Public Art Review issue 21 - 1999 (fall/winter) by forecastpublicart

PublicArtReview MARKING TIME

FOREWORD Jeffrey Kastner

I believe we attach too much importance to art and architecture in producing an awareness of our belonging to a city or a country, when what we actually share is a sense of time. What we commemorate is its passing; and we thus establish a more universal historical bond and develop a deeper understanding of our society. —-John Brinckerhoff Jackson, A Sense of Time, a Sense of Place

^ T ^ ^

HE T H E M E O F THIS ISSUE OF PUBLIC ART REVIEW,

" M A R K I N G T I M E , " WAS INSPIRED BY T W O

I important, but quite different kinds of time-related milestones—one fairly specific, local, . ^ L . and modest; the other highly generalized, widespread, and very grand indeed. In addition to marking the tenth anniversary of this magazine, PAR 21 is the issue that will be current at the time of the millennial blowout on January 1, 2000. It was the coincidence of these two occasions that started us thinking about our society's preoccupation with the observation and measurement of time—and, by extension, the way that the processes and mechanisms of time have often served as direct or indirect inspiration for works created in public space. From the cryptic arrangement of Neolithic rocks at Stonehenge to the postmodern layering of Kristin Jones and Andrew Ginzel's recently dedicated Metronome in N e w York City, the rich history of timepieces as central elements in public works of art is well documented. Serving not only to systemize time but also to elaborate and poeticize it, these devices translate that most ineffable of physical phenomena into the language of art, giving symbolic and formal body to the invisible march against which all our activity is measured. We too give body and shape to time w h e n we mark its passing in the particular increments to which we attach our own personal and communal meanings. O u r celebrations of birthdays and anniversaries—whether commemorating a decade of publishing or a thousand years of society and culture—remind us that our lives are as narrow and as wide as time itself, b o u n d by its strictures yet also part of a pattern that transcends temporal limits. And, of course, public art is engaged with time in ways far more subtle and complex than its incorporation of devices designed to track it. Provoking and reflecting the issues that animate the shared physical and intellectual space of civic life, public art—like all art—can measure not just time, but also "the times." W h e n I was trying to decide how to summarize the ideas that inspired us to make this issue, a phrase I initially remembered only as a kind of vague collegiate fragment kept playing over and over again in my head: Vita brevis est, ars longa. Life is short, art long. W h e n I checked the saying's origin, I discovered that the R o m a n statesman Seneca, with w h o m it is usually associated, actually borrowed it from an even more famous Greek four centuries his elder. Although best known today as the father of medicine, Hippocrates' investigations into the physical sciences gave rise to passionate pronouncements on society and culture. "Life is short, the art long," he wrote in his Aphorisms, to which he added, "opportunity fleeting, experience treacherous, j u d g m e n t difficult." As PAR approaches the beginning of its second decade—and we all near the starting line of the twenty-first century—the future of public art will no doubt continue to be characterized by fleeting opportunity, treacherous experience, and difficult judgments. We hardly need reminding that our own time is short. Yet it is worth remembering that both the creators and audiences of today's public art represent vital links across time, between the past and the future—what is done in the present is not isolated, but rather part of the ongoing process of building our society and culture. Speaking both directly to and far outside the boundaries of our individual durations, the things we make and the ways we think about them are destined, for good or ill, to live beyond us, telling the story of the way we marked our time.

PublicArtReview MARKING TIME

features DYNAMIC EXCHANGE

DEEP TIME DESIGN

TIME PIECES

INSTANT ARCHAEOLOGY

PUBLIC ART AT THIS TIME

Jeffrey Kastner

PHOTO MONTAGE 2 0

TIME CAPSULES AS MEMORIAL GESTURES

Patricia C. Phillips 4

Paul S t e p h e n H u d s o n 2 2 MILLENNIAL THINKING

Malcolm Miles 1 4

conference and project reviews PUBLIC ART IN THE 21 ST

VISIBLE REPUBLIC

CENTURY

N E W PUBLIC ART IN BOSTON

LisaYoon 2 7

Carole G o l d Calo 3 1

FORECAST 21

Todd Melby 3 5

COMMENTARY BV VITO ACCONCI

EXCERPT THEATRE OF WONDER: May Day S a n d y Spieler 3 8

AND MARY JANE JACOB 2 8

book reviews THEATRE OF WONDER TWENTY-FIVE YEARS IN THE HEART

OF THE BEAST

listings

Moira F. Harris 3 9

PUBLIC ART REVIEW

FORECAST board of directors

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Stonehenge. Photo by Jerry Peters

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Metronome. Photo by David Sundberg

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Thanks to Mary Jo Eitlejorge for

Pregill, and HafthorYngvason

transcription services.

DYNAMIC EXCHANGE P U B L I C ART AT THIS TIME

Patricia C. Phillips

The language of the imaginary is multiplying.

It circulates everywhere in our cities. It

speaks to the crowds, and the crowd speaks it too. It is our language, it is the artificial air we breathe, it is the urban element in which we have to

think. — M i c h e l de C e r t e a u Culture in the Plural

" WAS TALKING

RECENTLY WITH A C R I T I C W H O

LIVES N E A R B Y A N D

w o r k i n g o n this p i e c e f o r Public Art Review

M E N T I O N E D THAT

I WAS

as well as a l o n g e r r e f l e c t i o n o n p u b -

. lie art f o r a L o n d o n - b a s e d p u b l i s h e r . M y f r i e n d o f f e r e d g e n u i n e expressions o f interest a n d s u p p o r t , b u t also o f c o n d o l e n c e , s u g g e s t i n g t h a t p u b l i c art is in a " v e r y m u d d l e d state." If n o t fatally c o n f u s e d , t h e r e is a s t r o n g sense t h a t t h e c e n t e r d o e s n o t h o l d in p u b l i c art. E v i d e n c e o f n a t i o n a l a n d i n t e r n a t i o n a l activity a n d initiatives exists. Yet t h e r e is still an i n d i f f e r e n c e t o t h e c r e a t i o n o f t h e k i n d o f sustained t h e o r e t i c a l o r critical f r a m e w o r k r e q u i r e d t o t r a n s f o r m ideas a n d i m p r e s s i o n s i n t o m e a n i n g f u l relationships and connections. I t h i n k b a c k t o m y o w n e m e r g i n g interests in p u b l i c art, w h i c h d e v e l o p e d t w o d e c a d e s a g o w h e n I e n c o u n t e r e d t h e w o r k o f J a m e s W i n e s , Alison Sky, a n d ( b a c k g r o u n d p h o t o ) Alison Saar, Leelinau, c a r v e d w o o d e n f i g u r e based on Native-American myth, L a u m e i e r S c u l p t u r e Park, St. Louis,

S I T E , a m u l t i d i s c i p l i n a r y a r c h i t e c t u r e a n d e n v i r o n m e n t a l art o r g a n i z a t i o n f o u n d e d in N e w Y o r k in 1970. In t h e o r y a n d practice, t h e m e m b e r s o f S I T E raised t r e n c h a n t q u e s tions about the shifting locations and b o u n d a r i e s of the public realm. D e d i c a t e d to

Mo., 1997.

m a k i n g citizens m o r e i n f o r m e d a n d e n g a g e d p a r t i c i p a n t s in shared civic spaces, S I T E

Photo courtesy Laumeier Sculpture

also stressed t h e significance o f l o o k i n g — w i t h i m a g i n a t i o n a n d c r i t i c a l i t y — a t t h e o f t e n

Park ( i n s e t t o p ) C a r l o s D o r r i e n , The

c o n t r a d i c t o r y c o n d i t i o n s o f t h e built e n v i r o n m e n t . W o r k i n g w i t h t h e m c o n f i r m e d a n d f o c u s e d m y interest in t h e r e l a t i o n s h i p o f cities, c o m m u n i t i e s , p u b l i c spaces, landscapes,

Nine Muses, g r a n i t e s c u l p t u r e ,

art, a n d a r c h i t e c t u r e . T h e d y n a m i c issues at t h e i n t e r s e c t i o n s o f these areas r e m a i n c e n -

D e C o r d o v a Museum and Sculpture

tral t o m y a p p r o a c h t o t h i n k i n g a b o u t p u b l i c art.

M a n y o f t h e artists first d r a w n t o t h e sense o f possibility in p u b l i c art shared a f e e l i n g that t h e prevailing c o n v e n t i o n s o f t h e t r a d i t i o n a l art w o r l d w e r e l i m i t -

( i n s e t m i d d l e ) Alice A y c o c k ,

i n g a n d exclusionary.Yet t h e i r interests a n d i n t e n t i o n s v a r i e d widely, a n d t h e w o r k t h e y

Fantasy Functional Stair,

created r e f l e c t e d this diversity. P u b l i c art e x c l u d e s n o m e d i a , materials, o r process. It c a n

s t a i r w a y in Main Library, San F r a n c i s c o , Calif., 1996. Photo courtesy the artist

r e q u i r e years o f p l a n n i n g , c o n s u l t a t i o n , a n d approval to develop, o r it can o c c u r s p o n t a n e o u s l y a n d u n s a n c t i o n e d . It can b e m o m e n t a r y o r lasting. It can at o n c e e x c a v a t e t h e past a n d e n v i s i o n t h e f u t u r e . W i t h a b r o a d e n i n g o f t h e c o n c e p t i o n o f p u b l i c , it c a n h a p -

(inset b o t t o m ) Barbara McCarren w i t h R i c a r d o L e g o r r e t a , Laurie Olin, Rick Scholl a n d M a r k Miller, Heyday, Los A n g e l e s d e p i c t e d in m i c r o c o s m , P e r s h i n g S q u a r e Park, Los A n g e l e s , Calif., 1994. Photo courtesy the artist

p e n at almost any t i m e , w i t h a n y o n e , a n d virtually a n y w h e r e . A l t h o u g h t h e r e are a small n u m b e r of m e m o r a b l e e x a m p l e s , p u b l i c art can e v e n o c c u r in galleries, m u s e u m s , a n d o t h e r p r i v a t e settings. W h i l e this variability is o n e o f t h e f o r m ' s m o s t i n t r i g u i n g d i m e n s i o n s , it also m a k e s it difficult to p i n d o w n . I m a g i n e a m o d e l t h a t o f f e r s a reliable r e p r e s e n t a t i o n o f p u b l i c art. Is it a vast space in w h i c h m a n y o t h e r practices coexist, i n c l u d i n g t h e far m o r e established, lucrative, a n d p u b l i c i z e d g a l l e r y - b a s e d art? O r , n o t w i t h s t a n d i n g its P u b l i c A r t R e v i e w . FALL. WINTER. 99

inclusive a g e n d a , is p u b l i c art o n l y o n e small a n d r a t h e r t a n g e n t i a l a s p e c t â&#x20AC;&#x201D; a c e n t e r that d o e s h o l d â&#x20AC;&#x201D; o f t h e m u c h l a r g e r w o r l d o f g a l l e r y a n d m u s e u m art? D e s p i t e its ( t o p ) SITE, Ti/t Showroom, BEST P r o d u c t s C o m p a n y

f a m o u s l y flexible p a r a m e t e r s , is it o n l y a m o d e s t passage

s h o w r o o m designed t o celebrate the surrounding

r a t h e r t h a n an o p e n f i e l d o f c o n t e m p o r a r y

n a t u r a l e n v i r o n m e n t , R i c h m o n d . V a . , 1980. Photo courtesy SITE

aesthetic

practice? A r e such c o m p a r a t i v e m o d e l s e v e n h e l p f u l in c o n c e p t u a l i z i n g f u t u r e prospects f o r p u b l i c art?

( b o t t o m ) Marcia M c E a c h r o n , Canopy Shelter: Bus Stop, M i n n e a p o l i s , Minn., 1998. Photo courtesy the artist

P e r h a p s it is m o r e c o n s t r u c t i v e t o c o n sider h o w p u b l i c art is pivotal, a n d w h y critical t h i n k i n g a b o u t it m u s t b e j u s t as vital a n d central. S o m e artists a n d critics have p r o p o s e d that successful p u b l i c art is i n t r i n sically d i f f e r e n t f r o m " a r t w o r l d , " o r g a l l e r y - b a s e d , art.

( t o p ) May Day Parade, In t h e H e a r t of t h e B e a s t P u p p e t and Mask T h e a t r e , annual p a r a d e i n c o r p o r a t i n g p u p p e t s a n d c o m m u n i t y displays, Minneapolis, Minn., 1991. Photo by Moira Harris ( m i d d l e t o p ) K r z y s z t o f W o d i c z k o , Public Projection, v i d e o p r o j e c t i o n o n t h e f a c a d e of t h e H i r s h h o r n M u s e u m , W a s h i n g t o n , D.C., 1988. Photo courtesy Walker A r t Center, Minneapolis, Minn. ( m i d d l e b o t t o m ) C a r l C h e n g , Sonto Monica Art Tool, c o n c r e t e roller prints "Walk on C A " impression on beach sand w h e n pulled by city t r a c t o r , Santa Monica, Calif., 1988. Photo by Carl Cheng © I 9 9 9 ( b o t t o m ) Rigo '95, One Tree, t e m p o r a r y m u r a l installation, C a p p S t r e e t P r o j e c t , San F r a n c i s c o , Calif., 1995. Photo by Mark Eastman

T h e y reason that it is possible, if n o t c o m m o n p l a c e , that w h a t resonates as p u b l i c art m a y u n q u e s t i o n a b l y fail as "art." For t h e m t h e inverse is possible as well: g o o d art m a y d i s a p p o i n t a n d fail as p u b l i c art. T h e c o n s e q u e n c e o f these p o s i t i o n s is t h e c o n s t r u c t i o n a n d d e f e n s e o f dist i n c t c r i t e r i a , c a t e g o r i e s , a n d critical t e r r i t o r i e s . W h i l e this c o n s c i o u s e s t r a n g e m e n t o f p u b l i c art a n d g a l l e r y b a s e d art m a y o f f e r a m o r e h a r m o n i o u s a n d o r d e r l y i n t e l l e c t u a l e n v i r o n m e n t f o r critical appraisal, it o v e r l o o k s s o m e significant issues a b o u t h o w art f u n c t i o n s in t h e lives o f p e o p l e as well as o n e u n i m p e a c h a b l e fact: p u b l i c art is always art. It is n o t s o m e t h i n g that o c c a s i o n ally aspires t o a n d achieves t h e status o f art. T h e art o f p u b l i c art c a n n o t b e negotiable. W e m u s t b e g i n t o c o n s t r u c t — a n d insist o n — a theoretical and critical c o n t e x t for b o t h / a n d r a t h e r t h a n e i t h e r / o r speculations. C r i t i c a l processes are r e q u i r e d that l o o k at p u b l i c art a n d gallery-based art as allied, in o r d e r t o r e d i s c o v e r a n d c o n s i d e r w h a t t h e y have in c o m m o n . Just as s o m e purists are aghast at t h e m i x o f p o p u l a r c u l t u r e a n d art in t h e w r i t i n g o f a critic like D a v e Hickey, t h i n k i n g a b o u t p u b l i c art a n d gallery-

V i , . -

b a s e d art as p r o f o u n d l y , if p r o b l e m a t i c a l l y , c o n n e c t e d m a y t h r e a t e n s o m e critical e n c a m p m e n t s . R e g a r d l e s s o f t h e specific i n t e n t o f t h e artist, n o a r t w o r k is ever a b o u t singular m e a n i n g s . A r t generally p e r f o r m s ; it d o e s s o m e t h i n g , albeit in d i f f e r e n t ways t o d i f f e r e n t p e o p l e . A n y c o n s i d e r a t i o n of p u b l i c art m u s t first a c k n o w l e d g e that art is an active a g e n t r a t h e r t h a n an a m e n i t y o r diversion, that its c i r c u m s t a n c e s a n d c o n t e x t are inevitably c o m p l e x a n d o f t e n d e e p l y c o n f l i c t e d , a n d that v i e w e r s ' e x p e r i e n c e s o f it are always i n f l u e n c e d by b o t h p e r s o n a l a n d socially c o n s t r u c t e d p r e c o n c e p t i o n s . If n o t essentially d i f f e r e n t f r o m o t h e r art, p u b l i c art d o e s suggest its o w n p a r t i c u l a r m o d e l f o r t h i n k i n g a b o u t t h e way all art f u n c t i o n s — a s a d y n a m i c e x c h a n g e o f i n v e n t i o n , p r o d u c t i o n , delivery, r e c e p t i o n , P u b l i c A r t R e v i e w . FALL. WINTER. 99

( l e f t ) D o u g Hollis, Rain Column, i n d o o r f o u n t a i n , Rincon C e n t e r , San F r a n c i s c o , Calif., 1988. Photo courtesy the artist ( f a r r i g h t ) Mags H a r r i e s , Topiary: a twenty year project, l a n d s c a p e installation w i t h plantings t h a t will g r o w t o c o v e r s t r u c t u r e , P r o s p e c t Park, B r o o k l y n , N.Y., 1993. Photo courtesy the artist ( r i g h t ) Seitu J o n e s , Divine Shrine of the Collard Green, i n t e r i o r r o o m design. P r o j e c t R o w H o u s e . H o u s t o n , T e x . , 1 9 9 8 - 9 9 . Photo courtesy the artist ( b o t t o m ) P a t r i c k D o u g h e r t y , m a p l e saplings installed o n f a c a d e of H a b e r s h a m Hall, Savannah C o l l e g e of A r t and D e s i g n , Savannah, Ga.. 1998. Photo courtesy Savannah College of A r t and Design

o f t h e p u b l i c itself has p r o v i d e d t h e s u b j e c t m a t t e r f o r art a n d its criticism. W h i l e t h e idea o f t h e p u b l i c r e m a i n s a c o m p e l l i n g i n t e l l e c t u a l i d e a , p e r h a p s critical a t t e n t i o n s h o u l d be refocused toward the actual audience that e x p e r i e n c e s a n d d e f i n e s t h e w o r k . P u b l i c art, in n a m e a n d in its m a n y f o r m s , m a k e s a direct claim that it has b e e n m a d e o r p e r f o r m e d w i t h s o m e o n e in m i n d . B u t w h a t it m a y b e a b o u t is n o t necessarily w h o it is f o r o r w h o will f i n d m e a n i n g in it. It accepts t h e i n d i s p e n s a b i l ity, if u n d e f m a b i l i t y , o f an a u d i e n c e . A g r o w i n g p r e o c c u p a t i o n in t h e visual a n d a c t i o n r a t h e r t h a n a stable c o l l e c t i o n o f f o r m a l c h a r -

a n d p e r f o r m i n g arts, a u d i e n c e is a s h i f t y s u b j e c t . (Art

acteristics. In its m a n y m a n i f e s t a t i o n s , it q u e s t i o n s w h a t

historian H a r r i e t S e n i e a n d o t h e r s are b e g i n n i n g t o take

occurs—and

and

a m o r e r i g o r o u s a p p r o a c h t o d e f i n i n g it.) If t h e r e l a t i o n -

e x p e r i e n c e art. In b o t h subtle a n d radical ways, p u b l i c

changes—when

people encounter

ship t o an a u d i e n c e is t o o rigidly d e f i n e d , criticism can

art shifts critical analysis t o t h e responses o f v i e w e r s w h o

e n d u p as a banal, qualitative g a m e o f t r y i n g to m e a s u r e

shape, m o d i f y , p e r p e t u a t e , a n d c o m p l e t e (at least p r o v i sionally) its m e a n i n g . P u b l i c art implies a n d a c k n o w l edges the transactions that drive the

transformative

n a t u r e o f all art. B u t it is i m p o r t a n t t o clarify t h a t this c o n n e c t i o n o f response a n d c o n t i n g e n t m e a n i n g is n o t a d e f e n s e f o r t h e effectiveness o f p u b l i c art. By f o c u s i n g o n w h a t art d o e s in t h e lives o f individuals, t h e r e is n e v e r a n i m p l i c a t i o n o f w h a t art m u s t p r o d u c e — w h a t

out-

c o m e o r actions m i g h t b e e x p e c t e d . P u b l i c art seeks t o d o s o m e t h i n g t o p e o p l e , b u t it is n e v e r e n t i r e l y clear w h a t this m i g h t be. It can shape p u b l i c i m a g i n a t i o n a n d 08

p r o v i d e a sense o f t h e c o n s e q u e n c e o f i n d i v i d u a l desires a n d actions w i t h i n a shared c u l t u r e . B u t t h e r e is. a startling surfeit of works and policies that appear to be d e s i g n e d t o avoid t h e responsibilities, issues, risks, a n d p e r i o d i c controversies of p u b l i c art. As t h e idea o f p u b l i c is e x p a n d e d a n d e f f a c e d , a significant if n o t u n i q u e f e a t u r e o f p u b l i c art is t h e r e s p o n s e a n d r e c e p t i o n of t h e a u d i e n c e . C r i t i c i s m of p u b l i c art has traditionally d w e l l e d o n its e n v i r o n m e n t a n d c o n t e x t . At o t h e r times, an i n t e r r o g a t i o n o f t h e idea

P u b l i c A r t R e v i e w . FALL. WINTER. 99

t h e success of t h e c o n n e c t i o n , a m e c h a n i c a l process o f

t o s u c c e e d . N o r s h o u l d it rely o n a f o r m o f o p e r a n t c o n -

j u d g m e n t m a k i n g r a t h e r t h a n an o p e n space f o r ideas.

ditioning, w h e r e some action stimulates a predictable

A n d if t h e role of t h e a u d i e n c e is t o o n a r r o w l y e n v i -

o u t c o m e . P u b l i c art's m o s t f r u i t f u l strategy is t o c o n n e c t

s i o n e d , s o m e o f t h e m o s t risky, robust, a n d r e s o n a n t ideas

with viewers and participants t h r o u g h compelling, chal-

a b o u t t h e e x p e r i e n c e o f art m a y n e v e r d e v e l o p o r

l e n g i n g , a n d palpable images.

flour-

ish. Yet f o r all its possible pitfalls, p u b l i c art's d e l i b e r a t e

As l o n g as p u b l i c artists seek t o c r e a t e

a l i g n m e n t of t h e creative process a n d t h e c o n c e p t o f t h e

work with particular c o m m u n i t i e s and constituencies

a u d i e n c e has t h e p o t e n t i a l t o p r o v i d e n e w insights o n

(at-risk y o u t h , a b u s e d w o m e n , p u b l i c s c h o o l s t u d e n t s ,

t h e relationship of aesthetic ideas t o an o n g o i n g r e n e w a l

residents of public housing, street gangs, or specific

o f p u b l i c life.

neighborhoods), predictable questions c o n c e r n i n g the While

promising

community-based

differences between

a r t , social

work, and

political

w o r k continues to be produced, those projects that

activism will persist. W h i l e a great deal o f p u b l i c art m a y

b e c o m e t o o tightly d e f i n e d m a y settle f o r t h e verities o f

share s o m e characteristics a n d c o n c e r n s w i t h f o r m s o f

d e m o n s t r a b l e effect r a t h e r t h a n t h e vagaries o f g e n u i n e

social a c t i o n , in t h e e n d , art distinguishes its o b j e c t i v e s

e x p e r i e n c e . P u b l i c art d o e s n o t n e e d t o b e u s e r - f r i e n d l y

t h r o u g h t h e p o w e r o f its a e s t h e t i c p r e s e n c e â&#x20AC;&#x201D; t h e p o t e n tial o f its i m a g e s t o e v o k e r e s p o n s e a n d i g n i t e ideas. E v e n as artists e m b r a c e t h e c e n t r a l i t y o f t h e a u d i e n c e i n p u b l i c art, t h e y m u s t r e c o n f i r m t h e i r c o m m i t m e n t t o i m a g e - m a k i n g . H i s t o r i c a l l y i m a g e s have c a r r i e d ideas t o t h e h e a r t s a n d m i n d s o f i n d i v i d u a l s , c o m m u n i t i e s , a n d d i f f e r e n t g e n e r a t i o n s . T h e role o f t h e a u d i e n c e will only b e g i n to b e clarified t h r o u g h the insistence a n d i n t e g r i t y o f t h e i m a g e s o f p u b l i c art. B y b r o a d e n i n g a n d d e e p e n i n g an u n d e r s t a n d i n g o f w h a t i m a g e s are a n d h o w t h e y c i r c u l a t e a n d c o m m u n i c a t e , artists c a n b r i n g t h e i r a u d i e n c e s a l o n g w i t h t h e m t o f o r m a civic v i s i o n t h a t d e m a n d s a p u b l i c art o f d e e p c o n v i c t i o n . T h i s is a p r o j e c t o f central i m p o r t a n c e a n d

critical significance.

Patricia C. Phillips is an independent a r t critic. In 1997, she was appointed dean of t h e School of Fine and Performing Arts at t h e State University of N e w York at N e w Platz.

Notes: Michel de Certeau, Culture in the Plural Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 1998.

Public Art R e v i e w .FALL.WINTER.99

DEEP TIME DESIGN

Jeffrey Kastner

S I BEGIN W R I T I N G THIS, MY C O M P U T E R S C R E E N IS BLANK. YET IT W O U L D N ' T BE A C C U R A T E T O

L ^ k say I ' m starting f r o m n o t h i n g — t h e r e are a n u m b e r o f f u n d a m e n t a l a s s u m p t i o n s -A- - A . o n w h i c h this act o f w r i t i n g , like every c o m m u n i c a t i v e e n t e r p r i s e , d e p e n d s . O n t h e m o s t basic level, I a s s u m e t h a t t h e w o r d s I a m t y p i n g will b e r e c o g n i z a b l e t o y o u , t h a t t h e w a y I s t r i n g t h e m t o g e t h e r will b e m e a n i n g f u l a n d e v e n i n t e r e s t i n g . I e x p e c t that m y a l l u s i o n s — " c o m p u t e r s c r e e n , " " t y p i n g " — w i l l c o n j u r e u p c o n c e p t s w i t h w h i c h y o u will b e familiar. In s h o r t , I rely, as e a c h o f us d o e s e v e r y day, o n a set o f g e n eral p r e c o n c e p t i o n s a b o u t t h e social, c u l t u r a l , a n d linguistic t h r e a d s t h a t link us, a n d h o w t h e s e c o m m o n a l i t i e s e n a b l e us t o c o m m u n i c a t e . If all o f this s e e m s a bit silly w h e n r e c o u n t e d this way, p e r h a p s it's b e c a u s e w e t e n d t o take this c o m p l e x m a c h i n e r y so entirely f o r g r a n t e d . B u t i m a g i n e a s c e n a r i o in w h i c h n o t h i n g can b e t a k e n f o r g r a n t e d , i n w h i c h n o c o m m o n baseline o f language, idea, o r e x p e r i e n c e can b e assured. T r y t o c o n c e i v e o f a f o r m a t s u f f i c i e n t l y clear a n d universal t o t r a n s m i t a message across t e n m i l l e n n i a o f sociological, linguistic, a n d cultural c h a n g e . N o w i m a g i n e t h a t this message is o n e o f u t m o s t i m p o r t a n c e , l i t e r ally a m a t t e r o f life a n d d e a t h . T h i s was t h e c h a l l e n g e t h a t f a c e d t h e U n i t e d States g o v e r n m e n t in t h e early 1990s w h e n t h e y w e r e c r e a t i n g o n e o f t h e nation's deadliest g a r b a g e d u m p s — a n e n o r m o u s u n d e r g r o u n d salt cave n e a r Carlsbad, N e w M e x i c o , filled w i t h r a d i o a c t i v e r u b b i s h that w o u l d p o s e a p u b l i c h e a l t h t h r e a t t e n t h o u s a n d years i n t o t h e f u t u r e . To solve t h e p r o b l e m o f w a r n i n g f u t u r e g e n e r a t i o n s a b o u t t h e d a n g e r s o f t h e site, in 1991 t h e U.S. D e p a r t m e n t o f E n e r g y gave t w o t e a m s o f scholars o n e o f t h e m o s t d r a m a t i c a n d c h a l l e n g i n g c o n c e p t u a l p r o b l e m s in t h e h i s t o r y o f p u b l i c m o n u m e n t s : c r e a t e a site m a r k i n g so l u c i d a n d lasting t h a t an i n d i v i d u a l in t h e i m p r o b a b l e s o u n d i n g year o f A.D. 1 1 , 9 9 5 w o u l d still b e able t o i d e n t i f y it as p o l l u t e d , t a b o o . M i c h a e l Brill is an a r c h i t e c t a n d d e s i g n e r w h o w o r k e d o n o n e o f t h e s e teams. A professor at t h e State U n i v e r s i t y o f N e w York at B u f f a l o a n d a d e s i g n c o n s u l t a n t in p r i v a t e p r a c t i c e , B r i l l d e l i v e r e d a p a p e r e a r l i e r this y e a r at t h e S o c i e t y f o r ( t o p l e f t ) Forbidding Blocks. ( t o p r i g h t ) Menancing

Earthworks.

E n v i r o n m e n t a l G r a p h i c D e s i g n c o n f e r e n c e in C i n c i n n a t i , O h i o , p r e s e n t i n g t h e plans h e a n d his t e a m created f o r t h e Waste Isolation P i l o t P l a n t ( w i P P ) . T h e p r o j e c t p r o v i d e s a u n i q u e g l i m p s e i n t o a m u l t i d i s c i p l i n a r y process o f d e s i g n f o r p u b l i c space, b u t w i t h a

( c e n t e r ) Spikes Bursting Through Grid. ( l e f t ) Landscape

t w i s t — u n l i k e typical m o n u m e n t s , t h e m a r k e r s Brill's t e a m c o n c e i v e d w e r e m e a n t n o t

to attract p u b l i c a t t e n t i o n a n d activity, b u t t o repel it. ofThorns.

( r i g h t ) Black Hole.

T h e site, d u g in 1980, consists o f a series o f c h a m b e r s e x c a v a t e d in a r o c k salt f o r m a t i o n m o r e t h a n t w o t h o u s a n d feet b e l o w g r o u n d . T h e g e o l o g i c a l f e a t u r e

M a r k e r P r o j e c t p e r s p e c t i v e s by

was c h o s e n f o r its t e n d e n c y t o slowly seep, so t h a t t h e b u r i e d w a s t e — l a b c l o t h i n g , f u r -

Safdar Abidi

niture, a n d m i s c e l l a n e o u s e q u i p m e n t — w o u l d eventually b e e n c a s e d i n a t h i c k , p e r m a -

n e n t salt t o m b . E v e n w i t h this h e r m e t i c seal, t h e m a t e r i a l was e s t i m a t e d t o p r e s e n t a n o n g o i n g d a n g e r f o r t e n t h o u s a n d years. Federal r e g u l a t i o n s r e q u i r e d t h a t t h e site b e m a r k e d f o r t h e e n t i r e d u r a t i o n o f t h e waste's t o x i c i t y a n d a s s u m e d t h a t n o f o r m o f

P u b l i c A r t R e v i e w . FALL. WINTER. 99

^rtinn I I W U m t t H M M i l j p f f i m i i M m m u m m w w m i M

( a b o v e ) Aerial view of t h e W a s t e Isolation Pilot Plant,

f r o m its c o n t e m p o r a r y cultural significance. " W e talked

near Carlsbad, N. Mex., 1999.

a b o u t a w i d e v a r i e t y o f f o r m s , " says Brill, " b u t in t h e end, w e settled o n certain kinds of natural images of

( i n s e t ) First w a s t e shipment arrives at t h e W a s t e Isolation Pilot Plant location, near Carlsbad, N. Mex., March 26,1999.

d a n g e r like barbs a n d p o i n t s a n d t h o r n s . Also t h e c o n -

Photos courtesy WIPP

cept of a dead landscape—destroyed or parched land—as well as images o f d e s t r u c t i o n o f order, o f chaos."

o n g o i n g i n s t i t u t i o n a l c o n t r o l w o u l d exist a n y f u r t h e r t h a n o n e h u n d r e d years in t h e f u t u r e .

F r o m these basic c o n c e p t s , Brill a n d his t e a m created seven d i f f e r e n t designs, a l t h o u g h o n c e t h e y

Brill says t h a t e a r l y o n in t h e b r a i n -

h a d d e v e l o p e d t h e s p e c i f i c f o r m s , t h e y still h a d

address issues o f viability in t h e project's d i z z y i n g m u l t i -

scientist, an a n t h r o p o l o g i s t , an a r c h a e o l o g i s t , a linguist

m i l l e n n i a l c o n t e x t . "I e n d e d u p d i s c o v e r i n g w h o l e n e w

a n d a p a l e o a s t r o n o i n e r — r e a l i z e d t h a t " m o s t , if n o t all, o f

fields o f study," says Brill, "like t h e statistical l e x i c o g r a -

t h e f o r m s w e traditionally b u i l d are m e a n t to b e positive.

p h e r , w h o m e a s u r e s h o w fast w o r d s a p p e a r a n d disappear

T h e r e are v e r y f e w t r u l y ' n e g a t i v e ' f o r m s . " E v e n t h o s e

f r o m c o m m o n usage. O u r materials specialist r e s e a r c h e d

s y m b o l s that o u r m o d e r n c u l t u r e associates i m m e d i a t e l y

w h a t t h e h a r d e s t t y p e s o f s t o n e w e r e . W e l o o k e d at

with

skull a n d c r o s s b o n e s , f o r

w e a t h e r a n d w i n d m a p s t o try a n d calculate t h e a m o u n t

i n s t a n c e , o r t h e s w a s t i k a — c a n have radically d i f f e r e n t

o f sand that w o u l d b e b l o w i n g , a n d at w h a t velocity, over

m e a n i n g s in o t h e r cultures.

t h e c o u r s e of t e n t h o u s a n d years."

evil o r d a n g e r — t h e

Brill's g r o u p c o m p l e t e d

In t i m e , t h e t e a m d e v e l o p e d a n u m b e r o f i n g e n i o u s variations o n f o r m s o f i n f o r m a t i o n a l m a r k -

its w o r k

1 9 9 3 a n d p r e s e n t e d it t o U . S . g o v e r n m e n t officials.

i n g : a b o v e g r o u n d message kiosks a n d b u r i e d c h a m b e r s

Ironically, a f t e r n e a r l y a d e c a d e o f w e n d i n g its w a y

c a r r y i n g w a r n i n g s i n s c r i b e d in g r a n i t e a n d p r i n t e d in

t h r o u g h t h e g o v e r n m e n t b u r e a u c r a c y , a final p l a n f o r

t h e six official l a n g u a g e s o f t h e U n i t e d N a t i o n s as well as

t h e m a r k e r s , n o t taken f r o m any particular proposal b u t

M e s c a l e r o A p a c h e , t h e o l d e s t e x t a n t l a n g u a g e in t h e

i n c o r p o r a t i n g c e r t a i n e l e m e n t s o f several o f t h e m , is

Carlsbad

the

finally slated f o r t e s t i n g n e x t year. A c c o r d i n g t o WIPP

generic

s p o k e s m a n D o n o v a n M a g e r , t h e basic f o r m — w h i c h is

h u m a n faces p o r t r a y i n g h o r r o r a n d sickness, t h e t w o

still in its early s k e t c h e s — i s slated to b e a t h i r t y - t h r e e -

expressions f o u n d to be m o s t universally u n d e r s t o o d

f o o t - h i g h b e r m s u r r o u n d e d by a series o f t w e n t y - f i v e -

across cultures.

f o o t - h i g h g r a n i t e m o n u m e n t s i n s c r i b e d , in t h e seven

area; c o m p l e x

star

charts

expressing

s p e c i f i c s o f t h e b u r i a l in celestial t i m e ; a n d 12

s t o r m i n g , his t e a m — c o m p o s e d o f h i m s e l f , a m a t e r i a l s

M e a n w h i l e , Brill's s p e c u l a t i o n s o n t h e

languages, with i n f o r m a t i o n o n and warnings

about

l a r g e - s c a l e e n v i r o n m e n t a l m a r k e r s led h i m t o o r g a n i c

t h e waste b u r i e d there. Discs m a d e o f d u r a b l e m a t e r i a l

i m a g e s o f r e p u l s i o n . " W e l o o k e d at m a n - m a d e e n v i r o n -

a n d b e a r i n g similar i n f o r m a t i o n will also b e i m b e d d e d

m e n t s associated w i t h d a n g e r o r d e a t h , " recalls B r i l l , " t h e

t h r o u g h o u t t h e b e r m , as will radar reflectors a n d m a g -

k i n d o f d e h u m a n i z i n g spaces o f c o n c e n t r a t i o n

nets d e s i g n e d t o m a r k t h e site f o r satellite o b s e r v a t i o n .

camps,

f o r instance, w i t h t h e i r l o n g n a r r o w aisles a n d r o w s o f

Information centers both above and below

ground

b u n k s . " B u t , t h e d e s i g n e r n o t e s , t h e t e a m was always

will c o n t a i n similar w a r n i n g s , also u s i n g s y m b o l s a n d

c o n s c i o u s o f s e p a r a t i n g t h e physical m e a n i n g of a place

pictographs.

Public Art R e v i e w . FALL. WINTER. 99

greatest

e m a n a t i o n s o f d a n g e r best seen f r o m t h e air,

design challenges o f his professional life, Brill says that

or from climbing to the vantage points on

t h e w h o l e e x p e r i e n c e w i t h t h e Carlsbad p r o j e c t " r a d i -

the tops of the four highest

c a l i z e d " h i m in a p e r s o n a l way, m a k i n g h i m

W a l k i n g t h r o u g h it, at g r o u n d level, t h e m a s -

Besides

being

one

the

much

earthworks.

m o r e a w a r e o f t h e issues t h a t s u r r o u n d t h e disposal

sive e a r t h w o r k s c r o w d in o n y o u , d w a r f i n g

a n d c o n t r o l o f n u c l e a r waste. " A l t h o u g h t h e

design

y o u , c u t t i n g off y o u r sight to t h e h o r i z o n ,

w o r k itself [was h i g h l y s p e c u l a t i v e ] , " says Brill, " w e

a loss o f c o n n e c t i o n t o a n y sense o f p l a c e .

w e r e w o r k i n g o n this very real p r o b l e m . It hasn't b e e n

T h e s a n d y K e e p is o p e n a n d d e a d , e x c e p t

v e r y well t e n d e d to, t h e cost o f c l e a n u p is a s t r o n o m i -

f o r a w a l k - o n m a p l o c a t i n g all t h e

cal, a n d t h e r e are so m a n y c o m p e t i n g n e e d s t h a t it

r a d i o a c t i v e w a s t e sites in t h e w o r l d . ( T h e r e

isn't b e i n g t a k e n v e r y seriously." Brill says t h a t

are many.)

the

other

team's p a l e o a s t r o n o m e r , W o o d r u f f " W o o d y " Sullivan, p u t t h e p r o j e c t in p e r s p e c t i v e f o r h i m a n d his c o l -

BLACK HOLE

leagues early o n in t h e process. " W o o d y c a m e in o n e

A black m a s o n r y slab, an i m a g e o f an e n o r -

day a n d told us a b o u t this K e n y a n p r o v e r b that really

m o u s b l a c k h o l e ; an i m m e n s e n o - t h i n g ; a

hit h o m e f o r us," r e m e m b e r s Brill. " H e s a i d , ' T h i s land

void; land r e m o v e d f r o m use w i t h

was n o t willed to us by o u r ancestors, it was l o a n e d t o

left b e h i n d ; a useless p l a c e . It b o t h

us by o u r d e s c e n d a n t s . ' "

u n i n h a b i t a b l e a n d u n f a r m a b l e , a n d it is, f o r it

nothing looks

is o f t e n e x c e e d i n g l y h o t . Its blackness absorbs Jeffrey K a s t n e r is a N e w Y o r k - b a s e d w r i t e r and e d i t o r . H e is s e r v i n g as g u e s t

t h e desert's h i g h s u n - h e a t l o a d a n d radiates it

e d i t o r f o r this issue of PAR.

b a c k . T h e h i g h h e a t a b s o r p t i o n o f this black slab will g e n e r a t e substantial t h e r m a l m o v e -

Following

are Brill's own explanatory

captions for the seven

ment, needing many and pronounced expansion j o i n t s w h o s e p a t t e r n is m a d e irregular,

concepts originally proposed by his team.

like t h e cracks in p a r c h e d land. LANDSCAPE OF THORNS RUBBLE

A field o f c o n c r e t e t h o r n s (or p e r h a p s claws),

LANDSCAPE

fifty to e i g h t y feet h i g h , w h o s e shapes suggest

U n d e r t h e sand is a layer o f s t o n e . A s q u a r e

punctures, w o u n d i n g to the body, and w h i c h

o u t e r r i m o f it is d y n a m i t e d a n d b u l l d o z e d

also s e e m active, c o m i n g u p f r o m below, a n d

into a c r u d e square piled over the

r e a c h i n g o u t like u n c o n t r o l l e d g r o w t h

Keep. T h i s m a k e s a large s t o n e r u b b l e l a n d -

entire

s c a p e a level a b o v e t h e s u r r o u n d i n g d e s e r t ,

something dangerous...mutations.

c r e a t i n g d i f f e r e n c e in h e i g h t , m a t e r i a l , a n d SPIKE FIELD

v e g e t a t i o n . It is v e r y i n h o s p i t a b l e , b e i n g h a r d

S t o n e spikes p o p u p r a n d o m l y t h r o u g h t h e

t o w a l k o n a n d difficult t o b r i n g m a c h i n e r y

sand, c o m i n g u p a n d o u t o f T h e Keep, m o v -

o n t o . It is a place t h a t feels d e s t r o y e d , r a t h e r

i n g in v a r i o u s d i r e c t i o n s , u n c o n t r o l l e d a n d

t h a n o n e that has b e e n m a d e . A n d t h e p i l e d

c h a o t i c . T h e K e e p is w a l l - b o u n d e d , t h e spikes

s t o n e feels like a m a s s i v e e f f o r t t o

c o n t a i n e d , a n d t h e o u t s i d e safe.

s o m e t h i n g t h a t is i m p o r t a n t t o k e e p c o v e r e d .

cover

S P I K E S B U R S T I N G T H R O U G H GRID

F O R B I D D I N G BLOCKS

A n o r d e r e d g r i d incised in m a s o n r y slab c o v -

S t o n e f r o m t h e o u t e r r i m o f an e n o r m o u s

ers T h e K e e p , b u t it c a n n o t stop w o u n d i n g

s q u a r e is d y n a m i t e d a n d t h e n cast i n t o large

and chaotic energy from bursting through

c o n c r e t e / s t o n e blocks, dyed black, h o u s e -

f r o m below. T h e s p i k e s / t e e t h / b a r b s first r i p -

sized, e a c h a b o u t t w e n t y - f i v e feet o n a side.

ple, t h e n d e f o r m , t h e n p u n c t u r e T h e Keep's

T h e y are d e l i b e r a t e l y i r r e g u l a r a n d d i s t o r t e d

cover, a n d t h e grid's q u i e t o r d e r is destroyed

c u b e s . T h e b l o c k s are set i n a s q u a r e g r i d ,

by a m o r e p o w e r f u l f o r c e , a k i n d of chaos.

with

arm's-length "streets" r u n n i n g

both

ways. T h e streets lead n o w h e r e , a n d are t o o MENACING E A R T H W O R K S

Immense lightning or

fire-shaped

n a r r o w t o live in, f a r m in, o r e v e n m e e t in. It earthworks

r a d i a t i n g o u t o f an o p e n - c e n t e r e d

Keep,

is a massive

effort to

deny

use,

crudely

ordered, forbidding and uncomfortable. P u b l i c A r t R e v i e w . FALL. WINTER. 99

MILLENNIAL THINKING

Malcolm

Miles

S C O O L B R I T A N N I A PSYCHES ITSELF UP F O R T H E M I L L E N N I U M , O N E OF T H E TACKIER ASPECTS OF

L ^ k English h u m o r is b e i n g c o - o p t e d t o tackle t h e g r e e n a g e n d a : t h e o r i g i n a l artists JL

- m . o f saucy seaside postcards are t o design h u g e posters o n e n v i r o n m e n t a l issues

f o r t h e m u c h t o u t e d M i l l e n n i u m D o m e at G r e e n w i c h . If this seems r a t h e r u n c o o l , it d o e s at least r e p r e s e n t t h e English facility f o r s e l f - d e p r e c a t i o n a n d e x e m p l i f y t h e c o n t r a d i c t i o n s that u n d e r l i e t h e N e w M i l l e n n i u m E x p e r i e n c e p r o j e c t as a w h o l e . T h e cards, in w h i c h t h i n m e n g a w k at n u b i l e w o m e n a n d fat ladies get t h e i r b o t t o m s p i n c h e d by crabs, w e r e p o p u l a r f r o m t h e 1930s t o t h e early 1960s. T h e y are associated w i t h seaside holidays in b o a r d i n g h o u s e s f r o m t h e era b e f o r e t h e E n g l i s h d e v e l o p e d an a p p e t i t e f o r f o r e i g n f o o d a n d c u l t u r e t h r o u g h trips a b r o a d — b e f o r e w h a t p o e t Philip L a r k i n called t h e i n v e n t i o n o f sex b y t h e Beatles g e n e r a t i o n . T h e i n t e n d e d d e s t i n a t i o n f o r t h e s e nostalgically h o k e y i m a g e s is t h e allegedly f u t u r i s t i c D o m e , a ^ 8 0 0 m i l l i o n (over $ 1 . 2 billion) t e n t l i k e s t r u c t u r e e r e c t e d over a b r o w n f i e l d , o r p o l l u t e d , site o n t h e s o u t h b a n k o f t h e T h a m e s . T h e D o m e ' s c a v e r n o u s space is d i v i d e d i n t o z o n e s , a n d t h e n a u g h t y posters are b e i n g c o m m i s s i o n e d f o r t h e s e c t o r called L i v i n g Island. O b v i o u s l y , t h e o r i g i n a l cards p r e d a t e Laura M u l v e y ' s f o r m u l a t i o n o f t h e m a s c u l i n e gaze, b u t t h e N e w M i l l e n n i u m E x p e r i e n c e C o m p a n y a n d d e s i g n e r T i m P y n e are b e n t o n veracity: The search [for the original artists]...will

aim to ensure that the posters.. .are

tic and that the unique style and humour of the artists is used to explore the mental issues that face us in the next

authenenviron-

millennium.1

For F r e u d , j o k e s w e r e s e r i o u s i n d i c a t o r s o f t h e state o f an individual's p s y c h e . 2 H i s t h e o r y c o u l d apply t o analysis o f n a t i o n a l g e n r e s o f c o m e d y as well, t h o u g h h u m o r usually loses s o m e t h i n g — m a i n l y l a u g h t e r — w h e n it is e x p o r t e d . B u t t h e q u e s t i o n is less h o w well t h e j o k e will travel, t h a n w h a t exactly it has t o d o w i t h g r e e n issues. P e r h a p s t h e t h i n m e n a n d fat ladies p e e r i n t o r o c k p o o l s in a w e o f b i o d i v e r s i t y ? A n d if e n v i r o n m e n t a l i s m s e e m s v e r y m u c h a n a f t e r t h o u g h t i n t h e e f f o r t t o fill t h e D o m e ' s y a w n i n g space w i t h s o m e t h i n g ( a n y t h i n g ) i n t i m e f o r its o p e n ing, t h e physical c o n t e x t w i t h i n w h i c h it sits is s t r a n g e r still. T h e f a c a d e o f L i v i n g Island is a g i a n t cliff o f r e c y c l e d b e e r a n d cola cans; p e o p l e will e n t e r t h r o u g h a s e w a g e p i p e l e a d i n g t o a p r o m e n a d e o v e r l o o k i n g a b e a c h . T h e posters will b e displayed o n t h e walls o f s o m e t h i n g called t h e A c c u m u l a t o r A r c a d e , w h e r e visitors will t h e o r e t i c a l l y l e a r n

a b o u t t h e e n v i r o n m e n t by p l a y i n g m o d i f i e d p i e r g a m e s . English h u m o r always did f o c u s o n toilets a n d b a c k passages, so t h e masses s h o u l d e n j o y w a l k i n g t h r o u g h a drain. A n d since losing is t h e n a t i o n a l s p o r t , t h e y will b e even h a p p i e r if t h e slot m a c h i n e s in t h e A r c a d e take a n y m o n e y t h e y have left after p a y i n g t o get in a n d b u y i n g b u r g e r s a n d fizzy d r i n k s . B u t f o r all its r a t h e r startling ( l e f t ) P r e s e n t a t i o n m o d e l of t h e Millennium D o m e a t night, G r e e n w i c h , U.K.

b a n a l i t y t h e c o n c e p t i o n o f t h e D o m e p r o v o k e s (quite usefully) d e e p e r q u e s t i o n s a b o u t t h e m i l l e n n i u m . W h y m a r k t i m e by s p e n d i n g a s u m e q u i v a l e n t t o b u i l d i n g t e n hospitals

Photo from The Millennium

o n o n e e x h i b i t i o n t e n t w i t h a life o f t h i r t y years? W h y m a r k at all this t i m e called t h e

Commission

year 2 0 0 0 , w h i c h figures in o n l y o n e c a l e n d a r in use in t h e w o r l d ?

P u b l i c A r t R e v i e w . FALL. WINTER. 99

( a b o v e ) T h e Millennium D o m e a t G r e e n w i c h , July, 1999. Photo by the author ( l e f t ) C o n s t r u c t i o n view of main e x h i b i t i o n s p a c e inside t h e Millennium D o m e . Photo courtesy Fabric Architecture

r e l a t i o n s h i p s w i t h w o r k e r s in t h e f i n a n c i a l

services

industry w h o s e ethical c o m p a r t m e n t a l i z a t i o n

enables

t h e i n d u s t r y to r u n o n w h i l e it depletes t h e planet's n a t ural resources. I n t h e N e t h e r l a n d s , artists

including

V i t o A c c o n c i , C a r s t e n H o l l e r , a n d H e r m a n Pitz h a v e T h e r e are alternatives. In face o f m e d i a

c r e a t e d billboard p r o j e c t s a r o u n d a f o r m e r landfill site at

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

B r e d a in a r e c l a m a t i o n

cally m o d i f i e d f o o d s , s o m e artists have a d o p t e d strategies

M o n d r i a a n F o u n d a t i o n u n d e r t h e title Tales of the Tip.

t o t r a n s f o r m social a n d e c o l o g i c a l c o n s c i o u s n e s s . T h e

T h e s e cases contrast w i t h r a t h e r m o r e c o n v e n t i o n a l m i l -

L o n d o n - b a s e d g r o u p P l a t f o r m are w o r k i n g o n

l e n n i u m p r o j e c t s , s u c h as t h e p u r c h a s e by t h e city o f

90%

Crude, a p r o j e c t d e a l i n g w i t h t h e i m p a c t o f t r a n s n a t i o n a l c o r p o r a t i o n s o n e c o l o g y a n d social j u s t i c e . T h e first

project c o o r d i n a t e d by

the

T a m p a o f a G e o r g e Segal sculpture. The

diversity

art

phase f o c u s e d o n oil a n d i n c l u d e d a p e r f o r m a n c e w o r k ,

d e m o n s t r a t e d b y Natural

Carbon Generations', n e t w o r k i n g t h r o u g h a series o f s e m -

H e i k e S t r e l o w at t h e L u d w i g F o r u m in A a c h e n 3 t h a t

inars o n

i n c l u d e s t h i r t y - o n e living artists f r o m E u r o p e a n d t h e

Funding

for Change; construction

A g i t p o d , a portable vehicle that can be used

during

Reality,

ecological

a s h o w curated by

U n i t e d States, plus w o r k s by J o s e p h B e u y s ,

Robert

street p e r f o r m a n c e s ; a n d d i s t r i b u t i o n o f a s p o o f n e w s p a -

S m i t h s o n , a n d Ana M e n d i e t a . T h e s h o w is in t h r e e s e c -

per, Ignite. T h e n e x t phase will investigate s t r u c t u r e s o f

t i o n s : " T h e U n i t y o f M a n [sic] a n d N a t u r e : B e t w e e n

global t r a d e in L o n d o n ' s financial district, m a k i n g n e w

D e s i r e a n d R e a l i t y , " " A r t i s t s as N a t u r a l a n d C u l t u r a l

P u b l i c A r t R e v i e w . FALL. WINTER. 99

Scientists," a n d " N a t u r e in a Social C o n t e x t : Positions in

air f o u l e d by s u c h a t r u c k . L a r a m e e also plays o n t h e c u l -

D e a l i n g w i t h N a t u r e a n d Landscape." In t h e first, U l r i k e

t u r i n g o f n a t u r e in parks a n d g a r d e n s , a t h e m e d e v e l o p e d

A r n o l d s h o w s vast w o r k s m a d e f r o m e a r t h a n d s t o n e

in a n o t h e r w a y b y A l a n S o n f i s t in

f o u n d in N e w M e x i c o a n d A r i z o n a . T h e result is a n e w

Landscape

of Aachen,

Natural/Cultural

in w h i c h a low, s t o n e wall repeats

s u b l i m i t y o n t h e scale o f F r e d e r i c C h u r c h b u t w i t h o u t

t h e plan o f t h e city, p r o t e c t i n g r i n g s o f n a t i v e p l a n t s

the horizon

w h i l e p e b b l e p a t h s d e l i n e a t e w a t e r courses.

and representational

imagery.

Romano

B e r t u z z i u n i t e s art w i t h t h e real by m a k i n g c h e e s e in t h e

Social c o n t e x t

is f o r e g r o u n d e d in a

gallery, r e m i n d i n g t h e s p e c t a t o r t h a t this a c t i v i t y was

p r o j e c t o u t s i d e t h e gallery ( a c c o m p a n i e d by an installa-

o n c e part o f a d o m e s t i c , r a t h e r than industrial, t r a d i t i o n .

tion) by R e i k o G o t o a n d T i m C o l l i n s . G o t o a n d C o l l i n s

A n d Alba d ' U r b a n o m i m i c s high f a s h i o n in a series o f

traced Aachen's buried and forgotten water sources,

g a r m e n t s displaying a p h o t o g r a p h i c i m a g e o f h e r body.

marking their course between surviving fountains with

If this w o r k m i g h t s e e m r e m o t e f r o m ecology, it d o e s

a trail o f g o l d leaf o n t h e s t r e e t â&#x20AC;&#x201D; w a t e r as g o l d , g o l d as

suggest that t h e same gaze that o b j e c t i f i e s w o m e n ' s b o d -

m e t a p h o r for heaven. G o t o and Collins, f r o m the Studio

ies also o b j e c t i f i e s t h e p l a n e t .

f o r C r e a t i v e I n q u i r y at C a r n e g i e M e l l o n U n i v e r s i t y , are

W o r k i n g , as always, s o m e w h e r e

bet-

c u r r e n t l y w o r k i n g w i t h c o m m u n i t y r e p r e s e n t a t i v e s in

w e e n science a n d n a t u r e , M e l C h i n contrasts C h i n e s e , Persian,

and

nineteenth-century

North

American

images of landscape in a r o o m w i t h walls that seep p o l luted loam. Eve Andree Laramee offers three

truck-

b o r n e installations o f trees a n d p l a n t s â&#x20AC;&#x201D; d r i v e n

around

A a c h e n , each displaying a t e x t r e m i n d i n g t h e v i e w e r , f o r instance, h o w m u c h g r e e n e r y is n e e d e d t o r e d e e m t h e

( r i g h t ) T i m Collins a n d Reiko G o t o , installation a t Natural Reality, Ludwig F o r u m , A a c h e n , 1999.

( b e l o w ) Eve A n d r e e L a r a m e e , Parks on Trucks, installation a t Natural Reality, Ludwig F o r u m , A a c h e n , 1999. Photos by the author

P u b l i c Art R e v i e w . FALL. WINTER. 99

( a b o v e ) Alan S o n f i s t , Natural/Cultural Landscape of Aachen, installation a t Natural Reality, Ludwig F o r u m , A a c h e n , 1999.

( r i g h t ) A l b a d ' U r b a n o , II Sarto Immortale, installation a t Natural Reality, Ludwig F o r u m , A a c h e n , 1999.

( b o t t o m ) W e t l a n d a t t h e E a r t h C e n t r e , D o n c a s t e r , w i t h w i l l o w ball in b a c k g r o u n d , 1999. Photos by the author

P i t t s b u r g h t o r e c l a i m N i n e M i l e R u n , a 2 3 0 - a c r e steel

Silver b i r c h , w h i t e b e a m , a n d o a k are

slag d u m p , f o r b i o d i v e r s i t y a n d p u b l i c space. Strategies

u s e d t o r e c u l t i v a t e t h e slag, a n d t h e G a r d e n f o r t h e

f o r r e c l a m a t i o n are a d v a n c e d , t o o , by H e r m a n n P r i g a n n

T w e n t y - F i r s t C e n t u r y has sections relating t o t h e d i v e r -

in Terra Nova, a p r o j e c t f o r t h e recultivation of b r o w n -

sity of flora in Yorkshire, t h e U n i t e d K i n g d o m , a n d t h e

field sites in G e r m a n y . N o n e o f these are m i l l e n n i u m -

w o r l d . E a c h s e c t i o n is d i v i d e d i n t o t e n - m e t e r - s q u a r e

specific u n d e r t a k i n g s , b u t t h e s h o w is timely, since g r e e n

plots p l a n t e d t o give visitors ideas t h e y can use in their

issues are likely t o p e r m e a t e agendas f o r art a n d politics

o w n gardens. Sustainable shelter is e x p l o r e d t h r o u g h a

in t h e n e x t d e c a d e . W h i l e s p e c t a c u l a r p r o j e c t s s u c h as

g r o u p o f felt y u r t s f r o m Kyrgyzstan in t h e f o r m e r Soviet

t h e D o m e , apart f r o m p u t t i n g m o n e y i n t o t h e p o c k e t s o f

U n i o n . T h r o u g h recycling and energy efficiency, the

t h e c o n s t r u c t i o n industry, d e n o t e a vision o f t h e w o r l d

E a r t h C e n t r e is a m o d e l o f s u s t a i n a b l e d e v e l o p m e n t ,

d e r i v e d f r o m a D i s n e y - s t y l e c y n i c i s m , art is o n e m e a n s

u s i n g a t e n t h o f t h e w a t e r i n t a k e o f a c o n v e n t i o n a l site o f

t o give f o r m t o c o n c e p t s o f alternative f u t u r e s .

its size. W h i l e visitors t o Living Island in t h e D o m e w a l k

In t h e U n i t e d K i n g d o m , n o t all t h e l o t t e r y m o n e y has g o n e t o t h e D o m e . T h e E a r t h C e n t r e , o n t h e site o f a d i s u s e d m i n e n e a r D o n c a s t e r , is a t h e m e park for sustainability. B u t

this p r o j e c t is n o t

D i s n e y â&#x20AC;&#x201D; t h e r e is n o h y p e , t h e r e are n o rides, a n d o n l y locally p r o d u c e d o r g a n i c f o o d and natural c o t t o n T18

shirts are f o r sale. In its P l a n e t E a r t h E x p e r i e n c e , large sculptural screens m o v e a m o n g image projections of e a r t h , air, fire, a n d w a t e r d e s i g n e d t o r e p r e s e n t b o t h n a t ural systems and h u m a n

intervention

within

them.

O u t s i d e are o r g a n i c g a r d e n s , l i v i n g w i l l o w f e n c e s a n d sculptures by J i m B u c h a n n a n , a w i l d e r n e s s play area, a n d a s e n s o r y trail. C h i l d r e n can s c o o p u p w o r m s a n d small fish f r o m t h e lake at N a t u r e W o r k s a n d e n g a g e in h a n d s o n e x p l o r a t o r y play w i t h b i o l o g i c a l systems.

P u b l i c A r t R e v i e w . FALL.WINTtR.99

t h r o u g h a s i m u l a t e d s e w a g e p i p e , at t h e E a r t h C e n t r e

t h e y can actually see t h e sewage p r o d u c e d o n t h e site as well as h o w all o f its drain w a t e r is processed t h r o u g h r e e d b e d s t o b e c o m e fit f o r i r r i g a t i o n . Each day in W a t e r W o r k s , a glass j u g o f t h e system's o u t p u t is p l a c e d o n display (and is q u i t e clear); e x t r a o r d i n a r i l y , t h e r e is n o smell h e r e a p a r t f r o m t h e sweetness o f reeds, w i l l o w s , and papyrus. S u s t a i n a b i l i t y will r e m a i n a p e r v a s i v e c o n c e r n as cities e x p a n d a n d d r i n k i n g w a t e r , o n c e taken f o r g r a n t e d in t h e a f f l u e n t w o r l d , b e c o m e s scarce w h i l e , ironically, seas rise. R e c l a i m i n g b r o w n f i e l d sites is m o r e u r g e n t as city p o p u l a t i o n s c o n t i n u e to increase, a n d t h e r e c l a m a t i o n o f arid l a n d at t h e E a r t h C e n t r e a n d in N i n e M i l e R u n gives a sense o f t h e real t o visions o f a g r e e n e r w o r l d . T h i s s h o u l d n o t b e seen as p r e c l u d i n g t h e e x c i t e m e n t o f cities, n o r their cultural diversity—as i m p o r t a n t as b i o d i v e r s i t y — t h o u g h

few

architects

are

playful

e n o u g h t o c o p e w i t h it. A s h o w at L o n d o n ' s Institute o f C o n t e m p o r a r y Arts o f t h e w o r k o f R e m K o o l h a a s s u g gests h e m i g h t b e o n e w h o is. 4 K o o l h a a s w o r k s o n m e g a s t r u c t u r e s , like Euralille, b u t also o n small villas. A l t h o u g h m o s t o f his p r o j e c t s are f o r c o r p o r a t e

So is t h e f u t u r e like L i v i n g Island? O r

t h e E a r t h C e n t r e ? O r Koolhaas's p r o p o s a l f o r a n e w a i r -

w e a l t h y clients, w h a t d i f f e r e n t i a t e s h i m f r o m c o n v e n -

p o r t - c i t y t o b e b u i l t o n an island o f f t h e D u t c h coast in

tional architects is his resistance t o t h e h o m o g e n e i t y o f

order to remove noise pollution f r o m a densely p o p u -

t h e global city.

lated area? T h e D o m e represents an idealized c o n c e p t o f u r b a n d e v e l o p m e n t , a n d its o p e n i n g will likely serve as a s y m b o l i c k i c k - o f f f o r P r i m e M i n i s t e r T o n y Blair's 2 0 0 1 r e e l e c t i o n c a m p a i g n . Y e t f o r all its claims f o r positivity in its a t t e m p t t o universalize h u m a n lite, it also has m o r e t h a n a w h i f f o f a n e w t o t a l i t a r i a n i s m . A n d its Utopia is b r i t t l e ; n e w m o d e l s o f society b a s e d in sustainability are already e m e r g i n g , a n d , w i t h t h e m , a desire t o take b a c k t h e w o r l d f r o m t h e p e o p l e w h o have s t o l e n it.

Malcolm Miles is the a u t h o r of Art, Space and The City and c o - e d i t o r of The City Cultures Reader.

Notes: 1. Press Release, N e w Millennium

3. Natural Reality. J u n e 25—October

Experience,July 2 3 , 1 9 9 9 .

3 , 1 9 9 9 , Ludwig Forum, Aachen. Germany; www.heimat.de/natural-

2. Sigmund Freud, Jokes and Their

reality.

Relation to the Unconscious (London: R o u t l e d g e and Kegan Paul, 1960).

4. Rem Koolhaas,July

24—September

19,1999, Institute of C o n t e m p o r a r y

Arts. London.

(left) Growing fencing incorporating woven willow (detail), t h e Earth C e n t r e , Doncaster, 1999. Photo by Jennifer Bates, courtesy the Earth Centre ( a b o v e ) Interior of W a t e r W o r k s , natural t r e a t m e n t of sewage by reed beds, t h e Earth C e n t r e , Doncaster, 1999. Photo by the author

Public Art R e v i e w . FALL. WINTER. 99

TIME PIECES P u b l i c w o r k s o f art t h a t deal w i t h t h e passage o f t i m e take m a n y different f o r m s . F r o m the cryptic arrangements of Neolithic Britain to the

stone

high-tech

s o p h i s t i c a t i o n o f J o n e s a n d Ginzel's r e c e n t l y d e d i c a t e d Metronome,

issues o f t i m e a n d its m e a s u r e m e n t have l o n g

b e e n a p o w e r f u l inspiration f o r artists w o r k i n g in p u b l i c space. O n these pages, PAR presents a selection o f u n i q u e time-based works from around the world.

Kristin Jones and A n d r e w Ginzel, Metronome,

1999

Union Square, N e w York City

Called "the most prominent commission of a public artwork in N e w York City since the Statue of Liberty," Metronome is a $3 million-plus project sponsored by the Related Companies for the facade of a building on the south side of U n i o n Square. Featuring a o n e - h u n d r e d - f o o t by fifty-foot wall of rippling brick punctuated by a central void that puffs steam and emits a tone at noon, the piece also includes a number of other elementsâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;including a fifteen-place digital clock that simultaneously measures both the time elapsed and remaining d u r i n g the t w e n t y - f o u r - h o u r day and a sphere that rotates with the lunar phasesâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;that evoke the passage of time in increments ranging from the celestial to the geological in a distinctly postmodern pastiche of symbol and function.

Photo by Jerry

Nancy Holt, Sun Tunnels, 1973-1976 G r e a t Basin Desert, Utah

A contemporary rendition of Neolithic stone arrangements thought to chart astronomical phenomena, Sun Tunnels features four enormous concrete pipes aligned with the position of the sun at the solstices and perforated with holes that correspond to certain stellar configurations. A figure active in the early days of the land art movement of the late 1960s, sometimes working in collaboration with her late husband, R o b e r t Smithson, Holt produced numerous works in the deserts of the American West exploring the idea of cosmic time. With its combination of prehistoric forms and contemporary materials, Sim Tunnels reflects the marriage of the ancient and m o d e r n that characterizes many of the seminal works of land art.

Public Art R e v i e w . FALL. WINTER. 99

J i m C a m p b e l l , Ruins

of Light,

1992

American W e s t Sports Arena, Phoenix

T h e first p e r m a n e n t public commission by Campbell, a California-based multimedia artist whose work frequently addresses issues of time, Ruins of Light is an installation that builds an ever shifting collage of images from prerecorded motion video, still photos, and live camera feeds that can place the viewers themselves into the artist's scenarios. Shown on four video towers built into the structural supports of the arena, the image sequences almost never repeat themselves, but single images often appear at certain times of the day or year—like a family dinner at Thanksgiving, for example. Functioning like an oblique calendar of human activity and events, the piece evokes the relationships between individuals and the time-based celebrations that are such an integral part of our shared sociocultural heritage.

Stonehenge, c. 2000 B.C. Salisbury Plain,Wiltshire, England

T h e best-known megalithic stone m o n u m e n t in the world, mysterious Stonehenge has fascinated artists and scholars for centuries. T h o u g h t to have been constructed some twenty centuries before the birth of Christ, the arrangement of huge rocks—two concentric rings made from stones standing thirteen and a half feet high and topped with horizontal slab lintels, all surrounding an altarlike stone at the circle's center— vividly suggests some kind of religious function. Its alignment with the location of the rising sun at the s u m m e r solstice further marks it as a kind of colossal timekeeping device, a structure that in its form and function tells the story of a society for w h o m nature and spirituality were inextricably linked.

" O r l o j " Astronomical Clock, c. 1400 Old Town Hall, Prague

Originally constructed by clockmaker Mikulas o f K a d a n and astronomer Jan Sindel and reconstructed several times since, the Prague astronomical clock is one of the world's most complex and beautiful public timepieces. A kind of grand kinetic sculpture with hundreds of moving parts—including the

figures

of the twelve apostles that appear through

windows on the hour, as well as animated allegorical sculptures representing greed, vanity, and death—the clock's magnificently ornate face simultaneously marks the time of day, the course of the sun and m o o n , and the day and m o n t h . Its location in the central square of the city emphasizes the relationship of time to social order, just as its symbolic scheme evokes the diverse religious meanings conventionally attributed to the passage of the hours and days.

UNTIL JULY 4â&#x201E;¢ 1976 tHENtOBEOPENEP BY THE

CHIEF MAGISTRATE

INSTANT ARCHAEOLOGY TIME C A P S U L E S AS MEMORIAL G E S T U R E S

Paul Stephen

Hudson

HE P O P U L A R E X P R E S S I O N T I M E CAPSULE HAS BEEN USED F O R A B O U T SIX D E C A D E S , Y E T IT

wasn't until t e n years a g o t h a t t h e Oxford English Dictionary

finally listed t h e t e r m

• in its a u t h o r i t a t i v e pages, d e f i n i n g it as "a c o n t a i n e r used t o store f o r p o s t e r i t y a s e l e c t i o n o f o b j e c t s t h o u g h t t o b e r e p r e s e n t a t i v e o f life at a p a r t i c u l a r t i m e . " N o t w i t h s t a n d i n g t h e OED'S j u d i c i o u s standards, t h e c o n c e p t o f t i m e capsules has existed virtually since t h e d a w n o f civilization, m i l l e n n i a b e f o r e w r i t t e n records. A r c h a e o l o g i s t s e x c a v a t i n g p r e h i s t o r i c graves have f o u n d s k e l e t o n s f r o m t w e n t y five t h o u s a n d t o f i f t y - t h o u s a n d years old, a l o n g w i t h relics t h a t b e a r v i v i d t e s t i m o n y t o t h e earliest days o f H o m o sapiens. Scholars have d i s c o v e r e d , t i m e a n d again, c e r e m o n i a l burial sites in w h i c h c o r p s e s w e r e laid t o rest in ritualistic f a s h i o n . T y p i c a l l y s u r r o u n d e d by an a s s o r t m e n t o f presents, w e a p o n s , i m p l e m e n t s , a n d f o o d supplies, t h e s e a n c i e n t c e r e m o n i a l graves f u n c t i o n as p r o t o t y p i c a l t i m e c a p s u l e s , t h e i r c o n t e n t s p r o v i d i n g a n e x t r a o r d i n a r y w i n d o w t o life in earlier times. T h e ancient Egyptian pyramids, the most famous of such ceremonial b u r i a l sites, w e r e v e r y m u c h in t h e n e w s in t h e d e c a d e p r e c e d i n g t h e first e x a m p l e s o f A m e r i c a n t i m e capsules. T h e English archaeologist H o w a r d C a r t e r led t h e f a m o u s e x p l o r a t i o n o f t h e p y r a m i d s in 1922. In The Tomb of Tut-ankh-Ameti,

most Carter

w r o t e o f his e x c i t e m e n t w h e n h e r e m o v e d t h e d e b r i s in o r d e r t o o p e n t h e t o m b o f ( t o p l e f t ) F r a n c i s c a n Sisters of

t h e p h a r a o h . " A t last w e h a d t h e w h o l e d o o r b e f o r e us," C a r t e r recalled, a n d " t h e d e c i -

C h i c a g o , s e a l e d t r u n k in glass c a s e ,

sive m o m e n t h a d arrived." W h e n h e p e e r e d i n t o t h e a p e r t u r e h e h a d w i d e n e d , t h e

O u r Lady o f V i c t o r y C o n v e n t , Lemont.NI., 1994. Photo courtesy the author

a w e d a r c h a e o l o g i s t saw " s t r a n g e animals, statues a n d g o l d — e v e r y w h e r e t h e glint o f gold." 1 T h e s u b s e q u e n t i n t e r p r e t a t i o n o f artifacts s u c h as t h e s e gave scholars a c o h e r e n t v i e w o f life in a n c i e n t E g y p t .

( t o p r i g h t ) N i c k e l o d e o n time capsule, 1 9 9 2 - 2 0 4 2 , c o n t e n t s include a p i e c e of t h e Berlin Wall a n d a pair

A l t h o u g h such e x o t i c , t h r i l l i n g tales u n d o u b t e d l y i n s p i r e d t h e first t i m e capsules o f t h e late 1930s, t h e o r i g i n s o f a r t i f a c t - l a d e n vessels i n t e n d e d t o b e r e t r i e v e d at

of r o l l e r b l a d e s , O r l a n d o , Fla.

s p e c i f i e d t i m e s are p e c u l i a r l y A m e r i c a n . P e r h a p s t h e relatively s h o r t h i s t o r y o f t h e

Photo courtesy the author

U n i t e d States m a k e s its f a s c i n a t i o n w i t h t i m e capsules i n e v i t a b l e . T h e t i m e capsule c o n c e p t assumes that a s e l e c t i o n o f artifacts c a n c a p t u r e a m o m e n t in history, c r e a t i n g a

( m i d d l e ) P r e s i d e n t G e r a l d R. F o r d and G e o r g e W h i t e o p e n i n g the C e n t u r y Safe.Washington, D.C., 1976. Photo courtesy Gerald R. Ford Library

k i n d o f instant a r c h a e o l o g y t h a t can b e p r o j e c t e d c e n t u r i e s — o r e v e n m i l l e n n i a — i n t o the future. T i m e capsules are o f t e n classic m a n i f e s t a t i o n s o f A m e r i c a n b o o s t e r i s m , that process t h r o u g h w h i c h , in t h e w o r d s o f social h i s t o r i a n D a n i e l B o o r s t i n , c e r t a i n

c i v i c - m i n d e d individuals " m a k e s o m e t h i n g o f n o t h i n g " w i t h a " l a n g u a g e o f a n t i c i p a ( b o t t o m left) CEO A r t Levitt

t i o n . " Local c o m m u n i t y t i m e capsules c o m p i l e d f o r t h e A m e r i c a n b i c e n t e n n i a l , f o r

with Hard Rock Cafe Sarcophagus

e x a m p l e , w e r e o f t e n subtitled " 1 9 7 6 - 2 0 7 6 , " a n d d e m o n s t r a t e d c h a r a c t e r i s t i c o p t i m i s m

time capsule, 1995-2095, Myrtle Beach, S.C. Photo courtesy the author

f o r t h e p r o m i s e o f c e r t a i n civic e n d e a v o r s . B o o r s t i n has o b s e r v e d t h a t s u c h an a p p r o a c h is " s e l d o m i n h i b i t e d by t h e fact t h a t s o m e t h i n g has n o t g o n e t h r o u g h t h e f o r m a l i t y o f t a k i n g place yet." 2

( b o t t o m r i g h t ) Acrylic D a n i s h t i m e c a p s u l e s inspired by Lego, dis-

T h e A m e r i c a n R e v o l u t i o n B i c e n t e n n i a l C o m m i s s i o n has e s t i m a t e d

played in C o p e n h a g e n in 1996.

that a b o u t o n e t h o u s a n d e n t e r p r i s i n g t o w n s a n d c o m m u n i t i e s sealed t i m e capsules b a c k

Photo courtesy the author

in 1876. Traditionally, h o w e v e r , historians credit t h e C e n t u r y Safe o f Civil W a r w i d o w

P u b l i c A r t R e v i e w . FALL.WINTtR.99

I n t e r i o r of t h e O g l e t h o r p e - A t l a n t a C r y p t of Civilization,

t h e species a n d c o n c l u d i n g w i t h his o w n s p e c u l a t i o n o n

s e a l e d in 1940 a n d n o t t o b e o p e n e d until A.D. 81 I 3.

t h e e n d o f t h e w o r l d in an ultradistant f u t u r e .

Photo courtesy the author

J a c o b s r e c k o n e d t i m e in t e r m s o f c o s -

M r s . C h a r l e s D i e h m as t h e first t i m e capsule t o actually fulfill its retrieval date. Sealed f o r t h e 1876 C e n t e n n i a l E x p o s i t i o n in P h i l a d e l p h i a , it was m e a n t t o b e o p e n e d at t h e b i c e n t e n n i a l c e l e b r a t i o n she p r e s u m e d w o u l d take place in 1 9 7 6 . 3 A f t e r it w a s m o v e d t o t h e C a p i t o l in W a s h i n g t o n , D . C . , t h e C e n t u r y Safe was f o r g o t t e n f o r decades,

which

is n o t

unusual

for

time

capsules.

R e s e a r c h e r A l b e r t Stuart O t t o f o u n d t h e C e n t u r y Safe in 1954, a n d in 1976 it was o p e n e d in a c c o r d a n c e w i t h M r s . D i e h m ' s w i s h e s . T h e c o n t e n t s r e v e a l e d by

President

m i c years. A c o s m i c y e a r is t h e a p p r o x i m a t e t i m e it takes f o r a star at t h e sun's distance f r o m t h e c e n t e r o f t h e M i l k y Way galaxy t o m a k e o n e trip a r o u n d it in a circular o r b i t , o r a b o u t 2 0 0 million years. C o m p a r e d t o a c o s m i c year, a m i l l e n n i u m is a

t h o u s a n d federal e m p l o y e e s , s o m e silver inkstands, a n d a 24

a n d m o n o c h r o m e p e r i o d , " a c c o r d i n g to Time m a g a z i n e . 4

moment—

single c o s m i c year. Yet in t e r m s o f t h e a p p r o x i m a t e age o f t h e u n i v e r s e — a b o u t f i f t e e n billion y e a r s — a c o s m i c year is b u t a small i n c r e m e n t o f t h e fullness o f time. T h e entire t i m e span o f t h e earth is a p p r o x i m a t e l y t w e n t y t w o a n d a half c o s m i c years. J a c o b s first called for a m u l t i m i l l e n n i a l

G e r a l d F o r d — i n c l u d i n g a b o o k of a u t o g r a p h s o f eighty book on temperance—"limned a more circumscribed

fleeting

t h e r e are t w o h u n d r e d t h o u s a n d e a r t h m i l l e n n i a in a

t i m e capsule in an article e n t i t l e d " T o d a y — T o m o r r o w " in t h e N o v e m b e r 1 9 3 6 issue of Scientific American.

His

original idea was t o p r e s e n t a r u n n i n g story of life f r o m a n c i e n t times to t h e m i d d l e o f t h e t w e n t i e t h c e n t u r y ,

T h e f a t h e r o f t h e first scientific, m u l t i m i l l e n n i a l t i m e c a p s u l e was e d u c a t o r a n d m i l l e n a r i a n D r . T h o r n w e l l J a c o b s ( 1 8 7 7 - 1 9 5 6 ) . As a professor at a n d p r e s i d e n t o f O g l e t h o r p e U n i v e r s i t y in Atlanta, G e o r g i a , J a c o b s d e v e l o p e d an u n u s u a l m u l t i d i s c i p l i n a r y c o u r s e called C o s m i c History. In this c o u r s e J a c o b s dealt w i t h the broad sweep of geologic and organic time from b e f o r e t h e d a w n o f civilization t h r o u g h t h e e v o l u t i o n o f

P u b l i c A r t R e v i e w . FALL. WINTER. 99

p r e s e r v e d in w h a t h e called a C r y p t o f C i v i l i z a t i o n . T h e repository for these artifacts—-encyclopedias, r e c o r d ings, a n d

everyday

articles—was

to be lined

with

e n a m e l a n d e m b e d d e d in s t o n e in t h e f o u n d a t i o n o f a m o n u m e n t a l g r a n i t e b u i l d i n g . T h e c h a m b e r itself w o u l d t h e n b e filled w i t h i n e r t gasses a n d sealed w i t h a great stainless steel d o o r .

T h e far r e a c h i n g date—A.D. 8 1 1 3 — t h a t Jacobs dramatically proposed for the o p e n i n g of the c r y p t was c a l c u l a t e d by t h e first fixed d a t e in h i s t o r y : 4 2 4 1 B.C., generally a g r e e d by historians a n d a r c h a e o l o gists as m a r k i n g t h e e s t a b l i s h m e n t o f t h e E g y p t i a n solar calendar. Six t h o u s a n d o n e h u n d r e d a n d s e v e n t y - s e v e n years h a d passed b e t w e e n 4 2 4 1 B.C. a n d A.D 1936. J a c o b s p r o j e c t e d t h e same p e r i o d o f t i m e f o r w a r d f r o m 1936, a r r i v i n g at t h e d a t e A.D. 8 1 1 3 f o r t h e o p e n i n g o f t h e crypt.5

Editor

Orson

Munn

Scientific

American

believed that w i t h Jacobs's t i m e capsule it was " e n t i r e l y possible t o p r o j e c t ourselves, as it w e r e , i n t o a civilization yet u n d r e a m e d of, t o b r i n g t o b e a r o n f u t u r e m i n d s t h e i n f l u e n c e o f o u r k n o w l e d g e a n d progress." 6 T h e idea o f t h e C r y p t o f C i v i l i z a t i o n i m m e d i a t e l y c a u g h t t h e public's interest. S o o n a f t e r w a r d , in 1938, t h e W e s t i n g h o u s e C o m p a n y , w h i c h was p l a n n i n g a p r o m o t i o n a l e v e n t f o r t h e 1 9 3 9 W o r l d ' s Fair, b e g a n a similar p r o j e c t . T h e t o r p e d o - s h a p e d W e s t i n g h o u s e t i m e c a p s u l e was m a d e o f C u p a l o y , an alloyed m e t a l p a t e n t e d by t h e c o m p a n y , a n d was a b o u t seven feet l o n g . It was b u r i e d in an " i m m o r t a l t i m e w e l l " a n d was n o t t o b e o p e n e d f o r five t h o u s a n d years. 7 It was f o r t h e W e s t i n g h o u s e p r o j e c t that t h e t e r m time capsule was

(above) Westinghouse Company's time capsule b e f o r e burial a t t h e N e w York W o r l d ' s Fair, 1939.

i n v e n t e d , c o i n e d by G. E d w a r d Pendray, a c o m p a n y p u b licist also responsible f o r t h e w o r d J a c o b s sealed t h e

laundromat. Oglethorpe-Atlanta

C r y p t o f Civilization in 1940 as W o r l d W a r II was u n d e r -

( b e l o w ) S c u l p t u r e m a r k i n g t i m e c a p s u l e (1991-2041) a t NASA Lewis R e s e a r c h C e n t e r , c o n t e n t s i n c l u d e a m e m o r y b o a r d f r o m a 1954 UNIVAC c o m p u t e r , C l e v e l a n d , O h i o . Photos courtesy the author

way. " T h e w o r l d is e n g a g e d in d e s t r o y i n g itselt, a n d h e r e in this C r y p t w e leave it t o y o u , " h e declared t o f u t u r e

for posterity

g e n e r a t i o n s . 8 H e b e l i e v e d that p r e s e r v a t i o n o f artifacts

A d v a n c e s such as stainless steel, J a c o b s p o s t u l a t e d , c o u l d

was p o s s i b l e d u e

to n e w

technology.

lead t o t h e f u l f i l l m e n t o f w h a t h e called an " a r c h a e o l o g i cal d u t y " that w e n t b e y o n d d e a t h . Ironically, an obsession w i t h i m m o r t a l i t y is typically c o n t r a d i c t e d by a f u n e r e a l v o c a b u l a r y in t h e l a n g u a g e o f t i m e c a p s u l e s . entombed, interred, to be exhumed—the

Buried,

t i m e capsule o f t e n

b e c o m e s , i n t h e w o r d s o f British M u s e u m a n t h r o p o l o g i s t B r i a n D u r r a n s , " a s u r r o g a t e corpse." T i m e capsules again t u r n e d

markedly

patriotic d u r i n g the American bicentennial celebrations o f 1976, w h e n e a c h o f t h e fifty states, a l o n g w i t h t h o u sands o f c o m m u n i t i e s across t h e c o u n t r y , o r g a n i z e d p r o j ects f o r t h e n a t i o n ' s b i r t h d a y . ( T h e g o o d c i t i z e n s o f Braintree, Massachusetts, used Yankee

ingenuity

i n c l u d e a savings b o n d t h a t w o u l d m a t u r e in t h e i r t i m e capsule c a i r n 011 t h e village g r e e n , in o r d e r t o f i n a n c e their presumed tercentennial celebration of 2076.) As h u m a n k i n d a p p r o a c h e s a n e w m i l l e n n i u m , p r o l i f e r a t i n g t i m e capsules have b e c o m e m o r e l i g h t - h e a r t e d , visible, a n d v a r i e d as citizens t r y t o w r i t e t h e m s e l v e s i n t o h i s t o r y at a c o n s c i o u s l y c h o s e n m o m e n t

P u b l i c A r t R e v i e w .F A L L .WINTER. 99

mtios lARcesT

Notes: 1. Howard Carter and A. C. Mace,

(Spring 1991), 121-138.This article

The Tomb ofTut-ankh-Amen

is on the Web site of the

(London:

Cassell, 1923), 1:95-96.

International T i m e Capsule Society. Visit www.oglethorpe.edu/itsc/.

2. Daniel Boorstin, The Americans: The National Experience (New York:

6. Thornwell Jacobs, " T o d a y -

R a n d o m House, 1965), 161-168.

Tomorrow: Archaeology in 8113 A.D.," Scientific American, November

3. William E.Jarvis,"Time

1936.

Capsules," Encyclopedia of Library and Information Science (New York: Marcel Dekkar, 1988), 331-355.

7. T h e Westinghouse Corporation, The Book of Record of the Time Capsule of Cupaloy (New York:

4 Time magazine, July 12,1976.

Westinghouse, 1938). Also, Edward Pendray,"The Story of the T i m e

5. Paul Stephen H u d s o n , ' " T h e

Capsule," Animal Report of the

Archaeological Duty' o f T h o r n w e l l

Smithsonian Institution, 1939.

Jacobs:The Oglethorpe-Atlanta Crypt of Civilization T i m e Capsule,"

8. See N o t e 5.

Georgia Historical Quarterly, 75:1

( a b o v e ) C o v e r of souvenir booklet of The World's Largest Time Capsule in

SEWARD,NEBRASKA

Seward, Nebr., which houses a yellow 1975 Chevrolet Vega.

By Harold Davisson

( b e l o w ) Capsula de Tiempo, p a t t e r n e d after t h e La Brea tar pits, C o r d o b a , Spain, 1992. Photo courtesy Agencia DeViaje

in time. Civic, c o r p o r a t e , family, school, c h u r c h , and o t h e r g r o u p s o r g a n i z e t i m e capsules; s o m e of t h e vessels u s e d t o h o l d t h e i r bits a n d pieces o f h i s t o r y m a y already h a v e e n t e r e d t h e area o f p u b l i c art, p a r t i c u l a r l y w h e n t i m e capsules are i n s e r t e d , as t h e y o f t e n are, i n t o s c u l p tural f o r m s set in p r o m i n e n t p u b l i c locations. T i m e c a p s u l e s — w i t h t h e i r mystery, r i t ual, a n d h u m o r — t r a n s f o r m i n d i v i d u a l o r g r o u p e x p e r i e n c e s i n t o c o n c r e t e f o r m s o f reality. T h e f u t u r e in a sense b e g i n s in t h e p r e s e n t . T i m e capsules, m u n d a n e i n q u i r i e s i n t o t h e real, are a v e h i c l e f o r t h o s e

who

believe that the n o w can s o m e h o w be preserved and e v e n m a d e accessible again. Like a n c i e n t a r c h a e o l o g i c a l sites o n a smaller scale, i n d i v i d u a l t i m e capsules m a y s o m e d a y p r o v i d e m e a n i n g f u l retrospective review, each f r o m its o w n p a r t i c u l a r s p a t i a l - t e m p o r a l n i c h e . T a k i n g t h e f o r m s o f sculptures, cairns, closed c h a m b e r s , sealed p v c pipes, glass a n d acrylic cases, stainless steel c y l i n d e r s , c o o k i e tins, s t r o n g b o x e s , c e d a r chests, s t e a m e r 26

trunks, and

even

H e f t y bags, t i m e

capsules signify

a t t e m p t s t o r e a c h across t i m e , f r o m a g i v e n p r e s e n t t o an e x p e c t e d f u t u r e . T h e a s s o r t e d i t e m s t h e y c o n t a i n constitute messages—sometimes sophisticated, s o m e times n a i v e — t h a t await t h e a m u s e m e n t , p u z z l e m e n t , o r perhaps even enlightenment of future generations.

Paul Stephen Hudson is registrar and lecturer in history at O g l e t h o r p e University in Atlanta, Georgia. He is c o f o u n d e r of t h e International Time Capsule Society.

Public Art R e v i e w . FALL. WINTER. 99

CONFERENCE

PUBLIC ART IN THE TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY AMERICANS FOR THE ARTS 1999 PRECONFERENCE

( b e l o w ) Brece Honeycutt, Endangered

R e v i e w e d by LisaYoon • • •

Species, "Clean

O u t Your

Files Day," A r l i n g t o n C u l t u r a l Affairs Division, A r l i n g t o n , Va„ 1998. P h o t o c o u r t e s y Mary Jane Jacob

ATLANTA, GEORGIA, JUNE 3-4, 1999

that at o n c e e m p o w e r and energize the c o m m u n i t y and yield superior art as a lasting e n d result. Started almost three years

A few m o n t h s ago I invited a w e l l - k n o w n installation artist to

ago, the program paired eighteen c o m m u n i t i e s with t w e n t y -

propose a temporary public art p r o j e c t — w h a t w o u l d be her

three artists. T h e resultant collaborations arrived at proposals

first effort in public art. Although she ultimately submitted a

for public art that reflected the c o m m u n i t i e s ' histories, desires,

beautiful and thoughtful proposal, d u r i n g this initial conversa-

and perceptions of themselves. C o m m u n i t i e s w e r e selected

tion, she m e n t i o n e d in passing that she had "a problem with

through requests to participate (rtp's); consideration was given

public art." W h a t was the problem? N o m e n c l a t u r e . She c o n -

to e t h n i c , cultural, interest, a n d g e o g r a p h i c

t e n d e d that public art really wasn't for the public: so m u c h

Aside f r o m quality of w o r k , artists were selected n o t by r e p u -

public art is t o o conceptual, t o o intellectually arcane to be

tation but for appropriateness to their c o m m u n i t y match. T h e

accessible to the average m e m b e r of the general public.

results of these collaborations are t h o u g h t f u l , p o w e r f u l a r t -

communities.

works—landmarks, i n d e e d — f o r w h i c h the c o m m u n i t i e s feel a W h e t h e r or not o n e agrees with this opinion, it does point

sense of inclusion and ownership.

out an important question: h o w often do artists and administrators overlook the audience and the funders of their work?

Zevilla J a c k s o n P r e s t o n t e a m e d w i t h t h e A l l e g h e n y West

D u r i n g Public Art in the Twenty-First Century, the p r e c o n -

F o u n d a t i o n , t h e c o u n t r y ' s oldest c o m m u n i t y d e v e l o p m e n t

ference for the A m e r i c a n s for the Arts's J u n e c o n f e r e n c e ,

c o r p o r a t i o n , to propose art for the p r e d o m i n a n t l y A f r i c a n -

C o m p l e x C o n t e x t , in Atlanta, participants seemed to envi-

American Allegheny West community. T h e community, w h i c h

sion a future that, a m o n g other things, will b r i n g a closer,

was self-described as virtually starved of art, had suffered in

m o r e inclusive e x a m i n a t i o n of the " p u b l i c " in public art.

the past f r o m i n t r a c o m m u n i t y f e u d i n g over funds and t e r r i -

W h a t comes with this examination is, in many instances, a

tory a m o n g its various civic organizations. Jackson Preston's

n e w shift in the nature of public artworks. O v e r the course

resultant proposal, a t w e n t y - t h o u s a n d - f o o t Bright Light Trail,

of t w o days, public art administrators f r o m around the c o u n -

w o u l d c o n n e c t the entire c o m m u n i t y geographically w i t h

try submitted themselves to a heavy schedule of workshops

large, strategically placed light structures w i t h bases that serve

and discussion groups that addressed topics ranging f r o m a

as seating. Each structure is dedicated to a different c o m m u -

review of the past three years of public art to alternative gov-

nity group, such as elders. Descriptions of the n e i g h b o r h o o d s

e r n m e n t f u n d i n g sources for public art. (This latter session

and their histories are inscribed o n the curbs and corners of

featured a presentation by Carla Sanders of N e w Mexico's

the streets. Simultaneously, the w o r k c o m m e m o r a t e s the c o m -

Cultural C o r r i d o r s of some spectacular projects along R o u t e 66.) Lectures and m o r e intensive workshops were r o u n d e d out by small group discussions on issues such as conservation and m a i n t e n a n c e , integrity of the artist's c o n c e p t , and the role of the community. T h e r e was even a t w o - h o u r lecture on copyright law—invaluable if not exactly o n e of the field's most seductive issues. All of these sessions demonstrated that public art is organically, and inevitably, adapting itself to the economic, social, and cultural changes of the times. And it appears in m a n y cases that the beneficiary of this adaptation is the public. From p e r m a n e n t w o r k s designed w i t h t h e c o l l a b o r a t i o n of specific c o m m u n i t y groups, to temporary projects that address finite but technically " p u b l i c " audiences, to the design of "public spaces" rather than mere art works in public places, m u c h of recent public art bears the increasingly definitive signature of its communities. O n e of the best examples of an awareness to c o m m u n i t y at the p r e c o n f e r e n c e was Philadelphia's N e w Land

Marks.

Sponsored by F a i r m o u n t Park Art Association, this c o m m u nity-based public art initiative has p r o d u c e d some of the best instances of artist-community synergy—-that is, collaborations P u b l i c A r t R e v i e w . FALL.WINTtR.99

CONFERENCE

( b e l o w ) V i t o Accorici, Instant House, 1980. Photo by Vito Acconci

m u n i t y ' s b r i g h t lights, individuals w h o have d e m o n s t r a t e d

COMMENTARY

civic values such as sharing and assisting neighbors. J a n e t Z w e i g ' s proposal for a collapsible o p e n - a i r l e n d i n g

For the last eight years, public art administrators throughout the U.S.

library for the S o u t h of S o u t h N e i g h b o r h o o d Association

have convened with artists and other professionals at the annual

c o m p l e t e w i t h p u l l - o u t seating recalls the o u t d o o r markets

Americans for the Arts conference to discuss the dramatically evolving

and b o o k vendors of Paris. It provides residents a leisurely

challenges and opportunities they confront on a daily basis in the

o u t d o o r setting for reading and congregating that ingeniously

field. We asked the two dynamic keynote speakers at the Atlanta

folds up to protect the books in inclement weather.

gathering last June—Vito

Acconci and Mary Jane Jacob—to elaborate

on their remarks for Public Art R e v i e w . N o t all c o m m u n i t y - b a s e d public art achieves landmark stat u s — o r even aims to d o so. M a n y t e m p o r a r y projects also

V i t o A c c o n c i is an internationally r e c o g n i z e d public artist

attempt to activate the c o m m u n i t y and pay tribute to its r i t u -

w h o s e career spans four decades and includes work in litera-

als, however m u n d a n e . In her closing keynote address, M a r y

ture, p e r f o r m a n c e , film, and installation. T h r o u g h his Acconci

Jane Jacob described a piece for city workers in a municipal

Studios, based in Brooklyn, N e w York, he is currently involved

building in Arlington, Virginia. Created in c o n j u n c t i o n with

in large public space projects: a plaza for the University of

" C l e a n O u t Your Files Day," a day of p u r g i n g obsolete paper-

Illinois, Chicago; seating and lighting for a transit c o r r i d o r at

w o r k f r o m city cabinets, discarded files and papers w e r e

the San Francisco A i r p o r t ;

rearranged in drawers and tagged with the names of e n d a n -

Q u e n t i n - e n - Y v e l i n e s , a m o n g others. Acconci's

gered species.The project gave a n o d to environmental aware-

awards include a G u g g e n h e i m Fellowship in 1979, a Lifetime

ness, but while clever in concept and certainly keeping focus

Achievement Award f r o m the International Sculpture C e n t e r

on the public aspect of public art, w h e r e was the art? It, like so

in 1997, and a N e w York City Art Commission's Award for

and a traffic circle in Saintnumerous

many temporary public art projects discussed d u r i n g the pre-

Excellence in Design and a special citation f r o m the N e w

conference, seemed to give its public little beyond the equiva-

York C h a p t e r of the American Institute of Architects in 1999.

lent o f a o n e - l i n e r despite healthy p o r t i o n s of c o m m u n i t y service. H o w well does this kind of public art serve the public

• • •

in the long run? W h a t of artistic longevity, s o m e t h i n g with w h i c h the c o m m u n i t y can live or maintain a meaningful rela-

M y w o r k began in private; it grew up to be public.

tionship, even if only in its m e m o r y ? Should not lines of dis-

M y background was fiction and poetry. T h e beginning of my

t i n c t i o n b e d r a w n b e t w e e n c o m m u n i t y arts projects and

work was: the page as a physical space over which writer and

t e m p o r a r y public art projects?

reader traveled—to preserve the literal space of the page, words had to refer back to the page they were o n ("there,""then," "in

Jacob acknowledged the necessity of thinking about c o m m u nity in the process of commissioning public art that is m e a n ingful to its a u d i e n c e . She suggested that even p e r m a n e n t works b r i n g a burden to administrators, w h o must help them retain their significance f o r f u t u r e generations: " W h e n it's there

permanently,

it's

permanently

our

responsibility

t o . . . r e i n v e n t i t . . . a n d find n e w meanings for it, or perhaps it should go away." Jacob spoke the t r u t h — p u b l i c art, temporary or p e r m a n e n t , should indeed m e a n s o m e t h i n g to its public. But at the end of the day, most of us public art administrators are in the business of commissioning art for the public, not c o m m u n i t y events, n o t fleeting p e r f o r m a n c e s w i t h n e i g h b o r h o o d residents. As the conference closed, I felt encouraged and refreshed by the sensitivity to c o m m u n i t y I had seen d u r i n g the past t w o days. But I also h o p e d that it didn't mean a loosened grip on the quest for great and lasting art for the public. Lisa Y o o n is an a r t s a d m i n i s t r a t o r a t t h e a w a r d - w i n n i n g C a m b r i d g e A r t s C o u n c i l in C a m b r i d g e , M a s s a c h u s e t t s .

P u b l i c A r t R e v i e w . FALL. WINTER. 99

this place," "at that time")—I could use idioms, because they existed only in the act of writing—I could use puns, that selfdissolved and left the page blank. (Vve never stopped being a writer; the starting-point is still language as a structuring system. "If orally is dance and music, then writing is architecture.")

CONFERENCE

Vito Acconci & Studio (Luis Vera, J e n n e y Schrider, C h a r l e s D o h e r t y ) , Park in the

Water,The

In the late 1960s, work entered an art context. M y m e d i u m

T h e impetus for a p r o j e c t — a l m o s t the designer of the p r o j -

was my body; the art occasion was treated as a presentation of

ect—is the site and the situation (ideally, o u r projects have n o

self; the exhibition space was an exchange point, w h e r e artist

stylistic quirks that c o n n e c t o n e with the other, as in a family).

came face-to-face with viewer. (My work is still for the body and

O u r projects have a dialogue with the site, even an a r g u m e n t

with the body;space is close-up—yon can't stand back and look, and

with the site; the project can subvert a n d / o r reinvent a site.

be in the position of desire, of frustration—you're

in the middle of

things, where you have to feel your way around.)

O u r projects go u n d e r a site, like an earthquake; they attach to a site, like a leech; they replicate elements of a site, like a disease. O u r attempt is to put a space into the hands of p e o p l e —

By the mid-1970s, work was n o longer live performance; it

to liberate the site, and the people w h o inhabit the site.

was in the f o r m of audio installations, each designed for a specific exhibition space, so that it made sense n o w h e r e else. (This

O n the o n e hand, o u r projects perform a site: it's as if we're

was the beginning of site as the determinant of a project; this was the

trying to coax the project out of the site, as it it's been there

end of art as universal, and the beginning of art as politics.) A

all the t i m e — t h e site provides n o t only the place for the

gallery/museum was fitted out as a c o m m u n i t y m e e t i n g place.

project but also the matter of the p r o j e c t — t h e project is built

(This was the beginning of public space: if I was considering a

with the site, by means of the site—the architecture grows out

gallery/museum

as a town square, then sooner or later I had to get to

of the space around it. O n the o t h e r hand, it's as if our p r o j -

an actual town square.) (Voice, and sound, remain in the background

ects build a scaffolding over the site: it's this scaffolding that

of current work: you can close your eyes, but you can't close your

can support a n o t h e r site, either o n top of or w i t h i n the old

cars—voice is like air—sound is placeless, like a virtual reality.)

o n e — a f u t u r e city, a city in the air, precisely because it wasn't there all the time.

In the early 1980s, viewers " m a d e " the piece: a piece was a vehicle that erected a shelter that in turn carried a sign. (What

In the back ot our minds is the dream ot being liberated f r o m

I've retained is: the construction of architecture equals the construction

the site: the dream of the house that you can carry w i t h you,

of meaning.) By the mid-1980s, the play architecture b e c a m e

like a turtle; the dream of the city you carry inside y o u , in

real: furniture, houses, and gardens were constructed of c o n -

your m i n d and through your bones. In the m e a n t i m e , w e try

ventions t u r n e d upside-down and therefore open for r e c o n -

to build worlds w i t h i n the world that w e have; w e carve into

sideration. By this time the work wasn't art anymore; it was

o n e thing to provide a n o t h e r thing at the same time: landscape

starting to b e — a n d it's continued to b e — f u r n i t u r e and cloth-

w i t h i n a r c h i t e c t u r e , and vice v e r s a — t h e u r b a n w i t h i n t h e

ing and product design, architecture and landscape architec-

rural, and vice versa—the virtual w i t h i n the actual, and vice

ture and urban planning.

versa. We like to think we're ready to try alternative versions of all the things of the world, f r o m a spoon and a glass to a f o r -

Starting at the end of the 1980s, the work conies not f r o m

est and a city.

" V i t o Acconci" but f r o m "Acconci Studio," a g r o u p of designers w o r k i n g together as a t h i n k i n g / p r o d u c i n g workshop.

—July 1999 P u b l i c A r t R e v i e w . FALL. WINTER. 99

CONFERENCE

( b e l o w ) K a t e Ericson a n d Mel Ziegler, Camouflaged History, " P l a c e s w i t h a Past," S p o l e t o Festival U.S.A., 1991. Photo courtesy Mary jane Jacob

Mary Jane Jacob is a Chicago-based curator and author noted

into the world in which we live. But while they have helped

for her w o r k o n the national and international c o n t e m p o r a r y

make a case for art being part of public life, there are other,

art scene. Since 1990 she has organized g r o u n d b r e a k i n g exhi-

m o r e intangible uses for art that need to coexist with t h e m .

bitions outside the boundaries of museums, including C u l t u r e In A c t i o n ( C h i c a g o ) , Places w i t h a Past (Charleston), and Conversations

at the Castle

(Atlanta), held d u r i n g

the

C e n t e n n i a l O l y m p i c Games. Jacob is currently developing a multisite national p r o g r a m on the relationship of Buddhism and c o n t e m p o r a r y art and a symposium around the issues of art and health. She teaches in the sculpture d e p a r t m e n t of the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, is an advisor to the Block M u s e u m at N o r t h w e s t e r n University, Chicago, and is o n the graduate faculty of the C e n t e r for Curatorial Studies at Bard College, N e w York, for w h i c h she is writing a b o o k w i t h

W h e n we propose art whose use value is harder to pinpoint or w h o s e f o r m is unfamiliar, we find that our ambitions are often thwarted by officials in the n a m e of the public. Punitively, we hear: " T h e public w o n ' t like that. T h e public won't get it." To me, the new frontier for public art is not in finding n e w spaces or forms, but in demonstrating h o w art is essential to people's lives—in practical and impractical ways. Public art does not have to entertain or mollify; it can make waves and still be very successful. Public art can and should challenge a n d , through a process of exchange, take on greater meaning.

M i c h a e l B r e n s o n on the relationship of c o n t e m p o r a r y art

T h e work you d o needs to dismantle the prevailing idea of

m u s e u m s to their local communities.

w h a t the public's opinion of public art is, because this notion degrades the public while claiming to defend t h e m , casting

• • •

t h e m as insensitive, i n e x p e r i e n c e d , and i n a d e q u a t e . T h i s stereotype assumes that the public doesn't k n o w about art,

D u r i n g the 1990s we've seen many c o m m u n i t y - b a s e d projects

because to k n o w about art o n e needs training. But the public

that i n c o r p o r a t e the voice of the public and that represent

brings a lot to the experience of art—they b r i n g a multitude

people through their names, images, or history. W h i l e n e w to

of shared and individual experiences that b o t h enrich their

public art, these projects have renewed in the art world the

understanding of art and contribute to the ethos of the art-

timeless fact that art does contribute to people's lives. Yet in

work itself. If we don't respect the public, then the artworks

celebrating these examples, I fear w e sometimes mistake the

w e create for t h e m will be m u t e . U n d e r s t a n d i n g h o w t h e

c u r r e n t social aspect of art for style rather than realize it is a

public values art gives us reason for doing our jobs.

philosophy, a point of view a n d — m o s t of all—a value that w e b r i n g to the way w e w o r k as artists and administrators. T h e core values b e h i n d c o m m u n i t y - b a s e d art have.a place in public art in the broadest sense. For instance, in undertaking public projects that are object based, w e still need to think about h o w w e can engender a sensitivity to community. We must ask ourselves h o w this work can m o r e effectively engage viewers and be a point of exchange. And, w h e n the artist is not a spokesperson or active c o m m u n i t y participant, w e must i n t e r p r e t the w o r k and d e v e l o p a larger public dialogue a r o u n d it. We n e e d to find ways to c o n t i n u e to use a city's public art collection as a living resource long after a project is built and dedicated. We need to perceive a full spectrum of 30

possible f o r m s of art and to recognize that, to varying degrees, aesthetic and social values are present in all art. But c o m m u n i t y - b a s e d art can, paradoxically, backfire by feeding i n t o the l o n g - s t a n d i n g A m e r i c a n mentality of art's use value. In this m i n d - s e t , aesthetic quality is never e n o u g h because it is n o t useful. S o m e have e m b r a c e d public art through design, decorative enhancements, or social infrastructure, because these types of art appear to have a use. O v e r the last twenty years these forms have been incredibly important in c h a n g i n g the genre of public art and b r i n g i n g it f u r t h e r

P u b l i c A r t R e v i e w . FALL. WINTER. 99

— S e p t e m b e r 1999

PROJECT

VISIBLE REPUBLIC NEW PUBLIC ART IN BOSTON

Public e x h i b i t i o n f o r Visible Republic,

R e v i e w e d by C a r o l e G o l d C a l o • • •

Visible Republic, a new public art initiative in Boston, offers an alternative to m o r e conventional f u n d i n g programs. In an effort to avoid the so-called "plop art" syndrome, w h e r e a perm a n e n t public m o n u m e n t is imposed on a predetermined site, Visible R e p u b l i c supports works proposed by local artists that integrate aesthetic vision with c o m m u n i t y o u t r e a c h . Sam Miller, executive director of the N e w England Foundation for the Arts (NEFA), foresees that this approach will c o m p l e m e n t rather than replace existing institutionally driven programs, thereby providing balance to public arts funding. Visible Republic is distinctive in a n u m b e r of respects. It is a f u n d i n g collaborative b e t w e e n

NEFA

(which administers the

program), the Lyda Ebert Family (LEF) Foundation, the Boston Foundation's Fund for Arts and Culture, the Fund for the Arts, and the Charles E. C u l p e p e r F o u n d a t i o n . T h e collaborative evolved from the Arts Funders Affinity Working Group, c o m posed of Boston funders w h o support the arts, and was partly Francisco.

O n April 12, 1999, the finalists p r e s e n t e d t h e i r p r o j e c t s

A c c o r d i n g to Lyda K u t h , associate director of t h e LEF

inspired by the Creative Works F u n d in San

through drawings, diagrams, photographs, video footage, and

Foundation, this collaborative can m o r e effectively increase the

models before a panel of p r o m i n e n t players in the public art

visibility of public art in the greater Boston area. By pooling

arena: Miguel Baltiera, public artist and urban designer f r o m

resources, Visible R e p u b l i c is able to offer larger grants than

N e w York

private, individual foundations to f u n d truly significant proj-

C o n n e c t i c u t C o m m i s s i o n o n the Arts; Lyda K u t h , associate

C i t y ; Linda

Dente, public

art

coordinator,

ects. T h e p r o g r a m is m o r e artist driven than most, inviting

director,

artists at various stages of their careers to c h o o s e a site to

p r o g r a m c o o r d i n a t o r , and Sam Miller, executive director,

explore conceptually. Because the proposed works are not nec-

shared o n e vote. A public exhibition and f o r u m at the Boston

LEF

Foundation.

NEFA

representatives Liesel Fenner,

essarily intended to be p e r m a n e n t , artists may be m o r e adven-

C e n t e r for the Arts followed the presentations to the judges.

turesome and opt to explore nontraditional public art media. A

T h e displayed projects served as a springboard for an animated

crucial c o m p o n e n t is i n t e r a c t i o n w i t h the c o m m u n i t y in

discussion of issues related to public art in Boston and public

which the work will be installed.

a r t - m a k i n g in general: t h e challenges a n d rewards o f the process, f u n d i n g difficulties, w o r k i n g with bureaucratic o r g a n -

T h e program was a n n o u n c e d in fall 1998. Fifty o n e - t o - t w o page concept proposals were received from local artists. Short proposals were requested in order to make the process accessible to artists with less experience working in the public domain. T h e y described the kernel of an idea for a proposed artwork on

izations, the artist's role redefined, and the extent of c o m m u nity involvement. Boston Architectural C e n t e r president Ted Landsmark facilitated the f o r u m w i t h contributions by guest panelists Pamela W o r d e n of UrbanArts. Inc., and artists Ellen Driscoll, Carlos D o r r i e n , and M a r y Ellen Strom.

a site chosen by the artist, identified potential c o m m u n i t y partners, and outlined a preliminary budget. O u t of these fifty pro-

F r o m the twelve projects presented, t h r e e w e r e c h o s e n for

posals twelve were awarded planning grants: Jerry Beck, Sign

implementation grants based o n creative spirit, lasting impact,

Language;

and feasibility: Denise Marika and Corey Tatarczuk's Crossing

Sharon

Dunn,

Kaczynski, The Minotaur's

Holographic

Mural

Project; Kelly

Maze; D e n i s e Marika and C o r e y

Tatarczuk, Crossing Paths; Shuya O h n o , Surrealist

Paths ($40,000); Kelly Kaczynski's Minotaur's Maze

($35,000);

Playscape\Mark

and Ean W h i t e and Jed Speare's Interstices ($10,000). Initially, u p

Pierson and Interrelated Arts Foundation, Billboard Project/ X-

to f o u r i m p l e m e n t a t i o n grants had b e e n p l a n n e d , b u t in

PRG2

Group; Monica R a y m o n d , Traces; Wellington Reiter, A

response to the presentations, the consensus a m o n g the j u d g e s

Tale of Two Cities; Heidi Schork, My Jamaica P/in>i;Wen-TiTsen,

was to f u n d t h r e e fully and give t w o f i v e - t h o u s a n d - d o l l a r

Wayside Shrines; Bart U c h i d a , Elmhurst

Community

design d e v e l o p m e n t grants for m e r i t o r i o u s projects that

Backyard; and Ean W h i t e and Jed Speare, Interstices. As Sam Miller

needed m o r e planning. These w e n t to Wellington R e i t e r s A

Street: A

explained, the planning grants were intended to "allow

Tale of Two Cities and Bart Uchida's Elmhurst Street. All of the

the artist to take a j o u r n e y to the site," to further develop the

f u n d e d proposals w e r e n o t only f o r m a l l y a n d c o n c e p t u a l l y

project over a t w o - m o n t h period.

strong, but also involved a vital c o n n e c t i o n with a community.

NEFA

P u b l i c A r t R e v i e w . FALL. WINTER. 99

PROJECT

D e n i s e Marika and C o r e y T a t a r c z u k , Crossing Paths, public e x h i b i t i o n f o r Visible Republic, ( b e l o w ) D e n i s e Marika a n d C o r e y

April 12, 1999.

T a t a r c z u k , Crossing Paths, 1999.

Photo by Craig Bailey ÂŠ 1999,

Photo composition by artists

C B E Photo

Denise Marika is a Brookline artist w h o teaches at Massachusetts C o l l e g e of Art; C o r e y Tatarczuk is a graduate of that institution and an instructor at Bikes not B o m b s . T h e i r collaborative project, Crossing Paths, will involve projecting p h o t o g r a p h i c i m a g e r y o n t o large c o n c r e t e buttresses along the S o u t h w e s t C o r r i d o r Bike Path b e t w e e n R o x b u r y Crossing and the Jackson Square station. T h e s e projections will illuminate and revitalize this somewhat barren area. Six projectors attached to existing streetlight posts will be activated by light sensors at dusk or on a dark, cloudy day. Still images may be superimposed or c o m b i n e d with graphic images in m o t i o n , for example, a figure over w h i c h a spinning bicycle wheel or the hands of a ticking clock rotate. A second phase may add images to crosswalk signals along this bike path. According to the artists, adolescents involved in the Bikes not B o m b s program in Jamaica Plain will participate in workshops d u r i n g fall 1999 in w h i c h they will discuss their life experiences in the community, h o w their e c o n o m i c situations affect

T h e timetable for implementation is s u m m e r 2000. Although

their families and their relationships, and h o w they find safe

initially conceived as temporary, it is h o p e d that the project

zones in an often dangerous environment. W h i l e the teens will

will have a l o n g - t e r m presence, w i t h p e r i o d i c changes in

not themselves generate photographic images, these workshops

imagery. Presently, Marika is involved with city officials w h o

will serve as the impetus for the imagery, w h i c h Denise Marika

will give final approval to the installation, supervisors from the

will ultimately create. T h e artists h o p e to avoid a billboard

D e p a r t m e n t of Public Works w h o oversee street and traffic

effect by translating the experiences of the c o m m u n i t y into a

lights, and even parks department personnel, w h o will have to

m o r e abstract m o d e that will, according to Marika, "personal-

trim away growth f r o m certain buttresses.

ize w h a t the c o m m u n i t y is all a b o u t " and elicit a "gut feeling, a visceral response" that will change people's perceptions. Art e d u c a t i o n is also integral to the project; the artists h o p e to increase the public's c o m f o r t level with art and different m e t h ods of art-making.

D e a l i n g w i t h various g o v e r n m e n t d e p a r t m e n t s or official organizations is an i m p o r t a n t c o m p o n e n t of the public art process, o n e with which different artists have different levels of familiarity. Since Marika has been involved in other public art installations (notably crosswalk projections in Brookline), she is relatively comfortable with obtaining permissions and c o o p e r ation from various public agencies. Kelly Kaczynski, however, is a novice to the public art process. Both nervous and excited, she welcomes the o p p o r t u n i t y to learn firsthand a b o u t the challenges of working in the public domain. Kaczynski received an i m p l e m e n t a t i o n grant to design and c o n s t r u c t an interactive installation at the Boston

Public

Library (BPL). She hopes viewers connect to her literary t h e m e t h r o u g h a mazelike structure and interactive objects that explain the story. As stated in the artist's proposal: Minotaur's Maze is a full aesthetic experience and a provoking curiosity. O n the j o u r n e y through the maze, a visiting patron will meet a variety of images and objects that eventually lead rise to the question of the Minotaur. O n e may never experience the same thing twice, but there is always the question: W h e r e is the Minotaur? In Greek mythology, the M i n o t a u r is a man with the head of a bull born from the union of Q u e e n Pasiphae of Crete and a P u b l i c A r t R e v i e w . FALL. WINTER. 99

PROJECT

Kelly Kaczynski, m o d e l f o r The Minotaur's Maze,

1999.

Photo by Kelly Kaczynski

rors and reflective objects signifying Theseus finding his o w n reflection in c o n f r o n t i n g the Minotaur. Kaczynski wishes The Minotaur's Maze to serve as an e x t e n sion of the choices w e make every day and the directions o u r lives may take. W h i l e traveling to the center of the labyrinth and c o n f r o n t i n g the M i n o t a u r , T h e s e u s ultimately c o n f r o n t e d t h e m a n - b e a s t w i t h i n himself and e m e r g e d

transformed.

According to Kaczynski, the M i n o t a u r embodies " o u r o w n conflictions, w h a t we can't see in ourselves." She hopes the patron's j o u r n e y through the maze will be a j o u r n e y of selfdiscovery. Installation of The Minotaur's Maze is slated for spring 2000, its duration approximately one m o n t h . C o m p l e m e n t a r y prog r a m m i n g is b e i n g developed: a g u i d e b o o k p r o d u c e d by the artist a n d a p e r f o r m a n c e by m e m b e r s o f t h e R o u g h a n d Tumble Theatre. T h e w o r k may travel to o t h e r public libraries in the greater Boston area, probably in m o d i f i e d f o r m to suit each site. great w h i t e bullâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;Poseidon's p u n i s h m e n t to King M i n o s of

W h i l e the c o m m u n i t y served by The Minotaur's Maze is quite

Crete, w h o had angered him. After Minos's son was killed by a

diverse (staff and patrons of the BPL, school groups, and the

bull in Athens, M i n o s c o n q u e r e d A t h e n s in revenge and

homeless w h o take refuge in the library), the c o m m u n i t y that

required that the Athenians send seven y o u n g men and seven

will experience Ean W h i t e and Jed Speare's Interstices is even

y o u n g w o m e n to be sacrificed to t h e M i n o t a u r , w h o was

m o r e varied, transient, and difficult to pinpoint, but includes

i m p r i s o n e d in a labyrinth o n Crete, every nine years. After

construction workers, tourists, white-collar executives, office

A t h e n i a n P r i n c e T h e s e u s offered to be a m o n g t h e m , K i n g

staff, and shoppers. Digitally processed v i d e o a n d

audio

Minos's daughter, Ariadne, fell in love w i t h h i m . A r i a d n e

footage, w h i c h is being shot o n construction sites for Boston's

sought the help of Daedalus, w h o had designed the labyrinth,

Big Dig, also k n o w n as the Central Artery project, will be

to save Theseus. She gave Theseus a ball of string to unravel as

p r o j e c t e d o n t o a t e n - f o o t screen. T h e originally p r o p o s e d

he m a d e his way t h r o u g h the M i n o t a u r ' s maze, and after

projection sites have not been approved. T h e Jersey barriers

Theseus killed the Minotaur, he safely f o u n d his way out.

were d e e m e d inappropriate because of traffic safety issues; the

Kaczynski will construct a labyrinth out of curved plastic pan-

project on a wall of the Boston building, but may reconsider.

els and a l u m i n u m frames that will e x t e n d f r o m the central

Wherever the projection screen is situated, evening passersby

atrium of the BPL's J o h n s o n w i n g d o w n the stairs into less trav-

will view an h o u r - l o n g video with sound that combines fig-

eled areas of the library. T h e design is still fluid; parts of the

urative and abstract imagery derived f r o m the c o n s t r u c t i o n

installation may climb upstairs to the second floor, as well. As

sites. W h i t e and Speare will recontextualize the Big D i g as

the artist explains, n o o n e way to walk through the maze exists,

performance, blurring the boundary between public art and

many alternatives will be offered. Patrons will decide for t h e m -

public works.

Federal Reserve Bank initially t u r n e d d o w n the request to

selves which direction to take, but they will all end up in the labyrinth's center. Kaczynski plans six areas for patrons to pass

Essential players in the project are the t e m p o r a r y and s o m e -

through, with interactive visual, audio, and tactile elements in

w h a t invisible construction workers. According to W h i t e , " T h e

each: Ariadne's Thread, w h i c h will lead the viewer through the

sound of the j a c k h a m m e r is the d r u m of the twentieth c e n -

maze; Pasiphae as Cow, a tactile structure similar to the sensual

tury."These workers in their f e n c e d - o f f construction areas may

cow Pasiphae used to attract the white bull; The Many

Bulls,

look like caged animals, but they are proud of their w o r k and

small figurines on wheels that refer to the various bulls in the

will leave their mark on Boston. B e t w e e n these workers and

myth; Seven Scats, fourteen chairs in the image of bull horns;

pedestrians exists little c o m m u n i c a t i o n ; pedestrians most often

Daedalus and Icarus, cabinets that contain objects that represent

see t h e m as an i m p e d i m e n t , a nuisance. T h e artists intend to

logic, hopefulness, and the irrational; and Minotaur's

Center,

w h e r e viewers' perceptions are c o n f o u n d e d by a series of m i r -

crack the fence line, to reframe this h u g e construction project for the public into a dynamic participatory experience. P u b l i c A r t R e v i e w . FALL.WINTtR.99

PROJECT

Cities happen? According to Reiter, the design could possibly be m o d i f i e d to achieve the intended effect with less c o m p l e x ity. It might even be possible to reconfigure the original project for the u p c o m i n g Millennium Sphere series for City Hall Plaza d u r i n g First N i g h t 2000. At present the onus is on the artist to work out the logistics. W h i l e the uncertainty of the final f o r m Reiter's work will take is of c o n c e r n , Liesel Fenner states that Visible R e p u b l i c is c o m m i t t e d to assisting h i m in any way possible to see the project through. T h e y have invited R e i t e r to reapply for the 2 0 0 0 f u n d i n g cycle and have even offered to help him work through the bureaucratic challenges. Bart Uchida's

Elmhurst

Street may be less daunting in terms of actual realization. T h e proposed project will create o u t d o o r c o m m u n i t y space for ( a b o v e a n d l e f t ) Ean W h i t e and

children, families, and n e i g h b o r h o o d g a t h e r i n g s o n t h r e e

Jed S p e a r e , Interstices, 1999.

vacant D o r c h e s t e r lots. T h e design d e v e l o p m e n t g r a n t is

Digital captures from W e b site,

specifically earmarked for fuller development of two pivotal

courtesy of Ean W h i t e

sculptures, The Tree of Life and Art Fence. Because Uchida has b e e n w o r k i n g closely with c o m m u n i t y leaders and because there is such strong n e i g h b o r h o o d support for the project, he will almost certainly realize his project with or w i t h o u t addi-

By the very nature of Interstices, W h i t e and Speare are chal-

tional support f r o m Visible Republic.

lenging public art funders and the public itself to recognize t e m p o r a r y electronic public art as viable. W h i t e echoes the

Visible R e p u b l i c will u n d o u b t e d l y make public art a m o r e

sentiments of many w h o submitted proposals to the program:

visible and integral part of the city o f B o s t o n . September 1999

"I never w o u l d have applied for f u n d i n g for this project unless

begins the second f u n d i n g cycle with a call for n e w concept

the Visible R e p u b l i c initiative was in place." By s u p p o r t i n g

proposals. N o w that the word is out in the arts community, it

nontraditional public art media and n o n p e r m a n e n t installa-

is probable that even m o r e artists will apply. F u t u r e plans

tions, this f u n d i n g initiative is expanding conventional defini-

i n c l u d e e x t e n d i n g the f u n d i n g base for the p r o g r a m and

tions to infuse vitality and v i b r a n c y i n t o public art in the

expanding its geographic scope to include other counties in

Boston area.

Massachusetts and eventually other N e w England states. Liesel

A n o t h e r less-than-typical action taken by the panel of judges

all-encompassing definition of public art within the context

for Visible R e p u b l i c was to award t w o five-thousand-dollar

of c o m m u n i t y by m a k i n g it relevant both to people's lives and

design d e v e l o p m e n t grants instead of the anticipated f o u r t h

to the site so that it merges almost seamlessly with existing

i m p l e m e n t a t i o n grant. This action attests to the flexibility of

conditions. " W h a t I truly love is the element of surprise, of

the j u d g e s and to their sensitivity to the particular c i r c u m -

c o m i n g u p o n an artwork in an unexpected place. I h o p e to

stances s u r r o u n d i n g each proposal. Wellington Reiter's and

foresee an environment in w h i c h that happens frequently in

Bart Uchida's projects were considered worthy of funding, but

our everyday experience." Visible R e p u b l i c has already initi-

not yet fully developed. Reiter's A Tale ofTwo Cities involves an

ated a dialogue a b o u t the nature of public art in B o s t o n .

installation of steel cables to support a m o n i t o r sensing the

Fenner hopes to see m o r e and m o r e challenging projects that

m o t i o n of pedestrians that could move back and forth over

can be read on many different levels by many different audi-

the Weeks M e m o r i a l Bridge, w h i c h traverses the Charles

ences. " W h a t is exciting here is the moldable potential. We are

River b e t w e e n C a m b r i d g e and Boston. T h e award supports

capable of making it what we want."

Fenner hopes that Visible R e p u b l i c will forge a larger, m o r e

f u r t h e r design development to solve feasibility, safety, and vandalism concerns. W h i l e R e i t e r appreciates Visible Republic's recognition of the merit of his project, he is c o n c e r n e d about

C a r o l e G o l d C a l o is d i r e c t o r of t h e Fine A r t s P r o g r a m and a s s o c i a t e p r o -

realizing the actual installation d u e to limited

financial

f e s s o r of a r t h i s t o r y a t Stonehill C o l l e g e , N o r t h E a s t o n , M a s s a c h u s e t t s . S h e

resources

Harvard

and

bureaucratic

run

around

from

University, w h o s e property the bridge abuts.Will A Tale ofTwo

P u b l i c A r t R e v i e w . FALL.WINTtR.99

has w r i t t e n a b o u t public a r t f o r Art New England and is p r e s e n t l y w o r k i n g o n a s e c o n d e d i t i o n of h e r b o o k , Writings about Art.

ORGANIZATION W i n g Young H u i e . Lake Street, Public A r t Affairs, M i n n e a p o l i s , Minn., 1999.

FORECAST 21

Photo by W i n g Young Huie

by Todd M e l b y • • •

( b e l o w ) C o n c r e t e F a r m , Flatbed M i n n e s o t a Tour, Public A r t Affairs, 1996. Photo by Melissa G e r r

Aitkin, Grand Marais, McGregor, N e w York Mills, and R e d Lake Falls, Minnesota, are places w h e r e the most popular pastimes are high school sports, snowmobiling, hunting, and fishing. T h e s e are n o t cities w h e r e o n e w o u l d e x p e c t to f i n d m o d e r n dance. Yet in the s u m m e r of 1996, a f i v e - w o m a n dance troupe maneuvered a truck through these and twelve other such locales, p e r f o r m i n g its newest routines o n a flatbed attached to the rear of the multi ton vehicle. Early o n e evening in Aitkin (population 1,698), the t r o u p e was just w r a p p i n g up its act before a g r o u p of curious o n l o o k ers w h e n an a n n o u n c e m e n t came over the makeshift sound system: " W e w a n t to t h a n k the C o n c r e t e

Farm

Dance

Collective for p e r f o r m i n g their flatbed routine," a w o m a n said, her voice e c h o i n g off the s u r r o u n d i n g Main Street storefronts. " T h e y certainly did interesting things on that

flatbed."

An old man chuckled. " A n d now, anyone w h o wants to play disciplines through Public Art Affairs, its annual grant program.

bingo, get your cards and we'll collect your money."

O n e of the unusual aspects of the program, w h i c h also turns T h a t m o m e n t came just as Morgan T h o r s o n and the o t h e r

ten this year, is its research and development c o m p o n e n t .

C o n c r e t e F a r m m e m b e r s were t a k i n g their b o w s in the shadow of the flatbed truck. For T h o r s o n it b e c a m e the p e r fect symbol of a town's willingness to accept n e w e x p e r i ences, and

its

desire

return

quickly

what

was

c o m f o r t a b l e . " I t wasn't r u d e , " T h o r s o n says."They let us in as

" T h e s e are t h e hardest dollars for artists to get," says Jack Becker, F O R E C A S T p r o j e c t m a n a g e r . " I t takes t i m e to develop projects, they j u s t d o n ' t h a p p e n o v e r n i g h t . T h e s e grants are about an idea that's b u r n i n g inside [the artists]. It's n o t p r o m p t e d by a n y o n e else, a n d a final p r o j e c t

m u c h as they could."

isn't

required." Even so, Becker notes, "If you give e m e r g i n g artists Helping artists make those critical connections with the p u b lic is o n e of t h e goals of F O R E C A S T , a Saint

a little money, it's amazing h o w far they'll go."

Paul,

Minnesota, nonprofit organization. O f course, F O R E C A S T also produces this magazine, w h i c h celebrates its tenth year of publication with this issue.

W i t h its e i g h t - h u n d r e d - d o l l a r research a n d

development

grant, T h o r s o n and other C o n c r e t e Farm m e m b e r s m o t o r e d a r o u n d t h e state, signing u p cities for their s u m m e r tour. " O h , it was very helpful, p a r a m o u n t really," T h o r s o n says. "It

O n its h o m e turf, F O R E C A S T provides f u n d i n g — i n c l u d i n g

was gas money."

research and development grants—to Minnesota artists in all Artists have used t h e research and d e v e l o p m e n t grants to explore ways of b e a m i n g images of dancing skeletons on the walls of publicly o w n e d skyways; put the finishing t o u c h e s o n Rendezvous

Circus, a series of u n a n n o u n c e d street theater p e r -

formances at bus shelters; design a healing garden at a high school; and develop an all-female stilt p e r f o r m a n c e g r o u p called Chicks o n Sticks. O n c e plans are in place, F O R E C A S T also f u n d s the actual p e r f o r m a n c e , display, or i n t e r a c t i o n that is essential to t h e m a k i n g of public art. Efforts vary widely, ranging f r o m a saili n g a n d d a n c e p e r f o r m a n c e by Lake S u p e r i o r t o c r e a t i n g Beyond Babylon, an elliptical concrete seating e l e m e n t at an elementary school, to an o u t d o o r p h o t o display. After t w o years of d o c u m e n t i n g life in Saint Paul's ethnically diverse Frogtown area, p h o t o g r a p h e r W i n g Y o u n g H u i e was d e t e r m i n e d to share his w o r k w i t h residents. Displaying 173

P u b l i c A r t R e v i e w . FALL. WINTER. 99

ORGANIZATION

David P e l t o , Moon Arch with Kissing Booth, Public A r t Affairs, St. Paul, Minn., 1990. Photo by David Pelto

ter plan, and at a proposed light rail station in the n e i g h b o r h o o d . Funds generated f r o m the consulting work helps boost the organization's annual income, Becker says. As the public art m o v e m e n t has expanded beyond its sculpt u r e - o r i e n t e d "plop art" phase to an indefinable range of perm a n e n t and t e m p o r a r y works by artists in many disciplines, so has F O R E C A S T grown. B e g u n in 1978 as an o u t g r o w t h of the federally f u n d e d C o m p r e h e n s i v e E m p l o y m e n t and Training Act

(CETA)

p r o g r a m , F O R E C A S T ' S first m o v e was to

develop a w a r e h o u s e gallery for local artistsâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;hardly w h a t would be considered public art today. Soon, the rented gallery b e c a m e t o o expensive, forcing the g r o u p to grab space in e m p t y storefronts (with

owner

approval) for dozens of artists seeking a way to show their w o r k . F r o m there, the F O R E C A S T - s p o n s o r e d art a p p e a r ances became increasingly m o r e public, p o p p i n g up in parks, on buses and city streets, and just about anywhere o n e might imagine. "I really believe in the public venue as a place for artists to create images," says C h e r y l Kartes, F O R E C A S T prints along with transcript excerpts from 52 interviews on the vacant lot of a busy local intersection seemed like the perfect solution. F O R E C A S T agreed, o f f e r i n g h i m a f o u r - t h o u s a n d - d o l l a r Public Art Affairs grant to d o just that. "If you put art in a b u i l d i n g , it b e c o m e s exclusive in s o m e way," H u i e says. " S h o w i n g the photographs in the n e i g h b o r h o o d w h e r e they were taken m a d e a lot of sense." T h e impact was twofold, he adds. "It brought people into the n e i g h b o r h o o d w h o might otherwise have never visited," H u i e says of t h e 1994 display. " A n d for p e o p l e w h o lived in F r o g t o w n , they didn't see o t h e r people's realities, they saw their own [lives reflected in the work]." M o r e recently, Huie has shifted his camera lens to a six-mile stretch of another urban center: Lake Street in Minneapolis. This retail strip stretches f r o m the Mississippi River to the city's leafy n e i g h b o r h o o d s near Lake C a l h o u n , chugging past ethnic b u t c h e r shops, nail salons, laundromats, bars, police sta36

tions, and big box retailers along the way. H u i e hopes to display as m a n y as five h u n d r e d large p h o t o s of Lake Street's p e o p l e in s t o r e f r o n t w i n d o w s in the s p r i n g or s u m m e r of 2000. " F O R E C A S T is wonderful because it provides support, counseling, and advice," H u i e says. "I use t h e m as a resource." So do o t h e r artists and organizations.The Science M u s e u m of Minnesota, University of N o r t h e r n Iowa in Cedar Falls, and the Phillips n e i g h b o r h o o d in M i n n e a p o l i s have all s o u g h t input f r o m F O R E C A S T . T h e three organizations wanted to include public art in a n e w building, as part of a campus mas-

P u b l i c A r t R e v i e w . FALL. WINTER. 99

board m e m b e r .

ORGANIZATION

( b e l o w ) C h r i s L a r s o n , Alchemy Machine, S c i e n c e M u s e u m of M i n n e s o t a , St. Paul, Minn., 1999. Photo by George Heinrich

Simply p e r f o r m i n g or creating public art isn't e n o u g h . Inter-

A I0TH BIRTHDAY

acting with audiences bridges the k n o w l e d g e gap, for both

A 21 ST ANNIVERSARY

artists a n d their audiences. D u r i n g their flatbed t o u r of

A NEW MILLENNIUM

Minnesota, C o n c r e t e Farm D a n c e Collective offered people food and lemonade d u r i n g p o s t p e r f o r m a n c e tailgate parties. " W h e n you b r i n g dance to people w h o have never seen it, you have a responsibility to explain it to t h e m , " T h o r s o n says. G r o u p m e m b e r s are also seeking the advice of a u d i e n c e m e m b e r s for a current work-in-progress.

A tenth birthday, a twenty-first anniversary and a n e w millennium: all are i m p o r t a n t markers in the evolution o f an existence on terra firma, occasions that b e c k o n us t o stop and take measure of ourselves: w h a t w e have done, w h a t we have b e c o m e , a n d w h a t w e w a n t — i f n o t n e e d — t o

Just what is public art? "It's a multidisciplinary field that's not

b e c o m e . T h e y are, truly, m o m e n t s for reflection and r e d e d -

rigidly c o n f o r m i n g to established aesthetics," says Paula

ication.

Justich, F O R E C A S T managing director. " W h e n I worked in

W h i l e most people or organizations lucky e n o u g h to reach

theater, there were rules about what theater was...Public art is

these m i l e s t o n e s will m o v e t h r o u g h

them

separately,

vibrant, it's always changing." Try to define it, Becker says,

F O R E C A S T Public Artworks is ascending t h r o u g h t h e m

" A n d s o m e o n e will c o m e along t o m o r r o w and blow y o u r

almost simultaneously. So, it should c o m e as n o surprise

definition out of the water."

that F O R E C A S T — t h e p i o n e e r i n g organization dedicated

That's reason e n o u g h to keep w a t c h i n g — a n d reading—for at

to supporting artists and c o m m u n i t i e s in their visions, an

least another t w e n t y - o n e years

alliance delighted to let the spotlight shine elsewhere, a g r o u p that has o f t e n — a n d in o u r o p i n i o n m o r e t h a n

Todd Melby is a f r e e l a n c e w r i t e r living in Minneapolis. H e can b e r e a c h e d a t

admirably—assumed simultaneously the roles o f general,

melby@bitstream.net.

scout, infantry, and standard-bearer on t h e battlefield of public art s u p p o r t — i s f i n d i n g it rather difficult to keep quiet o n the c o n f l u e n c e of such august occasions. So, in h o n o r of, well, us, w e have c o m m i s s i o n e d graphic designer Ivett Lorenzano to create an image w o r t h y of this n e w Weltanschauung, an image that will celebrate our past, e m b o d y o u r present, and p o i n t toward o u r future.We think that she has d o n e all that and more. A n d so we unveil the n e w i m a g e — i f n o t the n e w Z e i t g e i s t — o f F O R E C A S T Public Artworks. W e l c o m e to F O R E C A S T ' S twenty-first anniversary at the dawn of the new m i l l e n n i u m . C o n s i d e r this y o u r official invitation to the y e a r - l o n g c e l e b r a t i o n that is to c o m e . Leave your shoes—and you inhibitions—at the door. It's gonna be a very g o o d year. — T h e board and staff of F O R E C A S T Public Artworks

F O R E C A S T Public

Artworks

P u b l i c A r t R e v i e w . FALL.WINTIR.99

EXCERPT

THEATRE OF WONDER MAY DAY

by Sandy Spieler • • • The summer

of 1999

marked a celebration of the

twenty-fifth

procession as a way to celebrate the workers w h o build this

innovative In the Heart of the Beast

c o m m u n i t y every day w i t h the creativity o f their hands,

Puppet and Mask Theatre. T h e a t r e O f W o n d e r : T w e n t y - F i v e

hearts, and minds. And w e continued on with the procession.

Years In T h e Heart O t ' T h e Beast, edited by Colleen ]. Sheehy, is

By its third year, our May Day parade had b e c o m e a tradition

an examination of the company, complimenting a recent exhibition at

that could not easily be broken

anniversary of Minneapolis's

the University of Minnesota's Weisman Art Museum. Celebrating the theater's many accomplishments, the book considers the role of contem-

O n May Day, the parade explodes o n t o the street, blessing this

porary puppet theater to help celebrate and commemorate

notable

artery of c o m m u n i c a t i o n and c o m m e r c e in a n e w way. We tell

events and anniversaries. The following excerpt traces the genesis of

o u r t h e m e story section by section, p r o c e e d i n g d o w n the

the theater's annual May Day Parade and Festival.

street like a walking Burma-Shave sign. We o w n the street for the day, playing instruments that usually sit at h o m e in the

T h e spring of 1975 was o u r first May Day Festival. T h e orig-

corner, strutting masks with fiery verve. We welcome back the

inal impetus was quite simple. We w a n t e d to give a gift to the

spring birds and greet neighbors from near and far.

c o m m u n i t y that was supporting us and to create a celebration that w o u l d b r i n g people together out of their houses at the e n d of winter. M o r e importantly, the day was a " h o l y " day t o r i m p o r t a n t roots of o u r theatre's sensibilities—the " g r e e n r o o t " a n d t h e " r e d root." T h e g r e e n r o o t is the ancient N o r d i c earth calendar root, marking the time w h e n spring blossoms in all her glory. T h e red root is the blood r o o t , t h e people's labor root, o r i g i n a t i n g f r o m t h e

1886

C h i c a g o g a r m e n t workers' strike and growing into a w o r l d w i d e celebration of labor solidarity.

T h e parade culminates with the Tree of Life C e r e m o n y in P o w d e r h o r n Park, e n a c t e d on the

shores of P o w d e r h o r n

Lake, w h e r e a natural hillside amphitheater serves as our perf o r m a n c e space. T h e event has evolved f r o m a simple maypole dance on the first May Day to our current tradition, which involves h u n d r e d s of p e r f o r m e r s . T h e c e r e m o n y takes its inspiration f r o m the t h e m e for the parade.Yet it also holds the larger ritual that is central to the day itself, tying directly into the green and red roots of May Day. T h e pageant always enacts the foibles of the "Everyday P e o p l e " and their c o u r a g e o u s

D u r i n g o u r initial May Day planning, the Vietnam War was

dealings with the various inflictions on the h u m a n spirit, our

still raging, and w e planned our parade as an event of c o m m u -

c o m m u n i t y spirit, and our earth spirit. We ritually w e l c o m e

nity rejuvenation in the face of this national tragedy. Happily,

the return of the sun to our part of the world as we paddle a

the war e n d e d just weeks before the event, and our little p r o -

huge Sun p u p p e t across the lake, resulting in the m o m e n t o u s

cession was exuberantly joyful. It was a g r o u p of fifty or sixty

rising of the Tree of Life.

people, an Earth p u p p e t , a Water p u p p e t , several birds, accordions, and many banners. We reached the park and' raised a p u p p e t maypole; there were a f e w small p e r f o r m a n c e s and some political speeches, and everyone got sunburned; then we w e n t h o m e . It p o u r e d rain that night.

O u r h u g e puppets representing the Woods, River, Sky, and Prairie usually o p e n the c e r e m o n y and r e m i n d us that we humans always act within the context of the broader c o m m u nity of animals, plants, the elements, and time. T h e "Everyday People" are often the only unmasked players of the ceremony

In 1976, the second May Day happened w i t h a stronger ideal

and f u n c t i o n s o m e w h a t like the a n c i e n t G r e e k c h o r u s , as

about the ritual quality of the event. We began to see the pro-

instigators of action and "focus-ers" of the larger picture. T h e y

cession as an i m p o r t a n t transformational act of m o v i n g from

always represent the best vision we humans can muster f r o m

o n e place to another. We developed a small p e r f o r m a n c e for

our perspective in this time and place, often c o m i n g to grips

the b e g i n n i n g of the parade and for the end as we raised the

with their own destructive tendencies

maypole. O u r planning g r o u p f r o m the year before had been divided by an ideological split within the local food c o o p e r a tive m o v e m e n t . T h i s " C o - o p W a r " had split marriages and households as well as organizations, with passionate disagreements and even some violence. We chose the t h e m e of Noah's Ark for the parade, as a m e t a p h o r for traveling through this storm. Feelings were riding high, and w e were frightened that the May Day parade might be stopped. We were not.

H a v i n g started o n a small patch of land on the shore o f P o w d e r h o r n Lake w i t h a few dozen people, our ceremony has n o w burst the seams of its natural boundaries of trees, shore, and hill as, in recent years, some thirty-five thousand people watch, cheer, boo, clap, and sing. S o m e o n e described it as a cross b e t w e e n a circus, a grand historical pageant, and an ancient ritual. I simply see it as an intense act of love, an invitation to return yearly to a feast of community, joy, and renewal.

We were stopped the next year, in 1977, by a g r o u p of protesters w h o t h o u g h t w e had stolen May Day f r o m labor. I

Sandy Spieler has s e r v e d as artistic d i r e c t o r of In t h e H e a r t of t h e Beast

stepped forward and stated that o u r intention was to enact this

P u p p e t a n d Mask T h e a t r e since 1977.

Public Art R e v i e w . FALL.WINTER.99

REVIEW

THEATRE OF WONDER

TWENTY-FIVE YEARS IN THE HEART OF THE BEAST R e v i e w e d by M o i r a F. H a r r i s • • •

Edited by Colleen J. Sheehy

d u r i n g the rest of the year, while Latshaw places

Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 1999; $24.95

HOBT

in the

HOBT

began

context of international p u p p e t r y history.

Each year, calendars in communities all over Minnesota mark

N a m e d P o w d e r h o r n P u p p e t T h e a t r e until 1979,

parades h o n o r i n g , a m o n g o t h e r things, seasons, holidays,

as an o u t g r o w t h of a n o t h e r local group, the Alive a n d T r u c k i n '

saints, corn, turkey, and fish. T h e parade tradition is almost as

Theatre, in 1973. Both groups developed f r o m the political

old as the state itself. B u t few of Minnesota's many theaters

activism of the early 1970s.To this day the parade continues to

actually participate in, let alone organize, these parades. For

follow two activist threads: the green thread of ecology and

twenty-five years, South Minneapolis's In the H e a r t of the

springtime renewal and the red thread of labor. T h e first p u p -

Beast P u p p e t and Mask Theatre (HOBT) has celebrated May

pets were created in the basement of a local church and they

Day with a c o m m u n i t y - o r i e n t e d p u p p e t and mask parade.

became, as they still are, participants in b o t h parades and plays.

May Day u n d e r

u n i q u e vision has b e c o m e an occasion

T h e c o m m u n i t y was w e l c o m e d n o t only to watch, but to cre-

for t h e j o y o u s c e l e b r a t i o n of s p r i n g and a t i m e to discuss

ate and participate in the parades, w h i c h today attract crowds

problems facing the n e i g h b o r h o o d and the nation.

in the thousands.

HOBT'S

O n J u n e 19, 1999, a first-ever retrospective of opened

at the

University

of M i n n e s o t a ' s

HOBT'S

work

Frederick

HOBT

theatrical offerings have followed themes as well. Water,

c o r n , and the C o l u m b i a n quincentennial are some of the t o p -

Weisman Art M u s e u m in Minneapolis. T h e entrance to the

ics explored by

e x h i b i t i o n , c o c u r a t e d by C o l l e e n Sheehy, the

director, Spieler has designed many of the puppets, programs,

museum's

HOBT

writers, artists, and composers. As artistic

artistic

and posters herself, but o t h e r artists, groups like At the Foot of

director, featured a gallery of huge rod angel puppets, each

the M o u n t a i n and CreArte, p o e t M e n d e l Le Sueur, and c o m -

offering a bowl filled with "blessing cards" b e a r i n g images

poser R o b e r t H u g h e s , have e n r i c h e d

and words like " H o p e " and " L i f e " for visitors to take.

O v e r t h e years

director of e d u c a t i o n , and Sandy Spieler,

HOBT'S

HOBT

HOBT'S

productions.

has p e r f o r m e d old stories, like D o n

Displayed at the end of this allee of angels was the Sun p u p -

Q u i x o t e , the Virgin of G u a d e l o u p e , and especially the Italian

pet, w h o s e arrival by boat o n P o w d e r h o r n Lake is the grand

folk tale, La Befana. This folk legend of a w i t c h w h o searches

finale of the May Day parade's annual ceremony. Succeeding

the w o r l d for t h e H o l y C h i l d has b e c o m e t h e c o m p a n y ' s

galleries presented the giant r o d - s u p p o r t e d and manipulated

" Nutcracker," w i t h over a dozen productions to date. N e w plays

papier-mache puppets and the masks

based on actual events, such as The Story of Anna Mae

uses in the May

HOBT

Aquash,

Day parade. Interspersed within the p u p p e t displays, posters,

based o n the story of a Native A m e r i c a n w o m a n m u r d e r e d in

p h o t o g r a p h s , and parade storyboards illustrated h o w each

South Dakota by the FBI, and Befriended by the Enemy, w h i c h

year's t h e m e has been realized.

dealt with a Jewish family in Nebraska w h o forgave a Ku Klux Klan leader despite his bigoted actions toward t h e m , have also

T h e exhibition's final installations w e r e devoted to

HOBTS

plays. An h o u r - l o n g video, Out of the Mud, featured interviews with Spieler and o t h e r actual

HOBT

staff m e m b e r s . Excerpts f r o m

productions in the video demonstrated h o w the

b e e n w r i t t e n and p e r f o r m e d . W h i l e A m e r i c a n g r o u p s like Vermont's Bread and P u p p e t T h e a t r e offered early inspiration, HOBT

has incorporated ideas f r o m p u p p e t traditions in Sicily,

Japan, and Brazil.

B u n r a k u puppets used in Befriended by the Enemy or the calaveras-style skeletons of The Reapers' Tale e n h a n c e d the works

T h e p u p p e t plays have been presented in Minneapolis, along

themselves. W h i l e the display of so many puppets and masks

the Mississippi R i v e r , in school residencies, a n d o n t o u r

(over three h u n d r e d examples) m a d e the galleries seem s o m e -

abroad. Since 1988,

w h a t o v e r c r o w d e d , their variety and i n g e n u i t y m u s t have

f o r m e r p o r n o g r a p h i c m o v i e t h e a t e r called the Avalon; t h e

made selection difficult for the curators.

move was celebrated with a cheerful a n n o u n c e m e n t o n the

T h e exhibition catalogue, edited by Sheehy and illustrated in black and w h i t e with a thirty-page color section, presents a history written by Spieler, a timeline of

HOBT

productions and

parades, and shorter appreciations written by G e o r g e Latshaw, Martha

Boesing,

Debra

Frasier,

Roy

McBride,

David

O'Fallon, and Florence C h a r d Dacey offering a sense of the

HOBT

has operated out of its o w n space, a

new marquee, " F r o m Porn to Puppets." It continues to find inspiration in its n e i g h b o r h o o d and to actively create w h a t the exhibition and catalogue justly t e r m , "a theatre of w o n d e r . " For those unable to see this nontraveling exhibition, the catalogue is a fine introduction to a local and national theatrical treasure. [See p h o t o o n page 7]

theater's evolution and its goals. For readers w h o k n o w only

Moira F. Harris is an a r t historian w h o has o f t e n enjoyed watching t h e HOBT

the May Day parade, Spieler's informative introductory essay

May Day p a r a d e .

describes the relationship b e t w e e n it and t h e plays offered

Public Art R e v i e w . FALL. WINTER. 99

RECENT

PROJECTS

T h e R h o d e Island S c h o o l o f

SITE PROJECTS DC, featuring n i n e

Artist N i n a Y a n k o w i t z and

Artist Seyed Alavi c o m p l e t e d

D e s i g n (RISD) M u s e u m and the

s i t e - s p e c i f i c installations by

architect Barry H o l d e n

WHAT DO YOU THINK?, a y e a r - l o n g

P r o v i d e n c e P u b l i c Library (PPL)

artists f r o m the W a s h i n g t o n area

recently c o m p l e t e d t w o 3 , 0 0 0 -

c o m m u n i t y - b a s e d mural

u n v e i l e d W H E E L S OF W O N D E R , an art

in vacant storefronts and u n d e r -

s q u a r e - f o o t r o o f t o p gardens

project. A c o l l a b o r a t i o n w i t h

and t e x t m o b i l e that will travel

utilized d o w n t o w n spaces, ran

for I. S. 145 in Q u e e n s , part o f

master muralist Estria and a

t o festivals, parks, and n e i g h b o r -

f r o m J u n e 17 t h r o u g h

the N e w York C i t y Public

g r o u p o f y o u n g artists, the

h o o d s t h r o u g h o u t the state.

September 25, 1999. Presented

S c h o o l s . THE GARDEN OF GAMES

project resulted in t w e n t y - f o u r

O n c e PPL's b o o k m o b i l e ,

by W a s h i n g t o n Project for the

incorporates m i n d - e x p a n d i n g

text murals scattered t h r o u g h o u t

of Wonder is the creation o f

ArtsXCorcoran (WPA\C) in

e d u c a t i o n a l g a m e s , such as

n e i g h b o r h o o d s o f San

R e v o l v i n g M u s e u m ' s Jerry B e c k

partnership w i t h the D o w n -

chess and b a c k g a m m o n ,

Francisco. T h e texts, w h i c h

and RISD students. Painted fire-

t o w n D . C . Business I m p r o v e -

c o n s t r u c t e d o f granite m o s a i c s

w e r e s e l e c t e d from c o m i c

e n g i n e red, the bus sports a

m e n t District (DID), the project

and inlaid i n t o l i m e s t o n e tables

b o o k s , appear as brightly

series o f w o o d c u t f o r m s created

was i n t e n d e d b o t h t o i m p r o v e

and b e n c h e s . THE GARDEN OF

c o l o r e d , life-sized t h o u g h t

by m o r e than fifty p e o p l e ,

the area visually and t o r e m i n d

SCIENTIFIC IDEAS is an u n d u l a t i n g

b a l l o o n s and s e e m to b e the

i n c l u d i n g y o u t h s f r o m the J o h n

v i e w e r s o f d o w n t o w n D.C.'s

landscape w i t h cast b r o n z e

t h o u g h t o f the p e r s o n standing

H o p e S e t t l e m e n t H o u s e , the

rich cultural and social history.

interactive sculptures based

or w a l k i n g b e l o w t h e m . Alavi

Joslin C o m m u n i t y D e v e l o p -

Teri R u e b ' s a u d i o installation,

o n a sundial, a s o u n d w a v e

c o n c e i v e d the w o r k as a way

m e n t Corporation, Flying

Open

magnifier, a N e w t o n ' s cradle,

o f a l l o w i n g y o u n g artists to

Shuttles W e a v i n g S t u d i o , and

verted n i n e public pay p h o n e s

and a parabolic i m a g e generator.

express their c o n c e r n s in a

Hasbro Children's Hospital.

i n t o access p o i n t s for i n f o r m a -

Steel gates and a n e o n c l o c k

visual style that was familiar

Wheels

City, for instance, c o n -

Interactive e x t e r i o r artwork

tion a b o u t the history

that e m i t s light patterns t h r o u g h

t o t h e m . Mural sites w e r e

i n c l u d e s a large, carnival-like

o f the urban design in the

rotating stainless steel perfora-

d o n a t e d by local businesses and

spinning wheel, a wing-shaped

n e i g h b o r h o o d . Clay W e l l m a n

tions also a d o r n this urban

Cal Trans. T h e project was

canopy, a p h o t o p e e p show, and

transformed the b o a r d e d - u p

garden. C o m p l e t e d for N e w

s u p p o r t e d by T h e Precita

a video booth, with book-

facade o f the f o r m e r W o o d w a r d

York's 1 percent program, the

E y e Mural Arts C e n t e r and

related activities c o r r e s p o n d i n g

and L o t h r o p d e p a r t m e n t store

gardens w e r e s p o n s o r e d by

by a grant f r o m the Creative

t o each.

i n t o a large v i e w f i n d e r w i t h

N e w York's B o a r d o f E d u c a t i o n

W o r k Fund.

[ l e f t Photo courtesy Rhode Island

p e e p h o l e s revealing impressive

and the S c h o o l C o n s t r u c t i o n

[Photo by Seyed Alavi ÂŠ 1998]

School of Design]

glimpses o f the store's o n c e

Authority.

splendid interior architecture.

[ m i d d l e Garden of Games.

Artists Sheila Crider,Janis

Photo courtesy the artists]

G o o d m a n , Austin T h o m a s , C o l i n Ives, K e n A s h t o n , S t e p h e n Barnes, and T i m o t h y N o h e also c o n t r i b u t e d installations.

T h e v i d e o project, RETAKE, by D e n n i s A d a m s o p e n e d at B r y n M a w r Train Station in Philadelphia o n S e p t e m b e r 2 5 , 1 9 9 9 . Retake

is the third installa-

tion o f Points of

Departure:

Art on the Line, an e x h i b i t i o n o f public art projects in train stations o n the R 5 R e g i o n a l Rail Line in Philadelphia p r o d u c e d by the M a i n Line Art C e n t e r and curated by Julie

RECENT

PROJECTS

C o u r t n e y . For the w o r k A d a m s

Artist Jane G o l d m a n has

S i n c e 1 9 9 2 , o n e o f the m o s t

teacups in hand, gather t o

p r o d u c e d 2 7 7 individual still

captured the richness o f the

p o p u l a r public art projects in

share stories a b o u t i m p o r t a n t

i m a g e s from the 1 9 5 9 Paul

Atlantic O c e a n in her artwork

K i n g C o u n t y , Wash., is the

w o m e n in their lives. B u l i t t

N e w m a n film The Young

ATLANTIC J O U R N E Y , a terrazzo

Poetry & Art o n Buses

supplies the tea bags, the e l a b o -

Philadelphians,

floor in the n e w pedestrian

Project. Its 1 9 9 9 m a n i f e s t a t i o n ,

rately d e c o r a t e d setting, and

u t e d o n e by o n e in sequential

w a l k w a y s c o n n e c t i n g Terminals

e n t i t l e d PAINT ME A POEM: A CANVAS

d a n c e s and songs, as well as

order t o passengers at 3 0 t h

A and E at Boston's Logan

OF W O R D S , features the w o r k o f

stories she has c u l l e d a b o u t

Street Station w a i t i n g for the

Airport. T h e project, w h i c h is

sixty local p o e t s paired w i t h

the natural history o f

R 5 train t o B r y n M a w r Station.

G o l d m a n ' s first foray i n t o

artwork f r o m the K i n g C o u n t y

C o d o r n i c e s Park, b e c a u s e

As h e h a n d e d o u t each image,

public art, was c o m m i s s i o n e d

Public Art C o l l e c t i o n and

Bulitt w i s h e s h e r guests t o

A d a m s yelled o u t a different

by the M a s s a c h u s e t t s Port

displayed o n placards in the

appreciate the place in w h i c h

s o u n d bite in the style o f a

A u t h o r i t y as part o f the $1

interior o f m e t r o buses. T h e

t h e y live and gather. E v e n

street hawker. A small v i d e o

billion Logan M o d e r n i z a t i o n

p o e m s w e r e c h o s e n in a

b e f o r e B u l i t t b e g a n her tea

camera attached to his arm

for the T w e n t y - F i r s t C e n t u r y ,

c o m p e t i t i o n o p e n t o residents

party project, she was interested

r e c o r d e d the event. T h e c o m -

and is the largest p u b l i c art

in K i n g , S n o h o m i s h , Pierce,

in the a n t h r o p o l o g y o f tea,

p l e t e d w o r k is a large v i d e o

installation in N e w E n g l a n d .

and Kitsap c o u n t i e s that elicited

w h i c h serves as a m e d i u m

m o n i t o r installed inside the

The 35,000-square-foot

m o r e than 2 , 0 0 0 submissions.

b o t h f o r p e a c e f u l , solitary

w h i c h h e distrib-

B r y n M a w r Station s h o w i n g the

terrazzo floor, the l e n g t h o f

Project curator P e g g y Weiss

r e f l e c t i o n and for c o m m u n i o n

c o m p l e t e d retakes.

seven football fields, takes

c h o s e the a c c o m p a n y i n g art

b e t w e e n friends and n e i g h b o r s ,

D o l o r e s Z i n n y and Juan Ignacio Maidagan, t w o e m e r g i n g A r g e n t i n e a n artists based in N e w York, transformed a stairwell in the N e w M u s e u m w i t h an installation that addresses the viewer's p e r c e p t i o n o f space. OFFSIDE, a "spatial intervention," disguised the e x i s t i n g structure

travelers o n an aquatic

from King County's thirty-year-

m o t h e r s and daughters.

j o u r n e y f r o m sandy b e a c h to

o l d c o l l e c t i o n . O v e r the n e x t

D u r i n g o n e Sunday afternoon

the depths o f the Atlantic

year, sixty P o e t r y & Art buses

a year, t h e creek, t h e tea, a n d

waters s u r r o u n d i n g B o s t o n ,

will circulate in the m e t r o

the stories flow t o g e t h e r , and

w h e r e they e n c o u n t e r f o r t y -

bus fleet. T h e r e m a i n i n g

Bulitt's guests find t h e m s e l v e s

f o u r inhabitants i n c l u d i n g

buses will carry at least o n e

connecting w o m e n from

the c o d , harbor seal, sea nettle,

Poetry & Art placard, a l l o w i n g

their pasts w i t h w o m e n

and giant lobster,

riders the o p p o r t u n i t y t o read

a m o n g s t w h o m they share

[ m i d d l e Photo courtesy the artist]

p o e t r y and c o n t e m p l a t e art

their lives.

o n their daily c o m m u t e s .

[ r i g h t Photo by Catherine Allport]

o f the stairwell b e t w e e n the m u s e u m ' s M e z z a n i n e and the

For t e n years n o w , artist and

S e c o n d F l o o r Gallery t h r o u g h

dancer Patricia Bulitt has

the use o f color, material, and

h o s t e d an annual tea party.

light. T h e resulting architectural

H e r project, THERE'S A TREE

relief, o n v i e w f r o m July 15

W H I S T L I N G ITS MESSAGE THROUGH THE

through October 1 7 , 1 9 9 9 ,

KETTLE: A W O M E N ' S AND GIRLS' TEA

conjures u p imaginary z o n e s

PARTY AND STORYTELLING CEREMONY,

and challenges v i e w e r s ' p e r c e p -

has b e c o m e a s p r i n g tradition

tions o f the space in w h i c h

alongside C o d o r n i c e s Creek

they m o v e .

in Berkeley, Calif., w h e r e local

[ l e f t Photo by Fred Scrutin]

f e m a l e s age e i g h t and over,

RECENT

PROJECTS

T h i s s u m m e r California

In A u g u s t 1 9 9 8 muralist

was c o m p l e t e d in 1 9 9 5 and

W A T E R ABOVE WATER: A SUBLIME FLOAT-

State U n i v e r s i t y M o n t e r e y

J o h a n n a P o e t h i g also c o m p l e t e d

received that year's H o n o r

ING LANDSCAPE was the m o s t

B a y s Institute f o r V i s u a l and

the CESAR CHAVEZ MEMORIAL for

Award f r o m the N a t i o n a l

recent art e v e n t f r o m Leni

Public Art (VPA) installed

S o n o m a State University.

Terrazzo & M o s a i c Association.

S c h w e n d i g e r Light Projects. In

e i g h t BUS SHELTER POSTERS in the

T h e colorful, t w e n t y - f o u r - f o o t -

Marina and Seaside c o m m u n i -

l o n g w o o d e n mural is a t h r e e -

ties t o raise public awareness

d i m e n s i o n a l p i e c e that

o f the societal i m p l i c a t i o n s o f

i n c l u d e s h a n d - p a i n t e d images,

the g r o w i n g prison p o p u l a t i o n

w o o d c u t t i n g s , and l e t t e r i n g in

in California. T h e posters are

English and Spanish. S i n c e its

the result o f a y e a r - l o n g

c o m p l e t i o n , the p i e c e has

c o l l a b o r a t i o n b e t w e e n the

resided in the R u b e n Salazar

students, i n c l u d i n g Almarosa

Library but will b e m o v e d to

Pio, and faculty, J o h a n n a P o e t h i g

its p e r m a n e n t h o m e inside the

and R y a n S l o a n , o f the VPA

Jean and Charles S c h u l z

Oigital P u b l i c Art W o r k s h o p

Information Center w h e n

and i n m a t e s at Salinas Valley

that b u i l d i n g is c o m p l e t e d by

State P r i s o n t h r o u g h the Arts

the fall o f 2 0 0 0 .

principal a u t h o r o f the GI Bill o f R i g h t s o f 1 9 4 4 , was d e d i c a t e d in N o v e m b e r 1 9 9 8 , in P h o e n i x . D e s i g n e d by Alan Berger, a D e n v e r - b a s e d landscape architect and assistant professor o f landscape architecture at the U n i v e r s i t y o f C o l o r a d o at D e n v e r , and Susan S c h w a r t z e n b e r g , a San

traditional m e m o r i a l w e a v e s

Facilitator, Leslie Hara. S t u d e n t s used c o m p u t e r t e c h n o l o g y to design posters r e f l e c t i n g their research, w h i c h i n c l u d e d m e e t i n g w i t h i n m a t e s to discuss issues and to e x c h a n g e i m a g e s , text, and ideas for the public art posters. [ l e f t Photo courtesy the artist]

T h e s e c o n d phase o f M i c h e l e

Woe in prison, Y

b i o g r a p h y and personal

O k a D o n e r ' s A W A L K ON THE

t e s t i m o n y i n t o the design o f a

BEACH, an expansive

public plaza o n the g r o u n d s

floor

installation, o p e n e d o n July 7,

b e t w e e n the A r i z o n a State

May, S c h w e n d i g e r transformed Glasgow, Scotland's Maryhill locks and Kelvin A q u e d u c t w i t h a n i g h t t i m e display o f w a t e r y blue, g r e e n , and a q u a m a r i n e floodlights;

g o l d e n , textural, "fil-

a m e n t net" projections; and sparkling "imaginative canal craft." C o n c e i v e d as a catalyst for e x t e n d i n g the site's accessibility i n t o the e v e n i n g hours, S c h w e n d i g e r ' s visual transform a t i o n was a c c o m p a n i e d by a celebration o f the site's history. In the program for the event, Schwendiger weaves "existing folklore w i t h i m a g i n a t i v e m u s ings o n the site's heroic, and s o m e t i m e s tragic, role in the

1 9 9 9 , at C o n c o u r s e A , M i a m i

C a p i t o l and the S u p r e m e

International Airport. M i a m i -

C o u r t building. H i g h l i g h t s

b o r n O k a D o n e r created a

i n c l u d e a granite pathway

Installed this s u m m e r in front o f

g l o w i n g terrazzo

i n s c r i b e d w i t h veterans' state-

the N a t i o n a l Public R a d i o

floor

Industrial R e v o l u t i o n . "

inlaid w i t h b r o n z e castings

m e n t s a b o u t h o w the GI Bill

headquarters in W a s h i n g t o n ,

inspired by and celebrating the

c h a n g e d their lives; a s l o p i n g

D . C . , is LOCUS by R o b e r l e y Bell.

u n i q u e n e s s and beauty o f

g r e e n s t o n e wall i n c o r p o r a t i n g

C o m m i s s i o n e d by I T S

Florida's natural w o r l d .

McFarland's biography, p h o t o -

Sculpture and based o n the

G l e a m i n g f o r m s representing

e t c h e d metal plates resting

t h e m e o f portals, the w o r k c o n -

subtropical seeds, leaves, stones,

o n sculpturally f o r m e d shelves,

sists o f t w o adjacent plots o f

and flowers float in a sea o f

and a b r o n z e portrait mask;

Astroturf, each s u r r o u n d e d by

dark gray terrazzo. Fragments o f

a d r i n k i n g fountain; and a

w h i t e picket f e n c i n g . Inscribed

m o t h e r - o f - p e a r l add texture

garden o f native cacti and

w i t h artificial flowers o n o n e

and light. T h e first phase o f

m e s q u i t e trees.

plot is the w o r d "desire," o n the

A Walk oil the Beach, a h a l f - m i l e -

[ m i d d l e Photo courtesy the artist]

other, "regret." T h e w o r k is o n

l o n g c o r r i d o r c o m p r i s e d o f over

v i e w until the s u m m e r o f 2 0 0 0 .

2 0 0 0 b r o n z e castings o f salt

[ r i g h t Photo courtesy the artist]

water plants and sea creatures,

wobatiomM

A r i z o n a statesman and

Francisco-based artist, the n o n -

and C o r r e c t i o n s Artist

o i o n parole

A MEMORIAL TO ERNEST W . MCFARLAND,

RECENT

PROJECTS

C h i c a g o artist and p h o t o g r a p h e r

C o s t e l l o is a b o u t t o embark

A n u n t i t l e d sculpture by

iron. BIRD PARK, the Children's

A l a m o & C o s t e l l o w a n t e d to

o n the n e x t phase o f the proj-

P r o v i d e n c e , R . I . , artist

E n t r a n c e t o B a l b o a Park

c o m m u n i c a t e w i t h an

ect, entitled Appleseed.

R i c h a r d F l e i s c h n e r was installed

was c o m m i s s i o n e d b y the C i t y

a u d i e n c e n o t traditionally

will again leave r a n d o m park

over the central Palladian

o f San D i e g o in 1 9 9 3 and

i n v o l v e d in the arts and in the

offerings—natural lightboxes

w i n d o w o f the facade o f the

recently realized. Brailsford

process e x p l o r e issues o f ran-

with a four-by-five-inch

O f f i c e for the Arts (OFA)

d e s i g n e d the six-acre park in

d o m n e s s , o f f e r i n g s as s y m b o l s

t r a n s p a r e n c y — b u t this t i m e in

b u i l d i n g at Harvard U n i v e r s i t y

the form o f a s o n g bird, her

o f trust and c o m m u n i c a t i o n ,

cities around the U.S. and

in July. T h e e i g h t - b y - s i x t e e n -

branch, and nest, w h i c h has

and c o n t e m p o r a r y p e r c e p t i o n s

E u r o p e . T h e first drops, in N e w

foot sculpture—a copper-plated

b e e n s c u l p t e d t h r o u g h grading,

o f tracking an object. In 1 9 9 8

York's Central Park, will take

arc o f precisely d e t e r m i n e d

irrigation, landscape, and

h e e m b a r k e d o n SEARCHING FOR

place O c t o b e r 19 t h r o u g h 22.

facets that bursts b o l d l y f r o m

lighting. Bird Park's beak is an

GEOMANTRICK. From o n e large-

T w e n t y - t w o finders have

the building's brick f a c a d e —

e n t r a n c e patio, her w i n g is a

scale p h o t o g r a p h entitled

r e s p o n d e d to phase o n e , i n c l u d -

represents a u n i q u e c o l l a b o r a -

grassy p l a y i n g field, her nest

Geomantrick's

Blessing,

p r o d u c e d sixty small b o x l i k e

ing a C h i c a g o p o l i c e o f f i c e r and

t i o n a m o n g the OFA, the artist,

and gizzard are tot lots. MOUNTAIN

a social w o r k e r f r o m M i l w a u -

and Harvard's FAS Physical

C L I M B I N G at the C i t y H e i g h t s

p i e c e s each c o n t a i n i n g a c o l o r

kee. C o s t e l l o h o p e s to s o m e d a y

R e s o u r c e s to integrate public

G l o b a l Village Library a n d

transparency e n c a s e d b e t w e e n

b o r r o w the transparencies f r o m

art i n t o the necessary repairs

T h e a t e r was a 1 9 9 8 San D i e g o

t w o panes o f glass in a w o o d

these n e w o w n e r s to i n c l u d e in

at a H a r v a r d - o w n e d b u i l d i n g .

C o m m i s s i o n for Arts and

casing. In O c t o b e r , these art

an installation. A n d thirty

T h e w o r k enters Fleischner's

C u l t u r e . Inspired by R e n e

offerings were randomly

p e o p l e have s o l v e d the I n t e r n e t

o e u v r e o f elegant w o r k s

D a u m a l ' s b o o k , Mount

distributed in t w e n t y C h i c a g o

riddle. To put y o u r m i n d t o it,

that m a k e n o v e l c o n n e c t i o n s

the w o r k transforms a stairwell

parks a l o n g w i t h a p e n , an SASE,

or to c h e c k o u t the drop

w i t h e x i s t i n g architectural

i n t o a theater set w i t h a

and a small n o t e d e s c r i b i n g the

s c h e d u l e for Appleseed,

details, buildings, materials,

q u o t e f r o m the b o o k e t c h e d

project and requesting the

Costello's captivating W e b site:

and landscapes.

in slate, 1 0 0 square f e e t o f

f i n d e r to s i m p l y let h i m

www.enteract.com/~refocus.

k n o w w h o h e or she was. To

[ l e f t Photo courtesy the artist]

allow individuals unable t o visit the parks t o participate in the project h e created an Internet site and a riddle, w h i c h consists o f q u o t e s f r o m sources as varied as Francis Scott Key, Sylvia Plath, W i l l i a m Shakespeare, and T h e W h o , d e s c r i b i n g the original largescale image. For the first sixty correct guessers, C o s t e l l o offered a n o t h e r prize: a l i m i t e d edition eight-by-ten-inch c h r o m e print f r o m the same series. As o f this w r i t i n g

log onto

Analogue,

h a n d m a d e tile, n e o n l i g h t i n g , California artist R o b i n

a n d a g i n g k o tree,

Brailsford c o m p l e t e d several

[ r i g h t Utopia/Arcadia

public art projects in 1 9 9 8

Photo courtesy the artist]

and 1 9 9 9 . A m o n g t h e m , UTOPIA/ARCADIA is part o f an equestrian trail f e n c e o n t h e Hollister Street B r i d g e that crosses the Tijuana R i v e r at the U . S . - M e x i c a n border. Thirteen hand-painted enamels d e p i c t i n g the historical l a n d scape alternate w i t h metal m e s h f e n c e s e c t i o n s revealing t h e landscape v i e w e d f r o m the b r i d g e itself. T h e e n a m e l s are backed with decorative w r o u g h t

Public Art R e v i e w . FALL. WINTER. 99

RECENT

PROJECTS

N o r t h Carolina artist Trena

T a k i n g its inspiration f r o m

in M a n h a t t a n , an e x c e p t i o n a l

Artists Linda B e a u m o n t ,

M c N a b b installed a mural

C o n s t a n t i n Brancusi's f a m o u s

mirror shop, and the f o r m e r

Stuart Keeler, and M i c h a e l

painting, THANKS FOR YOUR SERVICE,

sculpture. Birds in Space, R o n

h o m e of Conan O'Brien.

Machnic completed

o n the m a i n c o r r i d o r wall o f

Baron's latest project. BIRDS, gives

Inspired by Hill's desire t o

DREAMBOATS OF EASTLAKE, a t h r e e -

the B a l d o m e r o L o p e z State

the H u d s o n R i v e r waterfront a

reacclimate herself to N e w York

p i e c e sculpture that unites

Veterans' N u r s i n g H o m e in

facelift. Baron uses carved N o v a

after living in G e r m a n y for

Seattle's Eastlake District. A

L a n d - o - L a k e s , Fla., in

S c o t i a n lobster b u o y s o n the

seven years,"Tourguide?,"

c o m m u n i t y kiosk, bus shelter,

February. C o m m i s s i o n e d by the

pilings o f Pier 3 4 t o represent

explains Hill, " f u n c t i o n s as a

and c o m m u n i t y b e n c h

State o f Florida D e p a r t m e n t

s i l h o u e t t e d birdlike figures at

continuation o f my work

i n c o r p o r a t e a kayak f o r m

o f V e t e r a n s ' Affairs, the w o r k

rest o n the river. A t l o w tide the

w i t h h o w o n e presents o n e s e l f

and are lit f r o m w i t h i n .

h o n o r s m e m b e r s o f the A r m e d

pilings act as pedestals for the

and h o w an 'artwork' relies

C r e a t i n g a pedestrian s e q u e n c e ,

S e r v i c e s and their families.

b u o y s , but as the tide rises the

equally o n the a u d i e n c e as o n

the flotilla o f sculptures

T h e w o r k , painted in acrylic

pilings disappear revealing o n l y

the creator for its success a n d â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

celebrates travel o f the m i n d

o n s e v e n equilateral canvas

a g l i m p s e o f the installation. O n

m o r e directlyâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;as a reflection

and spirit and was inspired

triangles, b l e n d s shapes and

v i e w t h r o u g h the fall, Birds was

o f m y obsession w i t h variety

by a L u s h o o t s e e d Indian tale.

c o l o r s in a transparent c o l l a g e

c o m m i s s i o n e d t h r o u g h the

s h o w television, i m p r o v theater,

Dreamboats

o f i m a g e s o f service p e o p l e and

Public Art Fund's In the Public

and specifically Late

for-art project o f the Seattle

A m e r i c a n families amidst

Realm

with Conan

program.

historic and s y m b o l i c landscapes f r o m around the w o r l d . A military c o l o r guard, c o m p o s e d o f m e m b e r s o f the various military services, provides the focal p o i n t . [ l e f t Photo courtesy the artist]

Public Art R e v i e w . FALL. WINTER. 99

Tourguide? F r o m J u n e 18 t h r o u g h S e p t e m b e r 3 0 , 1 9 9 9 , artist C h r i s t i n e Hill offered an innovative way o f e x p l o r i n g o v e r l o o k e d aspects and angles

Night

O'Brien."

is a 1 9 9 8 p e r c e n t -

Arts C o m m i s s i o n .

was c o m m i s s i o n e d

t h r o u g h the In the Public

Realm

p r o g r a m for y o u n g artists and collaborated w i t h D e i t c h Projects, w h o s e storefront at 7 6 Grand Street f u n c t i o n e d as the

Also c o m m i s s i o n e d t h r o u g h the In the Public

Realm

program, Maria Elena G o n z a l e z c h o s e to w o r k in her o w n n e i g h b o r h o o d . In M a y 1 9 9 9 ,

project's headquarters.

G o n z a l e z installed MAGIC

( W H E R E EXACTLY ARE W E G O I N G ? ) .

O n v i e w since S e p t e m b e r o n

C o f f e y Park. For the w o r k

T w i c e a day f r o m T h u r s d a y

the Pitt Street wall o f N e w

G o n z a l e z replicated the

t h r o u g h Sunday, Hill offered

York's A b r o n s Art C e n t e r is a

floor plan o f a typical

t w o - h o u r w a l k i n g tours that

n e w large-scale mural by D a n

s i x - r o o m apartment in nearby

t o o k c u s t o m e r s t o visit l o c a t i o n s

W i t z . ABSENT FRIENDS, s p o n s o r e d

R e d H o o k East H o u s i n g and

and N e w York characters n o t

by the H e n r y Street S e t t l e m e n t

transformed it visually i n t o

ordinarily e n c o u n t e r e d .

H o u s e , pays h o m a g e to the

a flying carpet. T h e surface

o f N e w York C i t y t h r o u g h her art adventure TOURGUIDE?

CARPET/HOME in Brooklyn's

Featured sites i n c l u d e d the

l o w e r east side graffiti artists'

o f Magic Carpet/

"door to n o w h e r e " on Avenue

tradition o f R.I.P. m e m o r i a l s ,

m a d e o f a soft, fire-retardant,

A , a M c D o n a l d ' s featuring a

[ r i g h t photo courtesy the artist]

black rubber material or

Home is

d o o r m a n and a u n i q u e l y

"safety surface" c o m m o n l y

friendly c o u n t e r staff, Hill's

used in playgrounds and

favorite l u g g a g e vendor, the

provides an o u t d o o r - c a r p e t -

best stamp and l e t t e r i n g s h o p

like texture that gently

OPPORTUNITIES

DECEMBER

u n d u l a t e s . T h e w o r k stands approximately o n e f o o t above the grassy area o n w h i c h

F O R E C A S T Public A r t w o r k s ' 2 0 0 0 P u b l i c Art Affairs

it is installed and appears

program offers grants for

to be floating above the g r o u n d . It measures t w e n t y seven by t h i r t y - n i n e feet, the

e m e r g i n g M i n n e s o t a artists o f all disciplines. Projects are f u n d e d in t w o categories:

size o f the apartment o n

Research & D e v e l o p m e n t

w h i c h it is based, and the

and Public Projects. A third

apartment's floor plan is m e t i c u l o u s l y rendered o n the

c a t e g o r y a d d e d this year is for a da V i n c i - i n s p i r e d public project

surface in an o p a q u e w h i t e paint. B y c o m b i n i n g the visual language o f urban streets and playgrounds w i t h this d o m e s t i c

to b e installed at the S c i e n c e M u s e u m o f Minnesota. Proposals are d u e D e c e m b e r 1, 1 9 9 9 . T o receive a proposal

space, G o n z a l e z h o p e s t o p r o v o k e an e x c h a n g e b e t w e e n

f o r m and a s c h e d u l e o f free information workshops contact

interior and exterior.

F O R E C A S T Public Artworks, 2 3 2 4 U n i v e r s i t y A v e . W . , Ste.

• • •

n e w Central California

t o three v i e w s o f e a c h p i e c e ) t o

H i s t o r y M u s e u m . T h e first stage

B a r r i n g t o n Area Arts C o u n c i l ,

is o p e n to all architects, m u s e u m

2 0 7 Park Ave., B a r r i n g t o n , IL

designers, and o t h e r design

60010.Tel: 847-382-5626;

professionals w h o are l i c e n s e d in

fax: 8 4 7 - 3 8 2 - 3 6 8 5 .

the State o f California. Association o f out-of-state architects w i t h C a l i f o r n i a l i c e n s e d architects is p e r m i t t e d . First stage s u b m i s s i o n s are d u e in late January 2 0 0 0 . A c o m p e t i t i o n j u r y will t h e n select five finalists w h o will receive a $ 7 5 0 0 h o n o r a r i u m for the s e c o n d stage o f the c o m p e t i t i o n . For m o r e i n f o r m a t i o n visit the c o m p e t i t i o n W e b site: w w w . v a l l e y h i s t o r y . o r g or e - m a i l Bill L i s k a m m , C o m p e t i t i o n Advisor: f r e s n o m u s e @ a o l . c o m .

102, St. Paul, MN 5 5 1 1 4 ; tel: 6 5 1 - 6 4 1 - 1 1 2 8 ;

ARTIST OPPORTUNITIES

OPEN DEADLINES

e-mail: forecast@mtn.org.

O u t d o o r sculpture invitational o p e n t o N o r t h w e s t artists l i v i n g in Wash., O r e g . , Idaho, M o n t . , a n d B . C . S e e k i n g large, durable ( w e a t h e r p r o o f and w i n d p r o o f ) sculpture for o u t d o o r display M a r c h 15 t h r o u g h N o v e m b e r 15 in a t w e n t y - s i x acre sculpture garden. S i t e - s p e c i f i c proposals w e l c o m e . Insurance, 3 0 p e r c e n t c o m m i s s i o n , n o j u r y fee. For application SASE t o M a r y h i l l M u s e u m o f Art, 3 5 M a r y h i l l M u s e u m Dr., G o l d e n d a l e , WA 98620.Tel: 509-773-3733; fax: 5 0 9 - 7 7 3 - 6 1 3 8 ; www.maryhillmuseum.org.

In S i g h t / O n Sight: T h e Note: For additional including

listings,

time-specific

T h e Iowa C i t y Public Art

opportunities,

visit Public Art R e v i e w ' s Web site atforecastart.org.

The

listings

shown are subject to changes

beyond

PAR'S control. We recommend

that

you verify information responding

before

to requests.

NOVEMBER A c o m p e t i t i o n for a significant p i e c e o f public art in Lee C o u n t y , Fla., s p o n s o r e d by Florida P o w e r & Light (FPL) w i t h funds ( $ 1 0 0 , 0 0 0 ) m a d e available through the renovation o f their Fort Myers plant is o p e n t o qualified artists w h o "have b e e n b o r n in, reside, w o r k , or have a verifiable

A d v i s o r y C o m m i t t e e has issued an o p e n call t o artists for up to five o u t d o o r sculpture o p p o r t u n i t i e s in Iowa City's n e w l y renovated C i t y Plaza. A m i n i m u m o f o n e site o p p o r t u n i t y will b e awarded to an I o w a artist. Project b u d g e t is b e t w e e n $ 5 0 0 0 and $ 5 0 , 0 0 0 per work; works may be c o m m i s s i o n e d a n d / o r purchased f r o m w o r k s extant. Installation will o c c u r b e t w e e n spring 2 0 0 0 and s u m m e r 2 0 0 1 . For s u b m i s sion g u i d e l i n e s c o n t a c t Karin Franklin, Director, P l a n n i n g & Community Development. C i t y o f Iowa City, 4 1 0 East W a s h i n g t o n Street, Iowa City, 1A 5 2 2 4 0 ; tel: 3 1 9 - 3 5 6 - 5 2 3 0 ;

Fredonia Sculpture Project is a c c e p t i n g s u b m i s s i o n s o f available o u t d o o r sculpture for o n g o i n g , r e v o l v i n g installations o n the SUNY-Fredonia c a m p u s . O p e n t o all artists and all m e d i a suitable for y e a r - r o u n d o u t d o o r display. Artist fees and stipends for transportation and installation are available. W o r k s t o b e o n l o a n o n e t o three years.

O u t d o o r exhibition program o p e n t o e m e r g i n g artists f r o m N e w York ( H u d s o n Valley in particular). S i x - m o n t h e x h i b i t i o n t e r m . A n y m e d i a suitable for o u t d o o r s . W o r k d o n e in last three years. S e n d SASE t o D i r e c t o r , Gallery at R i v e n d e l l , Rivendell Winery, 7 1 4 Albany Post R d . , N e w Paltz, NY 1 2 5 6 1 . Tel: 9 1 4 - 2 5 5 - 2 4 9 4 .

S e n d slides or p h o t o s , i n c l u d e

W a n t t o b e o n e o f the first t o

size, m e d i a , installation require-

learn a b o u t the n e w e s t U . S .

m e n t s , current resume, SASE for

national park a r t i s t - i n - r e s i d e n c e

return materials to In S i g h t / O n

programs? Call the G O W I L D !

Sight: T h e Fredonia Sculpture

2 4 - H o u r Information Hotline

Project, SUNY-Fredonia,

t o hear the latest list o f p r o -

R o c k e f e l l e r Arts C e n t e r ,

grams s e e k i n g artists o f all types:

Fredonia, NY 1 4 0 6 3 .

651-776-3944.

Tel: 7 1 6 - 6 7 3 - 3 8 1 4 . MTA M e t r o Art is s e e k i n g artists S e e k i n g w o r k for a library

for a diverse range o f p e r m a n e n t

sculpture garden to remain o n

and t e m p o r a r y p u b l i c art proj-

karin-franklin@iowa-city.org.

display o n e t o three years. O p e n

ects addressing m e t r o and bus

D e a d l i n e for submissions is

to all artists and all sculpture

public transportation for the Los

D e c e m b e r 15, 1 9 9 9 .

m e d i a suited for o u t d o o r dis-

A n g e l e s C o u n t y public transit

JANUARY

play. M u s t m e e t safety require-

system. B u d g e t s range f r o m

m e n t s . R e v i e w panel w i l l also

$ 2 , 0 0 0 t o $ 5 0 0 , 0 0 0 . For m o r e

Alliance for the Arts, 1 0 0 9 1

T h e Fresno Historical S o c i e t y is

c o n s i d e r proposals for s i t e - s p e -

information, write to Metro

M c G r e g o r B l v d . , Fort Myers, FL

s p o n s o r i n g an o p e n t w o - s t a g e

cific installations. N o j u r y fee.

Art, O n e G a t e w a y Plaza, L o s

3 3 9 1 9 ; tel: 9 4 1 - 9 3 9 - 2 7 8 7 ;

c o m p e t i t i o n to select a design

Insurance, 3 0 p e r c e n t c o m m i s -

A n g e l e s . C A 9 0 0 1 2 - 2 9 5 2 ; tel:

e - m a i l : arts@artinlee.org.

and architectural t e a m for its

s i o n . S e n d f o u r t o six slides (up

213-922-4ART.

relationship t o the State o f Florida." S u b m i s s i o n s m u s t b e postmarked by N o v e m b e r 12, 1 9 9 9 . For s u b m i s s i o n criteria and g u i d e l i n e s c o n t a c t Karl H . Hollander, C h a i r m a n , FPL Art S e l e c t i o n C o m m i t t e e ,

fax: 3 1 9 - 3 5 6 - 5 0 0 9 ; e - m a i l :

Public Art R e v i e w . FALL.WINTtR.99

EXHIBITIONS

EXHIBITIONS SCULPTURE ON THE GROUNDS: JOHN R U P P E R T o p e n e d at the E v a n s t o n Art C e n t e r in May. T h e p u b l i c was i n v i t e d t o w a t c h as R u p p e r t created three t w e l v e - b y - t w e l v e f o o t orblike f o r m s f r o m c h a i n link f e n c i n g o n the Art C e n t e r g r o u n d s . H e l d in place t h r o u g h gravity and centrifugal t e n s i o n , R u p p e r t ' s sculptures recall the d e l i c a c y o f giant d a n d e l i o n p u f f s . T h e installation is o n v i e w through October. MTA Arts for Transit's inaugural

of recording h o w w e experi-

the N o r d i c H e r i t a g e M u s e u m

m o v i e screens. Each i m a g e will

e n c e buildings. STRUCTURES Of

in Seattle, the e x h i b i t i o n

rotate three t o four times b e f o r e

MEMORY, o n v i e w at the Frederick

features a s i x t e e n - f o o t replica

e a c h film for ten w e e k s .

R . W e i s m a n Art M u s e u m in

o f the L e o n a r d o da V i n c i -

Artists Kaucyila B r o o k e , Jill Van

M i n n e a p o l i s , presents s o m e o f

d e s i g n e d b r i d g e slated t o b e

H o o g e n s t y n , Karin J o h a n s s o n ,

the results o f Andrzej

built in an O s l o suburb u n d e r

Clea J o n e s , Y o k o Kanayama and

Piotrowski's research. Piotrowski

Fontes's leadership.

Matthew Spiegelman, R o b e r t

started w i t h the b e l i e f that the

Koss, B e t t y Lee, Kanji O z a w a ,

usual m e t h o d s o f representing

POEMS IN CLAY: A R I H U R OSBORNE'S

K a t h l e e n R o g a n , and Keith

a r c h i t e c t u r e — f l o o r plans,

"PLASTIC SKETCHES" FOR THE LOW ART

Walsh w e r e asked t o c o n s i d e r

elevations, d e t a i l s — d o n o t c a p -

TILE WORKS runs f r o m O c t o b e r

the c o n t e x t o f a m o v i e theater

ture the w a y buildings are a c t u -

2 1 , 1 9 9 9 , t h r o u g h M a r c h 5,

space as a public art and

ally v i e w e d , since they consist o f

2 0 0 0 , at the Erie Art M u s e u m

e x h i b i t i o n site. Entrance to the

parts that are s e e n individually

in Erie, P a . T h e e x h i b i t i o n

s h o w is free w i t h paid admission

as a s u c c e s s i o n o f e x p e r i e n c e s .

features the sculptural tiles

to a movie.

H e visited buildings in G r e e c e ,

d e s i g n e d by A r t h u r O s b o r n e

e x h i b i t i o n at the n e w l y r e n o -

Italy, Poland, Spain, Guatemala,

(1855-1942) while he worked

A s o l o e x h i b i t i o n by W i s c o n s i n

vated G r a n d Central Terminal

M e x i c o , and the U n i t e d States,

for the J. & J. G. L o w T i l e W o r k s

sculptor T r u m a n L o w e is o n

in N e w York C i t y featured a

and in e a c h case i d e n t i f i e d

o f C h e l s e a , Mass., f r o m 1879 to

v i e w f r o m S e p t e m b e r 5, 1 9 9 9 ,

b e a d e d extravaganza by

w h i c h attributes have the

the late 1890s. O s b o r n e was the

t h r o u g h January 2, 2 0 0 0 , at the

California artist Liza L o u , a

strongest i m p a c t o n h o w w e

first tilemaker to treat tiles as

J o h n M i c h a e l K o h l e r Arts

n e w g e n e r a t i o n f e m i n i s t artist.

e x p e r i e n c e the architecture.

w o r k s o f art w o r t h y o f b e i n g

C e n t e r in S h e b o y g a n , W i s .

Like J u d y C h i c a g o and M i r i a m

After s c a n n i n g h u n d r e d s o f

displayed as paintings. H i s

TRUMAN L O W E : NEO-XAHNEE features

Shapiro b e f o r e her, L o u s w o r k ,

photographs o f each building

u n i q u e art tiles, w h i c h w e r e

several o f Lowe's large-scale

AMERICAN GLAMORAMA, b o t h c e l e -

i n t o h i g h - r e s o l u t i o n graphic

d e s i g n e d to b e framed and

w o o d e n sculptures, an o u t d o o r

brates and m a g n i f i e s the o f t e n

tiles, P i o t r o w s k i assembled t h e m

h u n g , are l o w - r e l i e f sculptural

a l u m i n u m sculpture, a s e l e c t i o n

m u n d a n e f e m a l e realm. Lou's

electronically and r e c o r d e d

images, press m o l d e d by hand

o f drawings, and a n e w l y

m e d i u m , m i l l i o n s o f brightly

them on large-format p h o t o -

and c o v e r e d w i t h transparent

created w o r k . D r a w i n g o n

c o l o r e d , shiny glass beads, a d o r n

graphic films. E a c h o f the e l e v e n

c o l o r glazes. Poems in

e v e r y surface o f the objects she

resulting images in the e x h i b i -

o p e n s in c o n j u n c t i o n w i t h a

the W i n n e b a g o tribe, L o w e

creates. O n e o f the show's

t i o n m e l d s the s e q u e n c e o f

national s y m p o s i u m o n art tiles

e x p l o r e s t h e m e s o f the natural

installations, Back Yard, trans-

p h o t o g r a p h s i n t o o n e evocative

( O c t o b e r 2 0 - 2 3 ) presented

w o r l d in c o m b i n a t i o n w i t h

f o r m e d Vanderbilt Hall, Grand

image. For instance, Piotrowski's

j o i n t l y by the Erie Art

N a t i v e A m e r i c a n culture. For

Central's f o r m e r M a i n W a i t i n g

i m a g e o f the K u k u l c a n t e m p l e

M u s e u m and the T i l e H e r i t a g e

Neo-Xahnee,

R o o m , i n t o 6 0 0 square f e e t o f

in C h i c h e n Itza, M e x i c o ,

F o u n d a t i o n , a national organiza-

" w h e r e the water disappears,"

glistening lawn with a picnic

e m p h a s i z e s light, w h i c h varies

tion d e d i c a t e d t o p r o m o t i n g an

L o w e has translated his observa-

table, c h e c k e r e d table c l o t h ,

f r o m the almost unbearable

awareness and appreciation o f

tion o f freshwater streams and p o o l s i n t o sculptural f o r m s .

Clay

his u p b r i n g i n g as a m e m b e r o f

w h i c h means

c l o t h e s l i n e , and i c o n i c b a r b e c u e

brightness o f the sun o u t s i d e t o

ceramic surfaces in the U n i t e d

grill. It c o n t a i n e d 3 0 m i l l i o n

relative darkness d e e p inside,

States. For m o r e i n f o r m a t i o n o n

For m o r e i n f o r m a t i o n , call

beads in all, i n c l u d i n g 2 5 0 , 0 0 0

w h e r e the space m u s t b e e x p e -

the e x h i b i t i o n and s y m p o s i u m ,

920-458-6144.

b e a d e d blades o f grass a n d 1 0 5

r i e n c e d almost by t o u c h and

c o n t a c t the Erie Art M u s e u m at

flowers.

s o u n d rather than by sight. O n

814-459-5477.

A m o n g the o t h e r

installations i n c l u d e d in the

v i e w f r o m S e p t e m b e r 18, 1 9 9 9 ,

e x h i b i t i o n , w h i c h ran f r o m

t h r o u g h January 3 0 , 2 0 0 0 .

J u n e 2 5 t h r o u g h July 2 6 , 1 9 9 9 , w e r e Bridal Barbie,

Business

Barbie, and Supersister,

three

larger-than-life, j e w e l e d v i s i o n s o f the perfect w o m a n .

Wave Hill, a t w e n t y - e i g h t acre public garden and cultural

From S e p t e m b e r 3 0 t h r o u g h

institution o v e r l o o k i n g the

D e c e m b e r 8, 1 9 9 9 , the n o n -

H u d s o n R i v e r and Palisades in

T h e t o u r s c h e d u l e for AD FONTES:

profit, artist-run Side Street

the R i v e r d a l e s e c t i o n o f the

THE ART AND PROJECTS OF V E B J 0 R N

Projects in Santa M o n i c a , Calif.,

B r o n x , premiers a n e w program

SAND, the first A m e r i c a n

presents PROJECTIONS: INTERMISSION

o f site-specific art in the land-

e x h i b i t i o n o f the y o u n g

IMAGES V at the L a e m m l e G r a n d e

scape this f a l l . T h r o u g h GENER-

N o r w e g i a n artist w h o believes

F o u r p l e x Theatres in d o w n t o w n

A T E D ® W A V E H I L L artists will b e

A n associate professor o f archi-

c o n t e m p o r a r y art s h o u l d return

Los A n g e l e s . Part o f a series

invited t o create o u t d o o r art

tecture at the U n i v e r s i t y o f

t o the mastery o f classic t e c h -

c o n c e i v e d by Side Street

installations "inspired by the

M i n n e s o t a has b e e n e x p e r i -

niques, has b e e n e x t e n d e d . O n

director Karen A t k i n s o n , this

natural surroundings" in order

menting with computer

v i e w f r o m S e p t e m b e r 16

e x h i b i t i o n will s h o w original

t o "frame visitors' e x p e r i e n c e s

t e c h n o l o g y t o create a n e w w a y

t h r o u g h N o v e m b e r 16, 1 9 9 9 , at

slides o f ten artists o n f o u r

o f the Iandscape."The pilot

Public Art R e v i e w . FALL. WINTER. 99

Jersey's Save O u t d o o r Sculpture!

project, o n v i e w f r o m S e p t e m -

g i v e n t o thirty-three projects.

Martha T h o r n e ( N e w York:

ber 18 t h r o u g h N o v e m b e r 1,

T h e author o u t l i n e s early

T h e Art Institute o f C h i c a g o

(SOS!) project, w h i c h l o c a t e d ,

is a series o f installations w o v e n

mural history, b e f o r e t u r n i n g

and H a r r y N . A b r a m s , Inc.,

d o c u m e n t e d , and assessed m o r e

t h r o u g h Wave Hill's ten-acre

to the t r o m p e - l ' o e i l p h e n o m e -

1 9 9 9 , $ 2 9 . 9 5 paper, $ 4 9 . 5 0

than 7 0 0 p u b l i c w o r k s , this

Abrons W o o d l a n d by M e x i c a n

n o n s e e n o n Lyon's walls. T w o

cloth). In c o n j u n c t i o n w i t h

b o o k e x a m i n e s the state's 1 5 0 -

artist Laura A n d e r s o n Barbata.

groups, the C i t e de la C r e a t i o n

The Pritzker

year history o f c o m m i s s i o n i n g

Entitled Infinity

and M u r ' A r t , are responsible

1979-1999, the exhibition

for m o s t o f the w o r k . T h e

presented by the Art Institute o f

S h o r t essays and p h o t o g r a p h s

murals are o f t e n c o m p l e t e d o n

C h i c a g o earlier this year, this

profile 1 0 0 o f the states m o s t

personal i n t e r c o n n e c t e d n e s s

canvas that is t h e n attached t o

beautifully illustrated c a t a l o g u e

significant w o r k s and the artists

w i t h the e n v i r o n m e n t , and

f i v e - and six-story buildings.

presents a c o m p r e h e n s i v e survey

w h o created t h e m .

includes e l e m e n t s such as a mass

Subjects i n c l u d e literature,

o f the t w e n t y - y e a r history o f

o f birdhouses representing local

m e d i c i n e , great local chefs,

the " N o b e l o f architecture."

P U B L I C SCULPTURE IN W I S C O N S I N : AN

native birds and their m i g r a t i o n

and soccer. A m a p serves as

Texts discuss t h e e v o l u t i o n o f

ATLAS OF OUTDOOR MONUMENTS,

patterns, an ethereal path o f

the back c o v e r o f this guide,

the prize, set the w o r k o f the

MEMORIALS & MASTERPIECES b y A n t o n

flower

w h i c h is c o m p l e t e l y illustrated

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• • • PUBLICATIONS LAND AND ENVIRONMENTAL ART edited by Jeffrey Kastner ( L o n d o n : P h a i d o n Press Ltd., 1 9 9 8 , $ 5 9 . 9 5 cloth). F r o m the land art m o v e m e n t o f the 1 9 6 0 s t o later e x a m p l e s o f e n v i r o n m e n t a l art up to the present, this b o o k , c o m p i l e d by PAR'S guest editor, Kastner, offers an invaluable pictorial archive o f projects a l o n g w i t h c o m p e l l i n g statements by featured artists and related texts by art historians, critics, p h i l o s o phers, and cultural theorists. Brian Wallis's i n t r o d u c t o r y essay provides a historical a c c o u n t o f the issues, works, and artists that d e f i n e land art and its u n f o l d i n g , f r o m R o b e r t S m i t h s o n , Christo, and A n a M e n d i e t a t o M e l C h i n , Peter Fend, and Mark D i o n .

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and p l a c i n g o u t d o o r sculpture.

architecture, and g i v e insights

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$27.95 paper).The culmination

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o f a s e v e n - y e a r effort t o

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o f each o f the t w e n t y - o n e

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by A r c h i t e c t s / D e s i g n e r s /

w i n n e r s are g e n e r o u s l y

in W i s c o n s i n , this b o o k serves

Planners for Social R e s p o n s i -

illustrated w i t h p h o t o g r a p h y ,

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bility (ADPSR), p r e m i e r e d spring

sketches, and plans.

w o r k s o f art l o c a t e d , i n c l u d i n g

i n t r o d u c i n g i n d i g e n o u s languages o f the B r o n x .

Architecture

Native American effigy

1 9 9 9 . T h e first issue featured three articles o n c o m m u n i t y

PUBLIC ART 101: CURRICULAR BOOK

gardens: " R e c l a i m i n g the

(Seattle Arts C o m m i s s i o n , 1 9 9 9 ,

m e n t s and m e m o r i a l s , art

Sacred C o m m o n s , " " T h e D e a t h

$49). A spiral-bound w o r k b o o k

e n v i r o n m e n t s by s e l f - t a u g h t

o f Little P u e r t o R i c o , " and

w i t h o v e r 1 0 0 pages o f useful

artists, a n d traditional and

" B r i e f H i s t o r y o f Grassroots

i n f o r m a t i o n for cities and

m o d e r n sculptures. Essays

G r e e n i n g in N e w York City."

c o m m u n i t i e s interested in

p r o v i d e i n f o r m a t i v e art h i s t o r i -

Editor L y n n e Elizabeth n o t e s

l e a r n i n g m o r e a b o u t creating

cal b a c k g r o u n d and e d u c a t e the

that the j o u r n a l plans to m i x

and o p e r a t i n g a public art

reader a b o u t the business o f

"the v i e w s o f sociologists,

program, this g u i d e was created

p u b l i c art in W i s c o n s i n .

environmentalists, citizen

in c o n j u n c t i o n w i t h the Seattle

activists, and designers o f the

Arts C o m m i s s i o n s " h o w t o "

URBAN E X I L E : COLLECTED W R I T I N G S OF

built e n v i r o n m e n t — i n t e n t i o n -

c o n f e r e n c e o n p u b l i c art.

HARRY GAM BOA J R e d i t e d by

ally crossing d i s c i p l i n e s — t o

Includes chapters o n p u b l i c

C h o n A. N o r i e g a ( M i n n e a p o l i s :

i n t e r w e a v e specialized k n o w l -

f u n d i n g , artist-initiated m o d e l s

University o f Minnesota

e d g e and break intellectual and

and t e m p o r a r y projects, g e t t i n g

Press, 1 9 9 8 . $ 2 9 . 9 5 paper). A

social barriers." Available as a

the w o r d o u t , artists' contracts,

compilation o f the work o f

b e n e f i t t o ADPSR m e m b e r s

p l a n n i n g for m a i n t e n a n c e , and

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m o r e . To order a copy, c o n t a c t

o f A s c o , the East L.A.

j o u r n a l may b e received by

the Seattle Arts C o m m i s s i o n at

m u l t i m e d i a g r o u p that satirized

subscription t o individual

206-684-4186.

m o u n d s , c h a i n s a w art, m o n u -

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p e r f o r m a n c e , installation,

C h a l a r o n n e , France: Editions

8 4 5 - 0 6 8 5 ; fax: 5 1 0 - 8 4 5 - 9 5 0 3 ;

Petersen ( N e w B r u n s w i c k , N.J.:

f i c t i o n , a n d poetry, serves as a

La Taillanderie, 1 9 9 9 , F r e n c h Fr

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The King County Public Art Program, with offices in Seattle, Washington, develops permanently sited, portable, or architecturally integrated public artworks of the highest quality, using funds from 1% of county construction budgets. Since 1973, the mission of the program has been to ensure that the work and thinking of artists is incorporated into King County buildings, public places and infrastructure. For information write to: 506 Second Avenue, Suite 200, Seattle, Washington 98104-2307 call 206.296.8676 or V/TDD 206.296.7580. Fax 206.296.8629 . King County

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New Slide Registry Deadlines P. Richard Szeitz, "Cluster of Prairie Grasses," 1 9 9 9 . Painted welded steel & red concrete base. 3 5 x 1 0 x 10 f e e t , Moorhead State University Regional Science Center, Glyndon, MN. Located across from t h e entrance of t h e Center, t h e f u n c t i o n a l bench in t h e form of a cross acts as a base for 11 d i f f e r e n t types

November 15, 1999 May 15, 2000 Get your slides on file to be considered for state buildings projects. All media accepted. Contact the Arts Board to receive a Slide Registry application.

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I OTH ANNIVERSARY ISSUE

A PROGRAM OF FORECAST PUBLIC ARTWORKS