x20AC;&#x201D; " o n e w h i c h e m b r a c e s a n d values d i f f e r (inset middle) Kristin Jones and Andrew Ginzel, Mnemonics, 1992, Stuyvesant High School, N.Y. Photo courtesy the artists

ence." H e also suggests alliances b e t w e e n e d u c a t o r s a n d o t h e r cultural w o r k e r s : " W e n e e d to enlarge t h e possibility f o r o t h e r g r o u p s t o see schools as political sites w h e r e t h e y can m a k e a c o n t r i b u t i o n . " T h i s is w h e r e I see p u b l i c art practices a n d t h e e d u c a t i o n system i n t e r s e c t i n g in an interesting, c h a l l e n g i n g way: w h e r e w e as artists a n d c u l t u r a l w o r k e r s

(inset right) Kabuya Bowens, A World

of Shapes,

RS. 2 2 6 B r o n x ,

N.Y., 1995. Photo courtesy Public Art for Public Schools, New York

can h e l p create b o r d e r l a n d s f o r d i a l o g u e a n d d e m o c r a t i c struggle. D o y o u t h i n k t h e e d u c a t i o n system is a place w h e r e t h e p u b l i c art process can b e useful a n d m e a n i n g f u l ? Jerri Allyn: I was s t r u c k by this i n t e r v i e w w i t h H e n r y G i r o u x . H e posits a f r a m e w o r k o f e n g a g e d e d u c a t i o n . Still, t h e r e are v e r y f e w e d u c a t i o n - r e l a t e d sites

P u b l i c Art R e v i e w . SPRING. SUMMER. 98

Who

is e d u c a t i n g t h e teacher?

What

universities have c o u r s e s in p u b l i c art? Very little is t a u g h t a b o u t art as an activist activity, art as a c o n c e p t u a l f o r c e in t h e c u l t u r e , a n d t h e role t e a c h e r s can play in c o n t r i b u t i n g t o this dialogue. Pepon Osorio: In m y e x p e r i e n c e , t h e r e are t w o m o d e l s f o r artists w o r k i n g in t h e p u b l i c schools. In t h e first m o d e l t h e artist is allowed to c o m e i n t o a s c h o o l a n d create w o r k o n his o r h e r o w n t e r m s . T h e n t h e r e is t h e o t h e r m o d e l in w h i c h t h e artist b e c o m e s a teacher. You are given t h e title o f artist, b u t y o u are really j u s t t h e r e to p r o d u c e s o m e t h i n g every f o r t y m i n u t e s f o r t h e system. T h e first w a y — r e a l l y a l l o w i n g t h e artist to b e an a r t i s t — r e q u i r e s t r u s t i n g a n d v a l u i n g w h a t

that

p e r s o n m i g h t do. T h e p r o b l e m is t h e b u r e a u c r a c y d i c tates w h a t t h e y w a n t , a n d y o u e n d u p d o i n g that f o r f o r t y m i n u t e s , five days a w e e k . Peggy Diggs: T w o t h i n g s have w o r k e d f o r m e w h e n I d o p r o j e c t s in p u b l i c schools. O n e is t o c o m e up with my o w n f u n d i n g — t h e n surprisingly adm i n i s t r a t o r s are n o t t h r e a t e n e d by as m a n y issues as y o u m i g h t t h i n k . T h e o t h e r t h i n g is that I have devised a sysAlyson Pou, Under The Moon,

t e m o f t r e a t i n g t h e s t u d e n t s as m y clients. I a m t h e r e to

Hunter's

1996.

start a c o n v e r s a t i o n a b o u t issues that are i m p o r t a n t to

Photo by the artist

t h e m , a n d w h i l e w e talk I take a lot o f notes. T h e n I c o m e u p w i t h visuals u s i n g t h e i r ideas a n d l a n g u a g e a n d

in this c o u n t r y w h e r e w e are allowed t o g r a p p l e w i t h

take t h o s e b a c k to t h e m a n d ask, "Is this w h a t I h e a r y o u

issues in a d e m o c r a t i c way. O u r j o b as e d u c a t o r s is t o

saying?" So I s p e n d m o s t o f m y t i m e

e n c o u r a g e a w h o l e s p e c t r u m o f critical t h i n k i n g ; it is

a b o u t t h e issues. T h e d o w n s i d e is t h e y d o n ' t get t h e i r

brainstorming

constantly d a m p e n e d f r o m the bureaucracy d o w n . W e

" h a n d s in t h e goo." T h e u p s i d e is t h e y d o get t o feel a

have a s h o c k i n g d i n o s a u r b u r e a u c r a c y in t h e s c h o o l sys-

sense o f e m p o w e r m e n t b e c a u s e s o m e o n e is t a k i n g their

t e m . It is a m a z i n g s t u d e n t s l e a r n a n y t h i n g . E d u c a t o r s are

ideas seriously, a n d t h e y get to say, "Yes, that w o r k s . N o ,

f o r c e d t o w o r k in u n d e r g r o u n d ways instead o f stating

that d o e s n ' t w o r k . " T h e n I listen, g o away, a n d b r i n g

o p e n l y that w e are e n g a g e d in a d e m o c r a t i c process. B u t

b a c k n e w stuff. T h e y see themselves r e f l e c t e d in s o m e -

i n t e r v e n t i o n s d o h a p p e n . I was able t o facilitate a t h r e e -

t h i n g that w a s n ' t d o n e by t h e m . T h e r e is a b e n e f i t t o

m o n t h - l o n g p r o j e c t w i t h Alyson P o u [Under the

that, a n d it is also a w a y t o c o p e w i t h t h e l i m i t e d a m o u n t

Hunter's

Moon (1996), s p o n s o r e d by t h e B r o n x M u s e u m ] to w o r k

o f t i m e w e have to w o r k t o g e t h e r .

w i t h t w o f o u r t h - g r a d e classes f r o m a local s c h o o l in t h e B r o n x . S h e d e v e l o p e d an a r t - s c i e n c e c u r r i c u l u m

and

c o m p l e t e d an installation p r o j e c t in t h e m u s e u m w i t h

f r a m e w o r k s in w h i c h p e o p l e are able to d e v e l o p t h e i r

t h e s t u d e n t s b a s e d o n t h e e c o l o g y o f a local park.

II. YOUTH E X P R E S S I O N

Alyson Pou: H o w can w e help create

Cesar Trasobares: T h e r e is an a s s u m p -

o w n cultural p r a c t i c e in their o w n way? D e f i n i n g today's

t i o n that t h e art t e a c h e r is s o m e h o w w o r k i n g t o w a r d t h e

p u b l i c art in h e r article, " T h e N e w Social Sculpture,"

s a m e goals as t h e p u b l i c art a d m i n i s t r a t o r a n d p r a c t i -

E l e a n o r H e a r t n e y r e m a r k s that, " o n e m i g h t d o w o r s e

t i o n e r . In D a d e C o u n t y w e f o u n d that o f t h e 4 5 0 art

t h a n J o s e p h B e u y s ' 'social sculpture,' f o r a l t h o u g h it m a y

t e a c h e r s in t h e system, a b o u t 3 0 0 o f t h e m h a d b e e n o n

n o t necessarily take t h e f o r m B e u y s a n t i c i p a t e d , this n e w

t h e j o b f i f t e e n t o t w e n t y years a n d w e r e still

doing

p u b l i c art d o e s s e e m to r e s p o n d to t h e Beuysian call f o r

p o t a t o p r i n t s a n d f i n g e r p a i n t i n g . So as p a r t o f t h e state

an art that 'releases e n e r g y in p e o p l e , l e a d i n g t h e m t o a

o f Florida's t e a c h e r r e c e r t i f i c a t i o n p r o g r a m , w e i n t r o -

general discussion o f actual p r o b l e m s . . . [ w h i c h ]

d u c e d a c o u r s e in t h e p u b l i c art process. It dealt w i t h

m e a n t h e cultivation o f relations b e t w e e n m e n , a l m o s t

would

legislation, l a n g u a g e , a n d p h i l o s o p h y , a n d w i t h t e a c h i n g

an act o f life.'" T h i s a p p r o a c h to a r t - m a k i n g can e n c o m -

t h e t e a c h e r s h o w to take u p p u b l i c art as a s u b j e c t itself.

pass a lot of d i f f e r e n t k i n d s of w o r k . W h e t h e r w e are

P u b l i c A r t R e v i e w . SPRING. SUMMER. 98

c r e a t i n g an installation that will always r e m a i n

part

of a b u i l d i n g , like A n d r e w G i n z e l a n d Kristin J o n e s ' Mnemonics,

1992, o r are facilitating a t e m p o r a r y art a c -

t i o n , like Julia M e l t z e r a n d A m a n d a R a m o s '

Conversation

Piece [1996], w e are p u r s u i n g o u r w o r k in t h e spirit that was so clearly stated by Beuys. Sheila de Bretteville: T h e t h i n g m o s t strongly e t c h e d in m y m i n d is a p a t t e r n o f a n s w e r i n g , listening, a n d r e f l e c t i n g that is p a r t o f t h e

Mary Ellen Strom,

pedagogy

I l e a r n e d f r o m b e i n g a " r e d d i a p e r baby." In

School's

other

the other person

is a n d w h e r e h e o r

Naming

Project,

photo of Diana Casillas, 1994.

words, I l e a r n e d t h e process o f asking in o r d e r t o f i n d out w h o

OUT.The

Photo by Barbara Bickart

she

c o m e s f r o m , w h i c h helps establish a n o t i o n o f his o r

T h e collective locates issues t h a t are p o w e r f u l t o t h e m

h e r a g e n c y as equal to yours, w h a t e v e r age h e o r she is,

a n d creates actions r e s p o n d i n g to t h o s e issues. F o r e x a m -

whatever background.

ple, a d o m e s t i c v i o l e n c e b i l l b o a r d in t h e

It is n o t f o r m e to tell s t u d e n t s t o b e

community,

cards in local hospitals, a n d a p r o - c h o i c e b i l l b o a r d b e f o r e

activists. W h a t I can d o is p r o v i d e an e n v i r o n m e n t in

t h e m a r c h o n W a s h i n g t o n . I a m n o t in c h a r g e o f it. It

w h i c h b e i n g c o n f r o n t a t i o n a l o r b e i n g o p p o s i t i o n a l is

goes o n by itself.

o n e c h o i c e . B e i n g t h e o n e w h o d o e s t h e asking a n d

Mary Ellen Strom: S i n c e 1991 I have

r e f l e c t i n g is a n o t h e r c h o i c e . T h e r e are m a n y ways o f

d i r e c t e d a p r o g r a m called S c h o o l ' s O U T : T h e N a m i n g

b e i n g in t h e w o r l d as a m a k e r . At Yale w e have a g r a p h i c

P r o j e c t , w h i c h is b y a n d a b o u t lesbian a n d gay y o u t h .

design c o u r s e called C o m m u n i t y A c t i o n in w h i c h s t u -

T h e p r o g r a m o r i g i n a t e s in N e w York C i t y a n d has n i n e

d e n t s locate issues t h e y share w i t h a n o t h e r c o m m u n i t y

c o r e m e m b e r s at all times. A goal o f S c h o o l ' s O U T has

so they can f i n d o u t w h a t o t h e r p e o p l e are d o i n g a n d

always b e e n that t h e p r o g r a m b e y o u t h r u n . T h e y n o w

f e e l i n g a n d c o n s t r u c t a m a k i n g that r e s p o n d s t o b o t h . A

travel a r o u n d t h e c o u n t r y l e a d i n g w o r k s h o p s f o r o t h e r

collective called Class A c t i o n has arisen f r o m this c o u r s e .

y o u n g p e o p l e in d i f f e r e n t cities. To b e g i n t h e p r o j e c t , I w o r k e d

( b e l o w ) School's OUT:The

Naming

Project, photo of Prudence Browne, Diana Casillas,Jason Newland, 1994. Photo by Paul Taylor

with

D a n c e Theatre Workshop's Public Imagination P r o g r a m a n d t h e Y o u t h E n r i c h m e n t Services P r o g r a m (YES) at t h e Lesbian a n d G a y C o m m u n i t y Services C e n t e r . S o m e o f

t h e y o u n g p e o p l e w e r e h o m e l e s s , s o m e h a d AIDS; they w e r e f o u r t e e n to n i n e t e e n years old. T h e s e y o u n g p e o ple m a d e a c o m m i t m e n t t o b e in a p r o j e c t that was a b o u t a r t - m a k i n g a n d g r o u p process. Barbara

Bickart

a n d B r i d g e t H u g h e s w e r e t h e c o d i r e c t o r s o f YES. T h e first t h i n g B a r b a r a B i c k a r t t o l d m e was, " T h e m o s t i m p o r t a n t t h i n g y o u can d o is b e c o n s i s t e n t . T h e s e c o n d m o s t i m p o r t a n t t h i n g is t i m e . " W e m e t o n c e a w e e k f o r f o u r t o five h o u r s , a n d t h e y o u n g p e o p l e s h o w e d up. 1 let t h e m lead t h e p r o j e c t . T h e y o u n g p e o p l e have h e l p e d f o r m o t h e r S c h o o l ' s O U T

groups

in M i a m i , H o u s t o n , B o s t o n , a n d M a n c h e s t e r , E n g l a n d a n d k e e p in t o u c h w i t h these g r o u p s . T h e y now, f o r t h e m o s t part, r u n t h e g r o u p t h e m s e l v e s a n d are i n t e r e s t e d in f u n d r a i s i n g , w h i c h is an i m p o r t a n t s o u r c e o f p o w e r f o r t h e m . S o m e y o u n g p e o p l e c o m e to t h e p r o g r a m w i t h

Steve Mayo, Masks, 1996, I.S. 246, Brooklyn, N.Y. Photo courtesy Public Art for Public Schools, New York

t h e i r identities d i m i n i s h e d , a n d in this p r o g r a m t h e y are able to a f f i r m their identities. T h a t e x p e r i e n c e

could

possibly shift a life.

a n d alliances e m e r g e d . F r o m t h o s e v i d e o s w e d e v e l o p e d an e d i t i n g process a n d t w o i n s t a l l a t i o n s â&#x20AC;&#x201D; o n e at t h e

Alyson Pou: A lot o f t h e success o f this p r o j e c t has t o d o w i t h

M a r y Ellen marshaling

her

resources a n d m a k i n g a d e c i s i o n to b a c k a g r o u p o f p e o -

New

Museum

in N e w York, a n d o n e at

Rensselaer

C o u n t y C o u n c i l f o r t h e Arts in upstate N e w York. Amanda Ramos: Julia a p p r o a c h e d

ple t o f i n d their v o i c e a n d express it. Also, she m a d e t h e

w h e n t h e v i d e o letters w e r e in progress. W e w a n t e d to

c o m m i t m e n t t o d o it o v e r a l o n g e n o u g h p e r i o d so t h e y

create an installation a b o u t t h e e x c h a n g e a n d i n c l u d e

have all t h e e x p e r i m e n t a t i o n , m a k e all t h e mistakes, a n d

m o r e intensively a g r o u p of six t e e n a g e r s . T h e installa-

have all t h e success that m a n y o f us have b e e n p r i v i l e g e d

t i o n m a t e r i a l i z e d as a circle of c a r p e t that was cut in half.

t o have in o u r o w n lives.

O n e p i e c e was installed in t h e N e w M u s e u m a n d t h e

Julia Meltzer: A n o t h e r e x a m p l e of that is t h e p r o j e c t , Conversation

Piece, w h i c h h a p p e n e d in J a n -

u a r y 1996. A m a n d a R a m o s a n d I w o r k e d w i t h

Unity

o t h e r p i e c e in Troy, a n d each half circle h e l d t h r e e chairs o r i e n t e d t o w a r d a wall o n w h i c h t h e r e w e r e t w o TV m o n i t o r s w i t h e d i t e d versions o f t h e conversations.

H o u s e a n d t h e H e d e r i c k M a r t i n Institute. G r o u p s of

O n e of t h e challenges was d e a l i n g w i t h

y o u t h in Troy a n d N e w York C i t y e x c h a n g e d v i d e o let-

a g r o u p that was n o t consistent. W e o f t e n w a l k e d a r o u n d

ters every w e e k f r o m J a n u a r y t h r o u g h A p r i l w i t h t h e

A s t o r Place f o r h o u r s l o o k i n g f o r t h e m . T h e i r lives are

idea that w e w o u l d see w h a t evolved, w h a t c o n n e c t i o n s

filled w i t h d r a m a a n d crisis. In t h e e n d , b e i n g able to m e d i a t e their p r o b l e m s a n d at t h e same t i m e p r o d u c e a p i e c e that was c o m p l e t e a n d satisfying t o t h e m a n d to us

Julia Meltzer, Conversation

Piece,

installation view. Safety Zone and

w e r e o u r greatest c o n c e r n s .

Bent TV, 1996. Photo courtesy the artist

III. STEREOTYPES

Alyson Pou: D o e s it m a t t e r that p u b l i c art p r o j e c t s i n v o l v i n g y o u n g p e o p l e o f t e n take f o r m s like b u s placards, tiles, a n d murals? J o y c e K o z l o f f ' s essay, " T h e 08

K u d z u E f f e c t (or: T h e R i s e o f a N e w A c a d e m y ) , " d e scribes ten stereotypical f o r m u l a s f o r p u b l i c art p r o j e c t s i n v o l v i n g y o u t h a n d suggests that artists m a y b e falling i n t o cliches a n d s t e r e o t y p e s r a t h e r t h a n t h i n k i n g freshly a b o u t each n e w p r o j e c t . Is c u r r e n t p u b l i c art that i n volves an e d u c a t i o n c o m p o n e n t f o r y o u n g p e o p l e f o l lowing predictable models? Patricia Phillips: I a m d e e p l y c o n c e r n e d a b o u t t h e p a c k a g i n g o f p u b l i c art a n d a b o u t h o w p o l i cies, p r o c e d u r e s , p r o t o c o l s , a n d , in fact, s o m e of t h e n e w

P u b l i c A r t R e v i e w . SPRING. SUMMER. 98

years. Yes, s o m e t h i n g s are d o n e o v e r a n d over, b u t n e w f o r m s have also c o m e o u t o f this r e p e t i t i o n that d e s e r v e a c h a n c e to b e d e v e l o p e d m o r e fully a n d g r a p p l e d w i t h o n a historical a n d critical level. Anne Pasternak: T h e r e are grains

ilpflipluntuid mun.

t r u t h in Joyce's article, b u t it d o e s n o t leave r o o m f o r t h e ontiufntinrili

actual e x p e r i e n c e s p e o p l e

have w i t h

those kinds

processes. Alyson Pou: T h i s is a g o o d m o m e n t t o h e a r f r o m A n d r e w a b o u t t h e p r o j e c t h e did in a local s c h o o l w i t h Kristin J o n e s . Andrew Ginzel: T h e w o r k , 1992, Kristin Jones and Andrew Ginzel, Mnemonics,

1992,

Stuyvesant High School, N.Y. Photo courtesy the artists

Mnemonics,

was c o n c e i v e d f o r S t u y v e s a n t H i g h S c h o o l . W e

w e r e b r o u g h t i n t o t h e p r o j e c t early o n a n d b e g a n b y g o i n g t o t h e existing s c h o o l , w h i c h h a d b e e n o n F i f t e e n t h Street f o r e i g h t y - e i g h t years. W e a t t e n d e d s c h o o l plays, visited classes, e x p l o r e d t h e b u i l d i n g . As t i m e c a m e

p r o g r a m s in t h e a c a d e m y are p r o d u c i n g a k i n d o f e x t r u sion m o d e l o f p u b l i c art. Michelle Cohen: H o w e v e r , a tile p r o j e c t can really w o r k . Smaller i n c r e m e n t s c o n t r i b u t e to t h e larger as a s e m e s t e r progresses. As t h e p r o g r a m d i r e c t o r of t h e p u b l i c art p r o g r a m f o r t h e N e w York C i t y b o a r d

f o r t h e s c h o o l t o m o v e t o its n e w facility, w e realized t h e old b u i l d i n g h a d an i n c r e d i b l e history, a n d that p e o p l e w e r e v e r y sad a b o u t l e a v i n g it. It was like a m u s e u m o f n i n e t e e n t h - c e n t u r y science education. We wanted school's legacy and

to i n c o r p o r a t e

t h e sense

that the

both

the

school

had

o f e d u c a t i o n , m y j o b has b e e n all a b o u t p u b l i c art a n d

c h a n g e d . It is n o w p r i m a r i l y Asian, b u t at o n e t i m e it

e d u c a t i o n f o r t h e past e i g h t years. T h e r e are actually

h a d b e e n p r i m a r i l y J e w i s h , t h e n Irish, c h a n g i n g as v a r i -

g o o d p r e c e d e n t s in t h e schools that w e s h o u l d n o t a b a n -

o u s waves o f i m m i g r a n t g r o u p s c a m e t o N e w York. W e

d o n . S o m e t i m e s a traditional a p p r o a c h to p u b l i c art in a

w a n t e d t o reflect this h i s t o r y i n t o t h e f u t u r e , so w e c r e -

large bureaucracy, w h e r e y o u deal w i t h a b u i l d i n g , users,

ated e i g h t y - e i g h t e m p t y reliquaries o u t o f glass b l o c k s ,

issues o f p e r m a n e n c y , a n d m a i n t e n a n c e , is best. A p r a c t i -

o n e o f w h i c h was t o b e filled f o r t h e n e x t e i g h t y - e i g h t

cal m u r a l in c e r a m i c o r tile can b e v e r y effective. O n e

years b y e a c h g r a d u a t i n g class. F o r e x a m p l e , t h e m a j o r

s h o u l d p u t c r e d e n c e in things that are p e r m a n e n t a n d

e v e n t o f t h e year f o r t h e first class was t h e b o m b i n g o f

d u r a b l e w h e n t h i n k i n g a b o u t a f f e c t i n g s t u d e n t s in a

t h e W o r l d T r a d e C e n t e r across t h e street. B e c a u s e t h a t

s c h o o l over a l o n g p e r i o d o f t i m e .

e v e n t h a d such an i m p a c t o n t h e n e i g h b o r h o o d , class

I h a d t h e o p p o r t u n i t y t o start a p r o g r a m

m e m b e r s , 011 t h e i r o w n initiative, w r o t e t o t h e FBI a n d

called Sites f o r S t u d e n t s , in w h i c h m o n e y that w o u l d n o r m a l l y g o i n t o c o n s t r u c t i o n w o u l d also b e used in art e d u c a t i o n . T h i s m e a n t that artists c o u l d have l o n g - t e r m residencies in schools over t h e c o u r s e o f a year. T h e Sites f o r S t u d e n t s p r o g r a m was really a leap, b e c a u s e it invests

Bill and Mary Buchen, Sound Playground,

P.S. 23. N.Y.

Photo courtesy Public Art for Public Schools, New York.

capital dollars in art e d u c a t i o n , n o t j u s t s o m e t h i n g p h y s ical a n d p e r m a n e n t . T h e emphasis is o n t h e process. T h e s e residencies have resulted in w h a t J o y c e K o z l o f f m i g h t d e r i d e as p r e d i c t a b l e p u b l i c art. W e have c e r a m i c tiles, mosaics, p a v i n g p a t t e r n s â&#x20AC;&#x201D; b u t t h e y w o r k , b e c a u s e they allow f o r m u l t i p l e voices. T h e y create an i m m e d i a t e validation o f children's expression. S u b s e q u e n t c h i l d r e n r e c o g n i z e t h e w o r k o f past c h i l d r e n a n d see that it is i m p o r t a n t , a n d it e n c o u r a g e s t h e m to w a n t to create t h e i r o w n visual expression. Jerri Allyn: I h a d a m i x e d r e s p o n s e t o Joyce's article. Arts a n d e d u c a t i o n p r o j e c t s have b e c o m e m o r e a n d m o r e sophisticated over t h e past t w e n t y - f i v e

P u b l i c A r t R e v i e w . SPRING. SUMMER. 98

asked t h e m f o r a p i e c e o f e v i d e n c e f r o m g r o u n d zero

tain clues o r messages sandblasted o n t o t h e e x t e r i o r of

a n d w e r e given o n e . S i n c e t h e n each g r a d u a t i n g class

t h e boxes. T h e y are m e a n t to rouse p e o p l e ' s curiosity.

takes o n this r e l i q u a r y p r o j e c t w i t h o u t any i n t e r v e n t i o n f r o m us o r t h e s c h o o l a d m i n i s t r a t i o n .

Michelle Cohen: It o f t e n h a p p e n s that artists have an o n g o i n g r e l a t i o n s h i p w i t h a p r o j e c t a n d

A n o t h e r c o m p o n e n t o f t h e p r o j e c t has

s c h o o l . Bill a n d M a r y B u c h e n did t w o c o m m i s s i o n s f o r

t o d o w i t h c h a n g i n g t h e old didactic m o d e l o f e d u c a -

us that are interactive. O n e , in t h e S o u t h B r o n x , is called

t i o n i n t h e s c h o o l . W e installed artifacts a n d pieces f r o m

a s o u n d p l a y g r o u n d . It consists o f a d r u m table, d r u m

t h e rest o f t h e w o r l d that w o u l d p e a k t h e s t u d e n t s ' i n t e r -

seats, an e c h o c h a m b e r — a lot o f i n t e r a c t i v e c o m p o n e n t s

est, w h e t h e r it was w a t e r f r o m t h e N i l e o r t h e Yellow

w i t h w h i c h kids play w i t h s o u n d . T h e B u c h e n s still g o

R i v e r o r a r o c k f r o m t h e Arctic o r t h e t o p o f M t . Fuji.

regularly to t h e school a n d d o w o r k s h o p s w i t h

T h e r e are shreds o f p i p e t o b a c c o f o u n d in t h e city o v e r a

t e a c h e r s a n d kids; t h e y m a i n t a i n an o n g o i n g relationship.

t w o - h u n d r e d - y e a r p e r i o d . A lot of e n i g m a s . So p e r h a p s a

Anne Pasternak: Are t h e y paid to c o n -

s t u d e n t w o u l d have his o r h e r l o c k e r n e x t to o n e of

the

t i n u e this relationship?

whole

Michelle Cohen: N o , t h e y elect t o d o it,

t i m e w h a t it was. O r m a y b e a n o t h e r s t u d e n t w o u l d a t -

a l t h o u g h t h e y have h a d o u t s i d e f u n d i n g to e x p a n d t h e i r

these t h i n g s f o r t h r e e years a n d w o n d e r

the

t e n d g y m class t h r e e years r u n n i n g , b o t h e r e d by s o m e -

initial projects. In fact, o n e o f t h e i r p r o j e c t s is n o w t h e

t h i n g w a y u p in t h e c o r n e r . W h a t is that t h i n g u p there?

basis o f a c u r r i c u l u m g u i d e a b o u t s o u n d .

E v e n t u a l l y these s t u d e n t s g o t h e library a n d solve t h e mystery. In a sense w e have c r e a t e d a p r o j e c t that o n e w o u l d n e e d at least f o u r years to see. Jerri Allyn: Is t h e r e a c u r r i c u l u m t h a t

IV. FUNDING

Alyson Pou: B e c a u s e t h e B u c h e n s elect to g o in every year a n d c o n t i n u e that process is laudable,

t h e t e a c h e r s use in relation t o these glass blocks? H o w

b u t I d o t h i n k it highlights t h e a g e - o l d p r o b l e m of artists

d o s t u d e n t s f i n d o u t a b o u t t h e c o n t e n t s o f t h e blocks?

b e i n g paid f o r w h a t t h e y do. W h a t h a p p e n s w i t h a lot o f

Andrew Ginzel: T h e r e are v o l u m e s in

e d u c a t i o n p r o j e c t s — w i t h o t h e r k i n d s o f p u b l i c art p r o -

t h e library that d o c u m e n t each b l o c k , a n d t h e r e are c e r -

j e c t s as w e l l — i s that s o m e t i m e s t h e y take f i f t e e n t o t w e n t y years to realize. Well, t h e artist is n o t g o i n g to see

Bill and Mary Buchen, Sound Playground.

P.S. 23, N.Y.

Photo courtesy Public Art for Public Schools, New York

P u b l i c A r t R e v i e w . SPRING. SUMMER. 98

v e r y m u c h m o n e y f o r all t h e t i m e a n d e f f o r t p u t i n t o t h e

p r o j e c t . W h a t are s o m e o f t h e issues y o u ' v e r u n i n t o r e -

to build an i n f r a s t r u c t u r e , w e have t o e n d u p w i t h a

g a r d i n g t h e f u n d i n g o f e d u c a t i o n projects?

physical p r o d u c t . T h e p r o j e c t s w e have d o n e in s c h o o l s

Jerri Allyn: T h e result o f t h e A n n e n b e r g

all have h a d capital f u n d i n g . W h a t I t r i e d to d o w i t h t h e

Initiative, w h i c h p o u r e d $ 1 2 m i l l i o n i n t o arts e d u c a t i o n ,

Sites p r o g r a m is carve o u t a h u g e c o m p o n e n t t o s u p p o r t

is n o n e t h e l e s s m i x e d , w h i c h illustrates o n e issue. T h e

arts e d u c a t i o n — l i t e r a l l y pay artists to teach o v e r

mission talks a b o u t r e s t r u c t u r i n g schools a n d d e v e l o p i n g

c o u r s e o f a year o r a year a n d a half. Charlotte

d y n a m i c places o f l e a r n i n g that r e i n t e g r a t e art w i t h i n the c u r r i c u l u m . A weird downside of the A n n e n b e r g

Cohen: C e s a r , y o u

the

men-

t i o n e d that decisions a n d m o n e y c o m e f r o m t h e t o p

Initiative, h o w e v e r , is that in t h e last f i f t e e n years m o s t

d o w n , b u t w e w o r k w i t h a c o m m u n i t y that a b s o l u t e l y

art t e a c h e r s have b e e n cut f r o m their positions. In m a n y

w a n t s artists' i n v o l v e m e n t a n d a d i a l o g u e t o b e p a r t o f

situations in w h i c h n o n p r o f i t s have received m o n e y t o

t h e process.

c o l l a b o r a t e w i t h schools, w e are t r a i n i n g t h e

Pepon Osorio: As an artist I a m

nonart

not

teachers to i n t e g r a t e art. T h e B r o n x M u s e u m has b e e n

sure I w a n t t o g o i n t o a c o m m u n i t y w i t h a c h a r i t a b l e

p i l o t i n g a p r o j e c t f o r t h r e e years w i t h a local

a p p r o a c h " t o help this c o m m u n i t y o u t . " I a m m o r e i n -

high

s c h o o l , a n d it has n o w b e e n a p p r o v e d by t h e b o a r d o f

terested in c r e a t i n g a l o n g - t e r m r e l a t i o n s h i p w i t h

e d u c a t i o n as an official c o u r s e f o r t r a i n i n g t e a c h e r s in

c o m m u n i t i e s in w h i c h I w o r k . W h e n t h e b i g m o n e y

i n t e g r a t i n g t h e arts i n t o t h e i r c u r r i c u l u m u s i n g b o t h

c o m e s in f r o m f o u n d a t i o n s , I t h i n k , " O h great. I have

aesthetic a n d s t u d i o w o r k . So t h e r e is this o p p o r t u n i t y t o

m o n e y t o start." B u t I also w a n t t o create a r e l a t i o n s h i p

the

i n t r o d u c e diverse a n d i n t e r e s t i n g s u b j e c t m a t t e r , b u t it

in w h i c h I c a n g o t o t h e c o m m u n i t y a n d say, " D o y o u

m a k e s m e uneasy that artists actually d o n o t play a role

have m o n e y t o h e l p start this p r o j e c t , " a n d w o r k w i t h

in this process, e x c e p t p e r h a p s as e d u c a t o r s to t r a n s m i t

t h e m so t h a t n o t h i n g will stop m e if t h e m o n e y d o e s n o t

their k n o w l e d g e to teachers w h o o f t e n are n o t e x c i t e d

c o m e f r o m above. F o r m y n e x t p i e c e , I a m g o i n g t o d o

a b o u t t h e m b e i n g t h e r e in t h e first place.

an i n t e r v e n t i o n , get i n t o a s t o r e f r o n t . I a m g o i n g t o es-

Anne Pasternak: So m u c h

of t o d a y s

tablish a r e l a t i o n s h i p w i t h p e o p l e so t h e y k n o w

this

p u b l i c art is a b o u t w h a t h a p p e n s as p a r t o f t h e process o f

w o r k is n o t existing o u t o f t h e e t h e r . It w a s n ' t m a d e f o r

putting the project together. H o w do you c o m m u n i c a t e

free. I w o n ' t c h a r g e a d m i s s i o n , b u t I will allow p e o p l e t o

to f u n d e r s t h e processes a n d t h e e x p e r i e n c e s that are as

c o n t r i b u t e in m a n y ways. Alyson Pou: P e p o n is s t e p p i n g o u t s i d e

o r m o r e c o m p e l l i n g t h a n t h e e n d p r o d u c t itself? Sheila de Bretteville: F o r t h o s e

who

t h e s t r u c t u r e o f t h e art c o m m u n i t y a n d b r o a d e n i n g a d i -

give m o n e y f o r p u b l i c art, I t h i n k it m a k e s sense to

alogue. W h a t y o u d e s c r i b e r e m i n d s m e o f m y s t a t e m e n t

i n c l u d e a c o m p o n e n t in t h e f u n d i n g s t r u c t u r e that i n -

at t h e b e g i n n i n g o f o u r d i s c u s s i o n — t h a t e d u c a t i o n takes

volves c o m m u n i t y w o r k , b e c a u s e if y o u d o n ' t , y o u e n d

place a n y t i m e w e e n g a g e in s h a r i n g o r i m p a r t i n g i n f o r -

m a t i o n . It is t r u e f o r all o f us that e v e r y idea w e have p u t

having

artists w o r k i n g

without

getting

paid

w o r k i n g w i t h o u t it b e i n g p a r t o f t h e fee s t r u c t u r e . If

into action, every achievement w e can be p r o u d

y o u d o n ' t have c o m p o n e n t s f o r research o r

e v e r y t h i n g w e have ever b e e n able t o a c c o m p l i s h is t h e

commu-

of,

nity i n v o l v e m e n t , t h e n y o u d o n ' t h o n o r o r value t h o s e

result o t t h e relationships w e have m a d e w i t h

activities. T h e p r o j e c t s I apply f o r are o n e s t h a t involve

The

history a n d c o m m u n i t y . It d o e s n ' t m a k e sense to have

t r a d i t i o n . It has t o b e p r a c t i c e d a n d l e a r n e d w i t h e a c h

t h e s a m e f u n d i n g s t r u c t u r e f o r artists w h o d o n ' t

n e w g e n e r a t i o n . It is w h a t allows us t o disagree a n d d e -

d e m o c r a t i c process c a n n o t b e h a n d e d

others.

down

that k i n d o f w o r k a n d f o r t h o s e w h o do. It's n o t such

v e l o p i n d i v i d u a l t h i n k i n g w i t h integrity. It

a b i g s t r e t c h — t h e M e t r o p o l i t a n Transit A u t h o r i t y has

d i f f e r e n c e . It also allows us t o c o m e t o g e t h e r t o m a k e al-

already p u t research a n d c o m m u n i t y w o r k i n t o t h e i r

l i a n c e s — a n d so in t h e e n d it is w h a t allows f o r an e x c i t -

f u n d i n g structure.

i n g creative process. A r t is n o t t h e p r o d u c t o f isolation.

Cesar Trasobares: T h e s e things s h o u l d

embraces

T h e ideas a n d p r o j e c t s w e have talked a b o u t t o d a y are a

b e i n c l u d e d in every legislation, as well as t h e a d m i n i s -

lively i n d i c a t i o n

t h a t p u b l i c art a n d

the

education

trative o r d e r s that lead to t h e i n t e r p r e t a t i o n o f a p r o g r a m

process can c r e a t e a c o n t e x t in w h i c h y o u t h a n d age,

a n d d e f i n e t h e p a r a m e t e r s that are w r i t t e n i n t o a c o n -

s p e a k i n g a n d l i s t e n i n g are equally v a l u e d , t h e r e b y e m -

tract w i t h an artist. W e n e e d m o r e i n p u t f r o m artists so

p o w e r i n g us all.

that art as a b r o a d e r f o r c e in society can b e f a c t o r e d 111 from the top d o w n . Michelle

Cohen:

Because

funding

c o m e s f r o m a capital plan, a n d t h e capital plan is m e a n t

Alyson Pou is a visual and performance artist and was director of public relations and programming for Creative Time, New York, for twelve years.

P u b l i c A r t R e v i e w . SPRING. SUMMER. 98

POPOTLA AND THE MOVIE MAQUILADORA

Melinda

Stone

" H E N T W E N T I E T H C E N T U R Y FOX BUILT A M U L T I M I L L I O N D O L L A R " M O V I E

MAQUILADORA"

( m o v i e f a c t o r y rtin by f o r e i g n e r s ) in t h e r a m s h a c k l e M e x i c a n f i s h i n g village

o f P o p o t l a , t h e y c o n s t r u c t e d a f i v e - h u n d r e d - f o o t - l o n g c e m e n t wall t o k e e p t h e locals o u t . M a n y o f t h e t o w n ' s residents saw this i m p o s i n g m o n o l i t h as a d e p r e s s i n g r e m i n d e r o f t h e c o l o n i z i n g cultural s u p e r p o w e r to t h e n o r t h , w h o s e p o l l u t i n g f a c t o r i e s a n d televised j u n k

have steadily i n v a d e d M e x i c a n b o r d e r c o m m u n i t i e s . T h e

wall

s e e m e d to signal t h e d e a t h o f t h e i r c o m m u n i t y ' s identity. T h e y t o o h a d b e e n s t r u c k . O n c e t h e P o p o t l a residents r e s i g n e d t h e m s e l v e s t o t h e fact t h a t t h e wall was g o i n g t o stay, at least f o r a w h i l e , t h e y d e c i d e d t o m a k e t h e best o f a b a d s i t u a t i o n . T h e c o m m u n i t y o r g a n i z e d to r e v o l u t i o n i z e t h e eyesore, a n d a m a s t e r plan was c o n ceived. T h e t o w n s p e o p l e received assistance f r o m t h e b i n a t i o n a l collective, R e v o l u c i o n A r t e ( R e v A r t e ) , a g r o u p o f artists f r o m T i j u a n a a n d San D i e g o f o r m e d f o u r years ago a n d " u n i f i e d , " as t h e y explain in t h e i r p a m p h l e t , The Popotla Wall, " b y a c o m m i t m e n t t o e x p e r i m e n t a t i o n in style, c o n c e p t , m e d i a , a n d v e n u e . " M e m b e r s o f R e v A r t e h a d b e e n f r e q u e n t visitors to P o p o t l a a n d , like m a n y o t h e r d a y - t r i p p e r s f r o m T i j u a n a a n d San D i e g o , h a d c o m e to t h e f i s h i n g village to e n j o y fresh s e a f o o d w h i l e l i s t e n i n g t o m a r i a c h i b a n d s a n d w a t c h i n g t h e sun disappear i n t o t h e d e p t h s o f t h e Pacific. R e v A r t e ' s s e a f o o d a d v e n t u r e s s o o n gave w a y t o a g r e a t e r f a s c i n a t i o n w i t h t h e i n f r a s t r u c t u r e o f P o p o t l a . N o l o n g e r c o m p e l l e d o n l y by t h e e x c e l l e n t b r o i l e d fish, R e v A r t e m e m b e r s c a m e t o P o p o t l a to discuss possible collaborative art p r o j e c t s w i t h t h e village's residents. T h e y w e r e i n t e r e s t e d in w o r k i n g w i t h t h e m t o create art that w o u l d " e n h a n c e c o m m u nity identity, raise c o n s c i o u s n e s s a b o u t discarded o b j e c t s (trash), establish a sense o f place, a n d s u p p o r t i n d i g e n o u s e c o n o m i c d e v e l o p m e n t . " Originally, b e f o r e T w e n t i e t h C e n t u r y Fox m o v e d in n e x t d o o r , R e v A r t e a n d t h e f i s h i n g ejido, t h e collective g o v e r n i n g b o d y o f P o p o t l a , h a d a g r e e d to b e g i n t h e c o n s t r u c t i o n o f a series o f p u b l i c art s c u l p tures a r o u n d t h e area. O n c e T w e n t i e t h C e n t u r y Fox a r r i v e d , h o w e v e r , t h e f i s h i n g ejido asked t h e m e m b e r s o f R e v A r t e if t h e y c o u l d shift t h e i r a t t e n t i o n f r o m t h e p u b l i c art sculptures t o t h e f i v e - h u n d r e d - f o o t - l o n g wall, w h i c h t h e artists enthusiastically a g r e e d to do. O v e r t h e past t w o years, p r o p e l l e d by t h e s p o n s o r s h i p o f t h e n o n p r o f i t v e n t u r e insiTE, t h e wall has b e e n t r a n s f o r m e d . N o l o n g e r a c o l d , gray, flat s u r f a c e

t o p p e d , f o r s e c u r i t y reasons, w i t h e m b e d d e d shards o f b r o k e n C o c a - C o l a bottles, t h e m o v i e studio's s o u t h e r n p e r i m e t e r has c o m e to life w i t h a m o n t a g e o f c o l o r f u l c r e a t i o n s m a d e o u t o f f o u n d m a t e r i a l . R u s t y b e d s p r i n g s are t h e flowing g o l d e n curls o f a s h a p e l y m e r m a i d , an o u t - o f - s e r v i c e a u t o m o b i l e b u m p e r is t h e c o c k p i t o f a w h i r l i n g h e l i c o p t e r , a n d an o d d p i e c e o f w o o d acts as a pair o f p a n t s f o r a f i s h e r m a n w i t h b e e r c a n eyes. T h e s e figures, a l o n g w i t h surfers, boats, several types o f fish, cars, a n d a replica o f (left) RevArte,The Popotla wall, Mexico, 1997. Photo by Melinda Stone

P o p o t l a a n d t h e hills t o t h e east, are all m a d e f r o m d i s c a r d e d o b j e c t s a n d f o u n d m a t e r i als collected f r o m t h e s u r r o u n d i n g area. For t h e past t w o years, m e m b e r s o f R e v A r t e have d r i v e n s o u t h f r o m San D i e g o a n d T i j u a n a e a c h w e e k e n d t o facilitate t h e t r a n s f o r m a t i o n o f t h e P o p o t l a P u b l i c A r t R e v i e w . SPRING. SUMMER. 98

T w o years ago it was possible to t u r n west off t h e old h i g h w a y and a p p r o a c h Popotla o n a dirt road that o f f e r e d u n o b s t r u c t e d views in all directions. T h i s r e m a r k a b l e p a n o r a m a was c r o p p e d , however, w h e n T w e n t i e t h C e n t u r y Fox m o v e d in next d o o r and began c o n s t r u c t i o n o n the o n e - s t o r y c i n d e r block wall e n c i r cling its Baja m o v i e c o m p o u n d . T h e c e m e n t b a r r i e r b e t w e e n t h e m o v i e maquiladora and Popotla represents an irreconcilable divide b e t w e e n the calculated capitalist interests of H o l l y w o o d a n d the c o m m u n a l character of t h e f i s h i n g village. T h e p u b l i c art p r o j e c t

between

R e v A r t e a n d the residents of Popotla a t t e m p t s to address the disjunctions created by o n e of the most dramatic manifestations of the Baja wall-building fever to date. wall. T h e j o u r n e y to Popotla, w h i c h is located t w e n t y

F u n d i n g for the Popotla wall r e m o d e l -

miles south of t h e i n t e r n a t i o n a l b o r d e r o n the w e s t e r n

ing project was j u m p - s t a r t e d by inSlTE97. A collabora-

shores o f Baja N o r t e , leads t h e m past scores of n e w

tive v e n t u r e b e t w e e n t w e n t y - s i x n o n p r o f i t and public

h o u s i n g d e v e l o p m e n t s that have c o n s u m e d agricultural

institutions in M e x i c o and the U.S., inSlTE is an i n t e r n a -

areas, beaches, a n d bluffs o v e r l o o k i n g the sea. C e m e n t

tional e x h i b i t i o n

walls o r n a t e l y d e c o r a t e d in M o o r i s h - , Spanish-, and

every several years in t h e transnational San

Italian-revival m o t i f s m a k e it difficult to see w h o i n h a b -

T i j u a n a r e g i o n . U n l i k e previous inSlTE exhibitions, i n -

its t h e stucco creations b e h i n d t h e m , b u t California

SITE97 i n c l u d e d a c o m m u n i t y e n g a g e m e n t c o m p o n e n t

of site-specific art that takes place Diego-

license plates attached to shiny n e w cars in the d r i v e -

that stipulated involving local residents in the creation of

ways are e v i d e n c e that a n e w A m e r i c a n f r o n t i e r is b e i n g

public art. R e v A r t e ' s proposal to w o r k w i t h the residents

claimed j u s t south of the i n t e r n a t i o n a l b o r d e r . Fueled

of Popotla was o n e of fifteen local collaborative projects

by NAFTA, the selectively p e r m e a b l e b o u n d a r y b e t w e e n

selected for the e x h i b i t i o n . A l t h o u g h inSlTE97's c o m -

the U.S. and M e x i c o is b e c o m i n g m o r e c o m p l e x as

m u n i t y e n g a g e m e n t projects did n o t receive the same

A m e r i c a n residential enclaves and industrial zones c o n -

d e g r e e of a t t e n t i o n h e a p e d u p o n the m a i n e x h i b i t i o n

t i n u e to take root o n the Baja b e a c h f r o n t f r o m Playas de

(they did n o t receive c o m p a r a b l e f u n d i n g n o r w e r e they

T i j u a n a to E n s e n a d a . T h e n e w A m e r i c a n i z e d land has

a f e a t u r e d c o m p o n e n t of the inSlTE bus t o u r package,

f o r c e d M e x i c a n f a r m e r s and f i s h e r m e n , w h o n o l o n g e r

w h i c h claimed to visit all the inSlTE installations), they

can afford the lofty real estate, to a b a n d o n their h o m e -

did provide area residents w i t h the o p p o r t u n i t y and s u p -

steads and h a r b o r s a n d m o v e their families to o t h e r less

p o r t i n g f u n d s to participate n o t just as viewers b u t as

desirable locations.

p r o d u c e r s in this public art event. W h i l e several inSlTE97 c o m m u n i t y e n -

(above) Girl drawing, Popotla, Mexico, 1997. Photo courtesy RevArte

g a g e m e n t projects have b e e n informally criticized by local artists and c o m m u n i t y m e m b e r s as career stepping stones for t h e " c e n t r a l " artistsâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;an all t o o familiar r e -

(below) Popotla youth, 1997.

p r o a c h levied against collaborative projects, such as those

Photo by Melinda Stone

by T i m R o l l i n s and KOS in the late 1 9 8 0 s â&#x20AC;&#x201D; P o p o t l a and R e v A r t e have f o r g e d a balanced u n i o n that has elicited protests f r o m n e i t h e r artists n o r the c o m m u n i t y

nor

third parties. R e v A r t e , t h o u g h the initiating agent for the project, was able to negotiate this equivalency in part because of the strength of existing c o m m u n i t y structures within

Popotla. T h e fishing ejido already provided a

c o m m u n i t y f o r u m in w h i c h residents were a c c u s t o m e d to m a k i n g g r o u p decisions. W h e n R e v A r t e w i s h e d to collaborate w i t h the c o m m u n i t y , they m e t w i t h t h e cjido; their discussions eventually led to an i n f o r m a l verbal a g r e e m e n t a b o u t the j o i n t art venture. In contrast, c o m m u n i t y art projects f o r g e d w i t h m u n i c i p a l organizations

P u b l i c A r t R e v i e w . SPRING. SUMMER. 98

in the U.S. are o f t e n held u p d u e to an excess o f b u r e a u -

i n t e n t i o n s , however, seem strangely in conflict w i t h i n -

cratic requirementsâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;liability insurance, d r u g tests, f i n -

ternational art w o r l d ambitions. T h i s year the o p e n i n g

g e r p r i n t s , endless f o r m s â&#x20AC;&#x201D; t h a t each p a r t i c i p a n t

festivities featured k e y n o t e

must

c o m p l e t e b e f o r e e n g a g i n g in any creative process. D u e to the high level o f c o m m u n i t y i n -

state

governors

and

addresses by mayors

letters

from

the

and

presidents

of b o t h M e x i c o and the U n i t e d States. T h e s e s p e e c h -

v o l v e m e n t and the c o n t i n u e d participation of R e v A r t e ,

makers are t h e same p e o p l e w h o for the last several

it appears that the Popotla wall r e m o d e l i n g project will

years have b e e n o p e n i n g t h e b o r d e r to m o r e trade a n d

n o t b e subject to the " h i t and r u n " criticism levied at i n -

closing it to p e o p l e . W h i l e this situation has created

SITE projects in the past. S o m e of the w o r k installed

desirable o p p o r t u n i t i e s for c o m p a n i e s like T w e n t i e t h

a r o u n d the T i j u a n a b e a c h f r o n t for inSlTE94 s e e m e d o n l y

C e n t u r y Fox to create n e w factories in M e x i c o , it has

to puzzle local inhabitants w h o have b e e n forced to live

d o n e very little for the w o r k i n g a n d living c o n d i t i o n s

w i t h it since the e x h i b i t i o n . In a 1996 interview, Lauro

o f Mexicans, even in places like Popotla that i m m e d i -

R o d r i g u e z , the o p e r a t o r for over ten years of a c o c o n u t

ately s u r r o u n d these n e w factories.

stand situated w h e r e o n e inSlTE94 sculpture installation was deposited, repeatedly insisted that t h e

T h e P o p o t l a - R e v A r t e p r o j e c t seems t o

sculptures

b e brilliantly situated o n the o p p o s i t e side o f these c o n -

were " n o t h i n g . " W h e n pressed for an explanation, h e

ceptual a n d ethical quagmires. M e e t i n g in o n e of several

c o n c e d e d that h e k n e w they were art, b u t f o u n d it f r u s -

m a k e s h i f t restaurants that line t h e r o c k y peninsula o v e r -

trating that they w e r e placed just b e h i n d his d o o r . In

l o o k i n g a fishing b o a t - f i l l e d cove, Popotla residents a n d

contrast to site-specific art assaults like this, R e v A r t e and

R e v A r t e discussed plans to create public sculptures that

the residents of Popotla used their inSlTE97 o p p o r t u n i t y

w o u l d c o m p l e m e n t t h e ramshackle b u t f u n c t i o n a l n a -

to c o u n t e r w h a t was already an outside i m p o s i t i o n .

ture o f the t o w n and p r o v i d e a c o u n t e r p o i n t t o t h e ever

In addition, as an inSlTE97 p r o j e c t that

increasing wall b u i l d i n g that threatens to overtake the

takes place in M e x i c o , the Popotla wall is m o r e accessi-

village since t h e m o v i e studio has attracted m o r e h o u s -

ble to a general a u d i e n c e f r o m b o t h the U.S. and M e x -

i n g developers to m o v e i n t o t h e area. T h e t w e n t y c h i l -

ico than inSlTE97 projects located in the U.S. W h i l e any

dren living in Popotla never missed t h e m e e t i n g s . To

U.S. citizen may freely cross the b o r d e r i n t o M e x i c o to

k e e p t h e m o c c u p i e d they w e r e given crayons a n d stacks

see art in Popotla, M e x i c a n citizens find it nearly i m -

of p a p e r w i t h w h i c h t h e y created c o l o r f u l scenes f r o m

possible to cross the same border, a fact that makes the

daily life in t h e area. T h o u g h it was n o t foreseen at t h e

U.S. p o r t i o n of inSlTE97 virtually closed to half the a u -

time, these drawings eventually b e c a m e t h e b l u e p r i n t f o r

d i e n c e it is trying to serve. O f course this is n o t the

t h e Popotla wall p r o j e c t .

fault of inSlTE, w h i c h has always insisted q u i t e sincerely

W h i l e t h e c h i l d r e n w o r k e d , o l d e r resi-

that the binational t e r r i t o r y of the e x h i b i t i o n b e c o m e

dents and R e v A r t e m e m b e r s J i m Bliesner, Luz C a m -

c o m m o n g r o u n d rather t h a n create exclusivity. Activist

acho. Ana M a r i a H e r r e r a , J i m H a m m o n d , A l e j a n d r o

The Popotla wall, Mexico, 1997. Photo by Melinda Stone

scores the irony o f Popotla's situation. For h e r e was a r e e n a c t m e n t of the Titanic, w h o s e sinking was taken by m a n y at t h e t i m e as a sign of the end of Western i n d u s trial cultural h u b r i s , b e i n g p r o t e c t e d by a wall f r o m p e o ple w h o s e d i s e n f r a n c h i s e m e n t is a direct s y m p t o m of the c o n t i n u a t i o n a n d proliferation of that very same hubris. Despite scarce material resources a n d a nearly c o m p l e t e lack of civic i n f r a s t r u c t u r e ,

Popotla

p r o v i d e d a fertile collaborative base for c o m m u n i t y art. T h e o m i n o u s n e w b a r r i c a d e b e c a m e a symbol of the irreconcilable divide b e t w e e n the calculated capitalist interests of the m o v i e industry and the c o m m u n a l c h a r acter of the fishing village. T h e ejido k n e w that they c o u l d n o t m a k e t h e m e n a c i n g wall disappear, b u t they h o p e d t h e y c o u l d m a k e it fit b e t t e r w i t h their s u r r o u n d ings. A c c o r d i n g to Jim Bliesner, o n e of the f o u n d i n g m e m b e r s of R e v A r t e , " T h e idea was to use art as a catalyst and develop the p r o j e c t in such a way that it s t o o d in j u x t a p o s i t i o n to t h e k i n d of d e v e l o p m e n t that is o c c u r r i n g o n the rest of the coast. To s h o w the kids in Popotla that you can use o t h e r things besides c e m e n t

monu-

m e n t s to create place a n d d e f i n e an e n v i r o n m e n t . " Every Saturday for the past ten m o n t h s t h e children of Popotla have w o r k e d w i t h the m e m b e r s of R e v A r t e to c o n v e r t T w e n t i e t h C e n t u r y Fox's i n t r u sive, i m p o s i n g b a r r i c a d e i n t o a vibrant sculpture that Girl at Popotla wall. 1997.

depicts the sea and landscape as t h e y see it. Bliesner

Photo courtesy RevArte

describes the m e t h o d used to d e t e r m i n e the c o n t e n t Zacarias, and D o r o t h y A n n e t t e discussed Popotla's past

of the mural: " W e w e n t t h r o u g h the

t r i u m p h s and present struggles over land rights. Popotla

w o u l d n ' t necessarily use the w h o l e d r a w i n g â&#x20AC;&#x201D; w e w o u l d

o r i g i n a t e d eleven years ago as a squatter

isolate p a r t i c u l a r i m a g e s in t h e d r a w i n g s a n d

settlement

f o r m e d by tenacious f i s h e r m e n and their families. E v e n -

then

redraw t h e m , color t h e m in, cut t h e m out, and glue

tually, t h e fishing ejido successfully filed federal papers to

t h e m o n t o a large piece of p a p e r to f o r m a c o m p l e t e

secure the land as well as gain fishing rights to a signifi-

image. So it is water, village, street. T h r e e sections. W e

cant strip of o c e a n along the coast of Baja. D e s p i t e these

finished t h e water section and have b e g u n w o r k o n the

successes, their battle to maintain Popotla's legal h o l d -

village." T h e resultant t h e m a t i c progression of u n d e r w a -

ings c o n t i n u e s , because p r o p e r t y values have increased

ter scenes, shoreline follies, village life, and m o u n t a i n

w i t h the a d d i t i o n of Fox's m o v i e studio c o m p l e x o n the

b a c k d r o p s glued o n t o a l o n g roll of b u t c h e r

n o r t h e r n edge of t o w n .

a c c o r d i n g to Bliesner, " b e c a m e t h e holy grail, t h e b l u e -

Ironically, t h e first feature shot at the studio that overshadows this p o o r fishing c o m m u n i t y is 16

drawingsâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;we

paper,

p r i n t for the project." R e v A r t e supplied p o w e r tools a n d c e -

t h e most expensive m o v i e ever m a d e : Titanic. An e i g h t -

m e n t glue to install the mural. Popotla's lack of electric-

h u n d r e d - f o o t m o d e l of the ship, c o m p l e t e w i t h a h y -

ity required R e v A r t e to spend a significant p o r t i o n of

draulic system that enabled it to sink and rise over and

the insiTE97 f u n d s o n t h e purchase of a g e n e r a t o r in

over, was built in a p o o l n e x t to t h e o c e a n . T h e subsis-

order to r u n the p o w e r tools. T h e children, anxious to

t e n c e f i s h e r m e n of Popotla, o f t e n w o r k i n g f r o m h a n d -

see their mural take shape, began collecting garbage to

p o w e r e d boats, l o o k e d strangely o u t of place in the

t r a n s f o r m the wall. Plastic containers, fishing line, car

s h a d o w of t h e massive ship. In the battle to claim t h e

parts, a l u m i n u m cans, shells, and any flotsam and j e t s a m

land a d j a c e n t to the e x p a n d i n g studio as theirs, t h e ejido

that f o u n d its way into Popotla's cove w e r e sorted i n t o

c o n s t r u c t e d " T i t a n i c taco s h o p s " o n the n o r t h e r n edge

piles to be transfigured i n t o lobsters, birds, and houses.

of t o w n , using material left over f r o m t h e c o n s t r u c t i o n

T h e creative reuse of refuse and cast-off debris was n o t

of the ocean liner m o c k - u p . T h i s confiscation u n d e r -

m u c h of a c o n c e p t u a l leap for the residents of Popotla.

P u b l i c A r t R e v i e w . SPRING. SUMMER. 98

G r o w i n g u p in h o m e s c o n s t r u c t e d f r o m recycled m a t e -

responsibilities o f daily life, such as f i s h i n g a n d r u n n i n g

rials, t h e y are a c c u s t o m e d to r e c o g n i z i n g t h e utility o f

restaurants.

f o u n d objects. As a coastal c o m m u n i t y in an area w i t h

Slowly a n d steadily o v e r t h e c o u r s e o f

little t o n o waste r e m o v a l services, t h e area is f a c e d w i t h

t h e p r o j e c t , t h e c h i l d r e n o f P o p o t l a have r e i n s c r i b e d an

a c o n s t a n t influx o f c o l o r f u l flotsam that washes ashore

a r c h e t y p a l c o l o n i a l fortress w i t h a d e n s e a n d r i c h l y c o l -

o n a regular basis. N o n b i o d e g r a d a b l e

plastics, w h i c h

o r e d n e w text. T h e wall n o w s e e m s t o b e f a c i n g t h e o p -

t e n d to b e t h e m o s t resilient a n d c o l o r f u l waste p r o d -

posite d i r e c t i o n , c o n t a i n i n g r a t h e r t h a n p r o t e c t i n g t h e

ucts, b e c a m e a p r i m a r y m a t e r i a l in t h e w o r k .

m a g i c o f H o l l y w o o d . Yet w h i l e t h e ironies o f t h e wall's

Initially a p r o j e c t i n t e n d e d to involve all

l o c a t i o n c a p t u r e o u r a t t e n t i o n , f o r P o p o t l a residents t h e

c o m m u n i t y m e m b e r s , t h e creation o f t h e Popotla wall

p r o j e c t derives m e a n i n g f r o m its role in e n a b l i n g t h e m

has b e e n

undertaken

p r i m a r i l y by t h e c h i l d r e n

Popotla. T h e children's p a r t i c i p a t i o n o c c u r r e d naturally.

to reclaim t h e i r t e r r i t o r y u s i n g u n u s u a l a n d u n w a n t e d o b j e c t s in i n g e n i o u s ways.

Never chosen, never prodded, the children of Popotla

W h i l e t h e inslTE97 e x h i b i t i o n p r o v i d e d

w e r e d e l e g a t e d artists by a c o m b i n a t i o n o f c i r c u m s t a n c e

an i m p o r t a n t s t e p p i n g s t o n e in t h e progress o f this p r o -

and

ject, RevArte

popular

consensusâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;unlike

other

projects

that

c h o o s e c h i l d r e n as t h e m a i n focus, e x c l u d i n g t h e possi-

and Popotla continue

to w o r k .

They

r e c e n t l y s e c u r e d t w e n t y - f i v e t h o u s a n d dollars in a d d i -

ble collaborative v o i c e o f t h e less easily p e r s u a d e d adults

tional f u n d s f r o m t h e U . S . - M e x i c o F u n d f o r C u l t u r e .

of the community.

W h i l e this a m o u n t

" M a n a g e d a n a r c h y " is t h e d e s c r i p -

constitutes only o n e

eight-thou-

tion Bliesner gives t h e children's p a r t i c i p a t i o n . By n e v e r

s a n d t h o f t h e m o n e y s p e n t n e x t d o o r o n a single f i l m ,

i m p o s i n g strict guidelines o r d e f i n i t i v e rules, R e v A r t e

given t h e c o m p a r a t i v e l y l o w o v e r h e a d it s h o u l d g o a

ensures that t h e children's p a r t in t h e c r e a t i o n o f t h e

l o n g way f o r t h e collective. ( T h e cost o f Titanic

m u r a l is g o v e r n e d by t h e i r o w n w h i m s r a t h e r t h a n t h o s e

t h r e e h u n d r e d t h o u s a n d P o p o t l a f i s h i n g boats.) F u t u r e

o f t h e art a u t h o r i t i e s . O n e m o m e n t a child s e e m i n g l y

plans i n c l u d e f i n i s h i n g t h e wall a n d c r e a t i n g f r e e s t a n d i n g

e n g r o s s e d w i t h g l u i n g c r u s h e d b e e r cans f o r t h e scales o f

sculptures a r o u n d t h e t o w n . W h a t e v e r t h e f u t u r e o f t h e

t h e fish h e is creating is easily l u r e d away by a f r i e n d

p r o j e c t , h o w e v e r , t h e t w e n t y c h i l d r e n o f P o p o t l a will

w h o wishes to play soccer. T h e n e x t m o m e n t a n o t h e r

at least g r o w u p k n o w i n g t h e p o w e r t h e y can w i e l d b y

child arrives b e a r i n g a p i e c e o f t w i s t e d m e t a l that h e d e -

unleashing their imaginations

clares t o b e a m u s t a c h e . R e v A r t e d o e s n o t a t t e m p t to

engaged art-making.

through

equals

community-

c o n t r o l p a r t i c i p a t i o n in t h e p r o j e c t . A n y o n e in t h e village w h o wishes t o c o n t r i b u t e to t h e wall is w e l c o m e ;

The author wishes to gratefully

h o w e v e r , children have b e c o m e t h e m a i n c o l l a b o r a t o r s

Matt Coolidge, Doug Harvey, and Igor Vanios.

acknowledge

the assistance of

in t h e c o n s t r u c t i o n , since t h e adults are a b s o r b e d in t h e Melinda Stone is film projects coordinator for the Center for Land Use Interpretation, L.A., and a Ph.D. candidate in film history at University of The Popotla wall, details, 1997.

California-San Diego.

Photos courtesy RevArte

P u b l i c A r t R e v i e w . SPRING. SUMMER. 98

DARE TO LISTEN THEN

TEACH

Deborah Karasov

HILDREN

IN J E O P A R D Y

DAZED,

DISTRESSED,

UPROOTED

CHILDRENâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;CAN

FOUND

every p a t c h o f e a r t h in t h e U n i t e d States. Vulnerable c h i l d r e n , R i c h a r d Weiss-

b o u r d says in his b o o k of t h e s a m e title, can b e u n d e r m i n e d by d a m a g i n g e n vironments

a n d n e g l e c t regardless o f class, race, o r g e o g r a p h y . Yet c h i l d r e n

i n n e r cities d o have p a r t i c u l a r plights. F o r i n s t a n c e Alex K o t l o w i t z , a u t h o r o f There Are No Children

Here, profiles t w o b r o t h e r s , eleven a n d n i n e , t r a p p e d in t h e H e n r y H o r n e r

H o m e s in C h i c a g o , w h e r e v i o l e n c e a n d risk of disease are r a m p a n t . T h e s e b r o t h e r s r e g Lilarly

witness g u n f i r e ; e a c h has lost f r i e n d s to v i o l e n c e . O l d e r c h i l d r e n f r o m a n e a r b y

g a n g i n t i m i d a t e t h e m . A n d s u c h hazards are n o t u n i q u e to C h i c a g o . H e r e , in t h e c o n siderably smaller, s u p p o s e d l y m o r e i n n o c e n t t o w n o f Saint Paul, 9 0 p e r c e n t o f c h i l d r e n in o n e h o u s i n g p r o j e c t have w i t n e s s e d g a n g v i o l e n c e . 1 O t h e r physical depravations a b o u n d f o r Kotlowitz's subjects. D a r k n e s s engulfs t h e hallways; t h e b a s e m e n t o f o n e o f t h e buildings is littered w i t h animal carcasses; p a r k i n g lots are covered in waste. Because o f t h e difficulties of regulating t h e heat in their a p a r t m e n t o n e o f t h e b r o t h e r s develops a b a d c o u g h . T h e i r m o t h e r w o r r i e s c o n stantly a b o u t t h e m , w h i l e she herself battles sleeplessness, persistent colds, a n d headaches. Faced w i t h these hazards, t h e boys have f e w sanctuaries: a plot o f land a b u t t i n g a railroad track a n d a small l a w n in a nearby, s o m e w h a t m o r e pleasant p r o j e c t . As in o t h e r i n n e r city n e i g h b o r h o o d s , p r o d u c t i v e activities a n d diversions are scarce: c h u r c h g r o u p s , scouts, a n d boys a n d girls clubs have d w i n d l e d o r vanished. T h e r e are n o p u b l i c libraries, m o v i e theaters, skating rinks, o r b o w l i n g alleys; a n d parks a n d playg r o u n d s , such as t h e y are, can b e m e n a c i n g scenes o f s h o o t - o u t s a n d killings. T h e s e u n d e r p r i v i l e g e d y o u t h , at risk f o r g a n g v i o l e n c e o r d r u g use, are o f t e n eagerly p e g g e d as t h e f o c u s o f c o m m u n i t y - i n t e r a c t i v e p u b l i c art. C a n w e really e x p e c t p u b l i c art t o b r i d g e t h e gulf b e t w e e n t h e everyday lives o f i n n e r city y o u t h a n d t h e edifice o f c o n t e m p o r a r y art? In a 1 9 9 6 r e v i e w o f t h e T h r e e R i v e r s A r t Festival, M i w o n K w o n cites t h e risks: W i t h r e t u r n p l a n e tickets in t h e i r b a c k p o c k e t s , artists e n t e r " c o m m u n i t i e s " as o u t s i d e e x p e r t s t o m e d i a t e b e t w e e n t h e daily lives o f u n d e r p r i v i l e g e d s o cial g r o u p s a n d A r t . In t u r n , these " c o m m u n i t i e s , " i d e n t i f i e d as targets f o r c o l l a b o r a t i o n s in w h i c h its m e m b e r s will p e r f o r m as subjects a n d c o p r o d u c 18

ers o f their o w n a p p r o p r i a t i o n , are o f t e n c o n c e i v e d o f to b e r e a d y - m a d e a n d fixed entities r a t h e r t h a n as fluid a n d m u l t i p l e . 2 Ho.w d o w e p r e v e n t ourselves f r o m seeing y o u t h as " r e a d y - m a d e a n d f i x e d " ? T h e answers m a y be f o u n d in analyzing o n e recent p r o j e c t dealing w i t h y o u t h a n d v i o l e n c e : t h e D u S a b l e U r b a n E c o l o g y S a n c t u a r y in C h i c a g o . T h i s p r o j e c t seems to h i g h l i g h t t h e n e e d f o r s o m e t h i n g b e y o n d m e r e l y e m p l o y i n g a collaborative

design

process. It leads o n e to c o n s i d e r o t h e r questions, inspired by e d u c a t o r a n d theorist P a u l o Freire: U s i n g art, w h a t can these y o u t h teach us a b o u t w h a t they are e x p e r i e n c i n g ? H o w can artists take responsibility for a society that directly affects their y o u t h f u l c o l l a b o r a tors? H o w can w e get away f r o m t h e role o f t h e p u b l i c artist as paternalistic n u r t u r e r ? 3 P u b l i c A r t R e v i e w . SPRING. SUMMER. 98

M o s t o f t h e s t u d e n t s at D u S a b l e H i g h S c h o o l have e x p e r i e n c e d loss l o n g b e f o r e starting t h e

a n d t o t e a c h t h e living h o w t o resolve c o n f l i c t w i t h o u t fists o r g u n s .

n i n t h grade. S i t u a t e d in t h e S o u t h Side of C h i c a g o , t h e

"It's i m p o r t a n t that p e o p l e in t h e o u t -

s c h o o l is s u r r o u n d e d by "gangs, g u n s , a n d ghosts," as o n e

side w o r l d k n o w w e are d o i n g positive t h i n g s a r o u n d

friends

h e r e a n d n o t j u s t killing," said C h a r l i e B l a n c h e , an 1 8 -

s n a t c h e d away by v i o l e n c e in t h e street. In a study o f a n -

newspaper

characterized

it, o f f a m i l y

and

y e a r - o l d j u n i o r a n d p a r t i c i p a n t . " A n d it's i m p o r t a n t that

o t h e r S o u t h Side school n o t u n l i k e D u S a b l e , U n i v e r s i t y

w e have a p l a c e to g o a n d chill o u t a n d t h i n k a b o u t life

o f Illinois p s y c h o l o g i s t D r . Carl Bell f o u n d that 4 5 p e r -

a n d t h e p e o p l e w h o a r e n ' t h e r e n o m o r e . A lot o f p e o p l e

c e n t o f t h e s t u d e n t s surveyed have w i t n e s s e d a m u r d e r ;

d o n ' t have cars a n d t h e y can't g o t o t h e c e m e t e r y t o see

71 p e r c e n t i n d i c a t e d that a f r i e n d o r family m e m b e r h a d

their p e o p l e . " 4

b e e n r a p e d , r o b b e d , shot, o r attacked; 2 7 p e r c e n t h a d

T h e plan is t o t r a n s f o r m t h e r a w space

themselves been the victim of a violent crime. R e c e n t l y

i n t o t h e U r b a n E c o l o g y Sanctuary, a y e a r - r o u n d , m o n i -

4 0 p e r c e n t o f D u S a b l e s t u d e n t s stayed o u t o f s c h o o l t o

t o r e d oasis w i t h w a t e r pools, a

avoid t h e g a n g w a r f a r e that caused g u n f i r e t w e n t y - f o u r

f o o t classroom w i t h glass walls, a p e r f o r m a n c e area, a n d a

h o u r s a day.

section to m o u r n the dead, including a m o n u m e n t

nine-hundred-squareto

D u S a b l e is o n e o f t h e f e w i n s t i t u t i o n s

the murdered children of the n e i g h b o r h o o d , many of

left in t h e n e i g h b o r h o o d o f vacant lots, l o c a t e d literally

t h e m D u S a b l e s t u d e n t s . O v e r t i m e , it is p l a n n e d t h a t s t u -

across t h e street f r o m R o b e r t Taylor H o m e s , o n e o f t h e

d e n t s will create a r t w o r k such as m u r a l s a n d s c u l p t u r e .

largest p u b l i c - h o u s i n g d e v e l o p m e n t s in t h e c o u n t r y . B u t

Odis Richardson, a counselor and the

inside t h e school is a c o u r t y a r d full o f c h i c k e n s , p h e a s -

school's special p r o j e c t s d i r e c t o r , explains, "Say y o u ' r e

ants, p e a c o c k s , a goat, a n d a rooster, w h e r e E m i l e H a m -

a big tough

berlin, t h e h o r t i c u l t u r e teacher, has t r i e d t o create a liv-

was s h o t d o w n d e a d , a n d y o u have t o c o m e t o s c h o o l

ing b i o l o g y lab a n d r e f u g e f r o m t h e c o n c r e t e a n d d e a t h

t h e n e x t d a y . . . H e r e in t h e sanctuary, y o u c a n

j u s t outside. N o w , w i t h o t h e r faculty, staff, s t u d e n t s ,

in y o u r o w n way, n o r e l i g i o n , n o c h u r c h , n o o n e w a t c h -

graduates, a n d an architect f r o m t h e N o r t h Side, h e has

ing. O t h e r w i s e he's g o i n g t o b e b r i n g i n g t h a t i n t o e v e r y

been the force behind expanding the courtyard, t u r n i n g

classroom." 5

boy, a n d y o u r f o u r t e e n - y e a r - o l d

it i n t o a place to r e m e m b e r t h e d e a d , t o c e l e b r a t e life,

The

sanctuary project was

buddy mourn

designed

w i t h t h e i n p u t o f s t u d e n t s b y C h i c a g o a r c h i t e c t Paul Alt, w h o v o l u n t e e r e d his t i m e d u r i n g t h e design phase. Eleven students attended three m o n t h s of workshops d u r i n g lunch hours and after school. T h e

workshops

b e g a n w i t h lectures p e r t a i n i n g t o issues o f e d u c a t i o n , socialization, a n d c o n f l i c t r e s o l u t i o n . G u e s t

lecturers

i n c l u d e d D r . C a r l Bell, a u t h o r o f t h e study, (left) Courtyard of DuSable High School, 1996. (below) Model for Urban Ecology Sanctuary, 1996. Both photos courtesy Paul Alt

Among

Inner-City

High School Students

and the

Violence Post-Trau-

matic Stress Disorder, Professor P e t e r H o m a n s , a p s y c h o l o gist at t h e D i v i n i t y S c h o o l at t h e U n i v e r s i t y o f C h i c a g o a n d a u t h o r o f The Ability

to Mourn;

Reverend

Susan

J o h n s o n , leader o f t h e vigils c o m m e m o r a t i n g t h e m u r dered

of the

South

master builder w h o

Side

Chicago;

Ken

will s u p e r v i s e c o n s t r u c t i o n

Park, and

teach t h e c h i l d r e n to f a b r i c a t e a n d c o n s t r u c t s o m e o f t h e project; and Jerry

C u r r y , a p e r f o r m a n c e artist a n d

m u s i c c o m p o s e r f o c u s i n g o n t h e art o f ritual. In t h e second half of the workshops, students created their o w n m o d e l s f o r t h e c o u r t y a r d design, a f t e r e v e r y o n e , i n c l u d i n g f a c u l t y a n d staff, a g r e e d w h a t e l e m e n t s w e r e n e c e s sary t o i n c l u d e . T e a c h i n g c o n f l i c t r e s o l u t i o n is a b i g p a r t of t h e c o m p l e t e d p r o j e c t . T h e plan calls f o r s t o n e s that will b e m a r k e d

with

verses o f p e a c e a n d

wisdom

selected by t h e s t u d e n t s f r o m t h e w o r d s o f F r e d e r i c k

P u b l i c A r t R e v i e w . SPRING. SUMMER. 98

n o t o n l y t h e c o l l a b o r a t i v e design, t h e expression a n g e r a n d g r i e f , i m p o r t a n t as t h e y are. T h e

DuSable

p r o j e c t b e g a n w i t h t h e n e e d to rectify a p r o f o u n d l y tragic p s y c h o l o g i c a l e x p e r i e n c e , b u t m o v e d also i n t o a social a n d political realm. T h e best parts are that t h e p r o j e c t is t a k i n g place w i t h i n a c o n t e x t of e d u c a t i o n a b o u t h u m a n r i g h t s t h r o u g h t h e s t u d y o f Dr. M a r t i n L u t h e r K i n g Jr. a n d o t h e r s a n d t h e s t u d e n t s ' role in social Students working on Urban Ecology Sanctuary, 1996. Photo courtesy Paul Alt

t r a n s f o r m a t i o n . U n d o u b t e d l y this is largely d u e to t h e e x c e p t i o n a l faculty a n d staff at D u S a b l e , w h o have instigated n u m e r o u s o t h e r innovative p r o g r a m s in a d d i t i o n

D o u g l a s s , W. E. B. D u Bois, M a l c o l m X , a n d D r . M a r t i n

to this u r b a n e c o l o g y p r o j e c t , e v i d e n c e d by t h e s c h o o l

L u t h e r K i n g Jr. a n d placed t h r o u g h o u t t h e c o u r t y a r d .

r e c e i v i n g a c o v e t e d Q u i l l a n d Scroll Award for o u t s t a n d -

S t u d e n t T o s e i m a Jiles c h o s e t h e f o l l o w i n g by D r . K i n g :

ing high school newspaper reporting.

"I shared their despair a n d felt a hopelessness that these

Recently

many

have

criticized

the

y o u n g A m e r i c a n s c o u l d ever e m b r a c e t h e c o n c e p t o f

o v e r d o s e o f e x p e r i e n t i a l c e l e b r a t i o n that characterizes

n o n v i o l e n c e as t h e effective a n d p o w e r f u l i n s t r u m e n t o f

s o m e strands o f c o m m u n i t y - i n t e r a c t i v e p u b l i c art, s u g -

social r e f o r m . "

g e s t i n g that it offers a r e d u c t i o n i s t v i e w of i d e n t i t y a n d M i c h a e l H a l l m o n , w h o g r a d u a t e d last

experience, rather than a broadened view of power,

year, selected o n e o f D r . King's phrases t h a t said, " L o v e is

agency, a n d history. In o t h e r w o r d s , p u b l i c artists w h o

t h e o n l y f o r c e capable o f c h a n g i n g an e n e m y i n t o a

o v e r i n d u l g e in t h e process o f " c o m i n g t o v o i c e " w i t h o u t

f r i e n d . " M r . H a l l m o n e x p l a i n e d , "I h a d an u n c l e w h o

c o n n e c t i n g it s o m e h o w t o social insight r e d u c e this art

was killed by g u n v i o l e n c e . I ' m tired o f t h e killing. I

t o a f o r m of middle-class narcissism.

w a n t s o m e peace. I w a n t this sanctuary."

S o m e theorists m i g h t say that t h e s h a r -

A n o t h e r s t u d e n t , Marcelliss Lang, says,

i n g o f e x p e r i e n c e s s h o u l d b e m o r e than psychologically

" T h e space is i m p o r t a n t b e c a u s e it s h o w s n o t o n l y p r e -

b e n e f i c i a l . It invariably requires social analysis as well.

sent s t u d e n t s b u t f u t u r e s t u d e n t s , w h a t t h e y can a c c o m -

T h a t is, t h e expression of e x p e r i e n c e s s h o u l d always b e

plish in t h e i r s c h o o l a n d in t h e i r c o m m u n i t y . "

u n d e r s t o o d w i t h i n a social c o n t e x t that entails b o t h r e -

T h e c o n s t r u c t i o n o f t h e s a n c t u a r y is

flection

a n d political a c t i o n . As o n e D u S a b l e

student

e x p e c t e d t o cost a l m o s t a m i l l i o n dollars, a n d t h e s c h o o l

herself so simply p u t it, " S o m a n y t i m e s p e o p l e die a n d

has raised nearly half thus far. M u c h o f these f u n d s c a m e

y o u j u s t g o o n , b u t t h e r e is s o m e t h i n g y o u c o u l d have

f r o m t h e city a n d f r o m f o u n d a t i o n s , n o t a b l y t h e H a r l k e n

learned from them."

F o u n d a t i o n . Yet s o m e o f this m o n e y was also raised by a

T h e DuSable U r b a n Ecology

Sanctu-

benefit concert, a partnership between student p e r f o r m -

ary, a l t h o u g h flawed, dares us t o a c k n o w l e d g e , t o u n d e r -

ers f r o m D u S a b l e a n d f r o m t h e N e w T r i e r H i g h S c h o o l

stand, a n d u l t i m a t e l y to act, as o n e s t u d e n t says, " b e c a u s e

of wealthy n o r t h - s u b u r b a n W i n n e t k a . T h e partnership

t h e m o r a l s a n d values that these p e o p l e h a d , w e can

b e t w e e n t h e schools arose in r e a c t i o n t o a m a g a z i n e a r -

learn f r o m t h e m a n d use t h e i r e x a m p l e s o f social values

ticle c o n t r a s t i n g t h e t w o . In p r e p a r a t i o n f o r this c o n c e r t

for our future generations."

at C h i c a g o ' s O r c h e s t r a Hall, s t u d e n t s traveled t w e n t y five miles to e a c h o t h e r ' s schools f o r rehearsals.

Deborah Karasov is editor of Public Art Review and a consultant in geogra-

C e r t a i n l y o n e m i g h t disagree w i t h t h e

phy and landscape architecture.

overly a r c h i t e c t o n i c design of t h e p r o j e c t : t h e s t u d e n t s 20

m a y have c o n t r i b u t e d ideas, a n d t h e staff t h e n e e d e d e l e m e n t s f o r t h e space, b u t clearly o n e can see f r o m t h e result t h a t t h e a r c h i t e c t

controlled

t h e final

form.

Equally d i s a p p o i n t i n g is t h e u r b a n e c o l o g y itself, largely l i m i t e d to t h e trellis v e g e t a t i o n , relatively small planters o f w i l d grasses, a n d p r e e x i s t i n g trees, t h a n k f u l l y large a n d d o m i n a n t . Yet o n e m a y f o r g i v e these failings, t h e first

Notes: 1. Source: Boys & Girls C l u b of

4. D o n Terry, "Envisioning Peace

St. Paul, 1998.

and R e m e m b r a n c e in Courtyard," The New York Times, April 2 2 , 1 9 9 6 .

2. Q u o t e d by T o m Finkelpearl in the catalogue to his 1997 exhibi-

5. R a d i o segment, C h i c a g o R a d i o

tion, Uncommon Sense, M u s e u m of

W B E Z , N o v e m b e r 1,1997.

C o n t e m p o r a r y Art, Los Angeles. 6. This q u o t e and the following

m e r e l y f o r m a l , t h e s e c o n d easily m o d i f i e d over time. 3. Freire, Paulo. Teachers as Cultural

At h e a r t is a p e d a g o g i c a l lesson f o r all p u b l i c artists. T h e best parts o f t h e D u S a b l e process are

P u b l i c A r t R e v i e w . SPRING. SUMMER. 98

ones are from: The Urban Ecology

Workers. Boulder, Colo.: Westview

Sanctuary of DuSable High School,

Press, 1998.

Chicago, pamphlet, n o date.

EXCERPT

CRIMES OF STYLE: URBAN GRAFFITI AND THE POLITICS OF CRIMINALITY Jeff Ferrell • • •

Editor's note:Thefollowing (Boston: published

Northeastern by Garland

is an excerpt from C r i m e s o f Style University

Press, 1996,

Press, 1993).

$20.00;

and unintentionally

AIDS. A t t h e t i m e , V a l e r i e

Purser

Denver's distinctly

a n d " a m i s t a k e , " a n d later a r g u e d t h a t " i t w a s n ' t t h e c i t y

and other sorts of graffiti.

that lost t h e m , it w a s H e n s e l - P h e l p s t h a t lost t h e m . " O t h -

Using the case of

Yet local and national media, anti-graffiti ers intentionally

two-panel piece on

claimed that the panels' disappearance was " u n f o r t u n a t e "

graffiti scene, Ferrell argues that "hip hop"graffiti different from street gang, neo-Nazi,

first

particular, Rasta's " S T O P W A R " piece, a n d Voodoo's

campaigners, and oth-

muddy the boundaries

be-

ers saw t h e lost p a n e l s as less a n u n f o r t u n a t e m i s t a k e t h a n i n t e n t i o n a l c e n s o r s h i p . R a s t a alleges t h a t " t h e y d i d c e n s o r

condemnations

it," s i n c e "it's o b v i o u s t h e y a r e n ' t i n t o h a v i n g t h a t k i n d o f

of all graffiti as vandalism and crime. Here lie describes one com-

subject matter u p there. " V o o d o o likewise argues that

tween types, confusing one with the other in their mon educational campaign (footnotes are

"they didn't want those up there—it j u s t h a p p e n e d ' to

omitted).

T h e s u m m e r o f 1 9 8 8 saw t h e

Mayor

P e n a p u b l i c i z i n g a legal o u t l e t f o r local graffiti w r i t e r s : an

b e t h e t w o p i e c e s t o s t o p w a r a n d AIDS," a n d e x p l a i n s b y d e s c r i b i n g his "AIDS" p i e c e : "I k n e w they wouldn't b r i n g that o n e

artway. L i k e similar p r o j e c t s in San F r a n c i s c o a n d elsew h e r e , this " a r t w a y " was in f a c t a c o n s t r u c t i o n site w a l k -

b a c k , ' c a u s e it was, Westword

called it a s t u d y in black

w a y t o b e p a i n t e d b y graffiti w r i t e r s , in this case a l o n g

p l a g u e m o t i f . It w a s all real y e l l o w a n d b r u i s y a n d it h a d

t h e 14th Street side o f t h e city's n e w d o w n t o w n c o n v e n -

t h e m e a t car w i t h t h e b o d i e s in it a n d t h e g u y h o l d i n g

t i o n c e n t e r . P a r t o f t h e city's e m p h a s i s o n " a u t h o r i z e d

t h e c a r , ' W e ' l l t h r o w o u t y o u r d e a d . ' A b i g k e t t l e t h a t said,

p u b l i c art p r o j e c t s t o c h a n n e l t a l e n t e d artists a w a y f r o m

' M a n y o f y o u will die,' a n d it w a s j u s t really s p o o k y . "

d e s t r u c t i v e graffiti v a n d a l i s m , " t h e a r t w a y w a s d e s c r i b e d

A r t i s t Fie t h u s b e l i e v e s t h a t " t h e y l o o k e d

in o n e local press r e p o r t as b o t h a n " e x p e r i m e n t a l a t -

at t h e m a n d t h e y j u s t d i d n ' t w a n t t h e m i n , so t h e y h a d

t e m p t t o s t o p t h e spread o f wall art o n p u b l i c b u i l d i n g s "

t h e m stolen."

a n d as a " n o t e o f t o l e r a n c e in an o t h e r w i s e

hard-line

T h e p i e c e s t h a t d i d m a k e it t o t h e a r t -

c r a c k d o w n . " E y e Six t h u s d e s c r i b e d t h e p r o j e c t as " a p.r.

w a y w e r e m o u n t e d badly, left u n p r o t e c t e d f r o m t h e e l e -

s c h e m e : 'Well, w e ' v e p u n i s h e d t h e p o o r c h i l d r e n e n o u g h ,

ments, and juxtaposed with

n o w we'll t h r o w t h e m a bone,'" and M a y o r Pena agreed:

local c h i l d r e n . T h e s e m i s t a k e s , in c o n j u n c t i o n w i t h t a g -

" W e w a n t t o s e n d t w o messages w i t h

g i n g b y w r i t e r s d i s p l e a s e d w i t h t h e p r o j e c t , left t h e a r t -

this. O n e , t h e r e is a legal a l t e r n a t i v e to illegal graffiti f o r

w a y l o o k i n g , in Fie's w o r d s , " m a n g l e d , v i o l a t e d . . . r e a l l y

t h e s e artists. A n d t w o , w e are c r a c k i n g d o w n o n illegal

shitty." Fie t h e r e f o r e c o n s i d e r s t h e e n t i r e u n d e r t a k i n g " a

graffiti a n d w e ' r e c r a c k i n g d o w n h a r d . "

fiasco." Valerie P u r s e r labels t h e a r t w a y " a disaster," a

From the beginning, then, the

artway

e m b o d i e d a sticky c o n t r a d i c t i o n , h a n g i n g b e t w e e n

the

intimation of tolerance and the intention of control.

panels

finger-painted

p r o j e c t t h a t " b a c k f i r e d o n us terribly." B u t p e r h a p s J o e Kennedy—whose

Progreso

Gallery

hosted

organiza-

t i o n a l m e e t i n g s f o r t h e artway, a n d w h o h e l p e d c o o r d i -

T h i s c o n t r a d i c t i o n w a s played o u t in t h e

n a t e its c o m p l e t i o n — p r o v i d e s t h e best e v a l u a t i o n . A t t h e

e x e c u t i o n o f t h e a r t w a y itself. L o c a l graffiti w r i t e r s w e r e

b e g i n n i n g of the project, K e n n e d y f o u n d h i m s e l f h o p e -

Public

ful, naive really, in t h i n k i n g t h a t t h e c i t y is t r y i n g t o m a k e

W o r k s facility, p r o v i d e d w i t h p l y w o o d p a n e l s a n d spray

s o m e g e s t u r e o f r e s p e c t , o r t r y i n g t o e d u c a t e itself." H e

p a i n t m a d e available b y t h e c o n v e n t i o n c e n t e r c o n t r a c t o r

also w a n t e d t o b e l i e v e t h e city's " i m p l i c i t p r o m i s e " t h a t

a n d t h e C o l o r a d o P a i n t a n d C o a t i n g s A s s o c i a t i o n , a n d as-

t h e a r t w a y w o u l d b e , as o n e c i t y o f f i c i a l said, " o n l y t h e

s u r e d b y a city a d m i n i s t r a t o r t h a t " w e d o n ' t w a n t t o d o

b e g i n n i n g " in d e v e l o p i n g a p e r m a n e n t " g r a f f i t i a r t z o n e "

any censorship." A c c o r d i n g

others,

in t h e c i t y — a p r o m i s e t h a t w a s n o t k e p t . B y t h e e n d , h e

t h o u g h , t h e p a n e l s w e r e " n o t e v e n p l y w o o d , it was p a r t i -

w a s left " r e a l l y angry." As h e says, " W e t a l k e d a b o u t all t h e

cle b o a r d , shit w o o d ; " a n d s i n c e t h e spray p a i n t w a s

things that could g o w r o n g a n d they m a n a g e d to m a k e

"cheap-assed paint," m a n y of the writers were forced to

every o n e of t h e m h a p p e n . "

offered temporary

s t u d i o s p a c e at a m i d t o w n

Rasta 68 and

d i p i n t o t h e i r o w n s t o c k s o f K r y l o n in o r d e r t o c o m p l e t e t h e panels. Worse, certain of the panels w h i c h the w r i t e r s did c o m p l e t e n e v e r m a d e it t o t h e a r t w a y — i n

Jeff Ferrell is professor of criminal justice at Northern Arizona University and coauthor of Ethnography at the Edge (1998).

P u b l i c A r t R e v i e w . SPRING.SUMMER.98

CARNIVAL OF YOUTHFUL INVENTION

Christine Baeumler

L HE PUBLIC ARTISTS ENGAGED

IN Y O U T H - O R I E N T E D

PROJECTS THAT INTEREST

ME A R E T H O S E

w h o use social strategies as an integral p a r t o f a r t - m a k i n g . T h e results o f such

p r o j e c t s are n o t o n l y o b j e c t s o r site-specific w o r k s b u t also y o u t h p a r t i c i p a n t s a n d c o m m u n i t i e s w h o have g a i n e d e x p e r i e n t i a l l y a n d aesthetically t h r o u g h t h e c r e a t i o n o f these w o r k s . W o r k i n g w i t h y o u n g p e o p l e raises a n u m b e r o f issues: H o w d o e s t h e artist effectively e n g a g e t h e creative p a r t i c i p a t i o n a n d e n t h u s i a s m o f y o u t h in all facets o f t h e p r o j e c t ? H o w are issues o f a u t h o r s h i p addressed? W h a t is t h e artist's c o m m i t m e n t n o t o n l y to t h e artistic e n d e a v o r b u t t o t h e relationships f o r m e d w i t h participants? A n d finally, w h a t o b l i g a t i o n d o e s t h e artist have t o m a i n t a i n these relationships o n c e t h e p r o j e c t is over? A n e x a m p l e o f a successful socially c o n s c i o u s y o u t h art p r o g r a m is t h e R e v o l v i n g M u s e u m in B o s t o n , f o u n d e d a n d d i r e c t e d by artist J e r r y B e c k . If t h e f u t u r i s t Filippo T o m m a s o M a r i n e t t i was s e l f - d e s c r i b e d as " t h e caffeine o f E u r o p e , " surely t h e c h a r i s m a t i c J e r r y B e c k is t h e espresso of B o s t o n ' s p u b l i c art realm. A f t e r an e n c o u n t e r w i t h Beck's h i g h - s p i r i t e d e n t h u s i a s m a n d r a p i d - f i r e c o n v e r s a t i o n style, it isn't h a r d to see w h y he's b e e n d e s c r i b e d as " t h e m o s t B a r n u m - l i k e o f B o s t o n artists." T h e R e v o l v i n g M u s e u m has initiated d o z e n s o f y o u t h art p r o j e c t s since 1984. T h e t h e m e s o f these p r o j e c t s r u n t h e g a m u t o f A m e r i c a n i c o n o g r a p h y : t h e baseball-inspired Ballfield Invention

ofYouthful

(1990), w h i c h i n c l u d e d a f o r t y - f i v e - f o o t b a t t i n g cage; Pie in the Sky (1992), a

c o m m u n i t y p i e - b a k i n g p r o j e c t ; t h e h u m a n - s c a l e Pinball ARTcadc

(1994-95); and the

traveling I Scream for Art Truck (1996). O n e o f t h e keys t o t h e R e v o l v i n g M u s e u m ' s success w i t h y o u t h lies in Beck's g u i d i n g p r i n c i p l e â&#x20AC;&#x201D; t h e p r o j e c t s m u s t b e f u n . T h e R e v o l v i n g M u s e u m ' s W o n d e r s o f t h e W o r l d is a biennial series of p u b l i c art p r o j e c t s inspired by t h e A m e r i c a n carnival. T h e first p r o j e c t in that series, Kids Carnival (1992), involved over a t h o u s a n d B o s t o n p u b l i c school students and included a six-month period of art-making workshops. Artworks m a d e f r o m f o u n d materials m u m m i f i e d in n e o n - c o l o r e d plastic tape a n d used t o play f u n c t i o n a l g a m e s like t h e E n d a n g e r e d A n i m a l R i n g t o s s w e r e features of this p r o j e c t . Beck's f a s c i n a t i o n w i t h t h e carnival goes b a c k to his y o u t h â&#x20AC;&#x201D; h i s f a t h e r ran a pinball arcade o n a b e a c h in Florida d u r i n g t h e s u m m e r s . " N o t m u s e u m s b u t c a r nivals a n d t h e m e parks s h a p e d m y t h i n k i n g , w i t h t h e i r eclecticism of materials a n d t h e m e s . " B e c k f o u n d that games, sports, a n d even f o o d arts w e r e successful devices f o r g e t t i n g y o u n g p e o p l e t o express t h e i r i n h e r e n t creativity. "I d o n ' t try to deal w i t h issues, I j u s t try to get t h e m to d o s o m e t h i n g that t h e y have f u n d o i n g . " T h i s a t t i t u d e of play, f u n , h u m o r , a n d f r e n e t i c e n e r g y is reflected in t h e a r t w o r k p r o d u c e d by p a r t i c i p a n t s o f t h e R e v o l v i n g M u s e u m ' s e n d e a v o r s . " D u r i n g t h e p r o j e c t s there's a c e r t a i n crazy mess, a l e t t i n g g o of c o n t r o l . " B e c k likens his p u b l i c art p r o j e c t s to t h e spirit o f t h e carnival: b a l a n c i n g c o n t r o l a n d s t r u c t u r e w i t h playfulness a n d unpredictability. Public Art Alley, t h e latest p r o j e c t in t h e W o n d e r s o f t h e W o r l d series, is a p e r f e c t e x a m p l e . S c h e d u l e d t o c u l m i n a t e in late s u m m e r 1998 as t h e biggest p r o j e c t in t h e series yet, Public Art Alley will t r a n s f o r m o n e o f Boston's n e i g h b o r h o o d alleyways i n t o a g i a n t interactive carnival that i n c o r p o r a t e s art, music, p u p p e t r y , games, P u b l i c A r t R e v i e w . SPRING. SUMMER. 98

e n c o u r a g e d t o take p r i d e in individual w o r k s b u t also t o see t h e i r pieces as p a r t o f a collaborative installation. A c o n v e r s a t i o n in 1 9 9 0 w i t h a y o u n g Ballfield

ofYouthful

Invention

participant shaped

Beck's

o u t l o o k o n c o m m u n i t y - b a s e d p u b l i c art p r o j e c t s — a n d c h a n g e d his life. At t h e t i m e , B e c k was e x h a u s t e d a f t e r c o m p l e t i n g t h e large m u l t i m e d i a c o l l a b o r a t i o n a n d w a s c o n s i d e r i n g c h a n g i n g t h e d i r e c t i o n o f his w o r k from youth

projects. "Jose

[Gonzalez]

away

humbled

w h e n I did t h e initial baseball p r o j e c t . A t t h e e n d o f t h e p r o j e c t , Jose said, 'I guess w e ' r e n e v e r g o i n g t o see y o u again.'" B e c k c o n s i d e r s Jose's c o m m e n t t h e m o s t s i g n i f i cant o u t c o m e of the entire project. " T h a t conversation m a d e m e realize w h a t k i n d o f c o m m i t m e n t is r e q u i r e d . J o s e , B e c k y (Jose's sister), a n d s o m e o f t h o s e kids are m y best f r i e n d s n o w . T h e w h o l e careerist t h i n g falls o f f y o u r skin. You're d e a l i n g w i t h a u t h e n t i c r e l a t i o n s h i p s t h a t r e ally s h a p e y o u r life." Jerry Beck, Pie In The Sky Company, view of "Super Friend Painting," 1992.

Currently the Revolving M u s e u m

t a k i n g a step b a c k f r o m s o m e o f its m o r e e l a b o r a t e p r o -

Photo by Jackie Bayne

j e c t s to r e c o m m i t to t h e y o u t h f r o m l o w e r R o x b u r y a n d rides, a n d p e r f o r m a n c e s d e v e l o p e d in earlier stages o f

S o u t h E n d n e i g h b o r h o o d s . " W e g o t overly a m b i t i o u s , "

artistic c o l l a b o r a t i o n .

says B e c k . " W e ' r e t r y i n g t o b e m o r e specific a b o u t t h e

Besides his " k i d s j u s t w a n n a have f u n "

t h e m e s — c o m m i t t i n g to a particular g r o u p for l o n g - t e r m

strategy, B e c k sees his role as a h a n d s - o n facilitator w i t h

effects." T h e u p c o m i n g p r o j e c t , Crumbs

a psychological d i m e n s i o n . "I w a n t e v e r y o n e to have a

ines individual a n d cultural i d e n t i t y t h r o u g h e d i b l e art

Company,

exam-

voice. I w a n t to r e c o g n i z e w h e r e they're stuck. I try t o

a n d w o r k s w i t h s o m e o f t h e same y o u n g p e o p l e f r o m t h e

have t h e m c o n s i d e r t h e u n i q u e n e s s o f expression. T h e

Ballfield p r o j e c t — i n c l u d i n g Jose G o n z a l e z , n o w

seven-

f o r m u l a is based o n b e l i e v i n g in oneself." T h i s belief,

t e e n a n d a j u n i o r in h i g h s c h o o l . In a r e c e n t c o n v e r s a t i o n

B e c k asserts, is t h e s o u r c e o f e m p o w e r m e n t . "I

w i t h Jose, I asked h i m w h a t effect t h e R e v o l v i n g M u -

keep

s e u m has h a d o n his life. " I t c h a n g e d m y w h o l e way o f

t h i n k i n g it's like a r e v o l u t i o n , " B e c k says. Beck a d m i t s that w o r k i n g w i t h y o u t h is

l o o k i n g at things," h e said. "I w o u l d p r o b a b l y b e l o c k e d

n o t always easy, especially w h e n w o r k i n g w i t h t h o s e at

u p o r j u s t a waste. J e r r y s t e p p e d i n — e s p e c i a l l y a w h i t e

risk f o r d r u g abuse a n d g a n g v i o l e n c e . G o i n g i n t o a p r o -

g u y in a black n e i g h b o r h o o d — w h e n d o e s that h a p p e n ?

j e c t , Beck is aware that racial t e n s i o n s a n d safety issues

I ' m glad h e stuck w i t h us." Asked to d e s c r i b e t h e progress

c a n o f t e n o c c u r . M o s t l y , h o w e v e r , B e c k says h e is

o n Crumbs

s t r e t c h e d a n d e n r i c h e d by w o r k i n g w i t h y o u t h . "I really

b r a i n s t o r m i n g to m a k e this p r o j e c t e x p l o d e . "

Company,

Jose replied, " W e ' r e w o r k i n g o n

try to b e o p e n . I ' m always a w k w a r d . I ' m always scared. I ' m always afraid they'll go in a d i r e c t i o n I ' m n o t w i l l i n g

Christine Baeumler is an artist currently working on environmental and

t o go. M y fear drives m e a n d keeps m e o n m y toes."

community-based projects in Saint Paul, Minnesota.

multifaceted

collaborations

with

y o u t h a n d o t h e r artists, issues of a u t h o r s h i p are b o u n d to

Jerry Beck. Off-Season, 1989-1990.

arise. " T h e

Photo courtesy The Revolving Museum

itch t o b e r e c o g n i z e d starts early in

art

school," Beck says, " a n d I was n o t always i m m u n e to this desire for r e c o g n i t i o n . " As artistic d i r e c t o r o f a n o n p r o f i t art o r g a n i z a t i o n , h e has naturally b e e n r e q u i r e d to seek m e d i a a t t e n t i o n to gain s u p p o r t f o r t h e R e v o l v i n g M u seum's p r o g r a m m i n g . B e c k was o n c e described as t h e "most

flamboyant

e n t r e p r e n e u r o n t h e B o s t o n art scene."

Nevertheless, B e c k insists, "It's n o t j u s t a b o u t m e , it's a b o u t loving w h a t I do." T h e participants themselves are

INTERVIEW

CONVERSING WITH CHRISTO AND JEANNE-CLAUDE

Christo and Jeanne-Claude in October 1988 during the staking of the locations in Japan for

I n t e r v i e w e d by J a c k B e c k e r • • •

Editor's known

Note:

Christo

and Jeanne-Claude

The Umbrellas,

Japan-USA,

at t h e

Ibaraki,Japan site. © Photo by Wolfgang Volz

are perhaps

couple in public art. Their major installations

the best-

over the past

three and a half decades, such as W r a p p e d C o a s t , Valley C u r t a i n , Running

Fence, Surrounded

Islands, F o n t

N e u f , and

W r a p p e d R e i c h s t a g , are endowed, as Christo and explain,

the

Jeanne-Claude

with "love and tenderness, because it won't last." They arc

gearing up for their next endeavor, either T h e Gates for New York City's

Central

Park or O v e r t h e R i v e r for Colorado's

Arkansas

River, whichever gets approved first. PAR publisher Jack Becker caught up with them recently, first with Jeanne-Claude, who joined the

then with

Christo,

conversation.

Jack Becker: I w a n t to start by g e t t i n g an u p d a t e o n t h e status o f y o u r t w o c u r r e n t projects. Jeanne-Claude: The

Gates p r o j e c t f o r C e n t r a l P a r k in

New

York C i t y was started in 1979, a n d in 1981 w e g o t a refusal in t h e s h a p e o f a 2 1 6 - p a g e b o o k f r o m t h e park c o m m i s s i o n e r saying, " N o , n o p e r m i s s i o n . " N o w w e are w o r k i n g at it again, t r y i n g to g e t p e r m i s s i o n , b u t w e have n o t applied f o r it f o r mally. W e are d o i n g it in a c o m p l e t e l y d i f f e r e n t way, n o t i n v o l v i n g t h e m e d i a , n o t i n v o l v i n g t h e battle o f t h e n e w s p a p e r s as w e did last t i m e .

If a n idea c o m e s , e i t h e r to C h r i s t o o r to m e o r to b o t h o f us at t h e s a m e t i m e , w h i c h has h a p p e n e d in t h e past, t h e n w e get

a project for the

e x c i t e d , a n d it b e c o m e s a w o r k in progress. At t h e p r e s e n t

Arkansas R i v e r in C o l o r a d o . T h e m o s t difficult p a r t o f all of

t i m e , no, w e d o n ' t have any ideas in a drawer. W e d o n ' t leave

o u r p r o j e c t s is g e t t i n g t h e p e r m i s s i o n . E v e n t h o u g h w e pay f o r

ideas. G o o d ideas are t o o p r e c i o u s .

t h e p r o j e c t s , w e restore t h e land, w e g e n e r a t e a lot o f m o n e y

JB: M a n y p e o p l e have q u e s t i o n s a b o u t t h e t e m p o r a r y n a t u r e o f

W e also are w o r k i n g at Over

the River,

f o r t h e specific areas, a n d w e recycle t h e m a t e r i a l a n d pay e v e r y b o d y w h o helps. E v e n w i t h all these factors, it is still

y o u r w o r k . W h a t s u r v i v e s — t h e d o c u m e n t a t i o n and t h e way p e o p l e r e m e m b e r t h e w o r k — b e c o m e s so i m p o r t a n t .

very, v e r y h a r d t o get p e r m i s s i o n to d o projects. So w e are w o r k i n g at b o t h these p r o j e c t s at t h e s a m e t i m e . W h e n w e see,

J C : Okay, b u t y o u have t o k n o w that t h e v e r y b e a u t i f u l d r a w -

o n e appears to

ings are o n l y p r e p a r a t i o n d r a w i n g s that C h r i s t o creates a l o n e

b e a d v a n c i n g m o r e favorably than t h e o t h e r , t h e n w e will

in his studio. Let's take t h e Valley Curtain. T h o s e d r a w i n g s are

c o n c e n t r a t e all o u r efforts, energy, t i m e , a n d m o n e y o n that

about t h e Valley Curtain. T h e very e x c e l l e n t A c a d e m y A w a r d -

p r o j e c t , a n d w e will set aside t h e o t h e r p r o j e c t . T h e

nominated

h o p e f u l l y in a b o u t a year, that p e r m i t w i s e

very

Valley Curtain

f i l m by Maysles is about t h e

Valley

earliest that e i t h e r o n e c o u l d b e c o m p l e t e d is in 2 0 0 1 . M o r e

Curtain. T h e b o o k , t h e very large b o o k w h i c h cost us an a r m

p r o b a b l y 2 0 0 2 o r 2 0 0 3 . O n c e w e have all t h e p e r m i t s it

a n d a leg t o p u b l i s h , that b o o k is about t h e Valley Curtain.

takes us at least t h r e e years t o p r e p a r e o f f - s i t e all t h e various

in t h e s u m m e r o f 1972, t h e r e was s o m e t h i n g at R i f l e , C o l -

materials w e n e e d .

o r a d o that was n o t about t h e Valley Curtain,

But

it was the Valley

Curtain. A n d t h a t is n o t replaceable. A n d n o b o o k , n o film, n o JB: Are y o u w o r k i n g o n any o t h e r projects? 24

J C : N o . D o w e h a v e o p p o r t u n i t i e s t h a t are p r o p o s e d to us by others? Yes, w e have d r a w e r s full o f t h e m . W e always answer, " N o t h a n k y o u . " By t h e way, w e have b e e n o f f e r e d t h e Eiffel T o w e r . B u t w e said, " N o t h a n k y o u . " W e have b e e n o f f e r e d

posters, n o t h i n g can s u b s t i t u t e f o r t h e e x p e r i e n c e o f h a v i n g seen i t — t h e real t h i n g . T h e y are j u s t m e m o r i e s , n o t h i n g else. T h e y are n o m o r e t h e real t h i n g than a p h o t o g r a p h o f a child is t h e real child o f its f a t h e r a n d m o t h e r . It is o n l y a m e m o r y , it's n o t t h e child.

t h e S t a t u e o f Liberty. B u t w e said, " N o t h a n k y o u . " T h e best

JB: For m e , o n e o f t h e b e n e f i t s o f d o c u m e n t a t i o n o f p u b l i c

w a y t o kill an idea is t o p r o p o s e it t o us b e c a u s e w e w o r k

a r t — e s p e c i a l l y t e m p o r a r y p r o j e c t s — i s to b r i n g awareness to

o n l y at ideas that c o m e o u t o f o u r o w n h e a r t s a n d heads. W e

a n o t h e r g e n e r a t i o n that is n o t familiar w i t h t h e m .

wish t o w o r k in total f r e e d o m , d o i n g w h a t w e w a n t , w h e r e w e w a n t , h o w w e w a n t , n o t always w h e n w e w a n t , b e c a u s e

J C : T h e t r u t h is t h a t w e d o t h e m f o r ourselves a n d f o r o u r c o l -

of the permits.

l a b o r a t o r s . W e d o n o t d o t h e m for t h e public. If t h e p u b l i c

P u b l i c A r t R e v i e w . SPRING.SUMMER.98

INTERVIEW

Christo and Jeanne-Claude, Wrapped Reichstag, Berlin, 1971-95. © Christo Photo by Wolfgang Volz c o m e s , that is a b o n u s . B u t it is n o t d o n e f o r t h e m . T h e o n l y

J C : I believe t h a t is t r u l y p u b l i c . It is n o t p u b l i c if y o u p a r a -

t h i n g w e d o for t h e m is to k e e p t h e p r o j e c t u p a little bit

c h u t e s o m e t h i n g in a park a n d t h e n find that e v e r y b o d y w h o

l o n g e r than it w o u l d b e o t h e r w i s e . T h e Reichstag

d i d n ' t have

to stay w r a p p e d f o r t w o w e e k s , t h e Pont Neuf d i d n ' t have to

lives a r o u n d t h e park starts p r o t e s t i n g against it b e c a u s e t h e y w e r e n ' t told it w o u l d h a p p e n .

stay t w o w e e k s , t h e Umbrellas d i d n ' t have to stay e i g h t e e n days. We wish to build these p r o j e c t s b e c a u s e w e believe t h e y will b e b e a u t i f u l . If w e are ever g o i n g to see t h e m , w e have t o build t h e m . O n c e w e have built t h e m , a n d t h e y ' r e t h e r e in f r o n t o f us, a n d w e e n j o y t h e m , it d o e s n ' t take us f o u r t e e n days to e n j o y t h e m a n d b e satisfied. We w o u l d save a lot o f m o n e y in m a i n t e n a n c e — m a i n t e n a n c e t e a m , repair t e a m — i f w e w e r e t o say, " O k a y , w e ' v e seen it, w e w e r e r i g h t , it's b e a u t i f u l . Let's p h o t o g r a p h it, film it." B u t that w o u l d b e v e r y egoistic. A n d that is w h y w e k e e p it u p l o n g e r f o r t h e public. B u t y o u have to u n d e r s t a n d that f o r us, o n c e t h e p r o j e c t is c o m p l e t e d , a n d w e have seen it fully a n d e n j o y e d it, t h e creative process is finished, it's e n d e d .

W h e n C h r i s t o is asked at l e c t u r e s w h y w e always w i s h to w o r k in total f r e e d o m , C h r i s t o e x p l a i n s ( b e c a u s e t h e n I p u s h h i m w i t h m y e l b o w and h e k n o w s it's his a n s w e r ) t h a t h e was b o r n b e h i n d t h e Iron C u r t a i n a n d d e p r i v e d o f f r e e d o m . A n d w h e n h e escaped h e was l o o k i n g for, s e e k i n g , f r e e d o m . A n d h e will never, n e v e r d o a n y t h i n g t o i m p e d e his f r e e d o m — n o t even t h e s h a d o w o f a fingernail o f his f r e e d o m . A n d h e always adds, " I f I h a d b e e n b o r n in N e b r a s k a , I p r o b a b l y w o u l d n o t feel this way." So t h e fact t h a t o t h e r artists have s p o n s o r s a n d m a k e c o m m i s s i o n s is a b s o l u t e l y n o t w r o n g . T h e y are r i g h t t o d o t h o s e t h i n g s if that's h o w t h e y feel. Artists s h o u l d always d o w h a t t h e y feel. W e feel that o u r f r e e d o m is so i m p o r t a n t that w e o f t e n say each o n e o f o u r p r o j e c t s is a " s c r e a m o f f r e e -

JB: Your w o r k is c o n s i d e r e d p u b l i c even t h o u g h it is n o t at

dom." That you cannot accomplish with commissions

t h e desire o f t h e p u b l i c that y o u r ideas c o m e i n t o b e i n g .

sponsors.

J C : O u r ideas, d e f i n i t e l y n o t . B u t t h e n w e p r o p o s e t h e m to t h e

[Christo joins the conversation.]

public, a n d it is o u r j o b to m a k e sure that t h e r e will b e o n e

JB: A n y t h o u g h t s o n p u b l i c art today?

m o r e v o t e for t h a n against. JB: T h a t m a k e s it public.

and

Christo: T h e q u e s t i o n o f p u b l i c art is basically a q u e s t i o n o f p u b l i c space.

INTERVIEW

C h r i s t o , The Gates, Project for Central

Park,

New York. Collage 1992. In two parts: 12" x 3(W" and 26'/" x 30/4" Pencil, fabric, crayon, charcoals and aerial photograph.ÂŠ Christo, 1992 Photo by Wolfgang Volz J C : N o , b e c a u s e t h e area is used anyway. JB: B u t y o u i n d i c a t e d t h a t o n e of t h e c o n c e r n s that p e o p l e have expressed already is t h e fear that it will get t o o c o n g e s t e d or m o r e congested. J C : T h a t is t h e s a m e o b j e c t i o n w i t h The Gates in C e n t r a l P a r k . T o o m a n y p e o p l e already. C: B e c a u s e w e will literally use C e n t r a l Park's e n t i r e w a l k w a y system. It will b e t h e s a m e as it was w i t h t h e Rcichstag p r o j e c t . Technically w e r e n t e d t h e R e i c h s t a g . W e paid $ 1 5 0 , 0 0 0 r e n t t o t h e G e r m a n n a t i o n . B u t w e did n o t r e n t o n l y t h e b u i l d i n g . We rented about three quarters of a mile around the R e i c h stag, b e c a u s e w e w e r e aware that w e w o u l d like to have s o m e k i n d o f a g r e e m e n t w i t h g o v e r n m e n t agencies to c o n t r o l this c o n g e s t i o n o f traffic and p e o p l e . We'd b e in c h a r g e of e v e r y t h i n g . T h i s is w h y w i t h t h e Umbrellas p r o j e c t w e installed 2 5 0 a d d i t i o n a l signs so p e o p l e c o u l d g e t f r o m t h e Los Angeles I n t e r n a t i o n a l A i r p o r t to t h e p r o j e c t . J C : W e i n h e r i t all t h e m e a n i n g s w h i c h are i n h e r e n t to that

JB: Well, it seems like there's a p e n a l t y f o r f a m e .

space.

C: N o , no. It is exactly w h a t I was saying b e f o r e , an u r b a n , a r -

C : F o r e x a m p l e , t h e e l e m e n t s o f u r b a n i s m in o u r w o r k are n o t

c h i t e c t u r a l k i n d o f sculpture. T h e physicality o f t h e w o r k c r e -

i n v e n t e d by us. T h e y ' r e really inherent to t h e w o r k . For e x a m -

ates all t h o s e e l e m e n t s .

ple, n o b o d y discusses a p a i n t i n g b e f o r e it is p a i n t e d . N o b o d y

JB: Well, t h e physicality as well as t h e theatricality.

discusses a s c u l p t u r e b e f o r e it is s c u l p t e d . B u t e v e r y b o d y discusses t h e b u i l d i n g o f a n e w a i r p o r t , a n e w b r i d g e , a h i g h - r i s e

C: N o . It's m o s t l y physicality. W e built 1,340 u m b r e l l a s in

b u i l d i n g b e f o r e it's built. O u r p r o j e c t s are a r g u e d , t h e y ' r e dis-

J a p a n . E a c h u m b r e l l a was t h e h e i g h t o f a t w o - s t o r y h o u s e .

cussed in p u b l i c h e a r i n g s a n d in m e e t i n g s b e f o r e t h e y are built

T h e s e u m b r e l l a s w e r e d e s i g n e d to b e like h o u s e s

b e c a u s e t h e y have this i n h e r e n t quality o f b e i n g like a r c h i t e c -

walls. Like shelters.You k n o w t h e p r o j e c t was a b o u t c o m p a r -

ture, u r b a n i s m .

isons, to h i g h l i g h t t h e similarities and d i f f e r e n c e s b e t w e e n t h e

without

ways p e o p l e in t h e t w o r i c h e s t c o u n t r i e s in t h e w o r l d use Basically w e create t h a t energy, that e x h a u s t i v e i n t e r p r e t a t i o n w h i c h is v e r y essential to all o u r p r o j e c t s . T h e y c a n n o t exist w i t h o u t us. T h i s is w h y w e d o n ' t d o c o m m i s s i o n s . B e c a u s e

space, a n d t h e space was t h e m o s t p r i n c i p a l e l e m e n t o f c o m p a r i s o n . O n e h u n d r e d and t w e n t y million J a p a n e s e live o n o n l y 8 p e r c e n t o f t h e surface o f J a p a n b e c a u s e 9 2 p e r c e n t is

w e really like t o g e n e r a t e that energy, that c o n t r a d i c t o r y i n t e r -

r a g g e d m o u n t a i n s â&#x20AC;&#x201D; n o t livable. W h i l e in C a l i f o r n i a , w h i c h is

p r e t a t i o n that is really t h e b o d y o f t h e w o r k . T h e soul o f

almost t h e s a m e physical size as J a p a n , t h i r t y million p e o p l e

the work.

live in all k i n d s o f d i r e c t i o n s b e c a u s e t h e land is so s m o o t h , so

JB: W h a t are t h e issues i n h e r e n t to y o u r C o l o r a d o site?

invariable, a n d t h e c l i m a t e is so pleasant.

C: O n e o f t h e reasons w e c h o s e t h a t area f o r t h e p r o j e c t is that

N o w , o f c o u r s e , w e c a n n o t build h o u s e s , b e c a u s e it w o u l d

it h a d an i n c r e d i b l e system o f roads a n d service a n d s e c o n d a r y

p r o b a b l y take h u n d r e d s o f years to build so m a n y h o u s e s . T h e

roads t o m a k e t h e p r o j e c t visible. W e have a helluva p r o b l e m

s e c o n d closest t h i n g t o a h o u s e was a t e n t . B u t t h e t e n t was

along

t o o c o m p l i c a t e d . You n e e d poles, g u y wires, all k i n d s o f t h i n g s .

U.S. 50. It's o n e o f t h e busiest h i g h w a y s in t h e area, b e c a u s e it

T h e third closest t o a h o u s e is like t h e shelter o f an u m b r e l l a ,

g o e s f r o m t h e s o u t h e r n p a r t o f C o l o r a d o t o U t a h d o w n to

a h o u s e w i t h o u t t h e walls. T h e s e w i d e u m b r e l l a s w e r e actually

C a l i f o r n i a . A n d o n e o f o u r b i g p r o b l e m s n o w is w i t h

like h o u s e s . W e w e r e c r e a t i n g poetical c o l o n i z a t i o n of t h e

exactly f o r that reason. W e plan to r u n Over the River

the

h i g h w a y d e p a r t m e n t , w i t h t h e g o v e r n m e n t agencies. J C : A n d t h e p e o p l e w h o live t h e r e . M a n y p e o p l e .

space by u s i n g this s e t t l e m e n t , this cluster o f umbrellas, a l l o w i n g t h e m t o express h o w m u c h space is available. For e x a m p l e , t h e y e l l o w u m b r e l l a s in C a l i f o r n i a w e r e so w h i m s i c a l , g o i n g

JB: So w h a t y o u ' r e saying is that t h e success o f y o u r p r o j e c t may,

in all d i r e c t i o n s , expressing t h e ability o f t h e space, a n d e x -

in fact, b e o n e o f t h e m a j o r obstacles in g e t t i n g p e r m i s s i o n .

p a n d i n g several h u n d r e d miles in o n e d i r e c t i o n a n d a n o t h e r

P u b l i c A r t R e v i e w . SPRING.SUMMER.98

INTERVIEW

m i l e in t h e o t h e r d i r e c t i o n . W h e r e a s t h e space in Japan is so

i n g t h e s u m m e r ; w e u s e d y e l l o w u m b r e l l a s . Yellow, dry. B l u e ,

p r e c i o u s a n d so small.

w e t . A n d t h e r e was n o river in C a l i f o r n i a , b u t t h e r e was a r i v e r in J a p a n . It is also o n e o f t h e reasons w e h a d t o w o r k w i t h t h e

We n e e d e d to install 1 , 3 4 0 b l u e u m b r e l l a s in J a p a n . N o w , w e n e e d e d to have t h e p e r m i s s i o n o f m a n y p e o p l e . We n e e d e d t o have p e r m i s s i o n f r o m t h e l a n d o w n e r s o f 4 5 9 J a p a n e s e rice

r i v e r w h e n w e w e r e l o o k i n g f o r t h e valley. M a n y o f t h e p r o j e c t s d e v e l o p that way. W e have to m a k e t h e e l e m e n t s o f t h e w o r k t r a n s p a r e n t as t o h o w t h e y relate t o t h e site.

fields a n d f r o m t h e central g o v e r n m e n t in T o k y o . So t h e y c o n t e m p l a t e d h o w t h e y s h o u l d give us p e r m i s s i o n to install 1,340

J C : O u r w o r k is absolutely t r a n s p a r e n t ; it d o e s n o t have a m e s -

b l u e u m b r e l l a s . At t h e v e r y e n d , t h e M i n i s t r y o f C o n s t r u c t i o n

sage a n d is n o t a s y m b o l f o r a n y t h i n g . It is o n l y a w o r k o f art,

in T o k y o gave us p e r m i s s i o n t o install 1,340 houses. W h a t I like

a w o r k o f j o y a n d b e a u t y that has a b s o l u t e l y n o r e a s o n f o r

to say is that t h e b u r e a u c r a t s really g o t t h e idea m u c h b e t t e r

b e i n g e x c e p t as a w o r k o f art. N o p u r p o s e w h a t s o e v e r . N o

than any art h i s t o r i a n o r critic. B e c a u s e t h e y really read t h e

message.

physicality o f t h e w o r k , n o t i m a g i n a t i o n .

C: T h e r e are m a n y o t h e r t h i n g s w e t r y to do. B u t really w h a t

JB: T h e r e w e r e s o m e u m b r e l l a s in t h e R i v e r Sato, w e r e n ' t

J e a n n e C l a u d e is saying is t h a t w o r k , t h e s y m b o l o f t h e w o r k ,

there?

is n o t i n v e n t e d by us, it's i n h e r e n t in t h e p l a c e â&#x20AC;&#x201D; t h e p u b l i c

JC:Yes. N i n e t y o f t h e m .

h e a r i n g , t h e d e b a t e a b o u t o u r w o r k is an i n t e g r a l , a e s t h e t i c e l -

C: Because, again, t h e r e was a c o m p a r i s o n . T h e reason t h e u m b r e l l a s in Japan w e r e blue, n o t y e l l o w like in C a l i f o r n i a , is b e c a u s e o f t h e w e t landscape in J a p a n . You k n o w , in J a p a n it rains so m u c h d u r i n g t h e s u m m e r , that by e n d o f t h e s u m m e r

e m e n t of the work. JB: I a s s u m e y o u ' r e n o t l o o k i n g a h e a d t o a n y sort o f r e t i r e m e n t plan? C: N o .

t h e forest foliage is m a r v e l o u s l y g r e e n w i t h t h e light g r e e n o f b a m b o o a n d dark g r e e n o f p i n e trees. B e c a u s e o f t h e w e t

J C : Artists d o n o t retire. T h e y die. T h e w o r k s o f art w e c r e a t e

landscape, w e used b l u e umbrellas. W e have a d r y l a n d s c a p e

are n o t o u r w o r k . T h e y ' r e o u r life. A n d w e will stop c r e a t i n g

b u r n e d by t h e sun in S o u t h e r n C a l i f o r n i a for six m o n t h s d u r -

t h e day w e have n o m o r e life.

[below and right] Christo, Over the River, Project for the Arkansas

River, State of

Colorado, Collages, 1997. Pencil, enamel paint, photograph by Wolfgang Volz, crayon, tape, on brown cardboard.ÂŠ Christo, 1997 Photos by Wolfgang Volz

P u b l i c A r t R e v i e w . SPRING.SUMMER.98

PROJECT

RITSUKO TAHO MULTICULTURAL MANIFESTOES R e v i e w e d by A n n W i l s o n L l o y d •

•

C e n t r a l S q u a r e is n o t a s q u a r e at all, b u t a busy, s o m e w h a t

layed in p a t t e r n e d r u g designs.

g r i t t y s u b w a y s t o p a n d traffic i n t e r s e c t i o n in t h e c e n t e r o f

conveys t h e f e e l i n g o f an alfresco l o b b y o r m e e t i n g place.

O v e r a l l , t h e site successfully

C a m b r i d g e , Massachusetts, r e f l e c t i n g little o f t h e leafy c a m -

T h o u g h a p a r t i c i p a n t in t h e overall design, T i h o ' s specific

puses o f Massachusetts Institute o f T e c h n o l o g y a n d H a r v a r d

sculptural c o n t r i b u t i o n s are several h u m a n - s c a l e d

U n i v e r s i t y t h a t lie in e i t h e r d i r e c t i o n . In r e c e n t d e c a d e s this

m a d e of b r i c k , glass, and brass. T h e c o l u m n s are lit f r o m

columns

o n c e t h r i v i n g n e i g h b o r h o o d s h o p p i n g district d e v o l v e d i n t o

w i t h i n a n d g l o w softly at n i g h t like large l a n t e r n s . T h e e x a c t -

an area p l a g u e d w i t h store vacancies a n d vagrants. N o w again

i n g detail that T a h o has e m b e d d e d in t h e m , h o w e v e r , is best

in t r a n s i t i o n , n e w e t h n i c restaurants, a p a r t m e n t b u i l d i n g s , c o f -

e x a m i n e d in daylight.

fee bars, a n d n i g h t s p o t s have o p e n e d , a n d an i n c r e a s i n g p o p u lation o f i m m i g r a n t s f r o m c o u n t r i e s like C h i n a , El Salvador, E t h i o p i a , H a i t i , a n d V i e t n a m have m o v e d in. Multicultural

Manifestoes

tensive i n t e r a c t i o n w i t h a site's c o m m u n i t y . As in past p u b l i c art p r o j e c t s , she has diligently canvassed t h e area's p o p u l a t i o n

is C e n t r a l Square's n e w p u b l i c art p r o -

j e c t , c o m p l e t e d in O c t o b e r

T h e c o l u m n s m a n i f e s t T a h o ' s typical w o r k i n g process o f i n -

1997 b y artist R i t s u k o T a h o , a

s e e k i n g t o w e a v e essential cultural aspects i n t o t h e art. In this case, she s p e n t m o n t h s soliciting residents' h o p e s a n d d r e a m s .

visual art professor at M . I . T w h o has e x e c u t e d n u m e r o u s p e r -

T h e w o r d " d r e a m " is w r i t t e n o n t h e frosted glass blocks that

m a n e n t a n d t e m p o r a r y p u b l i c art p r o j e c t s t h r o u g h o u t

the

m a k e u p t h e c o l u m n ' s m i d s e c t i o n in each o f t h e f o r t y - e i g h t

U.S. a n d in J a p a n a n d E u r o p e . T a h o is herself a r e s i d e n t o f t h e

languages that r e p r e s e n t m o s t o f t h e i m m i g r a n t g r o u p s living

C e n t r a l S q u a r e n e i g h b o r h o o d , as well as a native f r o m J a p a n .

n e a r C e n t r a l Square. T w e l v e brass cylinders c r o w n each c o l -

H e r p r o j e c t was c o m m i s s i o n e d by t h e C a m b r i d g e Arts C o u n -

u m n , and

cil as p a r t o f t h e r e c o n s t r u c t i o n a n d e n l a r g e m e n t o f C e n t r a l

d r e a m s . "I w a n t t o fly o n m y o w n w i n g s o r o n t h e w i n g s o f

etched

upon

them

are s o m e

of the

collected

Square, a n d she w o r k e d in c o l l a b o r a t i o n w i t h p r o j e c t a r c h i -

angels o r o n t h e f e a t h e r s o f c l o u d s — b u t let m e fly," says o n e . "I wish I c o u l d walk d o w n t h e street a n d n e v e r see t h i n g s to

tect, Steve C a r r .

m a k e m e sad: poverty, p o l l u t i o n , disrespect," says a n o t h e r . T h e results are an i n t i m a t e l y scaled, o p e n b r i c k plaza w i t h

O p p o s i t e t h e d r e a m s o n t h e cylinders are d e c o r a t i v e p a t t e r n s

planters, trees, a n d c u r v i n g b e n c h e s that w e r e r e c y c l e d f r o m

r e p r e s e n t i n g t h e various cultural g r o u p s in t h e area, such as a

t h e site's p r e v i o u s c u r b i n g . Variously c o l o r e d b r i c k s are i n -

paisley f o r India.

Ritsuko Taho, Multicultural

Manifestoes,

P u b l i c A r t R e v i e w . SPRING.SUMMER.98

1997.

(right) Detail: glass tower with brass cylinders inscribed with dreams. Photo by Peter R. Harris, courtesy Cambridge Art Council

PROJECT

Detail: brass cylinder inscribed with dreams. Photo by Peter R. Harris, courtesy Cambridge Art Council D u r i n g t h e interactive process, T a h o ' s efforts t o cross cultural l i n e s i n r e s p e c t f u l w a y s s e e m e d f r a u g h t at e v e r y t u r n . In h e r community

c o l l e c t i n g , T a h o says s h e b e c a m e s e n s i t i z e d

s e e m i n g l y s i m p l e t h i n g s like t h e d e c o r a t i v e p a t t e r n s . S o m e o f t h e m , she f o u n d , w e r e o b j e c t e d to by various ethnic g r o u p s b e c a u s e t h e y w e r e g o v e r n m e n t a l o r royal e m b l e m s . S h e also d i s c o v e r e d s u b t l e n u a n c e s in l a n g u a g e i n t e r p r e t a t i o n s . " L a n guage," she notes, "is a c o r e of o u r cultural identity. I had to d e a l w i t h h i s t o r y a n d p o l i t i c s as w e l l as t r a n s l a t i o n â&#x20AC;&#x201D; i t w a s d i f ficult to d e t e r m i n e w h e t h e r ' d r e a m ' m e a n t sleeping d r e a m o r aspiration

dream, for instance. A n d

some

languages,

Gaelic, h a d w o r d s for b o t h male a n d female aspirations." She also m e t w i t h t h e m u l t i t u d e o f N a t i v e A m e r i c a n l a n g u a g e s , f o r w h i c h s h e c h o s e N a v a h o as a g e n e r a l r e p r e s e n t a t i v e . T o a v o i d f u r t h e r l i n g u i s t i c f a u x pas s h e r e f e r r e d t o E n g l i s h dictionaries

( w h i c h , since they are w r i t t e n

translation

f r o m a strictly

English p o i n t of view, she p o i n t s o u t , are n o t always reliable) and consulted native speakers. O n c e t h e p r o p e r w o r d s w e r e chosen, their placement on the towers b e c a m e another p o t e n tial m i n e f i e l d , w i t h j u x t a p o s i t i o n l e a d i n g t o p o l i t i c a l i m p l i c a t i o n s . T o d e f u s e this, T a h o

consulted

the

Cambridge

Arts

C o u n c i l a n d t h e area's w e a l t h o f i n t e r n a t i o n a l s t u d e n t s . T h e y pointed out w h i c h words should not be placed u n d e r others

a r t . T h e s t r e e t a n d s i d e w a l k t r a f f i c h e r e is r e l e n t l e s s . T a h o a n d

b e c a u s e o f c o l o n i a l h i s t o r i e s , r e c e n t p o l i t i c a l s t r i f e , e t c . It b e -

Carr's tasteful design m u s t c o m p e t e w i t h a h i g h v o l u m e ot vi-

c a m e a b i t like d i p l o m a t i c t a b l e s e a t i n g f o r a s t a t e b a n q u e t .

sual n o i s e f r o m s h o p w i n d o w s a n d s i g n s , c o v e r e d s u b w a y e n -

W h i l e it l o o k s r a n d o m , T a h o says t h a t e l a b o r a t e c h a r t s d e t e r -

trances, bus shelters, and h i g h - d e s i g n t e l e p h o n e kiosks. W h i l e

m i n e d f i n a l p l a c e m e n t . N o n e o f t h i s really b o t h e r e d h e r . H e r

T a h o has d o n e an a d m i r a b l e j o b f o l d i n g e l e g a n c e a n d idealism

w o r k has always b e e n i n f o r m e d b y a f i n e - t u n e d sensitivity.

i n t o u r b a n r e a l i t i e s , h e r Utopian g o a l o f a m e a n i n g f u l p u b l i c

T h r o u g h h e r c o m m u n i t y i n t e r a c t i o n s , T a h o has e x t r a p o l a t e d

g a t h e r i n g p l a c e is d i f f i c u l t t o m e a s u r e w i t h o u t

t h e c o n c e p t o f site t o i n c l u d e its i n h a b i t a n t s a n d t h e

h e r process.

karma

considering

they b r i n g to a place. T h e i n t e n s i v e , u n d e r l y i n g d e t a i l s b e h i n d Multicultural

Mani-

" D r e a m s a r e v e r y p e r s o n a l a n d a real r e a s o n p e o p l e i m m i g r a t e

festoes r e s e m b l e t h e c o m p l e x i t y o f t o d a y ' s u r b a n

t o t h i s c o u n t r y , " T a h o says, c o n c e d i n g t h a t t h e C e n t r a l S q u a r e

w i t h all t h e t e n s i o n s , r i c h n e s s , a n d c r o s s - h a t c h i n g t h a t m u l t i -

p r o j e c t w a s b a s e d 011 a n i d e a l i s t i c d r e a m o f h e r o w n . " T h e r e is

p l e layers o f c u l t u r e b r i n g a b o u t . T h u s , T a h o ' s l a b o r i o u s p r e -

a loss o f p u b l i c s p a c e i n t h e U . S . i n w h i c h p e o p l e c a n c o m m u -

l i m i n a r y w o r k w i t h t h e c o m m u n i t y is a n a r t a c t i o n o n

n i c a t e i n d i v i d u a l t h o u g h t s . T h e r e is little s o c i a l

o w n . N o w that t h e p r o j e c t has b e e n realized, t h e a c t i o n o s t e n -

interaction

populations,

its

a m o n g cultures. 1 t h o u g h t a b o u t h o w public space m i g h t b e

sibly c o n t i n u e s p r i v a t e l y w h e n e v e r T a h o ' s p a r t i c i p a n t s

designed to facilitate interaction, the i n t e r c h a n g e o f t h o u g h t s

by. W h e t h e r t h e i r p e r s o n a l d r e a m s w e r e u s e d o r n o t , t h e y m u s t

walk

a b o u t s o c i a l issues, c u l t u r a l issues, o r s o m e t h i n g v e r y p r i v a t e o r

f e e l s o m e s m a l l i n v e s t m e n t i n t h e site. E v e n if v i e w e r s h a d n o

p e r s o n a l . W h e n 1 l o o k e d u p ' d r e a m ' i n t h e d i c t i o n a r y , it w a s

p a r t i n t h e p r o c e s s , n a t i v e s p e a k e r s of t h o s e f o r t y - e i g h t d i f f e r -

d e f i n e d i n o n e w a y as h a v i n g h o p e . O r i g i n a l l y t h e d r e a m s o f

ent languages must have s o m e personal reaction w h e n

i m m i g r a n t s w e r e to have a b e t t e r life f o r t h e n e x t g e n e r a t i o n ,

see t h e w o r d " d r e a m " displayed so e l e g a n t l y in t h e i r o w n l a n -

the American dream."

guage. B e y o n d f o r m a l decorative elements, Taho's towers are specially c o d e d

F u l f i l l i n g a n a r c h e t y p a l d r e a m is a b i g o r d e r f o r a n y p u b l i c a r t p r o j e c t . T h e r e c o n s t r u c t e d p l a z a at C e n t r a l S q u a r e a n d T a h o ' s Multicultural

Manifestoes

c o l u m n s are c e r t a i n l y an u r b a n

im-

message boards for discrete and

changing segments

of Central

Square's

they

constantly

cosmopolitan

con-

stituency, a n d t h u s in s o m e small way, p r i v a t e b e a c o n s o f b e l o n g i n g in a b u s t l i n g u r b a n c r o s s r o a d s .

p r o v e m e n t . P e o p l e rest o n t h e b e n c h e s , a n d y o u n g c h i l d r e n , especially, a r e a t t r a c t e d t o t h e s h i n y b r a s s - t o p p e d c o l u m n s . A s

Ann Wilson Lloyd is an independent critic and curator based in New England

a l w a y s , t h e c i t y itself p r e s e n t s t h e b i g g e s t c h a l l e n g e t o p u b l i c

and contributes to Art in America and Sculpture magazines.

P u b l i c A r t R e v i e w . SPRING.SUMMER.98

INTERVIEW

BRYNE OUTSIDE: Talking W i t h David Byrne

Interviewed by Jack Becker •

•

Editor's note: PAR publisher Jack Becker talked with David

Byrne

during his fall tour. Born in Scotland, Byrne moved to Baltimore

an early age, studied in Rhode Island, and later moved to New York City.

Widely

(1976-88),

known

for

cofounding

he also publishes

the group

books of his photographs,

films, runs the world music record label Luaka ternationally.

Talking

Heads produces

Bop, and exhibits

in-

His leap into the public art realm began last year with

two new series of colorful backlit signs: Stainvay ter Living Through

to Heaven and Bet-

Chemistry.

Jack Becker: T h e r e ' s a c e r t a i n t o n g u e - i n - c h e e k aspect t o y o u r p u b l i c art. You can a l m o s t p r e t e n d y o u ' r e like a b i g c o r p o r a t i o n d e s i g n i n g y o u r ads, b u t y o u ' r e n o t t r y i n g to p r o m o t e a p r o d u c t o r a service. David Byrne: Yeah. In a w a y I feel like I ' m n o t m a k i n g any critical o r j u d g m e n t a l c o m m e n t s o n t h e c o n t e n t , say 011 d r u g p a r a p h e r n a l i a o r d r u g use o r w e a p o n s o r m o n e y o r w h a t e v e r . N o t in a really direct, o v e r t way, anyway. B u t I ' m t r y i n g to s u b v e r t t h e w h o l e stylistic a p p r o a c h o f advertising. JB:You want to m a k e people m o r e aware of w h a t o t h e r advertisers are d o i n g t o t h e m , s u b c o n s c i o u s l y o r consciously. In w h a t w a y w o u l d y o u say that's s u b v e r t i n g ? D B : In t h e sense that I guess advertisers w o u l d like y o u n o t to b e aware. N o b o d y said that t o m e , b u t I j u s t i m a g i n e that t h e y w o u l d like y o u n o t to b e a w a r e o f all t h e little tricks that p u s h y o u r b u t t o n s a n d j u s t s u c k e r y o u in. I ' m calling t h e m tricks, b u t a lot o f t h e m are j u s t t h i n g s like u s i n g s u p e r b r i g h t , slightly u n r e a l c o l o r s that are like eye candy. You j u s t g o , " O o o h , aaah." JB: R i g h t . Well, w h e n y o u t h i n k a b o u t c r e a t i n g these w o r k s , y o u have t h e v e n u e in m i n d . At least f o r this series f o r t h e bus shelters y o u k n o w t h e f o r m a t exactly. D B : Y e a h . B e f o r e I g o t to t h e stage o f p u t t i n g t h e i m a g e s t o g e t h e r , I w a n t e d to k n o w , W h a t are t h e standard d i m e n s i o n s o f light b o x e s f o r bus shelters? So I m a d e t h e m specifically t o that r a t i o w i t h o u t h a v i n g a v e n u e t o s h o w t h e m in, b u t I was h o p i n g that's w h e r e t h e y w o u l d e n d up. G o i n g b a c k t o w h a t w e w e r e saying e a r l i e r — t h e s u b v e r t i n g idea. In o n e w a y y o u c o u l d read t h a t i m p u l s e o f m i n e t o s u b v e r t advertisers' i n t e n t i o n s like I ' m t r y i n g to teach o r w a r n o t h e r s . B u t I d o n ' t see it t h a t way. I ' m t r y i n g to u n d e r s t a n d f o r myself w h a t these t h i n g s are that are p r o d d i n g m e , a f f e c t i n g m e , a n d p u l l i n g m e this w a y a n d that. I d o n ' t w a n t to b e j u s t a helpless p l a y t h i n g . I w a n t t o have c o n t r o l o r at least u n d e r stand in s o m e w a y w h a t ' s b e i n g d o n e t o m e . So, f o r m e it's a way o f s u r v i v i n g in this w o r l d w e live in. JB: T e a c h i n g yourself, p e r h a p s .

P u b l i c A r t R e v i e w . SPRING.SUMMER.98

(below) David Byrne Photo by Phyllis Galembo

(below right) Installation view, Desire, public toilet installation, San Francisco, January, 1997. Photo courtesyTodo Mundo Ltd.

INTERVIEW

DB:Yeah, that's w h a t I m e a n . I ' m t e a c h i n g myself, at least t r y -

f o r a l o n g t i m e these a l t e r n a t i v e p e o p l e o r i n s t i t u t i o n s d i d n ' t

i n g to u n d e r s t a n d in m y o w n way. A n d o n e way to u n d e r s t a n d

have access t o t y p e s e t t e r s a n d all that. So t h e r e was a really o b -

is to m a k e y o u r o w n versions o f t h e t h i n g so you u n d e r s t a n d

v i o u s visual d i f f e r e n c e b e t w e e n t h e w o r k o f advertisers a n d

it. A n d w h e n it starts to affect y o u in t h e s a m e way that t h e

official texts a n d t h e w o r k o f , f o r lack o f a b e t t e r w o r d , self-

o r i g i n a l t h i n g s do, yeah, okay m a n , y o u see n o w h o w it's d o n e .

p r o d u c e d , a r t i s t - g e n e r a t e d , subversive, o r u n d e r g r o u n d

text.

T h e y looked different. JB: It s e e m s like m o r e a n d m o r e p e o p l e are g a i n i n g access to these kinds o f tools.

N o w , h o w e v e r , t h e y l o o k t h e s a m e â&#x20AC;&#x201D; g r a p h i c a l l y a n d as far as

DB: Like [ A d o b e ] P h o t o s h o p . I guess it is a b r a n d n a m e , b u t

t h e quality o f t h e layout a n d t h e c o l o r a n d all t h e little g r a p h i c designs, all t h o s e k i n d o f things, are c o n c e r n e d . T h e r e ' s n o d i f -

it's p r e t t y u b i q u i t o u s .

f e r e n c e b e t w e e n t h e official line a n d t h e r e v o l u t i o n a r y line, JB: A n d m o r e p e o p l e n o w have access t o t r e a t i n g t h e i r h o m e

t h e v o i c e o f dissent. I t h i n k that's an i n t e r e s t i n g d e v e l o p m e n t ,

p h o t o s w i t h a d v e r t i s i n g glitz a n d halos. In a sense, y o u ' r e d e -

b e c a u s e I t h i n k it w o r k s b o t h ways. In s o m e ways it m a k e s an

mocratizing the concept.

alternative v o i c e m o r e easy t o b e h e a r d , b e c a u s e it d o e s n ' t i m -

D B : Y e a h . W h i c h has h a p p e n e d a lot in t h e nineties, I guess.

m e d i a t e l y s c r e a m . It can l o o k official, it has that v e n e e r o f o f -

T h e alternative gallery, o r space, in N e w York called E x i t A r t

ficial t r u t h . O n t h e o t h e r h a n d , it w o r k s t h e o t h e r w a y w h e n

had a s h o w a b o u t p o s t e r art f r o m t h e fifties o r sixties u p to t h e

advertisers can i m m e d i a t e l y pull u p any design o r g r a p h i c o r

p r e s e n t . A n d t h e t h i n g a b o u t alternative p u b l i c a t i o n s a n d

t e x t o r w h a t e v e r i n n o v a t i o n is h a p p e n i n g in t h e arts o r w h e r -

fly-

ers a n d leaflets a n d all t h a t k i n d o f stuff that y o u n o t i c e is t h a t

ever a n d use it in ads.

INTERVIEW

(below) Better Living Through Chemistry: MonumentValleyl Syringe,

1996.

Photo courtesyTodo Mundo Ltd. JB: I ' m c u r i o u s w i t h these s e r i e s — S t a i r w a y a n d B e t t e r Liv-

p e o p l e I've g o t t e n t h e reaction that, " O h , w e like t h e m , b u t

i n g — w h a t v e n u e s d o y o u envision f o r t h e m ? H o w d o y o u

they're too American."

find v e n u e s , o r p u r s u e m e t h o d s o f delivery? W h i c h m a y b e was an excuse, b u t I t o o k it seriously, a n d I D B : Well, usually I a p p r o a c h p e o p l e like t h e P u b l i c A r t F u n d

t h o u g h t . W h a t d o e s that m e a n ? D o e s that m e a n t h a t this w o r k

o r C r e a t i v e T i m e o r p e o p l e w h o d o p u b l i c art o f o n e k i n d o r

represents t h e exclusive c o n c e r n o f o u r m e d i a c u l t u r e a n d

a n o t h e r in v a r i o u s places. O r if I ' m d o i n g a gallery show, I

media

m a k e it k n o w n that this o t h e r stuff is really d e s i g n e d t o b e

m e n t ? Is it o n l y an A m e r i c a n c o n c e r n , a n d o t h e r places d o n ' t

s h o w n o u t s i d e . A n d y o u o n l y have to have it h a p p e n o n c e f o r

feel t h e w e i g h t o f it in t h e i r societies? It's a little hard f o r m e

it t o s e e m like, well, t h e n it can h a p p e n again.

to believe, b u t I t h o u g h t , 1 w o n d e r if that's t r u e ? M a y b e 1 m y -

JB: A n d t h e n y o u have t h e e v i d e n c e f o r p e o p l e w h o

environment

a n d a d v e r t i s i n g — t h a t visual

self have a n a r r o w e r , m o r e A m e r i c a n can't

environ-

perspective than 1

t h o u g h t I did.

q u i t e p i c t u r e it t h e m s e l v e s . D o y o u t h i n k a b o u t places that w o u l d b e ideal v e n u e s f o r t h e s e n e w series in t e r m s o f e i t h e r

JB: Are y o u i n t e r e s t e d in graffiti at all? It s e e m s to m e it m i g h t

t h e p a r t i c u l a r city o r t y p e o f a u d i e n c e ? I c o u l d see a law e n -

fit i n t o y o u r interest area.

f o r c e m e n t audience or a d r u g rehabilitation audience having a d i f f e r e n c e r e s p o n s e t h a n , say, t h e b u s i n e s s p e r s o n

trying

catch a c o m m u t e r flight. D o y o u ever t h i n k a b o u t r e a c h i n g

D B : I ' m n o t so i n t e r e s t e d in t a g g i n g p e o p l e w h o d o t h e e l a b o r a t e I s l a m i c - t y p e scripts o f t h e i r n a m e s . I ' m m o r e i n t e r e s t e d in p e o p l e w h o w r i t e e l a b o r a t e m e s s a g e s — v i s i o n a r y graffiti.

specific a u d i e n c e s ?

In t h e d i f f e r e n t t o w n s y o u ' l l find p e o p l e d o i n g it. In W a s h D B : N o , 1 d o n ' t . N o , I really d o n ' t . I t h i n k a b o u t v e n u e s .

i n g t o n , D . C . , there's a g u y w h o makes these messages that h e feels strongly a b o u t and i m b e d s t h e m in c o n c r e t e a n d p u t s

JB: Like a i r p o r t s a n d bus shelters?

t h e m in t h e sidewalk. I d o n ' t k n o w h o w t h e hell h e d o e s it,

D B : Yeah, that k i n d o f place, a l t h o u g h I haven't g o t t e n any

b u t t h e y ' r e there. T h a t k i n d o f graffiti really t o u c h e s m e and

w o r k in an a i r p o r t yet. I w o u l d like it, b e c a u s e I t h i n k it w o u l d

fascinates m e .

b l e n d in. It w o u l d n ' t b e i m m e d i a t e l y n o t i c e a b l e as art w i t h a capital A.

JB: D o y o u see any parallels o r c o m p a r i s o n s b e t w e e n graffiti a n d y o u r bus shelter c o n c e p t s ? T h e y b o t h involve s o m e air

JB: H a s this w o r k led to s o m e o t h e r t h o u g h t s o r a n e x t step in

b r u s h o r slick imagery.

t e r m s o f y o u r p u b l i c projects?

D B : T h e o n l y c o n n e c t i o n I see is that t h e y ' r e b o t h public. I

D B : Yeah, it has in a way. N o t h i n g specific, b u t I k n o w that I

t h i n k m y stuff that I've d o n e so far i n t e n t i o n a l l y l o o k s so slick

have b e e n s u r p r i s e d w h e n 1 take this w o r k t o E u r o p e o r s h o w

that it has to pass f o r advertising. N o m a t t e r h o w g o o d s o m e -

E u r o p e a n s i m a g e s o f t h e m displayed publicly. 1 was t r y i n g to

b o d y is w i t h a spray c a n , it's n e v e r g o i n g t o pass f o r a G a p ad.

instigate g e t t i n g t h e m

JB: D o y o u have any t h o u g h t s o n w h a t ' s g o i n g o n in p u b l i c art

o n t h e streets in v a r i o u s

European

cities, if possible, w h i c h I haven't b e e n able to do. F r o m s o m e

as m o r e a n d m o r e artists g e t o u t o f t r a d i t i o n a l v e n u e s a n d w a n t to take over p u b l i c spaces? D B : Y e a h , I d o have s o m e t h o u g h t s . It's n o t an o r i g i n a l idea o f m i n e , b u t it gets r e i n f o r c e d all t h e t i m e . I t h i n k that art that's m a d e to b e seen in galleries has a specific place in m i n d . T h e art is d e v e l o p e d t o w o r k in that space, a n d o f t e n it d o e s . B u t I t h i n k if y o u take s o m e t h i n g like t h a t o u t a n d stick it in f r o n t o f a b u i l d i n g — b e c a u s e s o m e real estate d e v e l o p e r has t o p u t in their p e r c e n t - f o r - a r t o r w h a t e v e r — i t d o e s n ' t w o r k there, at least in m y o p i n i o n . If that artist w a n t s to d o s o m e t h i n g in that c o n t e x t , t h e y s h o u l d really r e t h i n k w h a t t h e y ' r e d o i n g . T h e y s h o u l d totally g o b a c k t o square o n e . T h i s is n o t a s h o w c a s e for s o m e t h i n g that actually b e l o n g s in a m u s e u m . T h i s is a completely different venue, a different audience, a different way that p e o p l e are a p p r o a c h i n g things. A n d y o u have to c o m p l e t e l y r e w o r k w h a t y o u ' r e d o i n g accordingly. I find that a lot o f artists are t o o c o n s e r v a t i v e in t h a t respect. T h e y aren't

P u b l i c A r t R e v i e w . SPRING.SUMMER.98

INTERVIEW

Desire, public toilet installation, San Francisco, January, 1997. Photo courtesyTodo Mundo Ltd.

w i l l i n g to c h a n g e t h e i r style o r alter w h a t it is t h e y d o to fit

that t h e s h e e r a m o u n t that y o u n g p e o p l e t h e s e days h a v e t o

the venue, the context.

resist in o r d e r to t h i n k t o r t h e m s e l v e s is p h e n o m e n a l . T h e y

JB: D o y o u t h i n k there's a p r o b l e m w i t h t h e schools b r i n g i n g

have t o e x e r t a t r e m e n d o u s will t o resist t h a t i n f l u e n c e if

artists i n t o this field? Is that s o m e t h i n g artists can b e t a u g h t — h o w t o start f r o m square o n e a n d r e t h i n k u s i n g n e w v e n u e s ? M o s t l y t h e y ' r e still t e a c h i n g a b o u t galleries a n d m u s e u m s . D B : Yeah. T h a t ' s t h e n a t u r e o f institutions. I n s t i t u t i o n s b r e e d institutions, w h e t h e r it's an art s c h o o l o r a p o l i c e academy. B u t t h e r e are always a f e w t e a c h e r s in t h e m that actually inspire

t h e y ' r e g o i n g t o survive t o b e p e o p l e w h o can t h i n k t o r t h e m selves. A n d that's n o t an e f f o r t t h a t p e o p l e can m a k e w h e n t h e y ' r e t r y i n g t o p u t f o o d o n t h e table o r pay t h e r e n t o r d o w h a t e v e r it is p e o p l e h a v e to d o to survive. JB: H a v e y o u ever t h o u g h t a b o u t d i r e c t i n g a n y o f y o u r w o r k t o w a r d that g e n e r a t i o n — y o u n g kids?

p e o p l e t o really t h i n k f o r t h e m s e l v e s a n d to q u e s t i o n situa-

D B : N o . B u t I d o feel t h a t , j u s t in g e n e r a l , o u r e d u c a t o r s ,

tions. T h a t ' s all it takes to k e e p things alive. I t h i n k it's t o o

w h e t h e r t h e y are e l e m e n t a r y s c h o o l t e a c h e r s o r w h a t e v e r , are

m u c h to e x p e c t a w h o l e i n s t i t u t i o n to s u p p o r t radically f r e e

v e r y u n d e r v a l u e d a n d u n d e r p a i d , a n d f o r that reason it's n o t a

thinking. T h a t would be dangerous.

profession t h a t p e o p l e are d r a w n to. W h e r e a s o t h e r p r o f e s -

JB: H a s f a t h e r h o o d c h a n g e d y o u r t h i n k i n g a b o u t e d u c a t i o n o r

s i o n s — d o c t o r s a n d lawyers a n d p e o p l e w h o c h e a t p e o p l e all

o p p o r t u n i t i e s for p e o p l e c o m i n g i n t o this w o r l d ?

the t i m e — a r e very low o n the moral t o t e m pole, and yet

t h o s e p e o p l e get p a i d e x t r a o r d i n a r y a m o u n t s o f m o n e y . Out-

DB:Yeah, in s o m e ways it reactivates m y fear o f t h e d a n g e r s o f

values are totally b a c k w a r d s . I ' m h o p i n g t h a t will s o m e d a y

t h e m e d i a e n v i r o n m e n t — t h e m e d i a glut in advertising and t h e

c h a n g e . It's g o t t o h a p p e n . O n a real n a t i o n a l p o l i c y level, o n

c o n s u m e r m e n t a l i t y that's o u t t h e r e especially in this c o u n t r y . 1

t h e level o f n a t i o n a l t h i n k i n g .

c o n s o l e myself by t h i n k i n g , I, m y f r i e n d s , a n d a lot o f p e o p l e I m e e t , w e survived it. We're n o t a b u n c h o f z o m b i e s m a r c h i n g off to t h e nearest mall t o c o n s u m e w h a t w e ' r e told to buy.

Note: Stainray to Heaven ami Better Living Through Chemistry are

B u t o n t h e o t h e r h a n d , t h e v o l u m e ' s b e e n c r a n k e d u p since

available to host organizations. Call Sarah Kaplan at Todo Mundo

t h e n . E v e r y five o r t e n years it j u s t gets l o u d e r a n d l o u d e r , so

(212-255-2408)

for more information.

P u b l i c A r t R e v i e w . SPRING.SUMMER.98

PROJECT

MONUMENTAL PARIS

(below left) BernarVenet, Three

R e v i e w e d by L e n i S c h w e n d i n g e r a n d M a r k K r a m e r •

•

Indeterminate

•

Lines, 1993, exhibited

at Champ-de-Mars in 1994. Photo courtesy the artist

A n A m e r i c a n visiting Paris readily senses t h e i n t r i c a t e i n t e r -

Venet is k n o w n f o r his m i n i m a l i s t sculptures o f s t e e l — t o r q u e d

play o f p u b l i c art and artists in t h e capital o f a n a t i o n w i t h o n e

calligraphically in a u n i q u e l a n g u a g e ot lines a n d curves that

o f t h e w o r l d ' s largest art b u d g e t s . " T h e g o v e r n m e n t s u p p o r t

p u s h e s ever f u r t h e r t h e metal's p r o p e r t i e s a n d limits. O n e such

has j u s t b e e n t h e r e in a m o r e sustained m a n n e r , " n o t e s Lynn

r e c e n t Venet w o r k o f r e n o w n is Three Indeterminate

G u m p e r t , d i r e c t o r o f N e w York University's G r e y Art G a l l e r y

traveling sculpture

a n d S t u d y C e n t e r a n d a liaison b e t w e e n F r e n c h a n d A m e r i c a n

c o i l e d m e t a l pieces a v e r a g i n g s e v e n t y - f i v e tons, w h i c h o p e n e d

arts a n d artists. " I n F r a n c e y o u have an awareness o f a cultural

in Paris in C h a m p - d e - M a r s , by t h e Eiffel T o w e r , in 1994.

exhibition

comprised

Lines, a

of freestanding

h e r i t a g e a n d legacy. T h e r e is a h u g e sense o f artistic h e r i t a g e — w i t h m a j o r m o n u m e n t s dating right back to archaeological

Venet's Arc, to b e sited o n t h e A - 6 R h i n e - R h o n e

Highway

f r o m Paris, will m a t e r i a l i z e as a slender, g i a n t ellipse, m e a s u r -

t i m e s — a g r e a t e r sense o f history."

i n g 175 feet h i g h a n d 2 2 5 feet in d i a m e t e r , nestled b e t w e e n R e g a r d i n g t h e h u m a n i s t i c basis o f t h e F r e n c h value system,

t w o slopes. It will b e so colossal that t h e Arc d e T r i o m p h e

artist Alain Kirili observes, " T h e G o v e r n m e n t is responsible

c o u l d fit inside its convexity. O p e n t o t h e sky, t h e Arc will b e

for t h e e n v i r o n m e n t , a n d t h e e n v i r o n m e n t i n c l u d e s t h e c u l -

visible t o a p p r o a c h i n g v i e w e r s f o r t h r e e - a n d - a - h a l f m i n u t e s

tural e n v i r o n m e n t . T h e g o v e r n m e n t is n o t h e r e to b e t h e

b e f o r e t h e i r vehicles pass it by.

m o d e r a t o r o n l y ot t h e e c o n o m y , b e c a u s e p e o p l e are asking f o r W o r k i n g in a Parisan f a c t o r y - s t u d i o , Venet fabricates m o s t o f

more than economy."

his o w n creations. " W e are g o i n g to use a n e w h i g h - p e r f o r I n d i c a t i v e o f g o v e r n m e n t a l s u p p o r t f o r t h e c o n t e m p o r a r y arts

m a n c e c o n c r e t e w h i c h has n e v e r b e e n tested b e f o r e , " h e r e -

a n d p u b l i c art in particular, t h e total b u d g e t f o r t h e M i n i s t r y

ports. "It can b e f o r m e d a n d c o l o r e d any way that y o u w a n t . It

o f C u l t u r e a n d C o m m u n i c a t i o n is r o u g h l y $ 2 . 5 billion. T h e

has v e r y f i n e hairs o f steel, r a t h e r t h a n r o d s . . . t h e w o r k is cast

delegation anx arts plastiqucs (the D e p a r t m e n t o f C o n t e m p o r a r y

in s e g m e n t s and sealed so that t h e seams d o n ' t show. It will b e

Visual Arts), o n e o f t h e t e n d e p a r t m e n t s w i t h i n t h e ministry,

a t o u r d e f o r c e o f t e c h n o l o g y a n d art."

r e c e i v e d $ 8 5 m i l l i o n in 1997. T h e b u d g e t d e s i g n a t e d w i t h i n that d e p a r t m e n t t o t h e p u b l i c arts c o m m i s s i o n publique)

(commande

was $2 m i l l i o n , a n d is e a r m a r k e d f o r a raise to over

C o m m i s s i o n e d in 1984, Arc will b e c o m p l e t e d by t h e year 2 0 0 0 — a t w h i c h t i m e V e n e t says t h e r e are plans in t h e w o r k s for t h e g o v e r n m e n t

$ 3 m i l l i o n m 1998.

to a c k n o w l e d g e

the sculpture

during

France's millennial c e l e b r a t i o n s as o n e o f its significant c u l To illustrate s o m e o f t h e ways that p u b l i c art is i n f l u e n c e d a n d s h a p e d by a r d e n t F r e n c h p a t r o n a g e , this article focuses o n t h r e e artists w h o s e w o r k is r e d e f i n i n g Paris a n d its e n v i r o n s : B e r n a r V e n e t , D a n i Karavan, a n d Alain Kirili.

tural a c h i e v e m e n t s . D a n i Karavan, an Israeli artist w i t h a s t u d i o in Paris, fuses such d i s c i p l i n e s as s c u l p t u r e , a r c h i t e c t u r e , m u n i c i p a l

planning,

l a n d s c a p e design, m a t h e m a t i c s , a n d e n g i n e e r i n g .

Karavan's

B e r n a r Venet, a F r e n c h artist w h o m a k e s his h o m e in N e w

c u r r e n t l y c o m p l e t e d F r e n c h p r o j e c t s i n c l u d e Homage to Mer-

York, is in t h e process o f l i n k i n g t h e F r e n c h n a t i o n t o its

cure, an e n v i r o n m e n t for C l e r m o n t F e r r a n d , and w o r k f o r

Parisian h e a r t w i t h The Major

185.4

Degree Arc. A l t h o u g h it

was c o m m i s s i o n e d by t h e H i g h w a y D e p a r t m e n t o f F r a n c e

Courtyard

Roquette

S t r e e t in Paris. Karavan's

over t e n years ago, t h e w o r k is still in t h e d e v e l o p m e n t phase.

La D e f e n s e a n d a park e n v i r o n m e n t in

It is c o f u n d e d by commande

Yvelines.

publique.

works-in-

progress i n c l u d e E s p l a n a d e C h a r l e s d e G a u l l e in t h e t o w n o f Saint-Quentin-en-

Karavan's 1996 Square of Tolerance f o r t h e UNESCO h e a d q u a r ters in Paris e x e m p l i f i e s his h y b r i d vision f o r political, yet m i n i m a l i s t , sculptural w o r k s . Karavan recalls, " T h e Square of Tolerance was already u n d e r c o n s t r u c t i o n to m a r k t h e Year o f T o l e r a n c e at UNESCO, w h e n Y i t z h a k R a b i n was assassinated. 1 was at t h e d e m o n s t r a t i o n

for t o l e r a n c e — a n d

against

vio-

l e n c e — w h e r e it h a p p e n e d a n d d e c i d e d t o d e d i c a t e t h e Square of Tolerance to his m e m o r y . " S u r r o u n d e d by t h e w o r k o f Isamu N o g u c h i a n d Takis, t h e site, o n c e a p a r k i n g lot, has b e e n t r a n s f o r m e d i n t o an elegant e n v i r o n m e n t a l a r t w o r k . A s u n k e n English c o u r t y a r d displays arc h a e o l o g i c a l r e m a i n s f r o m Israel a n d Palestine, and an a n c i e n t

P u b l i c A r t R e v i e w . SPRING.SUMMER.98

PROJECT

Dani Karavan, Square ofTolerance,

(below) Alain Kirili,

UNESCO h e a d q u a r t e r s , 1996.

Grand

Photo courtesy the artist

Commandment

Wane,

1986.

A F r e n c h artist w h o lives a n d w o r k s in N e w York City, Alain Kirili travels t o Paris o f t e n a n d is k n o w n f o r his i n t e r a c t i v e c o l l a b o r a t i o n s w i t h A m e r i c a n j a z z greats such as s a x o p h o n i s t Archie Shep, d r u m m e r R o y Haynes, and C e c i l Taylor. O n e

pianist/composer

of a n u m b e r of internationally

known

artists i n v i t e d in t h e 1980s b y t h e i n n o v a t i v e J a c k L a n g t o site w o r k s o f t h e i r c h o o s i n g a n y w h e r e in Paris, Kirili c h o s e t h e Tuileries G a r d e n s . W i t h i n t h e l a w n s o f t h e T u i l e r i e s G a r d e n s is Kirili's l o w - l y i n g array o f p a i n t e d , f o r g e d i r o n Grand

Commandment

sculptures,

Blanc. H e c h o s e this site b e c a u s e , "I

w a n t e d to b e close to M o n e t ' s

Water Lilies [ h o u s e d in t h e

L o u v r e ] , T h e c o m p o s i t i o n o n t h e water's s u r f a c e is related t o t h e e l e m e n t s o f Commandment.

Also, b e c a u s e it is a v e r y s c r i p -

olive tree s u r r o u n d e d by sand is p l a n t e d in t h e c e n t e r . A w a t e r

tural s c u l p t u r e , I felt a d i a l o g u e w o u l d b e established w i t h t h e

line r u n s d o w n a c o l u m n a n d c o n t i n u e s o n t h e g r o u n d e n c i r -

O b e l i s k ' s h i e r o g l y p h i c s o n Place d e la C o n c o r d e . "

cling t h e olive tree. A n existing v e n t i l a t i o n c h i m n e y has b e e n r e s u r f a c e d , a n d t h e f o l l o w i n g w o r d s are e n g r a v e d in UNESCO'S official n i n e l a n g u a g e s a n d in H e b r e w : " S i n c e wars b e g i n in t h e m i n d s o f m e n , it is in t h e m i n d s o f m e n that t h e defenses of peace must be constructed."

Kirili s t r o n g l y believes that c o n t e m p o r a r y art s h o u l d b e i n c l u d e d in t h e e v e r y d a y e n v i r o n m e n t . W i t h t h e

encourage-

m e n t o f t h e p r e s e n t m i n i s t e r o f c u l t u r e h e is a m b i t i o u s l y p l a n n i n g a Tuileries M o d e r n S c u l p t u r e G a r d e n t h a t w o u l d e x h i b i t Picasso's 1 9 4 2 Man with Sheep in its first installation, f o l l o w e d

Karavan's Axe Majeur, o r i g i n a l l y p r o p o s e d in 1975 w i t h c o n -

by o t h e r i m p o r t a n t t w e n t i e t h - c e n t u r y

s t r u c t i o n c o m m e n c i n g in 1 9 8 0 , is a t h r e e - k i l o m e t e r - l o n g e n -

twenty-first-century commissions. While collecting interna-

vironmental

tional s u p p o r t letters f o r t h e p r o j e c t , w e l l - k n o w n art h i s t o r i a n

sculpture, twenty-five

kilometers

northwest

sculptures and

o f Paris that b o t h i n t e g r a t e s a n d d e f i n e s t h e t o w n o f C e r g y -

P i e r r e D a i x , a f r i e n d o f Picasso's, r e s p o n d e d

P o n t o i s e . T h i s m o n u m e n t a l l a n d s c a p e resonates w i t h t h e i n -

relaying Picasso's w i s h t o see Alan

grained belief—dating back to the seventeenth

" c h i l d r e n a n d dogs."

century—in

o r c h e s t r a t e d , artful F r e n c h cities. Fulfilling a Gaullist m a n d a t e to " u n b l o c k " Paris, C e r g y - P o n t o i s e was established in 1969, t h e first o f five n e w t o w n s c o n s t r u c t e d o u t s i d e o f Paris. K a r a van's w o r k is inseparable f r o m t h e design o f C e r g y - P o n t o i s e . A f t e r t w e n t y years, several o f t h e Axe e l e m e n t s have yet to b e c o n s t r u c t e d , since t h e y m u s t f o l l o w t h e g r a d u a l process ot c o m p l e t i n g t h e t o w n . Says M o n i q u e F a u x , advisor f o r plastic arts r e p r e s e n t i n g t h e M i n i s t r y o f C u l t u r e in t h e

with

new

enthusiastically,

Sheep

accessible t o

" T h e t r a d i t i o n o f art in F r a n c e is based o n pleasure w i t h n o p u r p o s e , " Kirili t h e o r i z e s . " S o w h e r e t h e b e a u t y ot N e w York is m o r e f u n c t i o n a l , t h e b e a u t y o f F r a n c e a n d Paris is based o n a b e a u t y w i t h n o p u r p o s e . It is d e e p l y r o o t e d in t h e F r e n c h t r a d i t i o n — t h a t pleasure t o eat well, to enjoy. T h e d r i v e o f e n j o y m e n t s h o u l d b e s h a r e d by e v e r y b o d y , p o o r o r r i c h , o l d or young."

Central

G r o u p o f N e w T o w n s , " T e n years b e f o r e a n y o n e t h o u g h t o f

Leni Schwendinger is an artist and writer in New York. Mark Kramer's latest

l i n k i n g t h e L o u v r e / D e f e n c e t o t h e He d e C h a t o u , Karavan

work is Spy magazine's Nov. 1997 cover story, "The Medium Is the Mess."

had this idea o f l i n k i n g C e r g y a n d Paris a n d o f h a v i n g t h e t w o axes cross at C h a t o u , t h e island of t h e Impressionists. It was pioneer work." Axe Majeur s s c u l p t u r e d l a n d s c a p e is c o m p r i s e d o f twelve " s t a t i o n s " — i n c l u d i n g plazas, c o l u m n s , t o w e r s , gardens, a pyramid, and bridges—which

floating

establish n o t o n l y an

axis

t h r o u g h t h e t o w n itself, b u t c o n n e c t t h e t o w n visually. N o t i n cidentally, this axis follows a m e r i d i a n r i g h t u p t o t h e L o u v r e a n d its Tuileries G a r d e n s . Karavan regularly i n t r o d u c e s h i s t o r ically c h a r g e d artifacts a n d a r c h a e o l o g i c a l f i n d i n g s i n t o his p r o j e c t s — i n this case, stones e x c a v a t e d f r o m t h e L o u v r e d u r ing t h e I. M . Pei p y r a m i d - c o n s t r u c t i o n , w h i c h are n o w sited within the Cergy-Pontoise project.

P u b l i c Art R e v i e w . SPRING.SUMMER.98

CONFERENCE

LA PRIMERA JORNADA DE ARTE PUBLICO Y MURALISMO R e v i e w e d by Jose C u r b e l o and C o n s t a n z a Carballo •

•

Ojos de Lucha (Daniel Camacho and David Gallegos), Somas Todos. Photo by Jose Curbelo

•

Tlaxcala, Mexico, November 5 - 9 , 1997 D e c l a r a t i o n of Tlaxcala

W e declare: 1. T h a t p u b l i c a n d m o n u m e n t a l art have b e e n i m p o r t a n t t h r o u g h o u t h u m a n h i s t o r y a n d will c o n t i n u e to b e so in t h e f u t u r e as s o u r c e s o f k n o w l e d g e a b o u t d i f f e r e n t p e o ples a n d cultures. 2. T h a t g o v e r n m e n t s o f t h e w o r l d s h o u l d m a k e available m o r e e x t e n s i v e political a n d c u l t u r a l resources f o r t h e d e v e l o p m e n t o f p u b l i c art. P u b l i c art represents t h e c u l tural m a n i f e s t a t i o n o f a n a t i o n . W i t h o u t p u b l i c art a n a t i o n lacks identity. 3. That g l o b a l i z a t i o n o f t h e m a r k e t s and t h e great c o n c e n t r a t i o n o f capital t h r e a t e n to b r e a k t h e link that, h i s t o r i cally, has always existed b e t w e e n art a n d society. 4. T h a t w e s h o u l d strive to use d u r a b l e materials in t h e c r e a t i o n o f w o r k s o f p u b l i c art in o r d e r to assure t h e i r p e r m a n e n c e t h r o u g h o u t time. 5. That w e s h o u l d strive t o m a k e p u b l i c art c o n s c i o u s o f a n d in solidarity w i t h t h e ideas, beliefs, n e e d s , a n d aspir a t i o n s o f o u r respective c o u n t r i e s .

T h e c o n f e r e n c e ' s o p e n i n g c e r e m o n y was held in t h e Palacio d e Bellas Artes in d o w n t o w n M e x i c o City. F r o m t h e r e t h e c o n f e r e n c e m o v e d t o a h o t e l in t h e n e a r b y state o f Tlaxcala. T h e p a r t i c i p a n t s w e r e muralists, a u t h o r s , p h o t o g r a p h e r s , v i d e o

6. T h a t p u b l i c art has a singular i m p o r t a n c e in t h e quality

artists, sculptors, fresco artists, a n d m o s a i c artists. T h e y c a m e

o f life in c o m m u n i t i e s , cities, and r e g i o n s ; a b o v e all, it is

f r o m A r g e n t i n a , M e x i c o , Italy, Turkey, D e n m a r k , J a p a n , C h i l e ,

j u s t that laws that favor t h e realization o f p u b l i c art

the

s h o u l d b e passed.

C a n a d a , a n d H o n d u r a s . A m o n g t h o s e p r e s e n t w e r e SPARC

7. T h a t w e e n c o u r a g e t h e investigation o f n e w t e c h n i q u e s , materials, a n d f o r m s o f expression in t h e t e a c h i n g o f

United

States, S p a i n , El S a l v a d o r , B o l i v i a ,

Ecuador,

f o u n d e r a n d artistic director, J u d y Baca; C a l i f o r n i a muralist J o h a n n a P o e t h i g ; M e x i c a n muralist J o s e H e r n a n d e z D e l g a d i l l o ; a n d A r g e n t i n e muralist Italo Grassi.

p u b l i c art in visual arts and p u b l i c art schools. C o n f e r e n c e p r e s e n t a t i o n s i n c l u d e d " M u r a l s in A r g e n t i n a , " " A 8. T h a t w e v e h e m e n t l y s u p p o r t u n r e s t r i c t e d f r e e d o m o f expression a n d c r e a t i o n as well as t h e a b s o l u t e i n t e g r i t y o f all t h e w o r k s o f p u b l i c art that f o r m p a r t o f t h e artistic h e r i t a g e o f o u r respective c o u n t r i e s .

Call f o r t h e I n t e r n a t i o n a l D e f e n s e of P u b l i c Art," and " P u b l i c A r t f r o m t h e P e r s p e c t i v e o f E d u c a t i o n for Peace a n d H u m a n Rights." Many of the presentations offered stunning examples o f r e c e n t p u b l i c art, such as w o r k by Salvadoran artist Isaias

9. T h a t w e d e n o u n c e that all t o o f r e q u e n t l y w o r k s o f p u b -

M a t a , O a k l a n d , C a l i f o r n i a artist Jose M e z a Velasquez, a n d artist

lic art are c e n s o r e d by t h e p o l i c e o r destroyed in v i o l a -

Martha R a m i r e z Oropeza from Cuernavaca, Mexico. Alton

t i o n o f artists' rights.

Tobey, a m a s t e r artist f r o m N e w York, gave a m e m o r a b l e a c c o u n t of t h e extensive p r e p a r a t i o n and research h e did f o r a

36 T h e s e d e c l a r a t i o n s w e r e m a d e at La P r i m e r a J o r n a d a d e A r t e

m u r a l at t h e S m i t h s o n i a n a b o u t Inca brain surgery. N o t o n l y

P u b l i c o y M u r a l i s m o (the First I n t e r n a t i o n a l C o n f e r e n c e o n

was h e p r e s e n t in an o p e r a t i n g r o o m d u r i n g

Public A r t a n d M u r a l s ) , a g a t h e r i n g o f over o n e h u n d r e d p u b -

b r a i n surgery, b u t h e also s p e n t m a n y m o n t h s at M a c c h u P i c -

lic artists f r o m all over t h e w o r l d held N o v e m b e r 5 - 9 , 1997 in

c h u m a k i n g p l a n n i n g sketches and s t u d y i n g history.

modern-day

t h e state o f Tlaxcala in M e x i c o . T h e c o n f e r e n c e was o r g a n i z e d by t h e I n t e r n a t i o n a l C o u n c i l o f V i s u a l Artists (COMAV). W h e n

W e w e r e also e n c o u r a g e d by Walter S o l o n R o m e r o G. f r o m

w e h e a r d a b o u t this c o n f e r e n c e , w e k n e w w e h a d t o b e t h e r e ;

Bolivia, w h o called for a s t r e n g t h e n i n g o f t h e social

b u t even as w e g o t o n t h e p l a n e t o M e x i c o , w e d i d n ' t really

s c i e n c e of m u r a l p a i n t i n g . H e said t h a t o u r "first responsibility

k n o w what to expect.

is t o m a k e t h e walls talk in o r d e r to m a k e a c h a n g e in t h e

Public Art R e v i e w . SPRING.SUMMER. 98

con-

CONFERENCE

w o r l d . " As y o u n g p u b l i c artists ourselves, w e see t h e u r g e n c y

Weber from Chicago. Seeing their presentations strengthened

o f t h e world's p r o b l e m s , a n d w e realize that it is o u r d u t y t o

o u r c o m m i t m e n t t o share o u r talents a n d e x p e r i e n c e w i t h

d e v e l o p t h e artistic talents that w e have b e e n given and use

y o u n g p e o p l e , j u s t as w e w e r e g u i d e d a n d given t h e o p p o r t u -

t h e m to h e l p save h u m a n i t y f r o m despair a n d d e s t r u c t i o n .

nity to w o r k in t h e p u b l i c arts as kids. In this w a y w e will h e l p insure that each s u c c e e d i n g g e n e r a t i o n has t a l e n t e d , d r i -

M a n y of t h e p r e s e n t i n g artists r e p r e s e n t e d o r g a n i z a t i o n s that involve y o u n g p e o p l e in t h e process o f c r e a t i n g art in t h e i r communities and help t h e m b e c o m e better public

artists,

such as Patricia R o s e a n d C y n t h i a R o j a s f r o m t h e Precita Eyes M u r a l Arts C e n t e r in San Francisco a n d J o h n

Pitman

ven p u b l i c artists to v o i c e its c o n c e r n s a n d b e a u t i f y its e n v i r o n m e n t . T h i s c o n s t a n t r e j u v e n a t i o n o f p u b l i c art was e v i d e n t at t h e c o n f e r e n c e , w h i c h was a t t e n d e d by artists w h o r a n g e d in age f r o m t h e i r early t w e n t i e s t o t h e m a s t e r s in t h e i r seventies a n d eighties. As t h e y o u n g e s t c o n f e r e n c e p a r t i c i p a n t s , w e w e r e in a w e o f t h e m o r e established artists w h o w e r e p r e s e n t a n d felt v e r y p r i v i l e g e d to s p e n d t i m e w i t h t h e m a n d have t h e o p p o r t u nity to s t u d y t h e i r w o r k . In all, p a r t i c i p a t i n g in this c o n f e r e n c e o p e n e d o u r eyes t o t h e i n t e r n a t i o n a l w o r l d o f p u b l i c art a n d s h o w e d us n e w levels o f t e c h n i c a l ability a n d creativity t o w h i c h w e s h o u l d aspire. It gave us a n e w d i r e c t i o n in o u r

(left) Adolfo Mexiac, Rene Julio Diaz Sosa, Julio Carrasco Breton, Ines Lezama deAlberico, Miriam de la Riva, Maria Felisa Culebras Caceres, Patricia Quijano Ferrer, Sergio Sanchez Santamaria, Irene Perez Renteria, Patricia Salas Velasco, Calaveras. (below) Jose Meza Velazquez, El Quinto

Sol.

Both photos by Jose Cubelo

lives as p u b l i c artists a n d

reinforced our c o m m i t m e n t

u s i n g o u r art as a t o o l f o r social c h a n g e . W e h o p e t o a t t e n d the Second International C o n f e r e n c e on Public Art and M u rals in Q u i t o , E c u a d o r . Jose Curbelo and Constanza Carballo are both emerging public artists living in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Jose Curbelo is nineteen years old and started painting murals under the direction of Minneapolis muralist Marilyn Lindstrom and her organization. Neighborhood Safe Art. Constanza Carballo is originally from Argentina and has worked with several mentors on murals throughout the state of Minnesota.

P u b l i c A r t R e v i e w . SPRING.SUMMER. 98

REPORT

THE ONE PERCENT SOLUTION? by Judy Arginteanu

I n a y e a r w h e n p u b l i c f u n d i n g f o r t h e arts has b e e n u n d e r i n -

f o r t h e e x p e n s e , w h e r e a s n o w t h e y s i m p l y slap o n t h e I p e r -

c r e a s i n g f i r e — a n d w h e n t h e NEA b a r e l y e s c a p e d t h e c o n g r e s -

c e n t w i t h little t h o u g h t as t o h o w it will b e s p e n t . It m a y i n -

sional ax—it's reassuring that n e w s o f p e r c e n t - f o r - a r t ' s d e m i s e

sert t h e artist i n t o t h e p r o j e c t f r o m t h e b e g i n n i n g , r a t h e r t h a n

has b e e n g r e a t l y e x a g g e r a t e d .

t a c k i n g t h e art o n as an a f t e r t h o u g h t .

W h i l e it's r i s k y t o d r a w a c o n s e n s u s f r o m a h a n d f u l o f c o n v e r -

In D e n v e r , t h e I p e r c e n t o f capital i m p r o v e m e n t p r o j e c t s u s e d

sations, discussions w i t h public art administrators a n d public

to be taken out ot only the "hard c o s t s " — b r i c k s and m o r t a r —

artists i n d i c a t e p e r c e n t p r o g r a m s are alive a n d w e l l . T h a t said,

b u t n o w c o m e s f r o m " s o f t costs." T h a t is, t h e artist is c o n c e p -

n e i t h e r are t h e p r o g r a m s t h e b e - a l l a n d e n d - a l l f o r p u b l i c art,

t u a l l y p a r t o f t h e p r o j e c t in t h e d e s i g n p h a s e , in a n o t h e r a t -

s i n c e t h e y are n o t set u p t o s e r v e artists. N o r d o e s it m e a n t h e

t e m p t t o m a k e art a n i n t e g r a l p a r t o f t h e p r o j e c t .

programs have stopped evolving.

P u b l i c e d u c a t i o n , w h i c h o f t e n gets lost in t r a d i t i o n a l p e r c e n t

J e r r y A l l e n , d i r e c t o r o f c u l t u r a l affairs f o r San J o s e , C a l i f o r n i a , r e a f f i r m s t h e p r o g r a m s ' vitality, b u t n o t e s p e r c e n t p r o g r a m s are g o i n g t h r o u g h a " t a l l o w " p e r i o d a n d are s t a r t i n g t o r e d e f i n e t h e m s e l v e s . A n o b s e r v e r a n d p l a y e r in p u b l i c a r t f o r t w e n t y five years, h e says t h e p r o g r a m s are t h r i v i n g " i n t h e s e n s e t h a t t h e y ' r e w e l l f u n d e d a n d t h e r e are lots o f p r o j e c t s — b u t w e ' r e

p r o g r a m s , is also r e c e i v i n g n e w a t t e n t i o n . L y n e t t e P o h l m a n , director of University

M u s e u m s , Iowa State University

Ames, w h i c h administers t h e university's p e r c e n t

program,

says o n e - t i m e o u t r e a c h p r o g r a m s are n o p a n a c e a f o r e x p e c t i n g the public to necessarily grasp and accept a n e w public art p i e c e . "It's n o t e n o u g h to d o [ e d u c a t i o n p r o g r a m s ] o n c e o r t w i c e — y o u ' v e g o t t o d o it o v e r a n d over, all t h e t i m e , " s h e

seeing precious few truly innovative projects c o m e along."

stresses. T h e u n i v e r s i t y i n t e g r a t e s t h e p u b l i c art p r o g r a m i n t o D o u g l a s H o l l i s , a w e l l - e s t a b l i s h e d artist w o r k i n g in t h e p u b -

the c u r r i c u l u m of o t h e r d e p a r t m e n t s that often get involved

lic r e a l m , s i m p l y calls t h e p r o g r a m s " t h e p o o r r e l a t i o n s o f a n y

in p e r c e n t - f o r - a r t p r o g r a m s . So, f o r e x a m p l e , a n e l e c t r i c a l e n -

project—by virtue of not only the funding but the consider-

g i n e e r i n g s t u d e n t will h a v e an o p p o r t u n i t y t o t a k e classes o n

a t i o n o f t h e i m p o r t a n c e o f t h e a r t in t h e c o n t e x t o f t h e o v e r -

visual arts a n d a e s t h e t i c s , u s i n g t h e p u b l i c a r t o n c a m p u s as t h e

all p r o j e c t . "

l a u n c h i n g p o i n t . T h e m u s e u m also sets u p special p r o g r a m s

A d m i n i s t r a t o r s are b e c o m i n g i n c r e a s i n g l y a w a r e o f this c r i t i c i s m , a n d a n u m b e r o f n e w a p p r o a c h e s are b e i n g c o n s i d e r e d o r t r i e d . J a c k M a c k i e , a p u b l i c artist w h o also sits o n

the

S e a t t l e A r t s C o m m i s s i o n , e n t h u s i a s t i c a l l y e n d o r s e s his city's

like t o u r s a n d l e c t u r e s w h e n n e w p u b l i c w o r k is g o i n g u p o n campus. For a major project, the m u s e u m m o u n t s a retrospective e x h i b i t i o n o f t h e artist's w o r k s , w h e r e possible. P e r c e n t p r o g r a m s c a n fall n o t o r i o u s l y s h o r t o n c e t h e a r t is in

p e r c e n t - f o r - a r t p r o g r a m , b u t says overall it's t i m e f o r p e r c e n t

place, o f t e n c o m p l e t e l y i g n o r i n g m a i n t e n a n c e

p r o g r a m s to " g r o w up." T h i s means not merely

D e n v e r ' s s o l u t i o n is t o h a v e t h e h o s t a g e n c y t h a t

requesting

m o n e y , h e says, b u t m a k i n g t h e p e r c e n t a g e

variable

within a given budget. A "squishy" f i g u r e — b e t w e e n 1 and 5 percent, d e p e n d i n g on the project's public

tered

the

artist's

involvement

handle

and

repairs. adminis-

maintenance

issues.

" T h e r e ' s n o w a y t o t r u l y assess l o n g - t e r m c o n s e r v a t i o n

and

impact—would

m a i n t e n a n c e — t h e y ' r e a l m o s t i m p o s s i b l e t o s c h e d u l e f o r , " says

f o r c e n u m b e r c r u n c h e r s t o really p a y a t t e n t i o n t o a c c o u n t i n g

J o h n G r a n t , public art a d m i n i s t r a t o r for the mayor's O f f i c e o f

(below) Douglas Hollis, Water

(below right) Douglas Hollis,

Songs, Menlo Park, Calif., 1996. Photo courtesy the artist

Unspecific Gravity,Tampa, Fla., 1998. Photo by Vincent Ahem

P u b l i c A r t R e v i e w . SPRING.SUMMER.98

REPORT

Jack Mackie, Ross's Landing Plaza and Park at the Tennessee Aquarium, Chattanooga.Tenn., 1996. Photo courtesy the artist

(below) Jack Mackie, Scottsdale Justice Center project, Scottsdale. Ariz. Photo courtesy the artist T h o s e i n t e r v i e w e d , h o w e v e r , w e r e all q u i c k to n o t e that p u b lic o u t c r y o f t e n has little t o d o w i t h t h e art itself. A r t t e n d s t o b e t h e m o s t accessible p a r t f o r a c o m m u n i t y , says A l l e n . S o p e o p l e t e n d t o take o u t t h e i r f r u s t r a t i o n s o n t h e art, w h e n t h e y ' r e really a n g r y a b o u t o t h e r e l e m e n t s o f t h e p r o j e c t — b a d a r c h i t e c t u r e , an expressway c h o p p i n g u p a n e i g h b o r h o o d — o r a b o u t f r e e - f l o a t i n g political issues. B u t c o m m u n i t y i n p u t is a fact o f life f o r p u b l i c art. " A s t h e s e p r o g r a m s have b e c o m e m o r e established, w e h a v e i n s t i t u t i o n alized a system o f p u b l i c e n g a g e m e n t t h a t b e g i n s t o w o r k against t h e art," says Allen, " a n d s o m e o f t h e fault lies w i t h t h e agency. As a b u r e a u c r a t , if a p r o j e c t goes s o u t h o n m e , I w a n t

Art, C u l t u r e , a n d Film. Even so, h e says, m a i n t e n a n c e f u n d i n g

to b e able t o say t o t h e c o m m u n i t y , ' L o o k , y o u h a d y o u r

helps take art o u t o f t h e "frills" c a t e g o r y a n d p u t it i n t o t h e

c h a n c e o n this, a n d y o u c h o s e n o t to participate.' U n f o r t u -

r e a l m o f p r o j e c t i n g costs f o r o t h e r p u b l i c a m e n i t i e s , like

nately, that creates s o m e fairly substantial e x p e c t a t i o n s f r o m

roads a n d bridges.

t h e c o m m u n i t y that t h e artist is a l m o s t h o n o r - b o u n d to alter

In t h e C h a r l o t t e , N o r t h C a r o l i n a area, b o t h city a n d c o u n t y

t h e w o r k — t h a t m a y w e a k e n t h e art."

are clients o f t h e n o n p r o f i t C h a r l o t t e - M e c k l e n b u r g P u b l i c A r t

S o m e localities are b y p a s s i n g t h e p e r c e n t a p p r o a c h

C o m m i s s i o n , w h i c h a d m i n i s t e r s a n d t h u s can rely o n t h e p u b -

g e t h e r — S a n D i e g o n o w m a n d a t e s t h a t an artist b e p a r t ot

lic f u n d s . B u t m o r e than half t h e b u d g e t c o m e s f r o m t h e p r i -

every design t e a m , r a t h e r t h a n s i m p l y r e q u i r i n g an a r b i t r a r y 1

vate sector. E x e c u t i v e d i r e c t o r J e n n i f e r M u r p h y says this p u b -

o r 2 p e r c e n t . Still o t h e r s take a " c o m b i n a t i o n " a p p r o a c h , v i e w -

lic-private

i n g p e r c e n t p r o g r a m s as a p a r t o f t h e i r overall f u n d i n g .

approach

helps

insulate

the

program

from

alto-

e c o n o m i c vagaries in w h i c h p e r c e n t - f o r - a r t p r o g r a m s can rise a n d fall d e p e n d i n g o n t h e p u b l i c capital i m p r o v e m e n t b u d g e t .

A m i d s t all o f these e x p e r i m e n t s , a n a t i o n a l s t u d y is n o w u n d e r w a y t o d e t e r m i n e if p e r c e n t p r o g r a m s can o r s h o u l d e s t a b -

P e r c e n t p r o g r a m s are also b e d e v i l e d by o t h e r persistent p r o b -

lish a n a t i o n a l s e r v i c e entity. M e a n w h i l e , t h o u g h , artists r e -

lems. O n e is s t a f f i n g — n o t j u s t u n d e r s t a t i n g , b u t t h e w r o n g

m a i n at t h e m e r c y o f p r o g r a m s in n e e d o f m a t u r a t i o n .

p e o p l e for t h e j o b . Hollis sees a g r o w i n g t r e n d o f a d m i n i s t r a tors w h o lack t h e passion a n d k n o w l e d g e that can

make

t h e m t r u e c o l l a b o r a t o r s . P u b l i c artist A n d r e w Leicester has run into problems w h e n

the administrators haven't

Judy Arginteanu is a writer based in Minneapolis and former assistant editor of Public Art

Review.

estab-

lished g o o d c o n t a c t s b e t w e e n t h e artist a n d t h e c o m m u n i t y .

Note to our readers: As a follow-up to this report, we would like to

T h i s failing has m e a n t a p p e a r a n c e s b e f o r e c r o w d s ot s k e p t i -

hear from you. Which are the best percent programs, and why?

cal, s o m e t i m e s hostile c o m m u n i t y m e m b e r s w h e r e Leicester has had to b a c k t r a c k a n d e x p l a i n a p r o j e c t that's already b e e n c o n c e i v e d a n d d e s i g n e d ; s o m e t i m e s he's h a d to c h a n g e it. H e adds, h o w e v e r , that he's also f o u n d m u c h s u p p o r t f r o m t h e c o m m i t t e e s at t i m e s h e was ready to c h a n g e t h e art t o a c c o m m o d a t e public outcry. A n o t h e r n i g h t m a r e is t h e p r o j e c t that's d e s i g n e d , a p p r o v e d , a n d ready to b e realized, o n l y to b e v e t o e d by a " h i g h e r - u p " ; w o r s e still is taxpayer revolt over an u n p o p u l a r p r o j e c t that i n flames local o p i n i o n (or a p o r t i o n o f it). N o r t h Carolina's state p e r c e n t p r o g r a m was q u i e t l y killed in t h e last m o m e n t s o f t h e 1995 legislative b u d g e t process, in part b e c a u s e of t w o c o n t r o versial p r o j e c t s in R a l e i g h . B e c a u s e p r o j e c t s already in t h e w o r k s are still b e i n g f u n d e d a n d built, m u c h o f t h e p u b l i c d o e s n ' t even k n o w t h e p r o g r a m has b e e n e l i m i n a t e d . ( S e n a t o r H o w a r d Lee is s p o n s o r i n g a bill in t h e u p c o m i n g session to revive t h e p r o g r a m . )

P u b l i c A r t R e v i e w . SPRING.SUMMER.98

BOOKS

VEILED HISTORIES: THE BODY, PLACE, AND PUBLIC ART R e v i e w e d by M a r k Van P r o y e n

• • Edited by Anna Novokov N e w York: Critical Press, 1997 177 pages, $15.95

bers o f t h e polity equal access to a n d equal v o i c e in

the

process o f collective s e l f - d e t e r m i n a t i o n . Certainly, this is t h e implicit m o d e l that g u i d e s t h e various artistic p r o j e c t s that are

It has b e c o m e a p o s t m o d e r n c o m m o n p l a c e t o ask W h o s e his-

r e f l e c t e d u p o n in this b o o k . T h e p r o b l e m is t h a t in t h e artists'

t o r y ? a n y t i m e a m o n o l o g i c a l a n d u n q u a l i f i e d n o t i o n o f his-

s t a t e m e n t s this m o d e l r e m a i n s implicit; it sees t h e real light o f

t o r y is a d v a n c e d in a n y field o f discourse. T h e s t a t e m e n t s that

meaningful explication

A n n a N o v o k o v has b r o u g h t t o g e t h e r in Veiled Histories, w h i c h

provocative introduction. This s h o r t c o m i n g

o r i g i n a t e d f r o m a c o n f e r e n c e h e l d at t h e San F r a n c i s c o A r t

r a t h e r c o m m o n p r o b l e m that is o f t e n i n h e r e n t w h e n artists are

o n l y in N o v o k o v ' s t h o u g h t f u l

and

stems f r o m a

I n s t i t u t e in t h e s u m m e r o f 1996, e x t e n d t h e spirit o f that

f e a t u r e d in c o n f e r e n c e s y m p o s i u m s : t h e y t e n d to o f f e r r e p o r t s

q u e s t i o n to i n c l u d e given a n d u n e x a m i n e d n o t i o n s o f " p u b -

that e x p l a i n t h e i r projects, a n d t h e y confess t o t h e i r p r e o c c u -

lic," especially as t h e y m i g h t b e u n d e r s t o o d to apply to p u b l i c

pations, b u t this d o e s n o t insure that larger issues will b e c o -

art. T h e six a r t i s t - t h e o r e t i c i a n s w h o s e s t a t e m e n t s are i n c l u d e d

h e r e n t l y addressed, at least in t h e f o r m o f verbal p r e s e n t a t i o n .

in this b o o k are all well k n o w n f o r w o r k that challenges t h e p r e s u m e d i n t e r f a c e b e t w e e n t h e parallel w o r l d s o f p u b l i c a n d private being, but the character and intent of the

work

Mark Van Proyen is an artist and critic based in the San Francisco Bay Area. He is an associate professor at the San Francisco Art Institute.

m a r k e d l y differ f r o m o n e a n o t h e r . For example, D e n n i s Adams and Krzysztof Wodiczko offer acc o u n t s o f p r o j e c t s that s o u g h t to d r a m a t i z e t h e p r o b l e m a t i c status o f i m m i g r a n t s m o v i n g t h r o u g h hostile u r b a n spaces. A d a m s tells o f his 1995 p r o j e c t , 10 thru 20, that m o c k e d t h e

TANGLED MEMORIES: THE VIETNAM WAR, THE AIDS EPIDEMIC, AND THE POLITICS OF REMEMBERING R e v i e w e d by A n d r e a Weiss • • •

a r c h i t e c t u r e o f surveillance a n d c o n t r o l in T h e H a g u e ' s n e w city hall a n d library c o m p l e x . W o d i c z k o describes his

Alien

Staff (1993), a v i d e o m o n i t o r h o u s e d in a stylized s h e p h e r d ' s staff that tells t h e tale o f t h e s t r a n g e r w h o carries it, as a t e c h -

Marita Sturken Berkeley: University of California Press, 1997 358 pages, $14.95

n o l o g i c a l l y u p d a t e d r e f e r e n c e to t h e staff o f M o s e s a n d m o r e g e n e r a l l y t o t h e idea o f t h e W a n d e r i n g J e w as an a r c h e t y p e o f the persecuted Other.

O n its v e r y first page, a u t h o r M a r i t a S t u r k e n a n n o u n c e s that B o t h M a r i n a A b r a m o v i c a n d S u z a n n e Lacy o f f e r a c c o u n t s o f

h e r b o o k , Tangled Memories, "is a b o u t h o w cultural m e m o r y

p r o j e c t s realized in t h e m i d - 1 9 7 0 s c o n c e r n i n g t h e social status

o p e r a t e s in t h e U n i t e d

o f p r o s t i t u t e s . A b r a m o v i c revisits h e r piece, Role

Exchange

T h r o u g h o u t her introductory chapter, the most problematic

( 1 9 7 5 ) , f o r w h i c h she t e m p o r a r i l y t r a d e d roles w i t h a sex

p a r t of t h e b o o k , S t u r k e n d e f i n e s and r e d e f i n e s cultural m e m -

w o r k e r in A m s t e r d a m ' s red light district. Lacy gives a r a t h e r

ory, seeking, it seems, a c o n v i n c i n g j u s t i f i c a t i o n f o r this thesis

c o n d e s c e n d i n g a u t o b i o g r a p h i c a l a c c o u n t o f h e r research i n t o

o n w h i c h h e r e n t i r e w o r k lies. L a b o r i n g to distinguish h e r

States in t h e

1980s a n d

1990s."

t h e m o r e s o f " t h e l i f e " as it was p r a c t i c e d by b o t h m a l e a n d f e -

idea o f cultural m e m o r y as distinct f r o m p e r s o n a l

m a l e sex w o r k e r s in Los A n g e l e s f o r Prostitution

a n d history, S t u r k e n finally c o n c e d e s : " B e c a u s e o f . . . b o u n d a r y

Notes

(1974).

memory

crossings in w h a t is r e m e m b e r e d , t r u e distinctions b e t w e e n P r o s t i t u t i o n also takes c e n t e r stage in N o v o k o v ' s i n t r o d u c t i o n t o t h e b o o k , w h e r e she n o t e s that it w o u l d b e socially i m p o s sible to have a f e m a l e e q u i v a l e n t o f Baudelaire's flaneur— t h e 40

s e l f - a b s o r b e d d a n d y w h o can glide t h r o u g h t h e spectacle o f t h e m o d e r n city w i t h o u t b e i n g a p a r t o f it. S u c h a role is n e v e r available to w o m e n , b e c a u s e t h e spaces o f t h e m o d e r n city are so s e g r e g a t e d a c c o r d i n g t o g e n d e r as t o a u t o m a t i c a l l y r e n d e r t h e flaneuse

as la fille publique—that

is, a street walker, a target

f o r t h e dandy's d e l e c t a t i o n .

p e r s o n a l m e m o r y , cultural m e m o r y , and h i s t o r y c a n n o t

m a d e . " U n f o r t u n a t e l y , after m a k i n g this c o n c e s s i o n , S t u r k e n c o n t i n u e s to b e l a b o r h e r idea o f cultural m e m o r y , w h i c h r e p resents a m i d d l e g r o u n d o f sorts b e t w e e n t h e m e m o r i e s o f i n dividuals a n d t h e " s a n c t i o n e d o r v a l o r i z e d " a c c o u n t s that b e c o m e f o r m a l history. T h i s s e m a n t i c s p r o b l e m aside, Tangled Memories

d o e s a c c o m p l i s h m u c h that it sets o u t to do. W h i l e

f o c u s i n g o n s o m e o f t h e m a j o r U.S. political t r a u m a s

t h e past t h i r t y - f i v e years, S t u r k e n e x p l o r e s h o w t h e t a n g l e d

If t h e r e is o n e u n i f y i n g t h r e a d c o n n e c t i n g t h e s t a t e m e n t s p r e -

n e g o t i a t i o n s b e t w e e n p e r s o n a l , cultural, a n d officially s a n c -

s e n t e d in Veiled Histories,

it is an a n x i o u s skepticism o f t h e

t i o n e d m e m o r i e s u l t i m a t e l y coalesce to create o u r responses

practical possibility t h a t t h e r e can even b e a t h i n g l e g i t i m a t e l y

to t h e m as a culture. A n d she m a i n t a i n s that it is t h r o u g h c u l -

called " p u b l i c c u l t u r e , " that is, o n e m o d e l that allows all m e m -

tural p r o d u c t s — m e m o r i a l s , p u b l i c art, a n d m e d i a images, for

P u b l i c A r t R e v i e w . SPRING.SUMMER.98

B O

e x a m p l e — t h a t these m e m o r y n e g o t i a t i o n s find t h e i r greatest

o f t h e s c i e n c e b e h i n d t h e AIDS virus a n d discusses h o w m i l i -

s o u n d i n g boards.

tary m e t a p h o r s u s e d t o p o r t r a y t h e i m m u n e system (HIV- a n d AiDS-infected b o d i e s at w a r w i t h t h e m s e l v e s ) m a y i n f l u e n c e

S t u r k e n focuses m o s t o f h e r analysis o n t h e V i e t n a m War a n d AIDS, " e v e n t s o f t r a u m a in w h i c h m a n y lives have b e e n lost

t h e w a y w e as a c u l t u r e i m a g i n e t h e b o d y t o f u n c t i o n .

a n d a t t e m p t s to find m e a n i n g have b e e n f r a u g h t w i t h grief."

F o r a n y o n e involved in p u b l i c art, Tangled Memories

S t u r k e n believes t h a t o u r so-called cultural m e m o r i e s o f these

always e n l i g h t e n — t h o u g h well p a c e d a n d s c r u p u l o u s l y d o c u -

may not

crises have largely b e e n s h a p e d w i t h t h e h e l p o f very p u b l i c

m e n t e d , t h e text o f t e n s e e m s m e r e l y to s u m m a r i z e w h a t has

m e m o r i a l s : t h e V i e t n a m Veterans M e m o r i a l

t h e AIDS

b e e n w r i t t e n m a n y t i m e s b e f o r e (as S t u r k e n ' s a d m i r a b l e b i b l i -

and

M e m o r i a l Q u i l t . S h e suggests that these m e m o r i a l s are v e h i -

o g r a p h y attests). N e v e r t h e l e s s , it p r o v i d e s a lucid, t h o u g h t -

cles t h r o u g h w h i c h o p p o s i n g v i e w p o i n t s m a y surface, t h r o u g h

provoking examination of the interplay of the personal, cul-

w h i c h " n a t i o n a l a n d c o u n t e r n a t i o n a l n a r r a t i v e s " are played

tural, a n d official in t h e m a k i n g o f n a t i o n a l m e m o r y a n d t h e

o u t . F o r instance, i n h e r e n t in t h e w e l l - k n o w n

role that p u b l i c art can play in this process.

controversy

over t h e design o f t h e V i e t n a m Veterans M e m o r i a l is t h e s t r u g gle to " r e i n s c r i b e U.S. i m p e r i a l i s m a n d t h e m a s c u l i n i t y o f t h e

Andrea Weiss is assistant editor of Public Art Review.

A m e r i c a n soldier," versus t h e n e e d s o f " v e t e r a n s , t h e i r families, and t h e families a n d f r i e n d s o f t h e w a r d e a d to speak o f loss,

Corrections

p a i n , a n d futility." Likewise, t h e AIDS Q u i l t , t h o u g h it " c r e a t e s a c o m m u n i t y u n i t e d by s o r r o w a n d anger," also b r i n g s i n t o f o c u s t e n s i o n s w i t h i n that c o m m u n i t y over w h o o w n s AIDS, w h o has t h e privilege to m o u r n in t h e m i d s t o f an e p i d e m i c , a n d w h e t h e r t h e original i n t e n t o f t h e quilt, w h i c h was r o o t e d in protest and activism, has evolved i n t o o n e o f false r e d e m p t i o n a n d a b s o l u t i o n o f n a t i o n a l guilt.

Please

note

that

the

excerpt

from

Rosalyn

Deutsche's

Evictions: Art and Spatial Politics, reprinted in PAR 17: Democracy ( F a l l / W i n t e r 1997) is n o t a c o n t i n u o u s passsage q u o t e d e x actly

appears

Deutsche's

book,

but

o f selected p a r a g r a p h s . M a t e r i a l f r o m t h e o r i g i n a l

group version

was o m i t t e d , a n d t h e o m i s s i o n s w e r e n o t i n d i c a t e d by ellipses

O t h e r c h a p t e r s f o c u s o n c a m e r a images, b o t h still and m o v i n g . T h o u g h c a m e r a images reveal o n l y i n c o m p l e t e traces o f t h e actual events, S t u r k e n n o t e s that their s p o n t a n e o u s n a t u r e a n d replay quality create an aura o f almost s u p e r n a t u r a l w i s d o m a n d instigate e v e r - e v o l v i n g i n t e r p r e t a t i o n s that w a v e r b e t w e e n fact a n d fantasy. L o n g after t h e events are over, w e l o o k t o t h e images t h a t c a p t u r e d t h e m in h o r r o r , w o n d e r , l o n g i n g . As a result, t h e Z a p r u d e r film o f K e n n e d y s assassination, f a m o u s

b e t w e e n paragraphs. J a m e s P r i g o f f w r i t e s : G e o r g e Lipsitz's article (PAR 17:

Democ-

racy) c o n t a i n e d several murals n o t i d e n t i f i e d , i n c l u d i n g J o h a n n a P o e t h i g ' s Street of Eternity the

heart

El Ntievo

of d o w n t o w n

o n B r o a d w a y n e a r F o u r t h in

Los A n g e l e s

and

the

detail

Fnego by t h e East Los Streetscapers o n t h e V i c t o r

C l o t h i n g store across t h e street. T h e f o r m e r is a c o p y r i g h t of

SPARC.

images o f V i e t n a m W a r atrocities, TV c o v e r a g e o f t h e C h a l lenger explosion, and the videos of the R o d n e y King and

PAR mistakenly r e f e r r e d to t h e artist J o r g e P a r d o in J e r r y Allen's

R e g i n a l d D e n n y b e a t i n g s stand in t h e f o r e f r o n t o f o u r m e m -

r e v i e w o f S k u l p t u r P r o j e k t e in M i i n s t e r (PAR 17: Decmocracy)

ories; they b e c o m e

t h e p u b l i c art a d m i n i s t r a t o r f o r L o n g B e a c h , California's C o r -

in o u r m i n d s t h e e v e n t s

themselves.

Sturken's fascinating c h a p t e r o n t h e Gulf War e x a m i n e s w h a t

p o r a t i o n f o r P u b l i c Art. H e is a n o t h e r J o r g e Pardo.

h a p p e n s w h e n i m a g e s o f n a t i o n a l events are o r c h e s t r a t e d f o r u s — t h e live, u p - t o - t h e - m i n u t e , g o v e r n m e n t - m o n i t o r e d CNN c o v e r a g e w i t h its endlessly b e n i g n images o f military c h a r t s a n d satellite p h o t o g r a p h s led us to believe at t h e t i m e w e w e r e w a t c h i n g t h e w a r as it u n f o l d e d . Yet seven years later a sort o f a m n e s i a has e n v e l o p e d o u r m e m o r y o f this war. S t u r k e n att r i b u t e s this a m n e s i a t o t h e " b l o o d l e s s " m e d i a coverage. D e spite t h e h i g h n u m b e r of Iraqi casualties a n d t h e extensive

Coming in the next issue of

PAR...

Public Service

Issue #19 (Fall/Winter 1998)

d a m a g e s o u r h i g h - t e c h w e a p o n r y w i e l d e d , A m e r i c a n s have n e v e r actually seen t h e devastation t h e G u l f War c a u s e d . W e lack t h e i m a g e r y t o c o n t a i n t h e G u l f War w i t h i n o u r m e m o r y — w h i c h , she adds, is exactly t h e effect f o r w h i c h t h e g o v -

Looking for more public art information? Check out our Web site: forecastart.org

e r n m e n t h o p e d . Sturken's final c h a p t e r analyzes m e d i a i m a g e s

P u b l i c A r t R e v i e w . SPRING.SUMMER. 98

RECENT

PROJECTS

From Cape Ann to Cape C o d a

choosing humane courses of ac-

Santa Monica's Cultural

daily message that audiences

treasure hunt funded by the arts

tion. Removal of the work has

Affairs Division just installed

across the country can access.

lottery councils in Plymouth,

been postponed due to positive

TWILIGHT and YEARNING by artist

Her phone commentary will

Wareham, and Gloucester took

public response,

Manfred M tiller. Juxtaposed

respond to a range of topics

place last September 1997. Artist

[below Photo courtesy Franklin &

against the ever-changing

including observations on news

Tara Law Campbell sandblasted

Marshall College]

movement of the water and

headlines and social injustices as

waves, three brightly painted

well as more personal reflections

wooden boats are lashed to the

on motherhood and daily life.

bottles with an excerpt from Virginia Woolf's book The Waves. T h e excerpt personified the bottles by extending a message of hope and rejuvenation to whomever found it.Visiting the beaches and participating in the hunt reminded participants of what a gift our coastline's ever-changing presence is. Cultural council members are hoping to make this an annual event, [below Photo courtesy the artist]

In October 1997 the C a m bridge Arts Council dedicated SPIRAL, a collaboration between sculptor David Philips and landscape architect Craig Halvorson, in which they transformed an intersection previously used for bus parking into a city park. T h e collaborators use the naturally elegant form of a spiral to organize the configuration of amenities, which includes field stones with bronze inlays, artistdesigned seating, and beds of

pilings of the pier. For the artist,

Finley specifically wants to use a

the boats are a reminder of the

900 exchange (usually associated

ocean's role in human endeavors

with the charlatans of phone sex

and, in turn, of humanity's

and psychics) as a venue to

responsibility to care for this

explore free expression. T h e

distinct natural resource in

call, however, is not free.

the face of growing environmental degradation. These two projects are the first in an ambitious series, including a major redesign of the California coastline pairing artist Jody Pinto and the design firm of Wallace

Will Nettleship recently c o m pleted JAZZ ON CAMELBACK for a two-mile-long strip park. Nettleship resided in the neighborhood for a week to study public use of the site and

O n July 22, 1997, Linda C u n -

flowers. T h e Cambridge Arts

ningham's DIVISIONS was installed

Council also dedicated STOP-

across from the United Nations

ACTION FRIEZE by Jay Coogan.a

T h e Regional Arts & Culture

to their keen interest m views

building in N e w York City.

permanent public art installation

Council, Oregon, recently dedi-

of Camelback Mountain,

Constructed primarily of

in the new Frisoli Youth Center,

cated GARDEN WREATH by Larry

Nettleship developed imagery

twisted and crushed steel I-

consisting of a series of three-

Kirkland. Suspended from the

based on views of the mountain

beams and 150-year-old

feet-tall aluminum figures

celling of the entry foyer of the

and patterns of the sun rising.

wooden beams from N.Y.C. de-

arranged in the form of a sculp-

Central Library, Portland, it is an

Ideas were developed for the

molition sites, Divisions stretches

tural frieze around the interior

ellipse made of guilded and

walkways, as well as the flood control wall and spillway allow-

Roberts & Todd.

organize a "sandbox workshop'' with residents. Responding

more than fifty feet in length

of the Center's two-story lobby.

coppered aluminum introducing

and viewers can pass between

T h e activities represented in the

the metaphor of the library as a

ing park users to discover and

and through breaches in the

frieze pay tribute to the vision

Garden of Knowledge,

unfold the complete picture as

symbolic barriers. Fragments of

behind the youth center, a place

[below Photo courtesy Regional

they pass through the park,

text inscribed in the six official

to cultivate the mind as well as

Arts & Cultural Council]

[below Photo courtesy the artist]

United Nations languages

the body.

repeat an elegant quotation from French philosopher E m manuel Levinas, which considers the possibility of

Starting on President's Day, February 16, Creative T i m e launched Karen Finley's first national public performance piece, l-900-ALL-KAREN. Every day for six months, Finley will perform a

P u b l i c A r t R e v i e w . SPRING.SUMMER.98

RECENT

PROJECTS