Public Art Review issue 24 - 2001 (spring/summer)

Publicfljft Review HANDCRAFTED

VOLUME

12

NUMBER 2 j ISSUE

24

7.SO

SPR . SU

FOREWORD

Janet

Koplos

T

1

H E

T O P I C " C R A F T S AS PUDLIC A R T " PRESENTS A T E R M I N O L O G Y Q U A G M I R E , TODAY THE W O R D

crafts" is applied to the creations of a whole range of people—some hobbyists and some holders of

MFAS,

some anonymous and some famous. It includes functional, decorative,

expressive, and conceptual work, things large and small, silly and profound.The work may be handmade using prehistoric technology, or computer-assisted and machine-shaped (in fact those categories are not mutually exclusive, because the potter's wheel, for example, is a very ancient machine, and the punched cards controlling the jacquard loom long predated the first computers).

"Crafts" includes such an enormous variety that the only way we can come close to knowing what people mean when they use the term is to think of the traditional craft materials, such as clay, fiber, and glass. Even these distinctions are problematic,because metal and wood are also traditional craft materials, but they have to be distinguished from sculpture in metal and wood, which is traditionally included in the realm of fine art. In the first half of the last century it was still possible to distinguish crafts from art by considering the training of the practitioner, but nowadays apprenticeships have almost vanished and nearly all craftspeople are the products of art schools and universities. We escape the muck of imprecise language only by speaking of crafts as combinations of certain materials and certain techniques, or by adding a subtitle or an example every time we use the term. Still, there is something to be gained by slogging through this semantic slough to consider crafts in public art. O n e benefit is the reminder of the riches of materials. We notice that ceramics, for instance, ranges from the visually warm tactility of terra-cotta ornament to extremely heat- and chemical-resistant space-age glazed forms. O r we appreciate the softness, flexibility, and sound absorption that fabrics contribute to public places. (Among the many excellent examples in this genre are the suspended fabric structures of Gerhardt Knodel shown to advantage in hotel atriums, and Helena Hernmarck's many corporate commissions for wool tapestries—both of which take advantage of the range and intensity of colors possible in textiles.)

Because the craft materials are among the oldest of artistic materials, another reward of crafts in public art is the subtle embedding of associations with time and human use. A glass or ceramic mosaic contributes an entirely different aura than a painted mural because of the history that the material carries with it: we might think of R o m a n examples more than two thousand years old. Also, the very fact that small elements, usually not perfectly regular, are pieced together calls attention to touch. We see the evidence o f h u m a n attention and labor in such work.

These associations are in the material itself. Consider, for example, that Ellen Driscoll's glass mosaics in underground passageways at Grand Central Terminal were executed by a German firm, not the artist, and that she chose that medium in part because the tesserae equated with the pixels and benday dots of photographic representation. Driscoll bears mentioning here because she does not come from a crafts background. T h e inherent meanings and the formal attractions of craft materials have drawn many artists in recent years, from Kiki Smith and R o n i H o r n in glass to sculptors such as Wade Saunders and Anthony Caro in clay, in addition to the many profiled in the articles in this issue.

In fact, the movement also goes the other way, with, for example, glass artist Howard Ben Tre not only making a fountain or a light sculpture for a public setting, but actually designing whole streetscapes in large projects in several countries. This mix can only be healthy.

Newcomers w h o enter the worlds of craft materials bring a refreshingly free approach, while craftspeople moving into public projects take with them the obsessions with surfaces, details, and traditions that humanize and make more intimate the large-scale built environment.

Janet Koplos, a senior editor at Art in America, has been writing about crafts since 1976.

Public Art Review HANDCRAFTED

features PUBLIC GLASSWORK M a t t h e w Kangas

4

BRICKS AND BURNT EARTH

FABRIC INTERVENTIONS Bruce N.Wright

10

Michael Fallon

15

TOUCHING PUBLIC ART Jean McLaughlin

program LAYERS OF POETRY AND

SALE BOSTON

METAPHOR

Mary Jo Palumbo

Clair E n l o w

reviews, reports, and

20

surveys

WEAVING THE W E B 31

INTO PUBLIC ART

27

Todd Melby

book

34

reviews

BOUNDARIES and

CHIHULY PROJECTS

WALLS OF HERITAGE,

DANCING IN THE LANDSCAPE

A n d r e a Weiss 38

WALLS OF PRIDE

Betsy Fahlman

38

FORECAST

update

40

AFRICAN AMERICAN MURALS DeAnna Cummings

39

listings

41

PUBLIC ART REVIEW

© 2001 Public Art Review (ISSN:

FORECAST board of directors

acknowledgments

VOLUME 12, NUMBER 2

1040-21 lx) is published semiannu-

Carol Chaffee, Elizabeth Childs,

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unsolicited material. Please send

cover. (top row left) Photo by Ann

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Photo by Dana Moore (remaining)

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PUBLIC GLASSWORK

Matthew

Kangas

We are embarking on a wonderful period. We are privileged to sail this ship on its maiden voyage. Though it is stormy, we are sailors now, and it is a great honor. — E d Carpenter, 1990

T

ÂŤ HE IDEALISM O F ED C A R P E N T E R ' S E L E V E N - Y E A R - O L D S T A T E M E N T A B O U T T H E F U T U R E

OF

glass in pLiblic art was s o m e w h a t q u a l i f i e d at t h e t i m e by his o w n a d m i s s i o n t h a t

c o n c e p t s like "artistic i n t e g r i t y " a n d " a r t status" did n o t m a t t e r t o h i m , so tightly m e s h e d w e r e his p r o j e c t s w i t h pleasing t h e a r c h i t e c t in q u e s t i o n . W i t h t w e n t y - s i x c o m missions t h e n c o m p l e t e d , c r a f t s m a n C a r p e n t e r has g o n e o n t o c o m p l e t e m o r e t h a n t h i r t y a d d i t i o n a l w o r k s in this collaborative vein s y m b o l i z i n g o n e e x t r e m e o f p u b l i c art: total s u b s e r v i e n c e to a r c h i t e c t u r a l design. H i s a p p r o a c h has s o m e m e r i t , b u t any p r o b lems o r issues h e has e n c o u n t e r e d have b e e n t e c h n i c a l , n o t aesthetic.

W h e n Susan S t i n s m u e h l e n - A m e n d q u o t e d these r e m a r k s by C a r p e n ter in h e r talk "Glass G o e s P u b l i c " at t h e 1 9 9 0 a n n u a l c o n f e r e n c e o f t h e Glass A r t S o c i ety in Seattle (abstracted in t h e c o n f e r e n c e p r o c e e d i n g s d o c u m e n t ) , p u b l i c art u s i n g glass was j u s t c o m i n g o f age. A d e c a d e later, at issue is n o t s u s t a i n i n g artistic i n t e g r i t y in the face of c o m p l e x administrative structures but rather three o t h e r considerations: preservation, renovation, and innovation.

A t h o r o u g h analysis o f A m e r i c a n glass artists s u b s e q u e n t l y i n v o l v e d in p u b l i c art is n o t feasible h e r e , b u t it is possible t o get a f e e l i n g f o r h o w g e n e r a l l y s u c cessful art in p u b l i c places p r o g r a m s have b e e n in r e c r u i t i n g glass artists a n d t o m e n t i o n a f e w e x a m p l e s illustrating t h e special n e e d s that glass p r o j e c t s r e q u i r e .

W i t h o u t dwelling unduly on commercial or corporate public projects, it is necessary t o m e n t i o n h o w D a l e C h i h u l y , m o r e t h a n a n y o t h e r glass artist, has s t r a d dled ptiblic a n d p r i v a t e c o m m i s s i o n s , c o m p l e t i n g over 150 residential, i n s t i t u t i o n a l , a n d publicly accessible c o m m i s s i o n s since 1990. T h e 1987 o v e r h e a d , a q u a r i u m - l i k e f r i e z e f o r t h e R a i n b o w R o o m at R o c k e f e l l e r C e n t e r in N e w Y o r k p r o v e d t o b e j u s t t h e b e g i n n i n g o f a variety o f large-scale, h i g h l y i n n o v a t i v e uses o f glass by t h e S e a t t l e - b a s e d a r t i s t . T h e o p p o s i t e o f E d C a r p e n t e r , C h i h u l y n e v e r m a k e s pieces t h a t are a r c h i t e c t u r a l l y recessive o r q u i e t l y c o o p e r a t i v e ; his s t a n d o u t a n d , i n d e e d , usually d o m i n a t e t h e setting.

PRESERVATION

05

So successful have glass artists b e e n that g i v e n t h e b r e a k n e c k p a c e o f ( b a c k g r o u n d ) Ed Carpenter,

publicly f u n d e d b u i l d i n g s in t h e past t w o d e c a d e s s o m e p r o j e c t s are already in d a n g e r o f

Saint Mark's Episcopal Cathedral,

b e i n g s u p p l a n t e d , r e m o v e d , o r destroyed. P u b l i c art a d m i n i s t r a t o r s n e e d t o b e aware o f

altar screen and rose window, Seattle, Wash., 1997.

Photo by Eduardo Calderon

p o t e n t i a l pitfalls in o r d e r t o h e a d t h e m o f f o r have in place p r o c e d u r e s f o r p r e s e r v a t i o n , alteration, r e m o v a l , resiting, o r r e t u r n to t h e o r i g i n a l site a f t e r r e p a i r o r r e c o n s t r u c t i o n are c o m p l e t e d . B e c a u s e these p r o c e d u r e s have n o t always b e e n in place, t h e r e have b e e n

( m i d d l e ) Dale Chihuly, Monarch Window, Union Station, Tacoma.Wash., 1994.

Photo by Russell Johnson

gains a n d losses in t h e past d e c a d e .

T h e Seattle Arts C o m m i s s i o n a n d t h e P o r t o f Seattle's S e a t t l e - T a c o m a (Sea-Tac) I n t e r n a t i o n a l A i r p o r t are g o o d e x a m p l e s o f h o w i n c r e a s e d p u b l i c art tising

P u b l i c A r t R e v i e w . SPR. SUM. 01

'letfopolit; um of An

Richard Spaulding, Mid-Manhattan Library,

r e t u r n , b u t it is c u r r e n t l y u n c e r t a i n as t o w h e t h e r h e will

N e w York City, 1986.

s u c c e e d . S p a u l d i n g b e g a n his career as a p u b l i c artist in

Photo by Vincent FoscatoŠ

1975

with

a series

of windows

in

neighborhood

b r a n c h e s o f t h e Seattle p u b l i c library system f u n d e d by glass sets u p u n i q u e assets a n d liabilities f o r t h e g i v e n

CETA, t h e

federally

funded job

training

program.

p a t r o n . Paul M a r i o n i ' s 1 9 8 0 s c e n e o f y o u n g b o x e r s in a

T w e n t y - f i v e years later, o n e w i n d o w has b e e n lost, o n e

r i n g was t h e first cast-glass w i n d o w c r e a t e d f o r a p u b -

r e m o v e d a n d r e t u r n e d in half, o n e r e h u n g in a w i n d o w -

licly f u n d e d c o m m i s s i o n in t h e U n i t e d States. T h e S e a t -

less b a s e m e n t , a n d t w o r e t a i n e d intact. A f t e r an i m p o r -

tle Arts C o m m i s s i o n - f u n d e d w o r k was r e c e n t l y r e m o v e d

tant a n d w e l l - r e c e i v e d e l e v e n - p a r t w i n d o w p r o j e c t f o r

p e r m a n e n t l y f r o m its o r i g i n a l m u n i c i p a l h o s t site, D e l -

t h e S c r i p p s M i r a m a r R a n c h L i b r a r y C e n t e r in San

r i d g e C o m m u n i t y C e n t e r , after it m a d e a transition f r o m

D i e g o in 1990, t h e artist n o w c o n c e n t r a t e s o n p r i v a t e

d i s a d v a n t a g e d y o u t h c e n t e r t o w o m e n ' s h e a l t h clinic.

commissions.

T h e w o r k s s u b j e c t m a t t e r was d e e m e d i n a p p r o p r i a t e to

P r e s e r v a t i o n o f glass has n o t b e e n fully

t h e site's n e w use. N o w in storage, t h e w i n d o w has yet to

addressed by p u b l i c art c o m m i s s i o n s o r agencies, b u t , as

be relocated.

America's late-twentieth-century As p a r t o f a t e n - y e a r e x p a n s i o n p r o j e c t

art-in-public-places

p r o j e c t s age, this m u s t b e c o m e a t o p priority.

at S e a - T a c A i r p o r t , t w o large-scale leaded stained-glass w i n d o w s by D i c k Weiss at t h e s o u t h a n d n o r t h e n d s o f t h e t i c k e t level c o n c o u r s e are also b e i n g

06

RENOVATION

removed.

In lieu o f c o m p l e t e l y n e w p u b l i c p r o j -

U n l i k e t h e M a r i o n i , h o w e v e r , t h e y will b e e x p a n d e d a n d

ects b e i n g f u n d e d , m o n i e s are o f t e n allotted f o r p e r c e n t -

resited n e a r o n e a n o t h e r at t h e n e w n o r t h e r n e n d o f t h e

f o r - a r t c o m m i s s i o n s f i t t i n g i n t o existing civic structures,

area. Also at S e a - T a c , W i l l i a m M o r r i s ' s 1 9 9 3

s u c h as E l l e n D r i s c o l l ' s m o n u m e n t a l glass m o s a i c s at

Garnering,

Northwest

a m o c k - a r c h a e o l o g i c a l i n s t a l l a t i o n o f glass

G r a n d C e n t r a l T e r m i n a l i n M a n h a t t a n (see Public

m a s t o d o n b o n e s , has b e e n r e m o v e d as well p e n d i n g c o n -

Review

s t r u c t i o n plans. A n e w site has n o t b e e n d e c i d e d .

plex

Art

23, F a l l / W i n t e r 2 0 0 0 ) . H e r sensitive a n d c o m cultural

grounding

for

As

Above,

So

Below

In N e w York City, M a n h a t t a n ' s largest

( 1 9 9 3 - 1 9 9 9 ) helps d e m o l i s h absurd t h e o r i e s separating

p u b l i c l y f u n d e d c o n t e m p o r a r y stained-glass p r o j e c t , at

craft f r o m art, such as t h o s e c l a i m e d by artist a n d critic

the M i d - M a n h a t t a n

Bruce Metcalf, wherein concepts supposedly

Public Library branch on

Fifth

cannot

A v e n u e at F o r t i e t h Street, is d u e t o b e r e m o v e d s o o n f o r

coexist w i t h h a n d m a d e art. D r a w i n g u p o n t h e cultural

reconstruction

o f t h e library. A r t i s t

b a c k g r o u n d s o f N e w Y o r k e r s as i n s p i r a t i o n f o r h e r

R i c h a r d S p a u l d i n g , n o w o f Seattle, is l o b b y i n g f o r its

i m a g e r y , D r i s c o l l r e p r e s e n t s an a d m i t t e d a d v a n c e f o r

P u b l i c A r t R e v i e w . SPR. SUM. 01

and

expansion

glass in p u b l i c art. P r e t t y o r d e c o r a t i v e — b u t w i t h c o n tent, too! Richard

Posner's Veteran's L o b b y for the

Seattle Veteran's M e d i c a l C e n t e r , w i t h its r e f e r e n c e s t o t h e V i e t n a m War, is a n o t h e r such e x a m p l e Chihuly's 1994 multiple-element, p e r m a n e n t installation at U n i o n Station in T a c o m a , W a s h i n g t o n , also t o o k full a d v a n t a g e o f a r e n o v a t i o n p r o j e c t , in this case, a c o n v e r s i o n o f a railroad t e r m i n a l t o a j u s t i c e c e n t e r a n d c o u r t h o u s e . W i t h a massive, s u s p e n d e d , b l u e " c h a n d e l i e r " in t h e old w a i t i n g r o o m , t h e T a c o m a native also placed i n d i v i d u a l glass " f l o w e r s " in b o t h l u n e t t e w i n d o w s o n e i t h e r side o f t h e r o o m . T h e s e t t i n g is visited by over o n e h u n d r e d t h o u s a n d p e o p l e e a c h year.

E d C a r p e n t e r ' s close c o l l a b o r a t i o n w i t h architects f o u n d its m o s t successful site t h u s far d u r i n g t h e r e n o v a t i o n of Seattle's largest c h u r c h by t h e a r c h i tects O l s o n S u n d b e r g K u n d i g Allen. T h e Saint M a r k ' s E p i s c o p a l C a t h e d r a l e x p a n s i o n (1995—2000) n o w has C a r p e n t e r ' s clear, t w e n t y - o n e - f o o t - d i a m e t e r w i n d o w o n its w e s t e r n wall b e h i n d t h e m a i n altar. N e a r b y is a t w e n t y - e i g h t - f o o t - d i a m e t e r , clear-glass rose w i n d o w o f

(above) Dale Chihuly, Cobalt Blue Chandelier,

184 p a n e l s . D i c h r o i c l a m i n a t e d - g l a s s p a n e l s are u s e d

Union Station,Tacoma,Wash., 1994.

above a glass altar screen a n d a r o u n d t h e rose w i n d o w .

Photo by Russell Johnson

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

( b e l o w ) Ed Carpenter, Saint Mark's Episcopal Cathedral,

o f t e n c l o u d y Seattle climate. In 1999, t h e c o m p o s i t i o n

altar screen and rose window, Seattle,Wash., 1997.

of t h e e n t i r e i n t e r i o r design p r o j e c t received a n a t i o n a l

Photo by Eduardo Calderon

design award f r o m t h e I n t e r f a i t h F o r u m o n R e l i g i o n , Art, and Architecture

(IFRAA-AIA).

INNOVATION

J a m e s C a r p e n t e r ( n o r e l a t i o n ) is, a f t e r Chihuly, probably the most innovative a m o n g

glass

artists u n d e r t a k i n g large-scale a r c h i t e c t u r a l p r o j e c t s o n a civic level. U n l i k e C h i h u l y , h o w e v e r , C a r p e n t e r

has

w o r k e d with architects of national and international stature,

notably

Richard

Meier

in

Lens

Ceiling

(1996—2000) t o r t h e n e w f e d e r a l b u i l d i n g a n d c o u r t h o u s e in P h o e n i x , A r i z o n a . Like E d C a r p e n t e r , h e favors clear glass, b u t instead o f lead lines h e has d e v e l o p e d e l e g a n t l a m i n a t i n g , c l a m p i n g , a n d cable s u p p o r t s t r u c t u r e s a l o n g w i t h o t h e r uses f o r d i c h r o i c , s p e c t r u m - e m i t t i n g glass. Fresnel

Ring

( 1 9 9 5 - 1 9 9 6 ) at t h e R h o d e

Island

C o n v e n t i o n C e n t e r in P r o v i d e n c e is a s t u n n i n g a d d i t i o n t o t h e e n t r y l o b b y c e i l i n g . It d w a r f s a n o t h e r w o r k in glass j u s t o u t s i d e t h e l o b b y by H o w a r d B e n T r e .

07

J a m e s C a r p e n t e r has also b e e n effective w i t h r e n o v a t i o n s , n a m e l y t h e c r e a t i o n o f a glass s c r i m wall (1996—1999) f o r t h e e x t e r i o r wall s u r r o u n d i n g an o u t d o o r s c u l p t u r e g a r d e n at t h e S c o t t s d a l e M u s e u m o f C o n t e m p o r a r y A r t in A r i z o n a . T h e area t h e wall s u r r o u n d s is a f o r m e r m o v i e t h e a t e r , a n d C a r p e n t e r ' s a d d i t i o n resembles a c u r v i n g m o v i e s c r e e n . A n o t h e r p r o j e c t , Light Tower (1998), f o r t h e S a n F r a n c i s c o C i v i c C e n t e r m a k e o v e r , offers a s t r u c t u r a l t r a n s i t i o n b e t w e e n t h e old

P u b l i c A r t R e v i e w . SPR. SUM. 01

(above) Buster Simpson, Shard Cornice,

s o m e m o r e tolerable r e s p o n s e t o t h e b o o m i n g business

Jon and Mary Shirley Sculpture Court, Henry A r t Gallery,

o f state p r i s o n d e c o r .

University ofWashington, Seattle,Wash., 2000.

C a p p y T h o m p s o n ' s f o r t h c o m i n g I Was

Photo by Buster Simpson

Dreaming of Spirit Animals

artworks commissioned for the Sea-Tac airport e x p a n -

Phoenix Courthouse, Phoenix, Ariz., 1996.

sion. It will use d o z e n s o f n i n e - b y - f o u r - f o o t , r e v e r s e -

Photo by Brian Gulick

l a m i n a t e d a n d l e a d - l i n e - f r e e glass panels c o n s t r u c t e d in

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

T a u n u s s t e i n - W e h e n , G e r m a n y , t o tell a s t o r y o f n i g h t

His m o s t sculptural w o r k t h u s far, Light Tower suggests

skies, v i e w i n g t o w e r s , a n d a n i m a l c o n s t e l l a t i o n s in t h e

that even w i t h a g i a n t f i r m like S k i d m o r e , O w i n g s a n d

n o r t h e r n h e m i s p h e r e . Images o f trees a n d birds will also

M e r r i l l t o c o n t e n d w i t h , t h e c a n n y p u b l i c artist u s i n g

b e part o f t h e t h i r t y - t h r e e - b y - n i n e t y - f o o t - l o n g e x t e r i o r

glass can b e effective a n d innovative.

glass wall. A smaller, i n t e r i o r glass wall at S e a - T a c by

Although

they

were

both

founders

(with C h i h u l y ) o f t h e P i l c h u c k Glass S c h o o l , C a r p e n t e r a n d B u s t e r S i m p s o n c o u l d n o t b e m o r e d i f f e r e n t in their a p p r o a c h e s t o p u b l i c art u s i n g glass. M u c h o f S i m p s o n ' s earliest art was provisional in t h e e x t r e m e , m o r e sketches f o r possible p u b l i c art t h a n t h e real t h i n g . Yet his i n f l u e n c e as a clever subversive w i t h i n p u b l i c art p r o j e c t s has b e e n substantial. Glass was i m p o r t a n t to h i m early o n in w o r k s s u c h as Hot Cross Glass (1976), a v i d e o c o l l a b o r a tion

with

Toots

Zinski,

Selective

Disposal

( 1 9 7 8 - 1 9 7 9 ) , a n d History of Urban Window Repair

Project (1980),

b u t f e w o f his n u m e r o u s p u b l i c art c o m m i s s i o n s across 08

( 2 0 0 0 - 2 0 0 2 ) is o n e of t h e n e w

( b e l o w ) James Carpenter, Lens Ceiling

t h e n a t i o n have u s e d it. A r e c e n t l o n g - t e r m installation in t h e J o n a n d M a r y S h i r l e y S c u l p t u r e C o u r t o f t h e n e w G w a t h m e y - S i e g e l - r e n o v a t e d H e n r y A r t Gallery at t h e U n i v e r s i t y o f W a s h i n g t o n , Shard Cornice (2000) uses c o l o r f u l shards o b t a i n e d f r o m C h i h u l y ' s nearby Lake Union

studio

and

turns

them

into a parody

of a

v i c i o u s l y t o p p e d s e c u r i t y wall. W i t h j a g g e d glass at its t o p , Shard

Cornice is a f r e e s t a n d i n g , f o r t y - f i v e - d e g r e e -

a n g l e , c o n c r e t e c i n d e r b l o c k wall t h a t m a y yet e n d u p i n f l u e n c i n g o t h e r p u b l i c art p r o j e c t s , if o n l y to p r o v o k e

P u b l i c Art R e v i e w . SPR. SUM. 01

p u b l i c art v e t e r a n Linda B e a u m o n t will also b e c o n s t r u c t e d in G e r m a n y .

Finally, it is w o r t h l o o k i n g at h o w t h e old is b e i n g m a d e n e w again w h i l e s u r v e y i n g r e c e n t p u b lic art m a d e o f glass. R o b e r t W i l l s o n , w h o d i e d at t h e age o f e i g h t y - e i g h t in San A n t o n i o last year, c o m p l e t e d

Every-

(left) Robert Willson, Everybody Come Play, Texas Military Institute, San Antonio,Tex., 1996.

Photo by Anson Seale ( r i g h t ) William Morris, Artifact Panel,

body Come Play (1994) in Venice, Italy, at t h e age o f e i g h t y -

Portland A r t Museum, Portland, Oreg.. 2000.

t w o . It was a m o n g t h e last large-scale w o r k s (eight b y f o u r

Photo by RobVinnedge

feet) d e s i g n e d a n d c o m p l e t e d by this o v e r l o o k e d p i o n e e r o f A m e r i c a n glass art w h o w o r k e d o n t h e island o f

1 9 3 5 w h i l e assisting D i e g o R i v e r a a n d J o s e C l e m e n t e

M u r a n o every s u m m e r f r o m 1 9 5 6 until shortly b e f o r e his

O r o z c o o n t h e i r m u r a l s . W h i l e h e m a d e art f o r far less

d e a t h . C o m m i s s i o n e d by Texas M i l i t a r y Institute in San

explicit a n d i d e o l o g i c a l reasons t h a n R i v e r a o r O r o z c o ,

A n t o n i o , Everybody

throughout

Come Play uses p e t r o g l y p h i c figures

his c a r e e r W i l l s o n

retained

identifiable

scattered across e i g h t s t e e l - f r a m e - m o u n t e d , blown-glass,

i m a g e r y a n d readily accessible c o n t e n t r e v o l v i n g a r o u n d

flat panels. W i l l s o n b e g a n his p u b l i c art i n v o l v e m e n t in

c o m m u n i t y a n d athletic t e a m w o r k .

A n o t h e r flat w o r k also c o m b i n e s t h e o l d w i t h t h e new, u s i n g b o t h t e c h n i c a l i n n o v a t i o n a n d ancient, Paleolithic imagery. William Morris's Panel

(2000)

was

commissioned

by

Artifact

Portland

Art

M u s e u m p a t r o n s Lois a n d L e o n a r d S c h n i t z e r f o r t h e O r e g o n m u s e u m ' s n e w c o n t e m p o r a r y art w i n g . T h i r t y t w o feet high

and

f i f t e e n f e e t w i d e . Artifact

Panel

e m p l o y s an i n g e n i o u s s t u d d e d - s t e e l p a n e l b a c k d r o p f o r s u s p e n d i n g h u n d r e d s o f c o l o r e d glass b o n e s , w e a p o n s , vessels, a n d f r a g m e n t s at e q u i d i s t a n t p o i n t s .

Instead o f t h e past t w o d e c a d e s ' issues o f p r e s e r v a t i o n , r e n o v a t i o n , a n d i n n o v a t i o n , it c o u l d b e t h a t glass in p u b l i c art in t h e c o m i n g c e n t u r y will involve, like T h o m p s o n ' s , Willson's a n d M o r r i s ' s , aspects o f f r a g m e n t a t i o n , dispersal, h i s t o r i c i s m , a n d an u n e a s y c o n t i n u ity b e t w e e n past a n d p r e s e n t c o n d i t i o n s .

Matthew Kangas, corresponding editor for Art in America and contributing editor for GLASS and Sculpture, has written extensively about glass and public art.

P u b l i c A r t R e v i e w . SPR. SUM. 01

FABRIC INTERVENTIONS

Bruce

N.Wright

If one steps back from the debate on what constitutes the truly worthy efforts of an artist and simply observes the activities of the painter, sculptor, printmaker,

architect, and /or

craftsman, a crucial point can be made. All work with their hands to manipulate

mate-

rials of every description and coax these substances into new states; that is a basic fact.

In this creative activity, conventional

ideas of hand skill, whether considered as art or

craft, are essential. — M a r k Rosenthal, " R u m i n a t i n g on the C h a n g i n g N a t u r e of A r t "

I

' NCREASINGLY, PUBLIC ART HAS BEEN E N G A G I N G IN A DIALECTIC B E T W E E N C O M M U N I T Y

HISTORY

a n d artistic expression t h r o u g h site-specific c o m m e m o r a t i o n o r c e l e b r a t i o n . R a r e l y has that p u b l i c art used f i b e r as t h e p r i m a r y m e d i u m o f e x p r e s s i o n . N e v e r t h e l e s s ,

t h e r e is a g r o w i n g interest in u s i n g f i b e r in m a j o r p u b l i c art installations, an act that challenges m o r e d u r a b l e (and h e n c e m o r e p e r m a n e n t ) p u b l i c art m e d i a s u c h as m e t a l , stone, glass, o r w o o d . N o t o n l y d o e s t h e use o f f i b e r q u e s t i o n o u r n o t i o n s o f p e r m a n e n c e , b u t also o u r u n d e r s t a n d i n g a n d o u r a p p r e c i a t i o n f o r t h e

fleeting

m o m e n t in

life's e x p e r i e n c e s .

T h e r e are o t h e r forces a f f e c t i n g artists' d e c i s i o n s t o use fiber. W i t h t h e w o r l d u n d e r siege o f an insidious h o m o g e n i z a t i o n o f c u l t u r e by s u c h m a c h i n e s o f mass c o n s u m p t i o n as television a n d c o n s u m e r i s m , w e b e g i n t o see signs o f an i n c r e a s i n g interest in t h e h a n d c r a f t e d o b j e c t . (This h o m o g e n i z a t i o n has s o m e t i m e s b e e n called t h e A m e r i c a n i z a t i o n o f t h e world's cultures, b u t it is a process t h a t p e r v a d e s e v e n A m e r i c a n society. So m u c h so that nearly every s h o p a p p e a r s t o b e selling t h e s a m e p r o d u c t s . ) T h e handcrafted object mitigates the m i n d - n u m b i n g

sameness of globalization

and

m a c h i n e - m a d e products.

Fiber, p e r h a p s m o r e t h a n o t h e r m a t e r i a l , has t h e ability t o e m b o d y t h e i n d i v i d u a l as o p p o s e d to t h e masses. E v e r y o n e has a p e r s o n a l c o n n e c t i o n t o f a b r i c that is f u n d a m e n t a l . C l o t h p r o t e c t s o u r n a k e d n e s s f r o m t h e e l e m e n t s . C l o t h i n g c a n b e t h e s y m b o l i c o u t w a r d expression o f o u r i n n e r aspirations. Fables have b e e n b u i l t a r o u n d t h e n o t i o n that p e o p l e will believe in t h e efficacy o f a p p e a r a n c e s , will believe in s o m e o n e w h o l o o k s a u t h e n t i c , even if t h a t p e r s o n is i n t r u t h a c r i m i n a l . In this sense, c l o t h i n g was t h e first p u b l i c art, as a n c i e n t as any h u m a n cultural activity. F a b r i c e v e n has t h e ability

11

t o u n i t e millions a r o u n d a c o m m o n cause t h r o u g h t h e c o l o r s a n d s y m b o l s o f flags o r t h e s i m p l e twist o f a red r i b b o n p i n n e d t o a shirt. W e a r a b l e art b e c o m e s p u b l i c art w h e n it engages, provokes, a n d challenges v i e w e r s t o t h i n k b e y o n d t h e i r n o r m a l p e r c e p t i o n s a n d p r e s u m p t i o n s a b o u t t h e n a t u r e a n d p u r p o s e o f c l o t h i n g o r o f art. (left) Catherine Feff, Detour

D o n a l d Lipski, an artist n o t l i m i t e d by c h o i c e o f m e d i a , has c r e a t e d

Europeen, installation of Tour de

s o m e p o w e r f u l w o r k u s i n g fabric. H i s 1990 series. Who's Afraid of Red, White and

8elem-Portugal, Strasbourg,

p r o d u c e d w h i l e in r e s i d e n c e at T h e F a b r i c W o r k s h o p in P h i l a d e l p h i a , is an e x p l o r a t i o n

France, 2000.

Photo courtesy Cite des Arts

Blue?,

o f t h e A m e r i c a n flag, its s y m b o l i s m , a n d t h e r e c e n t legislation t o restrict its use. Lipski s u b j e c t e d t h e flag t o a series o f s t r u c t u r a l p e r m u t a t i o n s " t h a t e x p a n d [its] m e t a p h o r i c a l r e s o n a n c e a n d i n t e r p r e t i v e possibilities."

P u b l i c A r t R e v i e w . SPR. SUM. 01

(above) Donald Lipski, Who's Afraid of Red, White and Blue

#32,

The Fabric W o r k s h o p and Museum, Philadephia, Penn., 1990. ( r i g h t ) Donald Lipski, Who's Afraid of Red, White and Blue Great Hall at the University of the Arts, Philadelphia, Penn., 1990.

Photos courtesy The Fabric Workshop and Museum

12

" I t is f r o m t h e a p p l i c a t i o n o f a c o o l ,

g r o u p o f y o u n g talents [works] a r o u n d t h e institution's

essentially f o r m a l i s t m e t h o d o l o g y t o t h e p r e s e n t a t i o n o f

edges," says R o b e r t Storr, s e n i o r c u r a t o r in t h e d e p a r t -

a h i g h l y c h a r g e d i m a g e that [Lipski'sJ w o r k derives its

m e n t of p a i n t i n g a n d sculpture. F e r e s h t e h D a f t a r i , assis-

p o w e r , " says art critic Paula M a r i n c o l a . 1 F r o m a c h a i r

t a n t c u r a t o r in t h e s a m e d e p a r t m e n t , o r g a n i z e d

w r a p p e d in m u s l i n flags, t o a p e a r tree (the roots balled

e x h i b i t i o n series. C o l u m n s o f f a b r i c w e r e h o i s t e d h i g h

the

u p in flags), t o a b o o k o f flags—all n u m b e r e d variations

above t h e n a r r o w streets of m i d t o w n M a n h a t t a n . " T h e

o n t h e s a m e t i t l e — L i p s k i applied f a b r i c t o u n c o v e r n e w

b a n n e r s d i s r u p t t h e familiar by t a k i n g over an area tra-

m e a n i n g s t o o u r national s y m b o l .

ditionally d e v o i d o f art a n d by p r e t e n d i n g t o b e b a n -

Recently, the M u s e u m of M o d e r n Art

ners a n d n o t art," says D a f t a r i . " C o n t r a r y to o r d i n a r y

(MOMA) in N e w York C i t y c a r r i e d art i n t o t h e streets by

b a n n e r s , w h i c h thrive o n instant legibility a n d o b v i o u s

c o m m i s s i o n i n g a series o f t h r e e sets o f t h r e e f a b r i c b a n -

content, these require prolonged attention and chal-

ners that were h u n g above the museum's Fifty-Third

l e n g e facile readings."

Street entrance facade. T h e banners were part of the

As p a r t o f t h e first r o u n d o f i n v i t e d

m u s e u m ' s P r o j e c t s 70, a series o f c o m m i s s i o n e d artists'

artists, C h i n e s e - b o r n artist X u B i n g created a b a n n e r in

w o r k s t h a t is n o r m a l l y e x h i b i t e d w i t h i n . MOMA c o m -

w h i c h p s e u d o - C h i n e s e characters can b e read as English

m i s s i o n e d t h e b a n n e r s as a w a y t o b r i n g art o u t s i d e t h e

w o r d s — t h a t is, w h e n they've b e e n carefully studied and

usual p r i s t i n e w h i t e boxes o f its g a l l e r i e s — m a n y o f t h e m

d e c i p h e r e d . H e q u o t e s f r o m M a o T s e - t u n g ' s "Talks at t h e

o c c u p i e d by special e x h i b i t i o n s o f t h e p e r m a n e n t c o l -

Yenan F o r u m o n Literature a n d A r t " (May 1942), placing

l e c t i o n in a n t i c i p a t i o n o f m a j o r r e m o d e l i n g a n d n e w

b o l d yellow characters o n a vertical red b a c k g r o u n d to

c o n s t r u c t i o n slated f o r n e x t year. D u r i n g this " d o w n

say " A r t f o r t h e People." Smaller characters in black read

t i m e , " c u r a t o r s at t h e m u s e u m w e r e f o r c e d t o f i n d n o n -

from top to b o t t o m : " C h a i r m a n M a o Said/Calligraphy

gallery venues w i t h i n the c o m p o u n d or off-site for

by X u Bing." X u ' s c o l o r c h o i c e a n d message is deliberate.

many of their exhibititions.

T r a d i t i o n a l C h i n e s e s p r i n g scrolls are i n s c r i b e d in red

By e s c h e w i n g t h e gallery, MOMA has

and, h u n g o n o r a r o u n d d o o r s d u r i n g N e w Year's time,

c a r r i e d t h e realm o f h i g h art i n t o t h e p u b l i c realm o f

bear p o e m s of luck a n d g o o d wishes. His h o p e f o r t h e

c o m m e r c i a l space, an e n v i r o n m e n t usually reserved f o r

n e w m i l l e n n i u m is to r e c o n c i l e "a public h e believes to

billboards, signs, p o s t e r s — a n y t h i n g w i t h a c o m m e r c i a l

b e alienated by c o n t e m p o r a r y art."

m e s s a g e . " W h i l e MOMA'S m a i n f l o o r s are d e v o t e d t o

A r t t h a t f e a t u r e s f a b r i c is o f t e n t i m e s

r e e x a m i n i n g t h e h i s t o r y o f m o d e r n art, an i n t e r n a t i o n a l

dismissed as f e m i n i n e , o r s o m e h o w less d u r a b l e a n d sig-

P u b l i c A r t R e v i e w . SPR. SUM. 01

n i f i c a n t . H o w i r o n i c t h e n , that b a n n e r s are historically linked w i t h t h e p u b l i c display o f v i c t o r y in battle, o f m i l i t a r y m i g h t o n parade, o f s p o r t i n g events, or, m o r e currently, o f c o r p o r a t e i d e n t i t y b r a n d i n g . MOMA's s e c o n d series o f t h r e e b a n n e r s addressed this q u e s t i o n o f f e m i n i n i t y directly t h r o u g h t h e artists' craft a n d use o f decoration.

For e x a m p l e , Brazilian p a i n t e r B e a t r i z Milhazes created a b a n n e r that incorporates brilliant colors, c u r v i n g f o r m s , a n d s e n s u o u s o r n a m e n t . Layers o f f a b r i c a d d e d by Milhazes's use o f t h e traditional s e w i n g t e c h n i q u e o f a p p l i q u e accrete detail a n d allude t o t h e historically f e m i n i n e realm o f craft. Milhazes takes h e r i n s p i r a t i o n f r o m t h e o r n a m e n t s f o u n d in h e r n a t i v e Brazil's

Baroque-period

churches.

Her

rich

color

palette o f fuchsia, g o l d , a n d d e e p g r e e n evokes Brazilian tropical

flora.

W o r k i n g o n a l a r g e scale, artists like

C h r i s t o use f a b r i c t o m a k e b r o a d , b o l d i n t e r v e n t i o n s in a landscape o r u r b a n setting. C h r i s t o ' s w o r k has b e e n c o v ered well a n d f r e q u e n t l y in this j o u r n a l , so his o u t p u t will n o t b e discussed at l e n g t h here. S u f f i c e it t o say, that were

it n o t

for fabric, Christo

would

not be

the

a c k n o w l e d g e d master o f t h e large-scale p u b l i c art installation. O n a s o m e w h a t smaller, b u t n o n e t h e l e s s m o n u m e n t a l scale is t h e w o r k o f F r e n c h muralist C a t h e r i n e

(above) left to right: Faith Ringgold, Jim Hodges. Beatriz Milhazes, Projects 70,The Museum of Modern Art, N e w York, N.Y., 2000.

Photo b y j o h n W r o n n © ( b e l o w ) left to right: Simon Patterson, X u Bing, Shirin Neshat,

Feff, w h o s e t r o m p e l'oeil p a i n t i n g s can e n v e l o p e w h o l e

Projects 70,The Museum of Modern Art, N e w York, N.Y., 2000.

sides o f b u i l d i n g s o r m u l t i p l e v e n u e s in an u r b a n c e n t e r .

Photo by Steve J. Sherman©

Feff's Detour

Europeen

(2000) i n v o l v e d f o u r t e e n b u i l d -

i n g - s i z e d canvases p l a c e d in d i f f e r e n t sites a r o u n d t h e city o f S t r a s b o u r g , France, t o r e p r e s e n t e a c h o f t h e c o n s t i t u e n t m e m b e r s o f t h e E u r o p e a n U n i o n at an official g a t h e r i n g t h e r e . Like C h r i s t o , w h o i n s p i r e d h e r t o w o r k large, Feft p r o d u c e s h e r w o r k w i t h t h e h e l p o f t e a m s o f assistants—painters, e n g i n e e r s , m o u n t a i n e e r s , a n d t e c h nical inspectors. S h e r e q u i r e d t h i r t y p e o p l e , t w o m e t r i c t o n s o f paint, a n d o n e h u n d r e d m e t r i c t o n s o f s c a f f o l d ing to c o m p l e t e the Strasbourg project over a f o u r m o n t h p e r i o d . Also like C h r i s t o , Feff s t r o n g l y believes that art s h o u l d r e t u r n t o t h e streets.

O n t h e p e r s o n a l scale, artists s u c h as L u c y O r t a are b o r r o w i n g t h e l a n g u a g e o f d e s i g n . H e r Habitent—an

13

urban outfit m a d e of metallized tent fab-

ric, zippers, a n d t e n s i o n f r a m i n g t o p p e d by a balaclava h o o d — s p e a k s in t h e l a n g u a g e a n d m a t e r i a l s o f o u t d o o r e q u i p m e n t and clothing. "Orta's n o m a d i c

sculptures

e x p l o r e t h e m o d e r n m e a n i n g o f h o m e , p e r s o n a l space, a n d t h e i n d i v i d u a l f i g h t f o r survival in h o s t i l e c o n d i tions," says design critic D a v i d R e d h e a d . 2 Best k n o w n f o r h e r Refuge Wear, h i g h - t e c h c l o t h e s t h a t c o n v e r t i n t o s l e e p i n g bags o r tents, O r t a ' s art forces us t o r e t h i n k t h e

P u b l i c A r t R e v i e w . SPR. SUM. 01

(above) Lucy Orta, Refuge Wear, intervention at Montparnasse Station, Paris, France, 1994.

Resources:

1. M a r i o n B o u l t o n S t r o u d , ed. An

T h e Fabric W o r k s h o p and M u s e u m ,

( b e l o w ) Lucy Orta, Refuge Wear, mobile survival sac,

Industrious Arl: Innovation

transformable rucksack, 1994.

and Print at The Fabric Workshop

P h i l a d e l p h i a , PA 19107;Tel: 2 1 5 -

Photos by Lucy Orta

in Pattern

1315 C h e r r y St., 5th Floor,

(NewYork:W.W. Norton & Co.,

5 6 8 - 1 1 1 1 ; fax: 2 1 5 - 5 6 8 - 8 2 1 1 ; e -

Ltd., 1991).

mail: f w m u s e u m @ l i b e r t y n e t . o r g .

relationship b e t w e e n fashion design, architecture, and

2. D a v i d R e d h e a d , Products of Our

T h e Textile C e n t e r of M i n n e s o t a ,

o u r e m b e d d e d n o t i o n s o f t h e ideal c o m m u n i t y , w h e r e

Time (Basel: Birkhauser, 2 0 0 0 ) .

2 3 2 4 U n i v e r s i t y Ave. W., # 1 0 6 ,

3.Virilio, Paul. Process

7 2 7 0 ; fax: 6 5 1 - 9 1 7 - 7 2 7 1 : W e b site:

St. Paul, MN 5 5 1 1 4 ; T e l : 6 5 1 - 9 1 7 -

h o m e l e s s n e s s a n d social i n e q u i t y d o n o t exist.

In

social

critic

Paul Virilio's

mind,

O r t a ' s w o r k is l i n k e d t o t h e q u e s t i o n o f p a c k a g i n g .

M o d e r n W e s t e r n society has a p a c k a g i n g m e n t a l i t y that g o e s h a n d in h a n d w i t h m a r k e t i n g a n d mobility. P a c k a g -

ofTrans/orma-

tion (Paris: J e a n M i c h e l Place e d i -

www.textilecentermn.org.

tions, 1996).

T h e B a n n e r & Flag D i v i s i o n , I n d u s trial Fabrics Association I n t e r n a tional, 1801 W. C o u n t y R d . B,

i n g has a dual role, says Virilio. "Its p r i m e role is t o facil-

Roseville, MN 5 5 1 1 3 ; T e l : 6 5 1 - 2 2 2 -

itate t r a n s p o r t , a n d its s e c o n d a r y role is t o facilitate t h e

2 5 0 8 ; fax: 6 5 1 - 2 2 5 - 6 9 6 6 ; W e b site:

message. In L u c y O r t a ' s w o r k , clothes are n o l o n g e r p e r -

www.ifai.com.

ceived as a m e r e c o v e r i n g close to t h e b o d y as a s e c o n d skin, b u t also as a f o r m o f p a c k a g i n g — i n o t h e r w o r d s , h a l f - w a y b e t w e e n a r c h i t e c t u r e a n d dress." A c c o r d i n g t o Virilio, O r t a ' s w o r k seeks t o d i s t u r b us, t o attract us in t h e way p a c k a g i n g attracts c u s t o m e r s toward

social

p r o b l e m s like h o m e l e s s n e s s t h a t are r e g u l a r l y g l o s s e d over by local g o v e r n m e n t s . 3 T h e m a n y artists w h o favor u s i n g f i b e r in t h e i r p u b l i c art, i n c l u d i n g a h u g e n u m b e r w h o utilize p a p e r as t h e i r p r i m e e l e m e n t , are t o o n u m e r o u s

to

i n c l u d e in this s h o r t essay. In a d d i t i o n t o u s i n g f a b r i c a n d 14

Notes:

f i b e r as t h e r a w m a t e r i a l o f art, t h e r e are t h e a n c i e n t arts o f w o v e n o r q u i l t e d fabric. T h r o u g h a g r o w i n g realization a n d discovery o f t h e i m p a c t t h a t f a b r i c a n d fiber can have in p u b l i c art, m o r e artists are t u r n i n g t o t h e m o s t

flexible

of m a t e r i a l s in t h e artistic palette. Artists are h e l p i n g b r i n g craft, a w e l c o m e alternative t o m a c h i n e aesthetics, b a c k i n t o p u b l i c awareness.

Bruce N.Wright, an architect, writer, designer, and design historian, is the editor of Fabric Architecture magazine.

P u b l i c A r t R e v i e w . SPR. SUM. 01

BRICKS AND BURNT EARTH

Michael

Fallon

O

V E R T H E PAST S E V E N T Y Y E A R S O R SO, AS D O M I N A N T M O D E R N I S T A N D

sensibilities

have

stressed

the

personal

POSTMODERNIST

in a r t - m a k i n g , c e r a m i c

art

has

b e c o m e a l m o s t exclusively associated w i t h small h a n d m a d e o b j e c t s such as pots, plates, m u g s , o r abstract w a l l - h a n g i n g o b j e c t s a n d sculptural f o r m s . H o w e v e r , c e r a m i c s , w h i c h is g e n e r a l l y d e f i n e d as p r o d u c t s m a d e f r o m n o n m e t a l l i c , silicatebased materials such as clay a n d p o r c e l a i n p r o c e s s e d at h i g h t e m p e r a t u r e , has a l o n g a n d significant h i s t o r y as p u b l i c art.

C o n t e m p o r a r y artists w h o e m p l o y c e r a m i c processes in t h e i r p u b l i c art p r o j e c t s s e e m to b e a m o n g a m i n o r i t y o f p e o p l e w h o have a k e e n awareness o f t h e a l l - b u t - l o s t traditional p u b l i c use o f clay a n d its i m p o r t a n t role in a n c i e n t civilization.

In fact, several r e c e n t p u b l i c p r o j e c t s t h a t i n c o r p o r a t e c e r a m i c s reveal an awareness o f t h e m e d i u m ' s h i s t o r y as a c o m m o n t h e m a t i c i m p u l s e . T h o u g h these artists c o m e at t h e process in idiosyncratic ways, b r i n g i n g t h e i r o w n r a n g e o f arts issues a n d r e v e a l i n g t h e i r o w n i n f l u e n c e s , c o m m o n in t h e i r w o r k is an awareness o f past c e r a m i c t e c h n i q u e s a n d styles.

In general, c e r a m i c s is a h i g h l y flexible a n d e n d u r i n g art f o r m , a n d its use is an intrinsic p a r t o f h u m a n civilization. P o t t e r y a n d f i g u r i n e discoveries are c o m m o n in excavations o f p r e h i s t o r i c sites. Past use o f c e r a m i c s as p u b l i c o r n a m e n t dates as far b a c k as t h e a n c i e n t G r e e k a n d E t r u s c a n t e m p l e s a n d t o m b s t h a t w e r e rife w i t h t e r r a cotta ( f r o m t h e Latin f o r " b u r n t e a r t h " ) reliefs, statuary, a n d g i a n t f u n e r a r y vases. T h e s e p u b l i c m o n u m e n t s w e r e m a d e f r o m clay likely b e c a u s e t h e m a t e r i a l was so easy t o w o r k w i t h a n d was m o r e flexible, c h e a p e r , a n d easier t o o b t a i n t h a n o t h e r m e d i a at t h e t i m e .

C e r a m i c s c o u l d b e p a i n t e d any c o l o r a n d f o r m e d i n t o a l m o s t any s h a p e m u c h m o r e q u i c k l y t h a n carved stone, w o o d , o r m a r b l e . R o m a n p u b l i c a n d p r i v a t e b u i l d i n g s f u r t h e r e x p a n d e d c e r a m i c art as a p u b l i c f o r m . R o m a n s o c i e t y f a v o r e d o r n a t e a n d c o l o r f u l m o s a i c s c o m p r i s e d o f tesserae o f c e r a m i c tile, glass, a n d s t o n e . T h o u g h t h e u s e o f

15

Marble mosaic of multicolored stones from northern Syria, near Antioch, Turkey, c. 400-500 A.D. Photo courtesy The Minneapolis Institute of Arts

P u b l i c A r t R e v i e w . SPR.SUM.01

c e r a m i c s is an art f o r m r o o t e d t o t h e potter's w h e e l o r l i m i t e d by t h e h a n d . In fact, T u n i c k claims, i m p o r t a n t c e r a m i c s artists such as Peter V o u l k o s — a p o t t e r w h o in t h e 1950s b r o u g h t t h e abstract art a p p r o a c h t o ceramics a n d h e l p e d lift t h e art f o r m t o a m o r e visible status t h a n b e f o r e — w e r e u n a w a r e o f t h e l e g a c y o f c e r a m i c s as a p u b l i c f o r m . To these artists w o r k i n g in t h e s e c o n d half o f t h e t w e n t i e t h - c e n t u r y , c e r a m i c s was an e x p r e s s i v e f o r m r o o t e d t o t h e d i m e n s i o n of t h e h a n d . M o r e a n d m o r e , h o w e v e r , c o n t e m p o r a r y p u b l i c artists are aware o f a vast a r s e n a l o f c e r a m i c t e c h n i q u e s a n d m a t e r i a l s — i n c l u d i n g t e r r a - c o t t a , tile mosaic, a n d s t o n e w a r e — t h a t t h e y can use in p u b l i c art projects.

A c o l l a b o r a t i v e p r o j e c t at t h e

Min-

n e s o t a H i s t o r y C e n t e r in Saint Paul is a g o o d e x a m p l e o f this. Minnesota

Profiles (1995) was d e s i g n e d a n d built

by internationally

recognized

public

artist

Andrew

Leicester a n d c e r a m i c s artist D a v i d D a h l q u i s t , w h o is Terra-cotta decoration on 300 First Avenue, built in 1887

also an e d u c a t o r a n d p r o p r i e t o r of D a h l q u i s t C l a y w o r k s

and renovated in 1985, Minneapolis, Minn., 2001.

in D e s M o i n e s , Iowa. T h e p r o j e c t c o m p r i s e s a series of

Photo by F O R E C A S T Public Artworks

f o u r t e e n c o l u m n s o f v a r y i n g h e i g h t s installed o n t h e g r o u n d s o f t h e h i s t o r y c e n t e r . M a d e o f clay a n d t e r r a -

c e r a m i c s in p u b l i c o r n a m e n t d e c l i n e d i n t h e M i d d l e

cotta

with

limestone

and

Ages, by t h e t i m e o f t h e R e n a i s s a n c e , t e r r a - c o t t a a n d

c o l u m n s are stratified a n d l o o k as if layers o f e l e m e n t s

m o s a i c w e r e revived a n d u s e d w i d e l y t o d e c o r a t e p u b l i c

d u g u p at an a r c h a e o l o g i c a l site w e r e reassembled i n t o

c h u r c h e s a n d civic b u i l d i n g s in E u r o p e .

strange m o n u m e n t s . T h e c o l u m n s are also sheared off at

elements,

the

In the nineteenth century, terra-cotta

t h e top, as if t h e y w e r e f o u n d b r o k e n , a n d decorative,

o r n a m e n t a t i o n was v e r y p o p u l a r , p a r t i c u l a r l y i n E n g -

r o o t l i k e plant m o t i f s o n s o m e of t h e m h i n t at t h e styl-

l a n d , w h e r e V i c t o r i a n tastes f a v o r e d t h e lavish style m a d e

ized d e c o r a t i o n o f a n c i e n t E t r u s c a n design. A d r u m l i k e

possible b y t e r r a - c o t t a . I n f l u e n c e d by English a r c h i t e c t u r e , n e w i n d u s t r i a l - a g e m e t h o d s o f mass p r o d u c t i o n , a n d t h e novelty of catalogs to o r d e r these materials, Americans began to incorporate terra-cotta o r n a m e n t a t i o n o n t o b u i l d i n g s in t h e m i d - 1 8 0 0 s . A f t e r t h e C h i c a g o fire b u r n e d m u c h o f t h a t city's d o w n t o w n in 1871, t h e C h i c a g o School of Architecture, i m p o r t a n t to the develo p m e n t o f t h e skyscraper d u r i n g t h e s a m e t i m e p e r i o d , a d v o c a t e d t h e use o f c e r a m i c s as f i r e p r o o f c l a d d i n g a r o u n d t h e shell of m e t a l b e a m s . For t h e sixty years f o l l o w i n g t h e C h i c a g o fire, m o s t o f t h e m a j o r cities across N o r t h A m e r i c a b u i l t scores o f b u i l d i n g s — f r o m c h u r c h e s a n d city halls t o t h e a t e r s a n d tall o f f i c e b u i l d i n g s — d e c o 16

concrete

rated with charmingly

florid

c e r a m i c o r n a m e n t s . In

N e w York alone, t h o u s a n d s o f early m o d e r n skyscrapers w e r e o v e r f l o w i n g w i t h t e r r a - c o t t a gargoyles, floral p a t t e r n s , a n d g e o m e t r i c designs.

In h e r 1 9 9 7 b o o k , Terra-Cotta

Skyline,

Susan T u n i c k , w h o was t r a i n e d as a c e r a m i c s artist, discusses t h e d i s c o v e r y she m a d e in 1981 o f w h a t she calls "a m o n u m e n t a l clay l e g a c y " — t h a t is, a h e r i t a g e o f vast c e r a m i c s k y s c r a p e r s i n t h e g r e a t cities o f t h e U n i t e d States, N e w York in p a r t i c u l a r , t h a t belie t h e idea t h a t

P u b l i c A r t R e v i e w . SPR.SUM.01

I I

\±LLW

base o f o n e c o l u m n is d e c o r a t e d w i t h 3 6 0 s i m p l i f i e d

twentieth century. T h e talented modelers, mold-casters,

h e a d s h a p e s a n d in its e a r t h y r e d - a n d - w h i t e

a n d r a m - p r e s s o p e r a t o r s in his e m p l o y have h e l p e d h i m

color

s c h e m e a n d overall d e c o r a t i o n resembles p a i n t e d G r e e k

w i t h o t h e r p u b l i c art p r o j e c t s , such as Integrated

Artworks

vases. O v e r a l l , this w o r k m a k e s a s t a t e m e n t a b o u t t h e

Fifth and Main

history

ect, D a h l q u i s t r e f e r e n c e s t h e d e c o r a t i v e c e r a m i c reliefs

o f c e r a m i c s as an art f o r m by

referencing

a n c i e n t c e r a m i c t e c h n i q u e s a n d i m a g e r y a n d by w o r k -

that

ing them into the surroundings of a c o n t e m p o r a r y cen-

designs in t h e early 1900s. E a c h o f t h e t h i r t y t e r r a - c o t t a

t e r d e v o t e d t o history. D a h l q u i s t has c o m b i n e d

tile p a n e l s c r e a t e d f o r this p r o j e c t d e p i c t s a h i s t o r i c

these

h i s t o r i c a l e l e m e n t s w i t h details t h a t b r i n g t h e w o r k

builders

in d o w n t o w n A m e s , Iowa. In this p r o j incorporated

into

their

architectural

m o m e n t o f s i g n i f i c a n c e t o t h e local p e o p l e . O n e

of

i n t o t h e p r e s e n t day: t h e t e r r a - c o t t a is treated to r e s e m -

these, a relief tile o f a F o r d M o d e l - T , is set o n t o a b r i c k

b l e t h e m a t e r i a l s used in t h e b u i l d i n g , t h e

pedestal to memorialize

varying

a 1924 move of the

Iowa

heights o f t h e c o l u m n s c o n f o r m t o t h e local landscape,

D e p a r t m e n t of Transportation. A ceramic-tile, terra-

a n d t h e faces o n t h e c o l u m n s w e r e m o d e l e d after p o r -

cotta, a n d m e t a l l a m p p o s t c a p t u r e s t h e c o l o r a n d classic

traits m a d e o f individuals visiting t h e c e n t e r o n e S u n -

feel o f art d e c o , a n d Rail

day. In fact, D a v i d Dahlquist's mission has l o n g b e e n t o

c o l o r e d t e r r a - c o t t a tiles, alludes t o t h e early h i s t o r y o f

m a k e p e o p l e aware o f t h e historical uses o f ceramics.

t h e city as an i m p o r t a n t railway crossing. T h r o u g h t h e

Road, a m u r a l c o m p o s e d

of

" A s a t e a c h e r , I l e c t u r e a g r e a t deal

a p p l i c a t i o n o f c e r a m i c art f o r m s , D a h l q u i s t tells a s t o r y

a b o u t t h e use o f c e r a m i c s in a r c h i t e c t u r e , " says D a h l -

a b o u t t h e past a n d relates its s i g n i f i c a n c e t o t h e p r e s e n t .

quist. " O n e h u n d r e d years ago, clay was t h e m o s t i m p o r -

" C l a y is all a b o u t s t o r y t e l l i n g , " says

tant b u i l d i n g m a t e r i a l . C i t i e s h a d a lot o f p r o b l e m s w i t h

D a h l q u i s t . " I h a d a p r o f e s s o r w h o was f o n d o f saying,

fires b a c k t h e n , b e c a u s e o f gas lamps a n d so o n . T h e r e

' W h e n it's all o v e r o n l y t h r e e t h i n g s are l e f t in l i f e —

w e r e a lot o f laws that said y o u c o u l d o n l y b u i l d w i t h b r i c k a n d s t o n e a n d clay. T h r e e - q u a r t e r s o f t h e b u i l d i n g s in Saint Louis, f o r instance, are all clay, t h o u g h t h e y are glazed t o l o o k like stone."

D a v i d D a h l q u i s t has g a t h e r e d a n u m b e r o f f o r m e r s t u d e n t s t o his C l a y w o r k s a n d has e s t a b lished a k i n d of o l d - w o r l d , g u i l d - a p p r e n t i c e

(left) Andrew Leicester and Dahlquist Clayworks, /Vl/nnesoto Profiles, Minnesota Historical Society,

studio

similar to t h e sort that w e r e c o m m o n at t h e t u r n o f t h e

Saint Paul, Minn., 1995. ( r i g h t ) Andrew Leicester and David Dahlquist, Minnesota Profiles detail, 1995.

Photo courtesy David Dahlquist.

17

P u b l i c Art R e v i e w

SPR SUM.OI

cal r u i n s , Starr uses a special glaze o n his c e r a m i c tile similar t o t h e o n e used by t u r n - o f - t h e - c e n t u r y b u i l d e r s w h o wanted the look of stone on their

terra-cotta

b u i l d i n g s . O t h e r glazes s e e m p u r p o s e l y f a d e d o r i n c o m plete, as if t h e y h a d felt t h e effects o f time. T h e Auix wall h e creates in his p a n e l pieces appears t o b e an a r c h a e o logical artifact that has b e e n r e c o n f i g u r e d c e n t u r i e s later.

T h i s aesthetic o f l a c k - o f - f i n i s h , o f aging, o f t h e w e i g h t o f history, o f c h i p p e d a n d b r o k e n pieces, is o n l y m e a n i n g f u l t o ceramics.

Ironically, o u r awareness o f this f o r m o f art is s o m e w h a t d e p e n d e n t o n t h e idea that it will b e flawed.

B e c a u s e o f t h e passage o f d e c a d e s o r c e n t u r i e s

a n d t h e w e a r o f history o n t h e surfaces a n d s t r u c t u r e s o f c e r a m i c p u b l i c art pieces, w e have b e c o m e i n u r e d to t h e i d e a t h a t c e r a m i c art o f t e n is c h i p p e d , c r a c k e d , s h e a r e d , o r u n f i n i s h e d , its glazes less t h a n

completely

c o v e r i n g . As s u c h , t h e art f o r m is i n f o r m e d by this n o t i o n o f decay, a n d i r o n i c a l l y h a n d c r a f t e r s — i n this case c e r a m i c artists—are best p o s i t i o n e d t o refer t o this n o t i o n . W h i l e industrial t e c h n i q u e s in o u r society are (above) Dahlquist Clayworks, Integrated Artworks Fifth and Main detail,

p r i z e d f o r t h e i r ability to achieve u n i f o r m n e a r - p e r f e c -

Ames, Iowa, 1999.

tion

when

handmade

( b e l o w ) Nick Starr, Only the Pharaohs door panels,

fabricating forms, our objects—for

ceramic

expectations

art—are

for

different.

I m p e r f e c t i o n is p a r t of t h e aesthetic.

D e W i t t , N.Y., 1990.

Photos courtesy Michael Fallon

A

recent

New

Yorker

article

by

B u r k h a r d Bilger describes h o w a n e g l e c t o f t h e city's t e e t h , b o n e s , a n d p o t s . ' W e k n o w a lot a b o u t a n c i e n t c u l -

t e r r a - c o t t a a r c h i t e c t u r e , f e d by a lack o f awareness o f

t u r e s — r e l i g i o n , sex, m y t h o l o g y — f r o m clay."

t h e effects o f t i m e , has led t o an o d d a r c h i t e c t u r a l aes-

Other

contemporary

artists, s u c h

as

t h e t i c o f a b s e n c e a n d removal. T e r r a - c o t t a is m a d e f r o m

N i c k Starr o f Syracuse, have e m p l o y e d t h e s t o r y t e l l i n g

w e a t h e r e d a n d f i n e b u r n t clays, w h i c h , w h i l e easier to

capabilities o f clay, a n d its a n c i e n t t r a d i t i o n s , in t h e i r

c o l o r , l i g h t e r , a n d less e x p e n s i v e t h a n s t o n e , are also

p u b l i c w o r k s . F o r e x a m p l e , Starr's d o o r p a n e l m u r a l ,

m o r e brittle, m o r e a b s o r b e n t , a n d w e a k e r . A c c o r d i n g to

Only

the Pharaohs (1990), l o c a t e d in t h e Sinn h o u s e in

T i m o t h y L y n c h , a N e w York r e s t o r e r q u o t e d in t h e

D e W i t t , N e w York, reflects b o t h a n c i e n t a n d c o n t e m -

story: " T h e s e o r n a m e n t s . . . a r e j u s t stuck o n t h e o u t s i d e

p o r a r y f o r m s a n d s t r u c t u r e in its c o m b i n a t i o n o f r i g i d

w i t h a bit o f steel, so t h e y ' r e i n c l i n e d to c o m e d o w n .

geometric

R o s e t t e s a n d d e c o r a t i v e brackets are first t o go, edges

shapes, t e x t u r e d

and

painterly

surfaces,

r o u g h - h e w n edges, a n d E g y p t i a n imagery. Starr m a k e s

c h i p p i n g like t h e r i m o f a glass." A f t e r d e c a d e s o f n e g -

full use of t h e

lect, landlords in N e w York are finally b e i n g f o r c e d to

flexibility

o f clay t o p a i n t a n d c o l o r t h e

tiles a n d c e r a m i c w e d g e s , o r slivers, a n d t o treat t h e s u r faces w i t h stamps, stencils, a n d m o u l d s in o r d e r t o c r e ate w h a t h e calls, " M y o w n E g y p t . " 18

"I have so m a n y i n f l u e n c e s , " says Starr. " T h e E g y p t i a n stuff. A n d C e n t r a l A m e r i c a . I love t o visit r u i n s a n d a r c h a e o l o g i c a l sites. I get e x c i t e d a b o u t f o u n d f r a g m e n t s o f s t o n e a n d clay a n d t r y i n g t o f i g u r e o u t w h e r e it c a m e f r o m . . . . I b r e a k tiles p u r p o s e f u l l y t o get r o u g h edges a n d f r a g m e n t s . I w a n t to get an a n c i e n t l o o k t o m y w o r k . I play w i t h it t o achieve this."

S t a r r j u x t a p o s e s t h e past a n d p r e s e n t in his i m a g e r y a n d surfaces t h r o u g h t h e flexiblity a n d m a l leability o f c e r a m i c s . T o m i m i c t h e s t o n e o f a r c h a e o l o g i -

P u b l i c A r t R e v i e w . SPR. SUM. 01

f i x u p t h e i r b u i l d i n g s b y Local L a w 10, e s t a b l i s h e d a f t e r

scale m o d e l r e p l i c a s o f a n c i e n t E t r u s c a n a n d

a s t u d e n t was killed b y a p i e c e o f t e r r a - c o t t a t h a t fell

v i l l a g e s a n d b u i l d i n g s . T h e list g o e s o n a n d o n ; t h e

f r o m a skyscraper. W h i l e t h e law d e m a n d s that b u i l d -

c o m p u l s i o n is c o m m o n p l a c e .

i n g s s h o w i n g a n y signs o f c r a c k i n g o r w e a r m u s t f i x e d , a w h o l e s a l e d e n u d i n g o f t h e city's

Roman

be

In t h e e n d , t h e a p p r o a c h o f t h e s e artists

architecture

is p a r t i c u l a r l y p o i g n a n t t o d a y w h e n c o n s i d e r i n g t h e loss

has o c c u r r e d i n s t e a d . W i n d o w lintels h a v e b e e n s h a v e d

of the public f o r m of ceramic a r t — a n d the

off, cornices, friezes, and p e d i m e n t s r e m o v e d .

loss o f a w a r e n e s s a n d a p p r e c i a t i o n o f t h e a r t f o r m . T h a t

attendant

J o a n n e H a y a k a w a , a c e r a m i c s artist f r o m

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

San D i e g o , bases h e r w o r k o n this h i s t o r y o f a b s e n c e a n d

c e r a m i c s as p u b l i c a r t are d i s a p p e a r i n g , it is f o r t u n a t e

d e c a y A d o r n i n g t h e d u l l c o n c r e t e pillars o f a f r e e w a y

t h a t s o m e artists k e e p t h e p r a c t i c e alive. T h i s s e n s e o f

o v e r p a s s , H a y a k a w a ' s Vital

Parts ( 1 9 9 9 ) , c o m m i s s i o n e d

loss a n d d e c a y m a y b e s i m p l y a n i n t r i n s i c a s p e c t o f t h e

b y t h e San D i e g o C o m m i s s i o n f o r A r t s a n d C u l t u r e , is

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

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

c o n t e m p o r a r y p u b l i c a r t i s t s . A f t e r all, t h e

flexibility,

s e p a r a t e r e l i e f - s c u l p t e d c e r a m i c tiles. W h i l e t h e i m a g e s

malleability, a n d f r i a b i l i t y o f clay in a p u b l i c f o r u m h a v e

o n t h e tiles are stylistically r e m i n i s c e n t o f t h e social r e a l -

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

ism o f t h e 1930s WPA-era, H a y a k a w a k e e p s t h e

greatest weakness.

sur-

r o u n d i n g s p a c e s as b a r r e n a n d e m p t y as p o s s i b l e

and

to

evoke a sense o f absence. E a c h of t h e panels c o n t a i n

Michael Fallon is an arts writer based in Saint Paul, Minnesota. He has writ-

t h r e e i m a g e s p l a c e d vertically, t h e n u m e r o u s tiles f i t t i n g

ten for City Pages, Art Papers, Fiberarts, Modernism, and the Media Channel.

t o g e t h e r a n d o v e r l a p p i n g like p u z z l e p i e c e s t o c r e a t e t h e i m a g e s . A t t h e b o t t o m o f m o s t p a n e l s , a b l u e r i v e r is r e n -

Sources

d e r e d , flowing t h r o u g h t h e m as if t o m a r k t h e passage o f

Susan Tunick, Terra-Cotla Skyline: New York's Architectural

time. Above the river images, historic a d o b e buildings

(Princeton: P r i n c e t o n Architectural Press, 1997).

are d e p i c t e d — a S p a n i s h m i s s i o n , a n a t i v e k i v a — a n d r e p resent an ancient, public use o f ceramics. A b o v e each o f

Ornament

Burkhard Bilger, " T h e C r u m b l i n g Skyline," The Neu» Yorker 4 December 2000,65-71.

these, b o d y parts and f r a g m e n t s of b o d y p a r t s — a spine, a h e a r t , p a r t o f a c h i n — s e e m t o h i n t at a p e r s o n a l n a r r a tive c o n n e c t e d w i t h t h e b u i l d i n g s . M e a n w h i l e , t h e b a c k -

Joanne Hayakawa, Vital Parts detail, San Diego, Calif., 1999.

Photo courtesy Michael Fallon

g r o u n d s u r f a c e is s t r i a t e d , like e r o d e d s a n d . O v e r a l l , t h e w o r k calls t o m i n d a n o s t a l g i c r e v i e w o f past c e r a m i c art f o r m s . W i t h this i m a g e r y , H a y a k a w a s e e m s t o s u g g e s t t h e stratification and

crumbling

decay c o m m o n

to

the

m e d i u m . As s h e w r i t e s i n h e r artist's s t a t e m e n t : " M y w o r k is a b o u t a r c h i t e c t u r e / s t r u c t u r e , h i s t o r y a n d t h e h u m a n c o n d i t i o n . T i m e , c o n t e x t a n d issues o f survival all play a p a r t i n t h e p r o c e s s . S i n c e clay is t h e o l d e s t m e d i a , it s e e m s a p p r o p r i a t e t o u s e it w i t h endurance structures

I use b o d y as

metaphors

ideas

references and for

security,

involving weathering

vulnerability,

strength, precision a n d gesture."

M a n y o t h e r artists are t a p p i n g i n t o t h e h i s t o r y o f c e r a m i c s i n t h e i r p u b l i c art. N e w Y o r k - b a s e d potter Betty W o o d m a n b e c a m e k n o w n in the

1950s

a n d 1 9 6 0 s f o r u s i n g h i s t o r i c a l T ' a n g D y n a s t y glazes a n d for q u o t i n g Etruscan f o r m s in h e r pottery. In 1993, she produced a mural for the International M u s e u m

of

Ceramics

by

in

Faenza,

ancient R o m a n

Italy, t h a t

was

influenced

murals. M e a n w h i l e , Santa

Fe-based

s c u l p t o r L y n d a B e n g l i s has m a d e large p u b l i c s c u l p t u r e s s h a p e d like animals that r e f e r e n c e t h e b r i c k

temple

architecture of India, C a m b o d i a , and Indonesia. A n d Minneapolis-based

sculptor Aldo

Moroni

has

made

19

TOUCHING PUBLIC ART

Jean

McLaughlin

- Y

1

\

R

\ V

~ R ALKING

AROUND

A

CITY, WE

ALL

HAVE

THE

CHANCE

TO

SEE

THE

BEAUTY

OF

/ h a n d w r o u g h t iron grilles a n d railings, t h e w a r m t h o f t e r r a - c o t t a carvings, V

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

speak t o us o f t h e 1920s o r e v e n t h e 1540s a n d t h e r e f o r e s e e m t o b e r e f e r e n c e s t o t h e past, b u t t h e fact r e m a i n s that craft p r o d u c t i o n is e x t r a o r d i n a r i l y active today. Its p o w e r t o c o m p e l did n o t e n d w i t h t h e rise o f m o d e r n i s m in art a n d a r c h i t e c t u r e . E a c h y e a r m a n y p e o p l e take classes t o h o n e h a n d skills a n d to u n d e r s t a n d t h e satisfaction o f w o r k i n g directly w i t h materials. M o m e n t s o f s h e e r f r u s t r a t i o n a n d d i s a p p o i n t m e n t are always p a r t o f t h e process o f m a k i n g o b j e c t s , b u t s o m e t h i n g in t h e h u m a n p s y c h e drives us o n w a r d . T h e r e are t h o u s a n d s o f p r a c t i c i n g p r o f e s s i o n a l c r a f t s p e o p l e t h r o u g h o u t t h e w o r l d , a n d e v e n m o r e are w o r k i n g in h o m e studios, passionately p u r s u i n g t h e m a k i n g process as avocationalists. A n u n d e n i a b l y d e e p satisfaction c o m e s f r o m p r o d u c i n g s o m e t h i n g w i t h one's h a n d s .

W h e n w e e n c o u n t e r a place w i t h h a n d c r a f t e d details, d o w e feel that w e are s o m e h o w m o r e a part o f this place t h a n of o n e m a d e o f c o n c r e t e a n d steel that l o o k s as t h o u g h n o h u m a n h a n d h a d a personal role? D o t h e cells of o u r b o d i e s c a r r y m e m o ries that link us t o t h e blacksmith o r s c u l p t o r w h o m a d e t h o s e rails o r carvings? Is t h e i m p u l s e in o u r o w n h a n d greater t h a n t h e i m p u l s e g e n e r a t e d by a television p r o g r a m in w h i c h w e see a glassblower w o r k i n g w i t h his o r h e r hands? I posit strongly t h a t this is t h e case. B o t h television a n d t h e " u n t o u c h e d " built e n v i r o n m e n t t r u n c a t e one's e x p e r i e n c e .

N e u r o l o g i s t F r a n k W i l s o n w r i t e s a b o u t t h e p r o f o u n d i n f l u e n c e o u r h a n d s have o n c o g n i t i o n in his b o o k , The Hand. D r . W i l s o n t h e o r i z e s that w h e n early h u m a n s o b s e r v e d their h a n d s p e r f o r m i n g c o m p l e x tasks, t h e i r brains w e r e t a u g h t a f o r m of l a n g u a g e .

M a i n t a i n y o u r f o c u s o n t h e h a n d , a n d o n t h e b o d y , a n d r e s u m e this w a l k a r o u n d t h e city. T h i n k abotit scale. P r i o r t o m o d e r n i s t a r c h i t e c t u r e , t h e size o f a s t r u c t u r e was generally b a l a n c e d by s o m e e l e m e n t that was h a n d c r a f t e d a n d p e r s o n a l in scale. In t h e 1970s, p r o p o n e n t s o f p u b l i c art talked a b o u t t h e i m p o r t a n c e o f b r i n g i n g human-scale interventions back into the built e n v i r o n m e n t . Perhaps w e w e r e seeking s o m e d e g r e e o f c o m f o r t in t h e f a c e o f s t r u c t u r e s t h a t w e r e f r e q u e n t l y c o l d a n d b e y o n d o u r ability t o grasp. A r t i s t - m a d e b e n c h e s , p a i n t i n g s in lobbies, a n d s c u l p t u r e s in plazas w e r e solutions. W h i l e n o t i n t e g r a t e d i n t o t h e a r c h i t e c t u r e o r p u b l i c space as was t h e craftsperson's i n c l u s i o n in p r e m o d e r n i s t a r c h i t e c t u r e , t h e s e w o r k s s p o k e t o o u r desire

21

f o r t h e place to i n c l u d e e v i d e n c e o f h u m a n activity.

B u t t h e r e is m o r e t o t h e i n t e r s e c t i o n o f t h e b o d y , art, a n d p l a c e t h a n ( b a c k g r o u n d ) Paste paper painting at Penland School of the Crafts, Penland, N.C., n.d.

Photo by Dana Moore

h a n d c r a f t e d o b j e c t s a n d physical p r e s e n c e . T h e active, social e x i s t e n c e o f h u m a n b e i n g s in t h e space a n d t h e f u n c t i o n o f t h e space is also relevant t o this c o n v e r s a t i o n . In its m o s t basic f o r m , craft is an everyday, f u n c t i o n a l e x p e r i e n c e . W e b r i n g a c e r a m i c c u p t o o u r lips t o d r i n k ; w e w r a p silk c l o t h against o u r skin. T h e e x p e r i e n c e is physical, t a c -

( m i d d l e ) Billie Abraham, indigo dyed paper, Penland School of the

tile, a n d p e r s o n a l . W e also n e e d a n d e x p e c t these o b j e c t s t o p e r f o r m f o r us. W e w a n t

Crafts, Penland, N.C., 2000.

t h e c u p t o h o l d c o f f e e a n d feel pleasant in o u r h a n d s . W e w a n t t h e g a r m e n t t o b e soft

Photo by Robin Dreyer

a n d t o p r o t e c t us. W h e n w e translate t h e s e f u n c t i o n s o f craft i n t o p u b l i c spaces, w e

P u b l i c A r t R e v i e w . SPR. SUM. 01

r e c o g n i z e t h a t t h e spaces m u s t s e r v e p e o p l e ' s n e e d s . (above) Graham Caldwell, The Eyes, blown glass,

P u b l i c spaces n e e d t o f u n c t i o n f o r traveling, p a u s i n g ,

Penland School of Crafts,

waiting, and gathering. T h e y must function symboli-

Penland, N.C., 2000.

cally, e x p r e s s i n g an a t t i t u d e o f o p t i m i s m , safety, a n d

(below) Stephen Paul Day, installation of blown glass

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

and vintage photos, Penland School of Crafts,

c r o w d . F u n c t i o n a l i t y is i n h e r e n t in a c r a f t s p e r s o n ' s

Penland, N.C., 2000.

v o c a b u l a r y . In m a n y ways c r a f t s p e o p l e share a v i s i o n

Photos by Robin Dreyer

with those wishing to rebuild communities

around

social n e e d s o r f u n c t i o n s . W i t h u r b a n design calling f o r h i g h d e n s i t y e n v i r o n m e n t s a n d h u m a n i n t e r a c t i o n in e v e r y t h i n g f r o m sidewalks a n d alleyways to p u b l i c t r a n sit, it is n a t u r a l t h a t c r a f t s p e o p l e will u n d e r s t a n d

the

p r o b l e m s o f f u n c t i o n a n d b e able t o r e s p o n d as p u b l i c artists t o create w o r k f o r these e n v i r o n m e n t s .

By n a t u r e w e seek t h e c a m a r a d e r i e o r physical p r e s e n c e of o t h e r living things. W e build c o m m u n i t i e s o r n e t w o r k s o f p e o p l e w h o share o u r religious beliefs, p o l i t i c a l values, a n d social n e e d s . W h e r e these shared values w e r e c o m m o n l y held w i t h i n

once the

same g e o g r a p h i c area, w e n o w f i n d ourselves living in n e i g h b o r h o o d s a n d cities w i t h m u l t i p l e i d e o l o g i e s a n d diverse p o i n t s of view. T h r o u g h a variety o f c o m m u n i t y d e c i s i o n - m a k i n g processes, w e f i n d ways to b a l a n c e t h e needs of the individual with the conflicting needs of o t h e r s in t h e c o m m u n i t y . T h u s , o u r c o m m u n i t i e s o f a l i k e n e s s have b e c o m e b o u n d less b y g e o g r a p h y a n d m o r e by t e l e p h o n e lines, databases, a n d t h e I n t e r n e t . T h e idea t h a t o u r p u b l i c art c o u l d r e p r e s e n t a shared c o m m u n i t y vision b e c o m e s m o r e a n d m o r e difficult t o realize. I w o u l d like t o believe, h o w e v e r , that w e still have a shared respect f o r t h e h a n d m a d e a n d f o r t h e c o n t i n u a t i o n o f processes that are ages old.

F r o m t h e b e g i n n i n g o f t i m e , artists have

e n t l y s i m p l e is t r e m e n d o u s l y c o m p l e x . E x p e r i e n c i n g

created w o r k s that reflect t h e values a n d beliefs o f t h e i r

h a n d c r a f t e d o b j e c t s m i t i g a t e s against t h e a l i e n a t i o n a n d

respective c o m m u n i t i e s , w h i c h w e r e o n c e m o r e h o m o -

e n n u i o f m o d e r n life. T h a t w h i c h r e q u i r e d m u c h t i m e

g e n e o u s than o u r s are today. In m o r e r e c e n t times, W e s t -

a n d a t t e n t i o n t o m a k e also r e q u i r e s t h e viewer's t i m e a n d

e r n artists have b e e n s e a r c h i n g f o r p e r s o n a l m e a n i n g a n d

a t t e n t i o n t o c o m p r e h e n d . It m a y t a k e l o n g e r t o m a k e

v o i c e w i t h i n their o w n c o m m u n i t i e s . P u b l i c artists f o r

s o m e t h i n g by h a n d , b u t isn't t i m e s o m e t h i n g w e l o n g

t h e past d e c a d e o r t w o have b e e n w o r k i n g w i t h i n c o m -

for? O u r w o r l d m o v e s at such a b r e a k n e c k p a c e t h a t a

m u n i t i e s to create p u b l i c w o r k s that r e s p o n d t o a c o m -

m o m e n t ' s p a u s e is o f t e n a w e l c o m e r e l i e f . O n c e

m u n i t y ' s p a r t i c u l a r history, e n v i r o n m e n t , o r v i s i o n . T h e y

p r o c e s s e s o f a t t e n t i o n are a c t i v a t e d , q u e s t i o n s t u m b l e

the

have b e e n s e r v i n g as c r e a t i v e f a c i l i t a t o r s o f artistic

a r o u n d t h e c r a f t e d o b j e c t . W h y is this m a d e in such a

processes t h a t m a n i f e s t themselves in s o m e p u b l i c way.

p e c u l i a r way? W o u l d I have d o n e it d i f f e r e n t l y ? W h y is it

W h i l e craft artists have b e e n p a r t o f all o f this activity,

here? W h y am I here? T h e presumption

t h e field o f crafts is d i s t i n g u i s h e d f r o m t h e e v o l u t i o n o f

k n o w n a n d I a m utterly b o r e d " is n o l o n g e r r e l e v a n t . In

t h a t "all is

t h e art w o r l d by several characteristics. First, t h e field is

this way, c r a f t in p u b l i c art b e c o m e s r e d e m p t i v e . T h e

g r o u n d e d in a d e e p respect f o r materials a n d t r a d i t i o n .

v i e w e r has a visceral r e a c t i o n t h a t is e x p e r i e n t i a l a n d

S e c o n d , t h e t i m e it takes t o m a s t e r a craft is e v i d e n c e d in

real.To r e s p o n d t o t h e w o r k d o e s n o t r e q u i r e t h e v i e w e r

t h e resulting w o r k , s o m e t h i n g t h a t has b e e n less a n d less

t o have s o m e special k n o w l e d g e o r b e l o n g t o a f o r e -

t r u e in t h e f i n e arts, w h e r e t h e f o c u s has m o r e o f t e n

w a r n e d club.

b e e n o n t h e idea b e h i n d t h e art r a t h e r t h a n o n t h e craft

M y h u s b a n d , w h o has b e e n a c r a f t s p e r -

o f p a i n t i n g o r sculpture. C r a f t artists also have a t r a d i t i o n

s o n f o r t h i r t y years, h a d an e n l i g h t e n i n g e x p e r i e n c e o n e

o f f o r m i n g c o m m u n i t i e s . F o r instance, shared values a n d

day t h a t c o n v e y e d m u c h a b o u t w h a t I a m c a l l i n g t h e

interests have d r a w n c r a f t s p e o p l e t o P e n l a n d S c h o o l o f

p o w e r o f t h e h a n d . A t an air s h o w at a small u r b a n air-

C r a f t s in t h e m o u n t a i n s o f w e s t e r n N o r t h C a r o l i n a f o r

p o r t , h e w a s a b l e t o w a l k a r o u n d a n d v i e w an F - 1 6

t h e past seventy years.

f i g h t e r j e t at close range. W h a t h e saw o n t h e jet's s u r f a c e

A n d w h a t is t h e r e l a t i o n s h i p o f m a t e r i a l

was t h e u n m i s t a k a b l e p a t t e r n left by a S u r f o r m scraper, a

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

h a n d t o o l k n o w n t o all c r a f t s p e o p l e w h o m a k e f o r m s in

a n d craft? U n d e r s t a n d i n g a m a t e r i a l , m a s t e r i n g w h a t it is

clay, w o o d , o r plaster. T h i s t o o l h a d b e e n u s e d b y an

able t o do, k n o w i n g w h e r e its strengths a n d w e a k n e s s e s

i n d i v i d u a l t o m o d i f y t h e s h a p e o f t h e jet's air i n t a k e . In

lie, a n d l e a r n i n g h o w t o talk w i t h it t o realize f o r m are

a d d i t i o n , t h e a c c u r a t e fit o f t h e d o o r a n d p o r t s , t h e

key aspects o f t h e life o f a c r a f t s p e r s o n . W h a t is a p p a r -

painting of " U S A " and stenciled warnings o n the jet's surface, as well as t h e m a c h i n e d a n d w e l d e d m e t a l in t h e

CarlosAlves and his students, tile mosaic wall, Penland School of Crafts, Penland, N.C., 1999.

Photo by Ann HawthorneŠ

c o c k p i t i n t e r i o r all a p p e a r e d t o b e f i n i s h e d b y h a n d . It read as a h i g h l y e f f i c i e n t a n d p o w e r f u l utilitarian o b j e c t , b u t o n e m a d e by a fellow h u m a n b e i n g w i t h simple

tools. Its h a n d m a d e characteristics c h a n g e d his a t t i t u d e

Judy Byron, Ralph Helmick,

and Elizabeth

toward the plane—it had b e c o m e personal and h u m a n .

the artist-instructors

T h e j e t was e x p r e s s i n g t h e h o n e s t y a n d a u t h e n t i c i t y o f a

Paulus Berensolm, two artist-members

in that session, and Jeff Goodman

c r a f t e d o b j e c t . T h e value a d v o c a t e d in c r a f t e d p u b l i c art

nity, were invited by McLaughlin

is parallel. W h e n w e set aside t h e c o m m e r c i a l c o n s u m e r

share their thoughts below.

a e s t h e t i c , t h e t r u e sense o f t h e reality o f o u r lives can

Conner, three of

of the Penland

and commu-

to comment on her essay. We

Judy Byron: W h e n

I t h i n k of craft, I

e m e r g e a n d b e expressed t h r o u g h t h e honesty, e c o n o m y ,

think of a c o m b i n a t i o n of beauty and m e a n i n g , with

and authenticity of the crafted object.

m e a n i n g i n c l u d i n g a sense o f utility. I t h i n k o f an o b j e c t

P u b l i c artists a n d c r a f t s p e o p l e s h a r e a

(cup, b o w l , chair) t h a t has b e e n i n f u s e d w i t h t h e i n t e n t

desire f o r m a k i n g m e a n i n g f u l gestures t h a t directly affect

a n d skill o f t h e artist t h r o u g h t h e deliberate process o f

a p e r s o n ' s life. F o r m o s t c r a f t s p e o p l e today, this gesture

a r t - m a k i n g . T h i s c o m p l e t e d o b j e c t is p u t o u t i n t o t h e

has b e e n in r e s p o n s e t o a p r i v a t e r a t h e r t h a n a p u b l i c

world and infused with the meanings of those w h o h a n -

m o m e n t . B u t t h e desire t o p r o v i d e pleasure a n d u s e f u l -

dle it over m a n y years. T h e c o n c e p t o f t r a n s f o r m a t i o n

ness easily translates f r o m t h e p r i v a t e space a n d p e r s o n a l

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

i n t e r a c t i o n t o a p u b l i c space a n d c o m m u n i t y activity. A

tor, t h e user, a n d t h e o b j e c t are crucial e l e m e n t s f o r m e

search f o r a f f i r m a t i o n , happiness, a n d b e a u t y m a y b e t h e

in p u b l i c art as well. To i m b u e m y w o r k w i t h m y o w n

legacy that t w e n t i e t h - c e n t u r y p u b l i c art has g i v e n t h e

sense o f b e a u t y a n d m e a n i n g a n d t h e n to l a u n c h t h a t

t w e n t y - f i r s t , q u a l i t i e s t h a t t h e c r a f t w o r l d n e v e r left

w o r k i n t o a p u b l i c space, a c k n o w l e d g i n g t h a t it will

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

b e c o m e transformed through time and through

s h a r e d p u b l i c rituals a n d c e r e m o n y is w h a t p u b l i c art

daily rituals a n d c e r e m o n i e s o f t h o s e w h o use that space,

a n d craft can j o i n forces t o create.

that is t h e " s t u f f " o f art t o m e .

the

Ralph Helmick: Part o f t h e difficulty o f Jean McLaughlin is director of Penland School of Crafts, a nationally recog-

addressing " p u b l i c a r t " a n d " c r a f t " is that p e o p l e m e a n all

nized center for crafts education in North Carolina.

sorts o f t h i n g s w h e n they use t h e t e r m s . T h i s c o n f u s i o n inevitably leads to c o n f u s e d t h i n k i n g a n d c o n f u s e d p r a c tice a n d t o o o f t e n to b a d craft a n d p o o r p u b l i c a r t w o r k .

Ill 1999 a special summer session was held at Penland

School

For m e , craft m e a n s a h a n d c r a f t e d o b j e c t

of Crafts to explore the relationship between public art and

w i t h a utilitarian f u n c t i o n , even if that f u n c t i o n is d e c o r a t -

crafts. Artists in Penland's fourteen

i n g a b u i l d i n g . T h i s is a n o b l e mission. N o n c r a f t utilitarian

studios explored both

public art and crafts through temporary and permanent lations solving real and hypothetical

design problems.

instal-

o b j e c t s d o n ' t have t h e same c o n c e r n w i t h aesthetics. Art f u r n i t u r e o n e c a n n o t sit o n is n o t craft, it is sculpture.

P u b l i c art r e s p o n d s s p e c i f i c a l l y t o its

Micah Pulleyen, installation of printed and sewn paper,

24

setting. It c a n — a n d s h o u l d — b e j u d g e d n o t j u s t o n its

Penland School of Crafts, Penland, N.C. 1999.

a e s t h e t i c e x c e l l e n c e b u t o n h o w it r e s p o n d s t o its site

Photo by Robin Dreyer

a n d a u d i e n c e . It has t h e o p p o r t u n i t y — a n d o b l i g a t i o n —

Mimi Strang and Gloria Kosco, sundial detail,

t h a t is m o s t i m p o r t a n t ; s o m e t i m e s it is e m o t i o n a l t o u c h

Penland School of Crafts, Penland, N.C., 1994.

o r a c o m b i n a t i o n o f t h e t w o . A n active p r e s e n c e , w h i c h

Photo by Dana Moore

can c o m e f r o m all senses a n d d o e s n o t have t o i n c l u d e h a n d s - o n m a k i n g ( a l t h o u g h it o f t e n does), is w h a t p u b -

to b e part of t h e social fabric. N o n p u b l i c art can exist

lic art a n d craft have in c o m m o n . T h i s active p r e s e n c e

c o m f o r t a b l y as a g o o d o u t d o o r (or l o b b y )

involves a c o m m i t m e n t o f t i m e , f o c u s , e m o t i o n , a n d care

museum

p i e c e , r e l y i n g solely o n its f o r m a l m e r i t s . N o t h i n g is w r o n g w i t h that; its a g e n d a is m o r e self-sufficient, a n d its

on the part of the viewer and the maker.

F o r m e , w h e n w o r k i n g in p u b l i c " t h e h a n d " is c o l l a b o r a t i v e — a n o r c h e s t r a t i o n o f c o m p l e m e n -

" v a l u e " m o r e transferable.

P u b l i c artists " s e r v i n g as creative facili-

tary expertise, m o r e like j a z z t h a n classical.One p e r s o n

t a t o r s o f artistic processes t h a t m a n i f e s t t h e m s e l v e s in

g e n e r o u s l y offers a t h e m e , s o m e o n e else elaborates o n it

s o m e p u b l i c w a y " u n d e r t a k e an u n u s u a l a n d

risky

a n d g e n t l y gives it b a c k , t h e n e x t p e r s o n t h r o w s t h e idea

e n d e a v o r . T h e best e x a m p l e is p e r h a p s t h e A I D S Q u i l t ,

h i g h in t h e air, a n d t h e n s o m e o n e catches it a n d pulls it

w h i c h has b e e n called p u b l i c art a n d is an a d m i r a b l e

back into the mix. Respectful but

p h e n o m e n . (Curiously, I h a v e n ' t h e a r d t o it r e f e r r e d to as

viduality is s u b s u m e d , all c o n t r i b u t i o n s are v a l u e d , a n d ,

craft, a l t h o u g h it is a quilt. W h y is this?) T h o u s a n d s of

a l o n g w i t h a bit o f c o m p e t i t i o n , t h e r e is j o y a n d c e l e b r a -

h a n d s have p a r t i c i p a t e d in its n o n h i e r a r c h i c a l c r e a t i o n ,

t i o n in w h a t individuals can d o t o g e t h e r . A b a r n raising

fluid—no

one's indi-

a n d it clearly succeeds in g i v i n g v o i c e t o loss a n d g r i e f .

also c o m e s t o m i n d . T h e collective i m p u l s e : it's really a

Aesthetics, h o w e v e r , is n o t t h e m o s t a p p r o p r i a t e lens t o

gift, b o t h t o t h e m e m b e r s o f t h e g r o u p a n d t o t h o s e w h o

use w h e n e v a l u a t i n g it. Art t h e r a p y s h o u l d n o t b e c o n -

c o m e after, w h o , e x p e r i e n c i n g t h e b e s t j a z z , t h e b e s t

f u s e d w i t h art. W h e n aesthetic e x c e l l e n c e still m a t t e r s , a

b a r n , t h e best p u b l i c art, get a sense o f t h a t care, g e n e r o s -

social a g e n d a s h o u l d n o t serve as a bulletproof shield, as

ity, a n d c e l e b r a t i o n .

sometimes happens.

I was w o r k i n g 011 a j o b site t h e o t h e r

T h e public artist m u s t fulfill his o r h e r

day, c o l l a b o r a t i n g w i t h a g e n e r a l c o n t r a c t o r t o p l a c e

t r a n s f o r m a t i o n a l o b l i g a t i o n to f o r g e c o m m u n i t y issues

r o c k s 011 a v e r y s t e e p s l o p e . I t o l d h i m h o w m u c h I

i n t o — d a r e w e say i t ? — b e a u t y . T h e g r e a t e s t successes

a d m i r e d t h e seamless c o m m u n i c a t i o n b e t w e e n

have o c c u r r e d w h e n t h e artist listens carefully t o b o t h

h a n d , m a c h i n e (very large f r o n t - e n d l o a d e r m a n i p u l a t -

p e o p l e a n d a site a n d t h e n creates s o m e t h i n g t h a t t h e

i n g rocks w e i g h i n g several tons), m a t e r i a l s , a n d s i t e . T h e

a u d i e n c e d i d n ' t k n o w it w a n t e d . T h i s is t r a n s f o r m a t i o n a l .

a r m o f t h e f r o n t - e n d l o a d e r was, t o m e , a n e x t e n s i o n o f

Elizabeth C o n n e r : T o u c h a n d t h e h a n d

the operator's arm, w h o s e actions were influenced by

are o b v i o u s l y related, b u t t h e care t h a t c o m e s t h r o u g h

o n g o i n g c o n v e r s a t i o n s w e w e r e h a v i n g via cell p h o n e . I

h e a r t a n d m i n d , t h r o u g h t h e p e r s o n a l as well as c o l l e c -

was " d i r e c t i n g " a n d p r o v i d i n g s t r u c t u r e , b u t also m a k i n g

tive energy, is also " t o u c h . " It isn't always physical t o u c h

sure t h e h e a v y e q u i p m e n t o p e r a t o r k n e w I r e s p e c t e d his

25

mind,

P u b l i c A r t R e v i e w . SPR. SUM. 01

p e o p l e w h o c a m e b e f o r e us. T h e c r a f t e d o b j e c t , b i g o r small, always speaks o f life a n d d e a t h : m y o w n , that o f t h e o b j e c t itself, a n d t h a t o f its m a k e r s . W h e n w e s h a r e objects—mugs or m o n u m e n t s — w i t h the people around 11s, w e have that special f e e l i n g that w e are s h a r i n g life itself, t h e p r e s e n t m o m e n t , a n d all t h e m o m e n t s o f m a k i n g a n d living t h a t t h e p i e c e represents.

So if this is all t r u e , w h y are t h e S u p e r K - M a r t s d o i n g such a brisk business? P e r h a p s t h e drive t o a c q u i r e t h e p e r f e c t i o n of t h e m a s s - p r o d u c e d o b j e c t is Laurencia Strauss and Judy Leeman, textile installation,

a d e s i r e t o d e n y d e a t h , w h i c h s e e m s p r e t t y final a n d

Penland School of Crafts, Penland, N.C., 1999.

scary. O f c o u r s e , as it has b e e n said m a n y times b e f o r e , if

Photo by Robin Dreyer

w e d o n ' t e n g a g e d e a t h , t h e n w e d o n ' t e n g a g e life.

Paulus B e r e n s o h n : T h e r e is a g a r d e n in

eye, e x p e r t i s e , a n d g u t instinct as m u c h as I cared a b o u t

t h e G e r m a n t o w n section o f P h i l a d e l p h i a created over a

t h e design I h a d w o r k e d 011 w i t h six o t h e r artists. T h a t

p e r i o d o f years b y a single w o m a n w i t h t h e h e l p o f

s e e m s like a r e c i p e f o r chaos, b u t w i t h f o c u s , care, a n d

n e i g h b o r h o o d c h i l d r e n . Built o n f o r m e r l y vacant lots, it

t i m e , t h e e l e m e n t s o f this c o m p l e x p r o j e c t slid, w i t h a

is filled w i t h c e r a m i c tiles, mosaics, plants, a n d b e n c h e s .

s a t i s f y i n g " t h u n k , " i n t o p l a c e , a n d play e x a c t l y r i g h t .

It has b e c o m e a s p o n t a n e o u s c o m m u n i t y m e e t i n g place.

P u b l i c art a n d craft are b o t h like this, collaborative a n d

Also in o n e o f P h i l a d e l p h i a ' s p o o r e s t

egalitarian r a t h e r t h a n hierarchical.

t w o n u n s I k n o w t o o k over an a b a n d o n e d b u i l d i n g a n d

Jeff G o o d m a n : M y t h o u g h t s a b o u t p u b -

p u t u p a p a p e r sign saying " A r t C e n t e r : O p e n " a n d have

lic art a n d t h i n g s m a d e by h a n d are c o l o r e d by a late

b e e n busy ever since r e s p o n d i n g to t h e h u n g e r f o r a r t -

n i g h t visit I r e c e n t l y m a d e t o a h u g e S u p e r K - M a r t in

m a k i n g of t h e w a l k - i n public. Lisa B l a c k b u r n , o n e of t h e

H i c k o r y , N o r t h C a r o l i n a . Families w e r e w a l k i n g a r o u n d

creators o f t h e E m p t y B o w l s P r o j e c t a n d n o w d i r e c t o r o f

o n these n a t u r e walks, strolling as if in a p a r k , b u t p i c k -

art e d u c a t i o n at t h e D e t r o i t I n s t i t u t e o f Arts, r e c e n t l y

i n g p r o d u c t s instead o f flowers. I k e p t l o o k i n g at t h e i r

t o l d m e t h a t she f o u n d a place in t h e " h o o d " w h e r e she

carts full o f g r o u n d b e e f a n d filing cabinets a n d toy g u n s ,

holds public art-making gatherings. H u n d r e d s of people

w o n d e r i n g w h a t p l a n e t w e w e r e o n , f e e l i n g n o t exactly

stop by in t h e evenings t o e n g a g e in h e r " f i f t e e n m i n u t e

d e a d b u t like I h a d n e v e r b e e n alive. So, I g o t to t h i n k i n g

craft projects."

as I r e a d Touching

26

neighborhoods,

Public Art a b o u t c o n s u m e r i s m , life,

So I envision gardens e v e r y w h e r e w i t h

d e a t h , a n d t h e b r o k e n h a n d l e o n a f a v o r i t e m u g m y sis-

large, p e r m a n e n t altars, w o r k s o f craft art in themselves,

ter g o t m e at t h e A n n A r b o r A r t Fair. T h e " c o m m e r c i a l

w h e r e a n y b o d y o r everybody, can c o m e , m a k e , a n d c o n -

c o n s u m e r a e s t h e t i c " has always felt d e a d — o r

rather

t r i b u t e o f f e r i n g s in praise o f a n d in g r a t i t u d e f o r life o n

n e v e r a l i v e — t o m e . I can't i m a g i n e t h e p e o p l e , t h e real

a n d f r o m t h e E a r t h . I t h i n k a b o u t Bali, w h e r e art is e v e r y -

flesh-and-blood

h u m a n s that are b e h i n d it. T h e tools o f

w h e r e a n d m o s t o f t e n c r a f t e d daily. N o o n e signs this

mass p r o d u c t i o n c o m e b e t w e e n us a n d t h e m a k e r s , j u s t

w o r k , n o r is t h e r e a w o r d in their l a n g u a g e f o r art. I d o n ' t

as a digital i m a g e differs f r o m a f i n g e r p a i n t i n g . Also,

like b i g p e r m a n e n t pieces o f art in p u b l i c places w i t h a

mass p r o d u c t i o n n e v e r allows us t o feel that w h a t w e are

s i g n a t u r e , m a l e , b u t I a m k n o c k e d o u t by t h e B a l i n e s e

g e t t i n g is o n e o f a k i n d . As m u c h as m a r k e t e r s try t o treat

w o m a n w h o weaves a small s p o n t a n e o u s basket in h e r

us as t h o u g h w e can b e r e d u c e d to d e m o g r a p h i c s , e a c h

h a n d , fills it w i t h flowers a n d c o o k e d rice, places it o n a

o f us w a n t s t o believe in o u r individuality. W h e n I i n t e r -

s h r i n e in t h e m i d d l e o f t h e street, pauses, prays, b o w s ,

act w i t h s o m e t h i n g t h a t is u n i q u e I feel m o r e d e e p l y m y

ignites a stick o f i n c e n s e , smiles in g r a t i t u d e , a n d walks 011.

o w n life, m y o w n t i m e a n d s p a c e , m y o w n

present

m o m e n t . A craft o b j e c t , b e i n g o n e o f a k i n d , is m o r t a l in

Judy Byron is a visual artist based in Washington, D.C.

t h e s a m e w a y I a m . B r e a k a h a n d c r a f t e d m u g a n d it's

Ralph Helmick lives in Newton, Massachusetts, and works in collaboration

d e a d . In t h e s a m e sense, p u b l i c art lives a n d dies b e c a u s e

with artist and engineer Stu Schechter.

it is u n i q u e . T h i n g s t h a t live a l o n g t i m e , like t h e c a t h e -

Elizabeth Conner is an artist working out ofVashon,Washington.

drals o f E u r o p e , are awe i n s p i r i n g in part b e c a u s e t h e y

Jeff Goodman is a member of the Media Studies faculty at Appalachian State

are m o r t a l b u t have lived so l o n g .

Of

course

those

University, specializing in human wonder research.

cathedrals

are

also

i n s p i r i n g b e c a u s e t h e y r e p r e s e n t t h e w o r k o f so m a n y P u b l i c A r t R e v i e w . SPR. SUM. 01

Paulus Berensohn is the author of Finding One's Way with Clay and an honorary fellow of the American Craft Council.

PROGRAM

LAYERS OF POETRY AND METAPHOR

( b e l o w ) Laura Brodax, International District Bus Shelter,

By Clair E n l o w • • •

Seattle, Wash., 1998.

Photo courtesy King County Public A r t Program

In the professional world of design and construction, art and

In Seattle, recent history has also helped to set the stage for

architecture are clearly separate, in c o n c e p t and in b u d g e t .

greater collaboration b e t w e e n artists and architects. First, in

Collaborations exist, but w h e n it comes to building pieces and

1973, came King County's 1 - p e r c e n t - f o r - a r t program, o n e of

parts, architects draw the line. In the modernist tradition, art is

the leaders in the nation. T h e city of Seattle followed suit the

for the wall, the pedestal, or the landscape.

same year, establishing the region as a broadly cited m o d e l of strong support for public art.

Yet in Seattle, artists are m a k i n g an increasing n u m b e r o f doorways, stair rails, and walls, and even shaping the structural elements in n e w buildings. A registry in King C o u n t y is m a k ing it m u c h easier to put the parts together and find a projectt o - p r o j e c t fit b e t w e e n

building

o w n e r s , architects,

and

individual artists. A catalog shows owners and architects samples of " A r t i s t - M a d e B u i l d i n g Parts" (AMBP), w h i c h

are

defined as "deliverable objects and products integral to the built environment."

T h e n came the d o w n t o w n bus tunnel project, releasing m i l lions for artist involvement in design and construction. W i t h engineers in the lead, architects and artists f o u n d themselves siding together on many design issues. W h e n it was c o m p l e t e d in 1990, riders entered a n e w world of art c o m b i n e d w i t h architecture. In the t u n n e l , there were saturated colors and rich reliefs o n the walls and ceilings, railings that d e m a n d e d to be seen and t o u c h e d , and details that told the story of each

M o r e than a resource, it's part of a trend that began with the

stop. W i t h the help of strong leadership f r o m M e t r o ( n o w

p o s t m o d e r n era. Along with the loosening of artistic laws that

King C o u n t y Metro), artists were on the team for the design

dictated clean lines and unity of f o r m and f u n c t i o n , there is

o f t h e t u n n e l f r o m start to finish. T h e i r i d e a s — i n m e t a l ,

n e w respect for diversity, complexity, narrative symbolism, and

ceramic, stone, glass, and electronic m e d i a — a r e n o w part of

f u n . T h e d o o r is open for m o r e participation in design projects.

the civic infrastructure.

27

P u b l i c A r t R e v i e w . SPR. SUM. 01

PROGRAM

Maya Radoczy, Twelve Words for Ice, overview and inset detail, Seattle, Wash., 1996.

Photos by Robert Pisano

Since

1993, the

published

AMBP

registry

has m a d e

it

supremely easy for small jurisdictions, private developers, and even individual h o m e o w n e r s to bring artists o n t o their c o n struction site. In the county offices they can peruse a looseleaf binder, each of its nearly fifty pages introducing the work of an individual artist. T h e r e are forged-metal gates, railings, and grilles; terra-cotta d o o r surrounds; cast glass and ceramic tiles; sculptural light fixtures; and stained-glass windows. All included artists have been prescreened by a j u r y for artistic merit and experience in w o r k i n g within a project t e a m . T h o s e included in the

AMBP

catalog range from well-established p u b -

lic artists w o r k i n g around the country to studio artists w h o are in the process of discovering another career path. Consideration for inclusion is open to all professional artists residing in the state of Washington. By easing the selection process and partially s o r t i n g artists a c c o r d i n g to media and specialized projects, the program is w o r k i n g to reduce the potential for conflict and increase the likelihood of collaboration. " W e ' r e really a dating service in the cultural c o m m u n i t y , " laughs Cath Brunner, w h o has overseen the program f r o m the b e g i n n i n g , along with Carol Valenta. W h i l e establishing the program over the last five years, she has been in architects' offices and at construction sites, laying the g r o u n d w o r k for projects that blur the traditional boundaries b e t w e e n building design and art. Artists praise her as an advocate and a resource.

Although they do not act as agents for artists, B r u n n e r , project administrator D i a n e Testa, and senior c o o r d i n a t o r C y n t h i a G o u l d Brown help careers take off and watch the attitudes of public and private developers and design and c o n s t r u c t i o n professionals change.

T h e registry is not m e a n t to be a substitute for open, c o m p e t itive calls for artists on public art projects. C o u n t y construction managers use the

AMBP

registry to find qualified artists for

building c o m p o n e n t s not covered by designated 1 - p e r c e n t for-art funding. Gradually, the resource has b e c o m e k n o w n to small jurisdictions outside King C o u n t y and is called u p o n w h e n the size of a project and the budgetary constraints of the o w n e r do not warrant a competitive call for artists. " W e started using county projects to show that is was possible, Art and architecture had t u r n e d the c o r n e r together, and there

doable," says B r u n n e r . T o d o so, B r u n n e r had to break into the

was n o going back. In retrospect, getting artists involved in all

tight b u d g e t categories that govern design decisions to find

kinds of building details, in both public and private projects,

m o n e y for artists. She and the arts program staffhave learned the

was the next logical step. All it took was some imagination and

language of line-item construction costs, and can quickly locate

strong support in the f o r m of an education and referral sys-

the budget for a floor, a railing, a concrete wall, or an expensive,

tem. Based on the inspiration of Glenn Weiss, n o w in charge

off-the-shelf finish. Finding a place in the budget can lead to

of the public art program for Florida's Broward County, the

finding a place o n the site. Saying,"Look, you're already spend-

Artist-Made Building Parts project began in 1991 as part of

ing this," has cleared the way for real negotiation between artist,

the King C o u n t y Public Art Program.

owner, and design team on m o r e than o n e project.

P u b l i c A r t R e v i e w . SPR. SUM. 01

PROGRAM

( b e l o w ) Deborah Mersky, Echo Wall detail,Vashon Transfer Station, Vashon, Wash., 1999.

Photo courtesy King County Public A r t Program

B r u n n e r and her colleagues had always h o p e d that the p r o -

Partners, R a d o c z y was able to steer the clients away from

gram could also serve as a vehicle to get artists on the design

representational images that read as simple commercialism.

teams for private projects. In 1997, the breakthrough came.

" W i t h a m o r e personal and original composition, it's g o i n g

For

to be timeless," she told t h e m . H e r panels, entitled

REI'S

flagship store in Seattle, the o u t d o o r outfitter and

its architects, M i t h u n Partners, set up a rich and diverse p r o gram of artist involvement by drawing from the

Twelve

Words for Ice, are set i n t o the massive m a i n d o o r s o f t h e

cata-

Seattle store. W o r k i n g in different locations with u n i q u e his-

log. T h e store became o n e of the most widely published and

tories makes for a happy and c o n t i n u i n g relationship with

celebrated projects in the region, and some of the artists that

the same corporate client.

AMBP

participated in the many c o m p o n e n t s — f r o m paving to d o o r s u r r o u n d s to g r i l l e s — g a i n e d widespread visibility and a

D e b o r a h Mersky was also an established public artist before j o i n i n g the

string of commissions.

AMBP

program. She is grateful that the program has

eased the way for her and o t h e r artists to b e c o m e involved in Maya R a d o c z y was o n e of them. She calls her work "mixed

construction projects. But she still longs to have a truly collab-

glass," because she typically uses some combination of b l o w -

orative relationship with a building design team. She was o n e

ing, fusing, casting, and leading. In the middle of her career as

of several artists with commissions for a large federal building

a public artist she was picked from the

AMBP

roster to join the

design team for the REI project in Seattle and has since j o i n e d the teams for RE! stores as far afield as Denver and Tokyo.

in d o w n t o w n Seattle. "It t o o k over a year to settle o n a site," she says. It was a year of frustration and compromise.

For those lacking an e n v i r o n m e n t of true collaboration, the

T h e program has o p e n e d a n e w world of collaboration for

AMBP

her. In her experience, the architect has served as an advo-

well as architects. "I have an obvious place to p u t the work,"

cate and intermediary, educating the store owners about the

says Mersky. " T h e n I d o what I d o b e s t — a d d i n g this layer of

advantages of artist i n v o l v e m e n t . T o g e t h e r w i t h

m e t a p h o r and poetry."

Mithun

project offers a kind of clarity that is freeing to artists as

29

P u b l i c Art R e v i e w . SPR.SUM.01

PROGRAM

Steve Gardner, The Vine, and The Place Was Hoppin inset, Seattle,Wash., 2000.

Photo courtesy King County Public A r t Program

M a j o r and m i n o r turf battles between artists and architects are

artists are likely to work with primary structural elements such

not new, says architect David Hewitt, w h o has been practicing

as exterior columns or concrete frames, adding a layer of sculp-

in the Seattle area for m o r e than twenty-five years. "It's an old

ture, text, or m e t a p h o r i c a l p a t t e r n that helps to d e f i n e the

a r g u m e n t . It really d e p e n d s o n the attitudes of the p e o p l e

place. " T h e art is not just punctuation." said Hewitt. "It has to

involved. I prefer to think our work is complete but able to

be part of some kind of philosophical concept of place."

assimilate the addition of certain elements that amplify the design intent. We work with all kinds of people on our buildings, f r o m environmental consultants to electrical engineers," he says. " T h e artist is a n o t h e r c o n t r i b u t i n g m e m b e r of the team. Artists have a point of view that is different f r o m the formality of the way the architect usually thinks."

Artist Steve Gardner clearly feels liberated from the studio through his involvement in the program. A ceramist, his first commission was for a relief sculpture in a bus shelter in c e n tral Seattle. A f t e r g e t t i n g t h e j o b , he began to " b e a t the streets" and make sketches around the n e i g h b o r h o o d . As he c o m p o s e d his panels, he enjoyed thinking about h o w they

Certain artists have the ability to work on the design team,

would be perceived from the four-lane roadway as well as by

according to H e w i t t , and to provide a point of view not only

the person waiting for the bus. H e is n o w happily at work on

on the art but on the architecture and urban design concepts.

more bus shelters.

T h e s e same artists can typically accept the input of architects on the composition and development of their work. It is the c o m b i n a t i o n of these abilities that lead to real collaboration.

"It would have been hard to find that o p p o r t u n i t y w i t h o u t the intermediary of the catalog," said the thirty-two-year-old.

"It's a m o r e fulfilling experience than doing the gallery thing.

W i t h artists as part of the design teams for a c o m p l e x of water-

I get to learn about a c o m m u n i t y and have work out there for

front buildings for the Port of Seattle in the mid-1990s and for

everyone to enjoy."

a large residential tower near a p r o m i n e n t hill climb, those abilities b e c a m e very i m p o r t a n t for Hewitt's firm. In his projects,

P u b l i c A r t R e v i e w . SPR. SUM. 01

Clair Enlow is a journalist and architecture critic in Seattle.

REPORT

SALE BOSTON

By M a r y J o P a l u m b o • • •

(below) Fort Point neighborhood Photo by Todd Gieg

Faced with i m p e n d i n g evictions, artists in Boston's Fort Point

a n o t h e r developer. After pleas to the city for assistance appeared

C h a n n e l n e i g h b o r h o o d have decided to take their fate into

to be leading nowhere, artists decided to take m o r e visible—

their o w n hands. At stake is the artists' foothold in the n e i g h -

and visual—measures.They t u r n e d last October's annual o p e n

b o r h o o d , a warehouse district that has been h o m e to artists'

studios w e e k e n d into a public art event with a m i s s i o n — d r a w -

studios, nonprofit cultural groups, and small commercial art

ing attention to their i m p e n d i n g displacement.

galleries for m o r e than t w e n t y - f i v e years. T h e Fort P o i n t artists' c o m m u n i t y is N e w England's oldest and largest, h o u s ing an estimated five h u n d r e d artists. Yet escalating rents and m a j o r d e v e l o p m e n t plans threaten to evict m a n y o f those artists and small arts organizations within the next three years.

And it looks as t h o u g h their efforts are paying off. In addition to the usual o p e n i n g of studio doors, artists b r o u g h t work and p e r f o r m a n c e s into the streets. Sculptures on wheels rolled d o w n alleys, posters h u n g u n d e r b r i d g e s a n d f r o m c o n s t r u c t i o n cranes, and p e r f o r m a n c e s were held in cross-

For m o n t h s last year a coalition of arts groups negotiated to buy

walks and underpasses. "Sale B o s t o n " signs m i m i c k e d t h e

or lease space from Boston W h a r f Company, which owns most

millennium fleet of three-masted tall ships, Sail Boston, held

of the n e i g h b o r h o o d ' s warehouse buildings, in the hopes of

o n Boston's w a t e r f r o n t last s u m m e r . Artists m a r c h e d in a

developing artist-owned lofts and offices w h e r e cultural groups

public art procession and passed o u t brochures charging the

could share resources. But w i t h o u t warning, attempted negoti-

city with voicing a c o m m i t m e n t to artists, but failing to back

ations broke d o w n and the c o m p a n y sold m u c h of the space to

it up with concrete plans.

31

REPORT

Irena Paskali, Roots, Water-Nest,

( b e l o w ) Fort Point sign

Bird,

video projection, October 2000.

modification, October, 2000.

Photo by Bob Raymond

Photo by Joanne KaliontzisŠ

" T h e irony is that artists and related cultural uses have m a i n tained the stability of many of these buildings for the last decade or so," says L a n d s m a r k . " A n d n o w some of those artists are facing eviction as developers see the value of those spaces that the artists have protected. Artists have enabled warehouse o w n e r s to stockpile buildings and generate revenues while they waited for the e c o n o m y to raise values. It seems only fair that the artists should also benefit f r o m that."

T h e artists also held a press conference to a n n o u n c e the f o r m a t i o n of the Fort Point Cultural Coalition (FPCC), w h i c h includes the R e v o l v i n g M u s e u m , the N e w England F o u n d a tion for the Arts, Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts in Massachusetts, and the Fort P o i n t arts c o m m u n i t y . Architectural renderings were distributed with sketches of their vision for an arts district.

B u t time is ticking for the community. Leases for the R e v o l v ing M u s e u m , the N e w England Foundation for the Arts, and other groups expire this year. T h e R e v o l v i n g M u s e u m alone houses thirty thousand square feet of exhibition, performance, and studio space and is h o m e to more than fifty artists' studios.

R e c e n t developments, however, are encouraging. T h e

FPCC

recently received a $30,000 grant from the Boston F o u n d a tion to support a two-year public art series including exhibitions, performances, and symposia to advocate for affordable spaces in the Fort Point C h a n n e l area. This f u n d i n g will support m o r e than twenty-five public art projects planned over the next eight m o n t h s .

" T h e w h o l e n e i g h b o r h o o d was t r a n s f o r m e d by public art, artistic dialogue, and public participation," recalls Jerry Beck, director of the R e v o l v i n g M u s e u m . " T h e public didn't recognize the critical situation that this c o m m u n i t y was facing. People wanted to k n o w w h o to send letters to and w h o to call.The event engaged people not just about art but about h o w i m p o r tant this n e i g h b o r h o o d is to the city and h o w important it is to preserve the vitality of this community."

T h e Fort Point artists also b r o u g h t in artists f r o m San Francisco, a n o t h e r city that has been facing e n o r m o u s housing displacem e n t issues, to generate dialogue d u r i n g a panel discussion about gentrification and the arts, which they held in a parking l o t . T h e San Francisco M i m e T r o u p e p e r f o r m e d " C i t y for Sale," a theater piece that addresses this issue, and troupe director Joan Holden participated in the panel discussion.Theodore Landsmark, president of the Boston Architectural C e n t e r and a longtime advocate for artist housing issues, moderated the panel.

P u b l i c Art R e v i e w . SPR.SUM.01

REPORT

( b e l o w r i g h t ) Joanne Kaliontzis, (below left) Sale Boston

May Day May Day—A

installations, July, 2000.

Distress Call, May, 2000.

Neighborhood

Photos by Joanne Kaliontzis©

Photo by Joanne Kaliontzis©

Linda Haar, director of planning at the Boston R e d e v e l o p m e n t A u t h o r i t y (BRA) recently said she is willing to consider the idea of a n e w z o n i n g plan that w o u l d i n c o r p o r a t e an arts district in the n e i g h b o r h o o d . " A r t s g r o u p s have b r o u g h t a strong character to the area," she said. " W e should look at designating this area as an arts district."

Two n e w developments are promising.Firstly, the BRA has created a n e w t e m p o r a r y p o s i t i o n to address artists' h o u s i n g issues. Secondly, a proposed office d e v e l o p m e n t plan by B e a con Capital Partners a n n o u n c e d in late January includes o n e h u n d r e d to t w o h u n d r e d units of artist live-and-work space.

T h e artists are encouraging the developer to include m o r e arts spaces in the $300 million office project. Artists see these t w o developments and the public art series as the first steps toward realizing their vision for an arts district, w i t h five h u n d r e d thousand square feet of artist-owned space for offices, h o u s ing, galleries, and a playhouse.

"A lot of artists and organizations are pulling together," says Beck. " T h a t has never h a p p e n e d before in this n e i g h b o r h o o d .

T h i s has the p o t e n t i a l to a c c o m p l i s h m u c h m o r e t h a n w e could do individually."

Mary Jo Palumbo is an arts reporter for the Boston Herald.

33

P u b l i c A r t R e v i e w . SPR. SUM. 01

SURVEY

WEAVING THE W E B INTO PUBLIC ART

By Todd M e l b y • • •

( b e l o w ) Xavier Cortada, Master-Peace

2000 detail, 2000.

Image courtesy the artist

T h e I n f o r m a t i o n R e v o l u t i o n . D o t - c o m s versus d o t - b o m b s .

same way television and the t e l e p h o n e d o today," C o r t a d a

Plenty o' p o r n .

says. " I n the future, the n e w streets of our lives will be paved

By n o w it's almost a cliche to say that the wired world of the

electronically."

I n t e r n e t has t r a n s f o r m e d the way w e c o m m u n i c a t e , invest,

But it w o n ' t happen quickly. "It's an incremental process. Just

shop, and seek our thrills. But h o w has this n e w m e d i u m —

as A m a z o n . c o m did n o t replace b o o k s t o r e s o v e r n i g h t , the

w i t h its ability to link millions of p e o p l e — a l t e r e d the way

I n t e r n e t will not replace traditional public art o v e r n i g h t , "

public art is conceived, and has it expanded its impact?

Cortada says.

From Miami to Minneapolis, N e w York to Los Angeles, p h o -

T h e s e realizations led Cortada to begin weaving the Web into

tographers, muralists, activists, and n e w media artists are using

his work. In planning Master-Peace 2000, a retrospective of the

the Web in a variety of ways. S o m e p r o m o t e , some integrate

past millennium's history t h r o u g h murals, Cortada chose to

the t e c h n o l o g y i n t o their w o r k , o t h e r s create edgy w o r k s

w o r k with his collaborators online. In addition to w o r k i n g

specifically for this brave n e w world.

with M i a m i high school students in person, he set up a W e b -

Xavier Cortada, a Miami-based painter and muralist, is o n e of the converts. A l t h o u g h he believes the media played a "big,

cam in his studio and invited teens to participate via an Internet chatroom.

ugly trick on the American public" with its breathless e n t h u -

T h e n e w technology wasn't w i t h o u t its f r u s t r a t i o n s . " T h e best

siasm for all things online, Cortada remains convinced that the

they [students] could do was send m e a piece of text," Cortada

Internet will have a m a j o r impact on w h e r e public art is seen

admits. " W e couldn't paint collaboratively. It has its limita-

and h o w it is conceived.

tions. You have to accept it for what it is."

"There's n o d o u b t in my mind that in the next couple of g e n -

Nonetheless, the results (ten murals f r o m ten high schools rep-

erations o u r interactions will be driven by the Internet the

resenting each of the past ten centuries) are available for v i e w -

34

P u b l i c A r t R e v i e w . SPR.SUM.OI

SURVEY

Guerrilla Girls, Sundance Film Festival posters, 2000.

Images courtesy Guerrilla Girls

The U.S. Senate is more progressive than Hollywood.

FEMALE SENATORS: 9%* FEMALE DIRECTORS: 4%**

T H E

A N A T O M l C A U - y

OSCAR HE'S WHITE AND MALE, JUST LIKE THE GUYS WHO WIN!

No woman has ever won an Oscar for feature film Direction, Cinematography or Sound.

94% of the Writing awards have gone to men.

G UERRILLA GIRLS

" D i r e c t o r ! of 1 9 9 9 ' s top 1 0 0 films. Source: Variety, 6.9.00

GUERRILLA GLRLS

g u e r r i l l o g i r l s . c o m and

Only 3% of the Acting awards (Leading and Supporting) have gone to persons of color (AfricanAmerican, Latino, and Asian-American combined.)

A MESSAGE FROM THE

' U . S . Senate 1 9 9 9 - 2 0 0 0 . Source: Center for American W o m e n ond Politic.

A MESSAGE FROM THE

C O R R E C T

ALICE LOCAS

YOUR CULTURAL CONSCIENCE Source: oscars.com

ing on C o r t a d a . c o m a n d M a s t e r - P e a c e . o r g , as are s t u d e n t

frustrated by sex d i s c r i m i n a t i o n . F o u n d e d i n 1985 as a

essays and drawings, links to school profiles, and transcripts of

response to an o v e r w h e l m i n g l y male retrospective at t h e

conversations between students and Cortada as he i n c o r p o -

M u s e u m ot M o d e r n Art in N e w York, the Guerrilla Girls use

rates their work into striking murals.

the Internet as a bullhorn to p r o m o t e their message.

I k - J o o n g K a n g also w o r k e d w i t h children in

designing

"It's been fantastic for us," says Kathe Kollwitz, the p s e u d o -

Dreams, an Internet site dedicated to the reunifica-

n y m of a West Coast m e m b e r . "It lets the public access o u r

tion of N o r t h and South Korea. Using Shockwave c o m p u t e r

stuff all the time, gives us a w i d e r audience, and provides us

software, Kang produces images that drift over a barbed-wire

with instant feedback. People can critique o u r w o r k and they

fence, a m e t a p h o r for the demilitarized zone separating the

can send us ideas."

100,000

two nations. "As a child growing up in South Korea, I often heard stories from my elders about their lives in a Korea that was once o n e country," Kang writes.

T h e latest Guerrilla Girl action t o o k place at S u n d a n c e Film Festival in Park City, U t a h , p r o t e s t i n g t h e lack o f w o m e n

T h e floating images are drawings by children that are meant

posters proclaiming " T h e U.S. Senate is m o r e progressive than

Dreams project:

H o l l y w o o d " and " T h e A n a t o m i c a l l y C o r r e c t O s c a r : He's

" W h a t d o y o u w a n t to b e ? " " W h a t d o you w a n t to d o ? "

W h i t e and Male, Just Like the Guys W h o W i n " helped propel

" W h o do you want to m e e t ? " So far, t h o u g h . N o r t h Korean

demonstrations, say backers.

to answer questions posed by the 100,000

35

w o r k i n g b e h i n d the scenes in the m o v i e industry. I n t e r n e t

children have been prohibited from participating, leaving even this small dream of reunification unfulfilled.

O n e n e e d l o o k n o f u r t h e r t h a n The Blair Witch Project to understand the Internet's p o w e r as a p r o m o t i o n a l tool. B u t

Art and politics also intersect at www.guerrillagirls.com, the

w h a t are its advantages and idiosyncrasies as a m e d i u m for

h o m e of a g r o u p of a n o n y m o u s w o m e n artists and writers

public art?

P u b l i c Art R e v i e w . SPR.SUM.OI

SURVEY

( b e l o w ) Piotr Szyhalski, Ding an sich (The Cannon

Series),

commissioned by Walker A r t Center, Minneapolis, Minn., 1997.

Images from W e b site

After e x p e r i m e n t i n g with Internet-based art for several years,

the spotlight, and the n u m b e r changes to 5,733,999,999. So

Piotr Szyhalski, professor at Minneapolis College of Art and

begins the genocide.

D e s i g n , believes he's learned a few lessons a b o u t this n e w public art venue.

To Szyhalski, the first t h i n g to r e m e m b e r a b o u t I n t e r n e t based public art is that message still matters. "You have to have

A m o n g his wired works are The Folkways Archive and Ding an

s o m e t h i n g to say," he says. "If there is n o t h i n g intriguing or

sich, a pair of projects that incorporate m a n y of the virtues of

u n i q u e to offer on the conceptual level, n o o n e is going to go

the Web. In Folkways, users create their o w n propaganda by

and look at it."

c o m p l e t i n g the s e n t e n c e s " L o n g Live With

" and " D o w n

" and picking f r o m a m e n u of images to a c c o m -

pany each. A selection of past choices is archived at the Folkways site, w w w . f t p . m c a d . e d u / p i o t r 2 / f o l k w a y s / s t a r t . h t m l .

T h a t said, there are several quirks to the m e d i u m that Szyhalski has uncovered. H e encourages artists to take advantage of the Internet's structural possibilities, embrace its multimedia d i m e n sions, and incorporate a computer's programming capabilities.

W h i l e Folkways is straightforward in giving people a heady

Web sites, by their very nature, are a m o r p h o u s beings. Inter-

taste for power, not m u c h happens with Szyhalski's Ding an

net users are o f t e n like travelers w i t h o u t a g u i d e b o o k ,

sich until a user interacts with it (www.walkerart.org/gallery

delighting in the f i n d i n g of u n e x p e c t e d pleasures in their

9/artists/dingansich). In o n e disconcerting encounter, entitled

w a n d e r i n g s t h r o u g h cyberspace. T h e r e f o r e , Szyhalski says

The Message, a man steps into a spotlight in the center of the

I n t e r n e t - b a s e d public art probably s h o u l d n ' t have a clear

screen and a crosshair appears. M o v e t h e m o u s e and t h e

beginning, middle, or end.

crosshair squiggles left or right, up or d o w n . Click the m o u s e and the sound of a gunshot is heard, followed by the n u m b e r

"You should think of the work as a place," he says. "But w h e r e

5 , 7 3 4 , 0 0 0 , 0 0 0 h a n g i n g over the man's h e a d . P o i n t

you enter and w h e r e you leave could be fuzzy."

the

crosshair away f r o m the man and click: A gunshot is heard but

However, one's knowledge and use of the medium's multi-

n o t h i n g changes. But point the crosshair at the man and with

media aspects should be clear. " W e don't master o n e and the

a click of the mouse, the man falls, a w o m a n drags him out of

others are floating around," Szyhalski says. " G o o d artwork

P u b l i c A r t R e v i e w . SPR.SUM.OI

SURVEY

[on the Web] should really take advantage of all these differ-

artists, organizations, and projects a real pleasure. Sign u p for

ent m e d i a and present their c o n f i g u r a t i o n as an essential

their periodic e-mail newsletters and discussion groups.

aspect of the work, so the message is not just planted in the sound, and images are just decorating it. T h e messages are planted in between the sound, the images, and h o w the user handles it." " T h e i r e x p e r i e n c e is w h e r e t h e message c o m e s t h r o u g h , " he says.

www.graffiti.org: K n o w n as Art C r i m e s , this cybergallery o f graffiti art f r o m cities around the world was the first in the field on the net and is still the biggest, with over 3 0 0 0 i m a g e s . T h e i r goal is to p r o v i d e resources a n d cultural i n f o r m a t i o n a b o u t " w r i t i n g " and " w r i t e r s " and to d o c u m e n t and preserve these transient works.The site provides links to h u n d r e d s of additional sites devoted to the field as well as interviews, articles, and a t h o r -

And finally, there's the c o m p u t e r itself. Since h u m a n s have learned to program these electronic beasts, a give-and-take

o u g h and informative faq section,"Everything you ever w a n t e d to k n o w about graffiti but couldn't find anyone to ask."

between user and machine has evolved. " W e can program a c o m p u t e r to m a k e 'decisions' based on w h a t the user is

www.rodencrater.org: Sponsored by the D I A Foundation, the

doing," Szyhalski says. " T h e m o r e decisions the user makes,

Lannan Foundation, and AT&T, this elegant site reveals artist

the m o r e the c o m p u t e r knows about the user and the m o r e

James Turrell's most ambitious w o r k in progress—the conver-

it changes whatever that experience is just for t h e m . It's a

sion of a volcanic crater in Arizona's Painted Desert to a p u b -

very u n i q u e o p p o r t u n i t y that is not possible to execute any-

licly accessible art experience.

w h e r e else."

www.alzado.net: Chronicles R a f a e l L o z a n o - H e m m e r ' s a m b i -

Szyhalski hasn't given up on m o r e traditional forms of public

tious interactive a r t w o r k , Vectorial Elevation,

art (he dreams of hiring an airplane to drop propagandistic

dozens of searchlights s u r r o u n d i n g a plaza in M e x i c o C i t y

leaflets on an u n s u s p e c t i n g c r o w d of i n n o c e n t s ) . Still, he

controlled by visitors to the W e b site d u r i n g the week sur-

maintains the wired world is a legitimate venue for interacting

rounding

with the everyday.

unplugged in early January 2000, but the site archives partici-

the

millennium

that f e a t u r e d

celebrations. T h e

work

was

pants' designs. (See Listings for a n e w b o o k on the project). " T h e Internet is a public space, it's just a m u c h m o r e p o p u lated and busier public space," Szyhalski says. "It has its o w n

www.panelectric.org: T h e

rhythm and logic. It is wonderful."

Sinema, Amelie Collins' fascinating kaleidoscope of projects,

Todd Melby is a Minneapolis-based freelance writer and radio producer.

home

of P a n e l e c t r i c

Living

this site includes links to the kinetiscope c o m m u n i t y , w i t h animations, film loops, and public p e r f o r m a n c e activities. www.arttec.net: Wizard artist-engineer G u y Marsden can be

With a virtual explosion of public art oil the Web in the past couple years, PAR tries its best to keep up and to keep you informed about interesting or useful URLs. The following selection of noteworthy sites suggests the broad range and eclectic nature of what's out there.

f o u n d here offering services to artists engaged in electronic t o m f o o l e r y and innovation. T h e man b e h i n d the curtain has helped n u m e r o u s artists, including Seyed Alavi, Michael H a y d e n , Brian G o g g i n , and Lewis d e S o t o . Folksy, w i t h lots o f great images of circuit boards.

www.artonfile.com: T h i s Seattle-based g r o u p has for years c o m p i l e d the most c o m p r e h e n s i v e i m a g e archive of n e w developments in the built environment. Most of their h o l d i n g s — t h o u s a n d s of projects b o t h n e w and o l d — a r e catalogued here in a u s e r - f r i e n d l y m a n n e r and are available as annotated slide presentations for educational use. www.stroom.nl: O n e of the most progressive arts organizations in the Netherlands and the sponsor of several public art efforts, s t r o o m is n o t w i d e l y k n o w n in t h e U n i t e d States except by a n u m b e r of artists w h o have been fortunate to participate in a project.

www.nationalgeographic.com/tattoos:

Photos

by

Chris

R a i n i e r of b o d y art around the world are featured here. Piercings, tattoos, and scarifications may never have been y o u r cup of tea, but this site, w h i c h links to additional b o d y art sites and exhibits, provides fascinating cultural perspectives. www.secession.at/fassade/facade.html:

An

Austrian

site

devoted to public art projects of an activist nature, the everc h a n g i n g e x t e r i o r facade at t h e Secession Art C e n t e r has attracted n u m e r o u s artists o f r e n o w n . M o s t recently, artists have created pieces critiquing the recent political situation in Austria and the rise of the far right.

www.art-public.com: This site bills itself as the first European portal on public art and makes searching for Europe-based

Compiled by Jack Becker.

P u b l i c A r t R e v i e w . SPR.SUM.OI

REVIEW

BOUNDARIES and DANCING IN THE LANDSCAPE R e v i e w e d by Betsy F a h l m a n • • •

Maya Lin, Boundaries New York: Simon and Schuster, 2000 224 pages, $40.00

but her omissions are frustrating and ultimately do not serve the t h o u g h t f u l author well. Describing her volume as a "visual and verbal sketchbook," Lin has organized it into twelve intriguingly titled chapters: " T h e Site of the Book," " A b o u t the Work," " O n

Edited by James Grayson Trulove, essay by Harriet F. Senie, interview by Glenn Harper Dancing in the Landscape.The Sculpture of Athena Tacha Washington, D.C.: Editions Ariel, 2000 144 pages, $29.95

Making," "Between Art and Architecture," "Existing Outside," "Toward Landscape," "Shaping the Earth," "Topologies," " T h e Earth Is (Not) Flat,""Approaching Simple,""ReversingTime," and " T h e Last M e m o r i a l . " Yet the pagination is especially annoying—each chapter begins with one.

A pair of recently published books d o c u m e n t the careers of two public artists w h o have been active for several decades. It is a mark, if not of the maturity, at least o f the c o m i n g of age of public art that w h a t are essentially vanity publications have begun to appear. Both volumes are problematic, although for

Boundaries's serious flaws include p o o r layout and r e p r o d u c tions. For instance, the captionless thumbnail photos r e p r o d u c e d b e t w e e n chapters are all but useless in t e r m s

of

information, and many of the full-page photographs are grainy and reproduced over the spine. Images such as a cliched view

different reasons.

of ebbing waters washing over a sandy beach inject a surprising O f t h e nearly 140 national and i n t e r n a t i o n a l c o m m i s s i o n s

sentimentality, as do the inspirational phrases by the artist that

Athena Tacha (b. 1936) has been a finalist for d u r i n g the past

accompany t h e m . I wish she had discussed her collaborative

twenty years, she has w o n forty-two, two-thirds of w h i c h have

process or taken advantage of the eighteen years that have

been in the U n i t e d States. A b o u t half of these w i n n i n g c o m -

passed since the completion of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial

missions are d o c u m e n t e d in Dancing in the Landscape, w h i c h

to make some n e w observations instead of publishing an essay

also includes models for unexecuted work. T h e main body of

written in 1982.

the b o o k is preceded by a short interview by Glenn H a r p e r that is focused onTacha's private commissions, as well as an essay by H a r r i e t F. Senie that positions Tacha's work within the context o f h e r b e t t e r k n o w n c o n t e m p o r a r i e s . But a l t h o u g h Senie claims that Tacha is "always sensitive to site and audience," the predictable sameness of her work means it requires m u c h w r i t ten explication to make the site specificity clear. Most of the rest of the text is by the artist herself and is largely drawn f r o m her written proposals. She has divided her b o o k into eight sec-

T h e field of public art is an ever evolving and highly contested o n e and deserves to have m o r e challenging books exploring critical issues. W h i l e the Tacha and Lin monographs represent useful c o n t r i b u t i o n s to the g r o w i n g literature in the

field,

indulgent editing allows t h e m to fall short of what they could have b e e n . O n e v o l u m e o v e r p r o m o t e s a m o r e limited (and well-published) artist, while the modesty of the second fails to do justice to a remarkable talent.

tions: Waterfronts; Parks, Gardens and Plazas; Steps and Walk-

Betsy Fahlman, professor of art history at Arizona State University, teaches a

ways;

seminar on public art.

Waterfalls

and

Fountains;

Mazes,

Arcades

and

Colonnades; Slab Twists; and Memorials.That her work has not aged well has m o r e to d o with its failure to transcend its u n d e r lying 1970s aesthetic, although Tacha tends to complain that it

CHIHULY PROJECTS

is d u e instead to either e n v i r o n m e n t a l changes or a lack of

R e v i e w e d by Andrea Weiss • • •

maintenance. Overall, her controversies have been fairly minor, a n d the consistently positive t o n e of her text highlights the absence of any objective critical analysis. T h e book's c h r o n o l ogy is helpful, as is the bibliography (both of w h i c h are lacking in Lin's m o n o g r a p h ) . W h a t Dancing in the Landscape presents is a

Dale Chihuly with essays by Barbara Rose and Dale M. Lanzone New York, N.Y.: Harry N.Abrams, 2000 364 pages, 200 full-page color photographs, $75 cloth

useful case study of the particular career of an ambitious, hardw o r k i n g , and articulate public artist, but o n e w h o has yet to

Since the late 1960s Dale Chihuly has fashioned ever m o r e

execute a piece of national significance.

flamboyant,

improbable, and beautiful creations in glass, plastic,

n e o n , and ice. His work is lauded by the public, and he has In contrast, Maya Lin (b. 1953) has a rare ability to devise

b e c o m e so financially successful that he owns and operates

uniquely subtle solutions to c o m p l e x problems. If her studio

four studios—two in Tacoma and two in Seattle—and employs

sculptures lack the resonance of her best public work, she has

a staff of 160. H e is not above self-promotion (visit his Web

steadily p r o d u c e d c o m p e l l i n g designs in o t h e r contexts. In

site, Chihuly.com) and looks every bit the part of eccentric

Boundaries, her prose is i n f o r m e d by a tone of quiet confidence,

artist: eye patch, wild curly hair, neon-colored clothes, paint-

P u b l i c A r t R e v i e w . SPR.SUM.OI

REVIEW

splattered clogs. But most significantly he has by all accounts

they d e m a n d e d the work be open to the public. " O p e n to the

succeeded in smashing stereotypes that limit glass to purely

public, yes; an e x p e r i m e n t , no, " C h i h u l y writes. " A f t e r all, I

decorative, craft-oriented purposes, elevating it instead to the

could not fail the folks of my h o m e t o w n . We created a specta-

realm of high art.

cle... ice in t h r e e - h u n d r e d - p o u n d blocks with n e o n of all c o l -

For all these reasons, a strange critical unease seems to shadow his work. T h e tone is there, even in Barbara Rose's c o m p l e mentary introductory essay in Abrams' recent Chiliuly Projects: Dale C h i h u l y is the art world's bad boy. H e has proved that he does not need the approbation of the high priests of the art world to survive and prosper. And that is what accounts for the u n i q u e appeal as well as the c h a r m and seductiveness of his works, qualities that high m o d e r n i s m associates with the vulgarity of kitsch.

ors

frozen

inside,

complemented

with

seven

neon

tumbleweeds, and an ice-skater to top it all off. T h i r t y - t h r e e thousand people came through that w e e k e n d , lots of families came back three or four times, and it m a d e m e realize just h o w interested people—everyday people—are in seeing art.

His love o f T a c o m a ' s renovated U n i o n Station—and it's sheer s i z e — " s p u r r e d m e to m a k e pieces larger than ever b e f o r e .

T h e s e mark t h e real b e g i n n i n g s of my m o n u m e n t a l - s c a l e work." And to figure out h o w to safely install the t w o thousand glass elements incorporated in the 1998 ceiling piece for the Bellagio in Las Vegas, C h i h u l y created an i n - h o u s e w e l d i n g

A b o u t Chihuly o n e senses that critics labor too hard in recon-

shop and a plastics casting department, w h i c h "are n o w integral

ciling the easy, sensual appeal of his w o r k . T h e y also t e n d

to most installations and regularly used." T h e final project fea-

toward hyperbole. R o s e writes:

tured in the b o o k is a work in progress: in 2002 Chihuly of Glass, a

Engulfed

in

Chihuly's

glowing, effervescent,

intensely patterned environments streaming with

five-hundred-foot-long,

Bridge

Polyvitro pedestrian walk-

way will lead visitors over a highway to Tacoma's n e w $58 million, seventy-five-thousand-square-foot M u s e u m of Glass.

colored light, w e find ourselves inside Kublai Khan's pleasure dome, ecstatically disoriented and

Spending time with this b o o k left m e most overwhelmingly

hypnotically deranged citizens of Xanadu.

with the idea—and an inspirational o n e at that—that Chihuly's

But the emphasis of Chihuly Projects is not on words; its bulk consists of full-page supersaturated color photographs. Studying these images gives o n e the best inkling of the beauty and magic h e wields. C h i h u l y and his staff develop individual forms in glass, duplicate t h e m hundredfold, add lots of color, and figure out at each site h o w to c o m b i n e t h e m to create e n o r m o u s public and private works (although they often make full-scale m o c k - u p s in the studio). We literally see the process: the blowing, the pieces, the assembly, the finished work. From his trademark Chandeliers to Jerusalem Wall of Ice (1999), which consisted of t w e n t y - f o u r

five-thousand-pound

accomplishments have arisen so eloquently and profusely o u t of an extraordinary love and an endless fascination for his c h o sen media. It's not just the finished work that counts, it's the experience of m a k i n g it and a calm acceptance of both w h e r e it leads and w h e r e it ends u p : " W e made some great glass at the factory and shipped it h o m e by sea. U n f o r t u n a t e l y , a s t o r m blew our container into the Atlantic O c e a n . S o m e w h e r e d o w n there the fish are s w i m m i n g amongst thousands of pieces of my glass fromVianne."

Andrea Weiss is the managing editor of Public Art Review.

blocks of ice

shipped f r o m Alaska, stacked in the Israeli desert, and h i g h lighted with colored gels and stage lights, this b o o k invites you to w o n d e r over the whimsy and improbability of it all.

Behind the main section of photographs, Chihuly and his staff

WALLS OF HERITAGE, WALLS OF PRIDE AFRICAN AMERICAN MURALS

R e v i e w e d by D e A n n a C u m m i n g s • • • 39

have contributed short recollections of each of the thirty-three completed projects. These have a roll-off-the-tongue feel, the type of information you imagine you might learn if you were fortunate enough to have Chihuly looking over your shoulder.

James Prigoff and Robin Dunitz Rohnert Park, Calif.: Pomegranate Communications, 2000 272 pages, $60

Above all, they reveal his ideas developing joyfully and sponta-

W i t h Walls of Heritage, Walls of Pride coauthors James Prigoff

neously to realize the challenges and increasing scale of each

and R o b i n D u n i t z have given a gift to the world. T h e most in-

new project. About 100,000

Pounds of Ice and Neon (1993) in

depth examination of the w o r k of African-American muralists

an ice rink in his h o m e t o w n o f T a c o m a , Chihuly writes that he

ever undertaken, this w o r k is deeply fulfilling f r o m a purely

wished at first to e x p e r i m e n t privately with making a neon

artistic perspective. Even m o r e important, however, is the value

"drawing" in the ice. But w h e n the press heard about his plans,

that it provides as a historic and academic text.

P u b l i c A r t R e v i e w . SPR.SUM.OI

REVIEW

As a f o r m of public art, murals tend to be viewed through a

FORECAST UPDATE

social strata or c o m m u n i t y art filter instead of being recognized as fine art that reflects a high level of quality and artistic

This year, F O R E C A S T Public Artworks, Public Art

standards. In part because they are most accessible in the c o m -

parent organization, is occupied with an array of projects and

m u n i t i e s w h e r e they are created, and possibly because t h e

o n g o i n g programs. Public Art Affairs, F O R E C A S T ' S annual

m a j o r i t y of muralists in the U n i t e d States are Latino or

grant program for e m e r g i n g Minnesota artists, is f u n d i n g eight

African American, murals have historically been valued f r o m a

projects this year, p a r t n e r i n g with O r d w a y C e n t e r for the Per-

c o m m u n i t y perspective before they have f o u n d respect in the

f o r m i n g Arts and C o r n u c o p i a Art C e n t e r in Lanesboro, M i n -

art world. Walls of Heritage, Walls of Pride validates mural work

nesota. At the first Koch International Children's Festival, May

by virtue of the authors' serious treatment of the art f o r m .

30—June 2, presented by O r d w a y Center, artist Andrea Sisel

Introductory essays by Floyd C o l e m a n and Michael D. Harris,

will complete a large sculpture in d o w n t o w n Saint Paul's R i c e

Reviews

t w o p r o m i n e n t experts on African-American art, are t h o u g h t -

Park w i t h help f r o m festival-goers. Coral L a m b e r t plans to

provoking, detailed examinations of the artistic as well as the

create Discover Sculpture, Explore Lanesboro, a series of five cast-

societal contexts that gave birth to the l a t e - t w e n t i e t h - c e n t u r y

iron medallions meant to serve in part as demonstration proj-

urban mural m o v e m e n t .

ects for a c i t y - w i d e public art p r o g r a m . As Public Projects grant recipients, R i c k Ponzio will create a public sculpture

Walls of Heritage, Walls of Pride brings together more than two h u n d r e d full-color images of large-scale urban murals f r o m every region of the U n i t e d States. Covered are inclusive samplings of a r t w o r k f r o m c o m m i s s i o n e d paintings created by w e l l - k n o w n artists such as John Biggers and Jacob Lawrence, grassroots renderings such as the various Walls of Respect, and nonpermission

spray-can creations by artists like Steven

O g b u r n (Blade) and Brett C o o k (Dizney). Many of the mural descriptions feature narratives by the artists themselves. Especially refreshing is that Prigoff and D u n i t z show the same seri-

p r o m o t i n g literacy; Steve H e m i n g w a y will elicit c o m m u n i t y help to sculpt ceramic tiles for a bandshell mural; and Theresa Smith will p o u r iron for an arch sculpture. W i t h Research and D e v e l o p m e n t grants, Patricia Black will research a public installation e x p l o r i n g w o m e n ' s interior and exterior spaces; H e l e n e O p p e n h e i m e r and Ingrid H o f m a n n will investigate sites for Amiercan Sign Language in clay sculptures; and Sara Aeikens will develop a prototype public assemblage. T h e P u b lic Art Affairs program is made possible by a grant from the J e r o m e Foundation

ousness and enthusiasm in examining the renderings of little k n o w n outsider artists as they do in featuring work from those

Public Art Services, F O R E C A S T ' S consulting program, at the

w h o are better k n o w n . T h e i r inclusion of self-sponsored and

request of Clouds in Water Z e n Center, is p r o d u c i n g Spirit of

nonpermission murals recognizes the creative genius of h u n -

Tibet, a series of public art projects celebrating Tibetan culture

dreds of talented but underrecognized artists of color, many of

and the Tibetan c o m m u n i t y for the Twin Cities visit of the

w h o m have never had their artwork seen outside the c o m m u -

Dalai Lama in May. Projects include a photographic exhibit,

nities w h e r e their murals are located.

workshops, school residencies, and a t e n - f o o t p h o t o mural of a Thangka painting.

T h e book's oversized, horizontal layout perfectly captures the scale and vibrancy of the murals, and its timeline of historical

T h e M i d t o w n G r e e n w a y bicycle c o r r i d o r in south M i n -

events, geographic listing of murals, artist biographies, bibliog-

neapolis will soon have a public art master plan identifying

raphy, and index are all seamlessly integrated, making it a valu-

priority public art opportunities and strategies. Public Art Ser-

able resource not only for artists, but for students, educators,

vices assisted Freeman W h i t e h u r s t G r o u p with completing the

and academics.

plan. Public Art Services was also

hired by the Minneapolis

C e n t e r for N e i g h b o r h o o d s to work with a newly created task This b o o k has deepened my o w n understanding of murals as expressions of public art that transform communities. A critically important social d o c u m e n t that is long past due, as well as

force and to assist w i t h the d r a f t i n g of public art policies designed to help the city of M i n n e a p o l i s and

Hennepin

C o u n t y establish guidelines and procedures for public art.

a heartfelt work, Walls of Heritage, Walls of Pride recognizes an important art f o r m and an outstanding cultural gift bestowed

So far out twenty-third year has been o n e of action balanced

u p o n us by African-American artists.

with reflection. Look for m o r e updates f r o m F O R E C A S T in the future, and let us k n o w what's on your m i n d — a b o u t the f u t u r e of public art, a b o u t Public Art Review, or about y o u r

DeAnna Cummings is a program officer at the Metropolitan Regional

public projects. For m o r e i n f o r m a t i o n a b o u t F O R E C A S T

Arts Council in Saint Paul, Minnesota. She is also managing director of

and o u r p r o g r a m s please visit w w w . f o r e c a s t a r t . o r g , e - m a i l

Juxtaposition Arts.

forecast@mtn.org, or call us at 6 5 1 - 6 4 1 - 1 1 2 8 .

P u b l i c A r t R e v i e w . SPft. SUM. 01

RECENT

PROJECTS

After 50,000 brushstrokes,

birth, childhood, adolescence,

From February 2 1 - A p r i l 20,

Ghostly, d i s e m b o d i e d heads

2 , 5 0 0 gallons o f paint, 9 , 0 0 0

marriage, death—in o n e

2 0 0 1 , L o s - A n g e l e s - b a s e d artist

floating

artist h o u r s , 5 , 0 0 0 c o m m u n i t y

large cyclical d e s i g n . N i n e t e e n

Paul M c C a r t h y ' s i n s t a l l a t i o n ,

s p e a k i n g in b r o k e n n a r r a t i v e s

volunteers, and 10,000 c o m m u -

S h r e v e p o r t e r s , r a n g i n g in

THE B O X , will b e o n v i e w in t h e

a n d p o e t r y : T o n y O u r s l e r ' s THE

nity v o l u n t e e r hours, t h e

age f r o m three m o n t h s to

glass a t r i u m o f 5 9 0 M a d i s o n

I N F L U E N C E M A C H I N E is a n o u t d o o r

S h r e v e p o r t R e g i o n a l Arts

e i g h t y - o n e years, c o m p r i s e

A v e n u e ( 5 6 t h S t r e e t ) in N e w

installation o f v i d e o projections,

in f o g a n d o n t r e e s a n d

Y o r k . F r o m its e x t e r i o r , t h e

sound, smoke machines, and

artist M e g S a l i g m a n c o m p l e t e d

In a d d i t i o n t o e m p l o y i n g a

w o r k consists o f a simple,

sculptural e l e m e n t s that seeks to

t h e " n a t i o n ' s largest p u b l i c art

t e a m o f local p r o f e s s i o n a l

unfinished w o o d e n box fifty

"address h o w the image-based

m u r a l " in J a n u a r y 2 0 0 1 . T h e

artists t o h e l p h e r w i t h t h e

feet l o n g and t w e n t y feet high,

w o r l d o f t h e last c e n t u r y r e d e -

M e g a M i l l e n n i u m M u r a l , titled

p r o j e c t , S a l i g m a n also p e r f e c t e d

y e t f r o m a w i n d o w at o n e e n d

fines t h e p r e s e n c e o f t h e b o d y

ONCE IN A M I L L E N N I U M M O O N , is

a large-scale, p a i n t - b y - n u m b e r s

v i e w e r s m a y p e e r in t o d i s c o v e r

and the spiritual world."

o n e o f fifty-six art r e s i d e n c i e s

process that allowed p e o p l e

the contents of McCarthy's stu-

T h e w o r k has h a d t w o r e c e n t

s p e a r h e a d e d by t h e Artists &

in t h e c o m m u n i t y w i t h

d i o set n i n e t y d e g r e e s o n its

i n c a r n a t i o n s : as a p r e s e n t a t i o n

Communities: America

little o r n o e x p e r i e n c e t o

side. Tables, c h a i r s , a n d shelves

of the Public Art Fund f r o m

Creates for the Millennium

paint approximately 45

protrude horizontally from

O c t o b e r 1 9 - 3 1 , 2 0 0 0 , in N e w

initiative. P a i n t e d o n t w o walls

p e r c e n t o f t h e m u r a l . Says

t h e wall, a n d e v e r y p a p e r , v i d e o

York's M a d i s o n Square Park,

o f t h e t w e l v e - s t o r y AT&T

Saligman,"This creation

cassette, m a n n e q u i n , a n d t o o l

a n d as a n A r t a n g e l c o m m i s s i o n

b u i l d i n g in d o w n t o w n

was a m e a n i n g f u l collaboration

( n u m b e r i n g in t h e t h o u s a n d s )

from N o v e m b e r 1-12, 2000,

S h r e v e p o r t , La., t h e 3 0 , 0 0 0 -

o f a n e n t i r e city. T h o u s a n d s

is s u s p e n d e d b e t w e e n t h e

in L o n d o n ' s S o h o S q u a r e .

s q u a r e - f o o t - m u r a l was created

of people took time out of

b o x ' s floor a n d c e i l i n g .

after a year o f p l a n n i n g and

t h e i r b u s y days t o w o r k f o r

T h e w o r k is p r e s e n t e d b y

seven m o n t h s of p a i n t i n g

t h e sole p u r p o s e o f c r e a t i n g

t h e P u b l i c A r t F u n d in c o l l a b o -

c o m p l e t e d t w o large-scale

and celebrates the c u r r e n t

something beautiful."

ration with the N e w M u s e u m

works for the facade of the

p e o p l e , places, a n d t r e a s u r e s

[left Photo by Neil Johnson©,

o f C o n t e m p o r a r y Art's s u r v e y

n e w l y b u i l t W h a l e r s ' W h a r f in

of Shreveport's neighborhoods.

courtesy Shreveport Regional

o f t h e artist o n v i e w f r o m

P r o v i n c e t o w n , Mass. T h e origi-

For the w o r k , Saligman m e t

Arts Council]

F e b r u a r y 2 4 - M a y 13, 2 0 0 1 .

nal b u i l d i n g , w h i c h h a d b e e n

with about eighty c o m m u n i t y

[right Photo by Dennis Cowley,

renovated into studios and shops

g r o u p s t o discuss t h e i r ideas

courtesy Public A r t Fund]

C o u n c i l (SRAC) a n d m u r a l

t h e figures in t h e m u r a l .

Artist Paul B o w e n recently

f o r l o c a l artists, w a s d e s t r o y e d b y

and she devised a questionnaire

a fire i n 1 9 9 8 . B o w e n c h o s e a

t o elicit m o r e i n f o r m a t i o n

p h o t o g r a p h i c process to incor-

a b o u t Shreveport's citizens.

porate images of a whaling boat,

M o r e than 250 family heir-

s c r i m s h a w e d artifacts, a n d h a r -

l o o m s were b r o u g h t to h e r

p o o n s in t h e t w e l v e - b y - f o u r -

f o r c o n s i d e r a t i o n as p a r t o f

foot works, reminders of

t h e design, and she t o o k

P r o v i n c e t o w n ' s past: a h u n d r e d

thousands of photographs

years a g o t h e t o w n e a r n e d

o f p e o p l e f r o m five o f

m u c h o f its i n c o m e b y h u n t i n g

Shreveport's neighborhoods.

whales, and today thousands of

T h e resulting mural reflects

visitors arrive each year to take

t h e u n i v e r s a l passages o f l i f e —

part in up-close whale watches.

RECENT

PROJECTS

T h e M i n n e a p o l i s artist p a i r

From February 1 - 1 0 , 2 0 0 1 , high

An intentionally androgynous

O n N o v e m b e r 18, 2 0 0 0 , a

Andrea Myklebust and Stanton

s c h o o l s t u d e n t s e n r o l l e d in t h e

"portrait" of humanity,

gigantic u n i f o r m m o u n d of ripe

Sears c o m p l e t e d t w o public

D e s i g n D i r e c t i o n s p r o g r a m at

MODULATION by R a l p h H e l m i c k

b a n a n a s sat b e f o r e a c o l o n i a l

projects m 2000. WEATHERDANCE.

the C o o p e r Hewitt National

a n d S t u a r t S c h e c h t e r is o n e o f

fortress t h a t w a s o n c e t h e m o s t

c o m m i s s i o n e d b y I o w a City,

Design M u s e u m worked with

several t h e artists h a v e e v o l v e d

n o t o r i o u s jail in C o s t a R i c a .

I o w a , for its d o w n t o w n p e d e s -

the two-artist collective, B i g

based o n c o m p u t e r composites

T h e h a n d i w o r k of N e w York

t r i a n c o r e , is a f i f t y - b y - f i f t y - f o o t

Hands, to design and paint a

o f w o r l d racial t y p e s . O v e r a

c o n c e p t u a l artist D o u g F i s h -

plaza t h a t " t a k e s t h e form o f a n

m u r a l for the Special N e e d s

steel a r m a t u r e , h u n d r e d s o f

b o n e , 40,000 BANANAS was a t e m -

archetypal m a p of midwestern

C l i n i c of N e w York Presbyterian

c o m p o n e n t s are a t t a c h e d t o

p o r a r y w o r k , c a r r i e d away a n d

weather patterns, agricultural

Hospital.Working with the

f o r m a technological skin for

d e v o u r e d by San J o s e locals at

fields, a n d c o m p a s s - l i k e e l e -

artists a n d d e s i g n e r s , t h e s t u d e n t s

the thirteen-and-a-half-foot-

t h e artist's i n v i t a t i o n in o n l y a

m e n t s , r e n d e r e d in w a t e r - j e t c u t

first s u r v e y e d p a t i e n t s a n d staff t o

high work. M a n y of the cast-off

matter of hours. Fishbone, w h o

g r a n i t e p a v e r s in a v a r i e t y o f

a n a l y z e t h e activities t h e r e in

e l e m e n t s w e r e f o u n d at t h e

has s t a g e d s i m i l a r " e d i b l e i n s t a l -

colors." Asked to i n c o r p o r a t e

order to design a new, inspira-

M e l c h e r C e n t e r for Public

l a t i o n s " in E c u a d o r , sees t h e s e

w a t e r in a safe, accessible way,

tional e n v i r o n m e n t to p r o m o t e

B r o a d c a s t i n g at t h e U n i v e r s i t y

w o r k s as a " b i z a r r e c r i t i q u e o f

they created "an interactive

w e l l n e s s . T h e c o m p l e t e d m u r a l is

of Houston, w h e r e the work

the violence, consumerism, and

l a m i n a r flow f o u n t a i n w i t h cast

seventy-five-feet long.

is installed. T h e w o r k i n c o r p o -

the e m p t y promises of global-

b r o n z e j e t c o v e r s set flush t o t h e

rates several a c t i v e e l e m e n t s ,

i z a t i o n t h a t d e f i n e o u r era." H e

p l a z a . " T h e plaza w a s t h e first

also finds c o m p a r i s o n s t o piles

T h e city o f T h e H a g u e , t h e

i n c l u d i n g v i d e o m o n i t o r eyes,

large-scale w o r k created u n d e r

Netherlands, recently initiated a

o n e o f w h i c h displays t h e

o f possessions l o o t e d f r o m J e w s

Iowa City's n e w public art p r o -

n e w p r o j e c t , F I E T S & STAL ( B I C Y C L E S

C e n t e r s live t e l e v i s i o n b r o a d c a s t

in Nazi death camps and " t h e

& S H E L T E R S ) , in w h i c h w e l l -

w h i l e t h e o t h e r displays a c t i v i t y

h e a p s o f g o l d b a r s in W e s t e r n

k n o w n artists, d e s i g n e r s , a n d

in t h e e n t r y hall c a p t u r e d b y a

central banks...a m e t a p h o r for

a r c h i t e c t s are c r e a t i n g g u a r d

surveillance camera. Speakers

h o w the developing world's

houses for a n u m b e r of n e w

emit a l o w - v o l u m e transmission

f i n a n c i a l reserves e n d u p b e i n g

b i c y c l e s h e l t e r s a r o u n d t h e city.

o f t h e station's r a d i o p r o g r a m -

an externally controlled e x p o r t

P a r t i c i p a t i n g artists i n c l u d e

ming, and a halo of functioning

c o m m o d i t y . " Fishbone hasn't

Acconci Studio, Andrea Blum,

c o m p u t e r fans encircle the

e x h a u s t e d t h e possibilities o f his

and Dan Graham. A mobile

head.Viewers beneath the

b a n a n a installations; h e h o p e s t o

guard house by R o t t e r d a m -

s c u l p t u r e c a n see its i n t e r i o r ,

stage t h e m f o r U . S . a n d E u r o -

based Atelier van Lieshout

d o m i n a t e d by a 2 0 0 0 - e l e m e n t

pean audiences sometime soon, [right Photo byTeresita Chavarria]

g r a m . HAMILTON GATEWAV, d e d i c a t e d in A u g u s t , is sited o n t h e p u b l i c plaza o f a n e w c o u n t y c o u r t h o u s e and g o v e r n m e n t services center in H a m i l t o n , O h i o . T h e s i x t y - f i v e - f o o t w e a t h e r i n g steel tower incorporates a lantern w i t h t w e n t y - f o u r panels of h a n d - c a s t glass b y St. P a u l artist D i c k H u s s . L o c a t e d at the entry to the historic d o w n -

i n a u g u r a t e d t h e n e w series i n

LED m a p s h o w i n g a n i g h t s a t e l -

t o w n core, the w o r k offers

O c t o b e r 2 0 0 0 . T h e other guard

lite i m a g e o f g r e a t e r H o u s t o n ,

c o m f o r t a b l e s e a t i n g at a b u s y

h o u s e s are t o b e b u i l t o v e r t h e

[ m i d d l e Photo by

commercial intersection,

course of 2001.

Clements/Howcroft]

[left Weatherdance.

Photo by Sandy Dyas]

RECENT

PROJECTS

T h e KOSIE THE R I V E T E R M E M O R I A L -

Along with over 800 L o n g

O v e r t h e last e i g h t years, artist

P h i l a d e l p h i a - b a s e d glass artist

t h e first i n t h e n a t i o n t o c o m -

B e a c h Island r e s i d e n t s , installa-

M a r y M i s s has installed 1 2 5 r e d -

Ray King completed two

m e m o r a t e and interpret

t i o n artist J e f f d e C a s t r o c r e a t e d

p a i n t e d steel f r a m e e l e m e n t s

c o m m i s s i o n s in 2 0 0 0 . P R I S M A T I C

women's contributions to the

THE C U L T U R A L W E A T H E R STATION, a

t h r o u g h o u t N e w York's m u l t i -

PYRAMIDS, created for the

W o r l d W a r II h o m e f r o n t — w a s

participatory public art project

level U n i o n S q u a r e S u b w a y S t a -

Gallagher-Bluedorn

d e d i c a t e d in R i c h m o n d , C a l i f . ,

on view from November

tion. A collaboration with

A r t s C e n t e r at t h e U n i v e r s i t y o f

in O c t o b e r 2 0 0 0 . S i t e d at t h e

1 7 - D e c e m b e r 6, 2 0 0 0 , at t h e

architect Lee Harris Pomeroy

N o r t h e r n I o w a i n C e d a r Falls,

f o r m e r Kaiser Shipyards, the

L o n g B e a c h Island F o u n d a t i o n

a n d c o m m i s s i o n e d b y MTA A r t s

a r e a series o f f i v e i n v e r t e d

Performing

m e m o r i a l w a s d e s i g n e d by l a n d -

of the Arts and Sciences. I n c o r -

for Transit, FRAMING UNION SQUARE

prisms each graduated f r o m

scape architect and e n v i r o n m e n -

p o r a t i n g b a m b o o , g a u z e , local

STATION calls a t t e n t i o n t o t h e site's

three proportional pyramids.

tal s c u l p t o r C h e r y l B a r t o n a n d

materials, poetry, and video into

h i s t o r y as o n e o f t h e largest s u b -

C r e a t e d to respond to existing

visual artist S u s a n S c h w a r t z e n -

m o n u m e n t a l sculptural struc-

way stations, m a d e u p o f three

sunlight d u r i n g the day a n d

b e r g a n d e v o k e s b o t h t h e act o f

tures that f o r m e d a p a n o r a m i c

d i f f e r e n t t r a i n l i n e s all c o n -

e l e c t r i c l i g h t s at n i g h t , e a c h

c o n s t r u c t i n g ships a n d t h e

v i e w i n g station, the w o r k

s t r u c t e d i n d e p e n d e n t l y in t h e

p y r a m i d is m a d e o f h a n d - c u t

process of reconstructing

explored the relationship

early 1 9 0 0 s a n d a c c e s s e d

glass b a r s t h a t a c t as l o u v e r s f o r

women's m e m o r i e s of the war

between environmental weather

t h r o u g h e l e v e n e n t r a n c e s . Miss's

light. T h e 6 0 - b y - 1 8 - b y - 4 - f o o t

years. S c u l p t u r a l s h i p " f r a g -

p a t t e r n s a n d c u l t u r a l values.

r e d f r a m e s m a r k s u c h details as

S Y N A P S E is a large l i g h t - r e s p o n s i v e

ments" along a walkway to the

DeCastro introduced and devel-

fragments of historic mosaic

sculpture that changes c h r o m a t -

San F r a n c i s c o Bay c o m b i n e

o p e d t h e i d e a f o r t h e w o r k at

b a n d s a n d stair railings a n d also

ically as a v i e w e r m o v e s in

images of w o m e n ' s labor and

c o m m u n i t y m e e t i n g s w i t h local

note the disappearance of other

r e l a t i o n t o t h e s u n l i g h t . Set i n t o

a timeline of the h o m e front

artists a n d o r g a n i z a t i o n s d u r i n g

e a r l i e r layers o f e l e m e n t s ,

a large w i n d o w n i c h e o n t h e

with individual recollections.

a t w o - m o n t h artist's r e s i d e n c y at

[ m i d d l e Photo by Michael Moran]

f a c a d e o f T h e B r a i n I n s t i t u t e at

F o r m o r e i n f o r m a t i o n visit

t h e F o u n d a t i o n that was f u n d e d

t h e p r o j e c t W e b site at

through a grant from the M i d -

G a i n e s v i l l e , t h e w o r k is m a d e o f

www.rosietheriveter.org.

Atlantic Arts Foundation's

a stainless steel a r m a t u r e o f

[left Photo by Lewis Watts]

as Catalyst

Artist

program.

the University of Florida,

s t r u t s , a v i a t i o n cables, a n d f i t tings o n w h i c h h o l o g r a p h i c

S u - C h e n H u n g ' s S E L F - P O R T R A I T IN

glass f a c e t s are a t t a c h e d in a

ROCK ( 2 0 0 0 ) at t h e F r a n c o n i a

dimensional helix pattern,

Sculpture Park in Shafer, M i n n . ,

[right Prismatic Pyramids.

is a f o r t y - e i g h t - f o o t , t h r e e - i n c h

Photo courtesy the artist]

line of rocks placed e n d to end, b e g i n n i n g w i t h a grain o f sand a n d v e r y g r a d u a l l y i n c r e a s i n g in size t o t h e artist's o w n h e i g h t — f o u r feet, eleven inches.

RECENT

PROJECTS

In 2000, D e b o r a h W i a n

the R o u n d h o u s e that included

M E G A P L A N E T , a b l o w n glass s c u l p -

In fall 2 0 0 0 , a m o n u m e n t a l

W h i t e h o u s e c o m p l e t e d S P I R I T OF

over 5 0 0 voices. T h e w o r k was

ture by Josh Simpson, b e c a m e

s c u l p t u r e by S p a n i s h artist

ATLANTA, a s e v e n t y - b y - t w e n t y -

c o m m i s s i o n e d a n d p r o d u c e d by

part of the p e r m a n e n t collec-

M a n o l o V a l d e s w a s installed o n

foot

A r t a n g e l , w h i c h is also p r o d u c -

tion of the B r u n n i e r Art

Salvador Allende Avenue, o n e of

d i g i t a l p r i n t o n v i n y l for

the Hartsfield Atlanta I n t e r n a -

i n g a t e l e v i s i o n f i l m d i r e c t e d by

M u s e u m in J a n u a r y . C o m m i s -

the p r i m a r y and m o s t heavily

tional Airport. C o m m i s s i o n e d

Sophie Fiennes d o c u m e n t i n g

sioned for the twenty-fifth

traveled entrances to M a d r i d .

by the D e p a r t m e n t of Aviation

e a c h stage o f t h e w o r k a n d illus-

anniversary of University M u s e -

Entitled REINA MARIANA, the

Art Program, the p h o t o m u r a l

trating the u n i q u e devotion that

u m s at I o w a S t a t e U n i v e r s i t y ,

twenty-three-foot, eleven-ton

features Atlanta's citizens w e l -

fuels each choral group.

the eleven-and-three-quarter-

b r o n z e w o r k is i n s p i r e d by

c o m i n g p e o p l e to the city a n d

i n c h d i a m e t e r s c u l p t u r e will b e

Diego Velazquez's B a r o q u e

w r a p s a r o u n d t h r e e walls at t h e

Four times d u r i n g a six-day

d i s p l a y e d o n a p e d e s t a l t h a t will

p a i n t i n g , Las Meninas.

t o p o f t h e escalators e n t e r i n g

p e r i o d starting February 20,

i n c l u d e a base o f g r a d u a l l y

years Valdes has e x a m i n e d

the main terminal,

2 0 0 1 , a s k y w r i t e r d r e w a series

c h a n g i n g o p t i c lights, c r e a t e d b y

ures f r o m this m a s t e r p i e c e a n d

[left p h o t o by Deborah Wian

of clouds over the M a n h a t t a n

s c u l p t o r T o m S t a n c l i f f e . Mega-

has r e p r e s e n t e d t h e m in v a r i o u s

Whitehouse]

skyline using a cloud outline

planet is o n l y t h e latest in a l o n g

m e d i a , b u t t h e Menina,

d e s i g n e d b y B r a z i l i a n artist

series o f s u c h w o r k s . S i m p s o n

s c u l p t u r e is c o m m o n l y k n o w n ,

F o r a year, c h o r e o g r a p h e r A l a i n

Vik M u n i z . CLOUDS, presented

w a s i n s p i r e d t o b e g i n l e a v i n g his

is t h e first t i m e h e has e m p l o y e d

Platel a n d c o m p o s e r O r l a n d o

by C r e a t i v e T i m e a n d c o i n c i d -

p l a n e t s all o v e r t h e w o r l d w h e n

a m o n u m e n t a l scale.The instal-

G o u g h c o m b e d L o n d o n in

ing with a show of Muniz's

h e d u g u p s o m e o l d m a r b l e s in

lation i n a u g u r a t e d an ambitious

search of " c h o i r s of character."

w o r k at t h e W h i t n e y a n d t h e

his g a r d e n . S i n c e t h e n , h e has

public art p r o g r a m u n d e r t a k e n

O n M a r c h 3 1 a n d A p r i l 1, 2 0 0 1 ,

premiere of a d o c u m e n t a r y

h i d d e n t h e m in places as n e a r

by t h e A l c o b e n d a s b o r o u g h o f

at t h e C a m b d e n

a b o u t his w o r k , is t h e artist's

b y as flower p o t s in his h o m e

M a d r i d to i n t r o d u c e n e w works

they presented BECAUSE I S I N G . " a

first p u b l i c a r t p r o j e c t , a l t h o u g h

t o w n a n d as f a r a w a y as glaciers,

o f a r t seamlessly i n t o t h e u r b a n

o n e - o f f choral portrait of L o n -

it e x p r e s s e s his o n g o i n g c o n c e r n

v o l c a n o e s , t h e r o o f o f Paris's

l a n d s c a p e a n d i n c r e a s e t h e city's

d o n o n a massive scale [that]

w i t h " l o w - t e c h illusions" and

Notre D a m e Cathedral, and

p r o m i n e n c e in t h e art w o r l d ,

b r i n g s t o g e t h e r v o i c e s raised

the

u n d e r w a t e r in t h e G a l a p a g o s

[right Photo courtesy

f r o m across t h e capital: a n A - Z

Additional information about

Islands, h o p i n g t h a t t h e y will b e

Marlborough Gallery]

o f u r b a n choirs, sacred a n d

this p r o j e c t c a n b e f o u n d at

u n c o v e r e d a n d a p p r e c i a t e d in

s e c u l a r , s i d e - b y - s i d e in a t h e a t r i -

www.creativetime.org.

the future. O n e of Simpson's

cal t r i b u t e t o t h e d e m o c r a c y

[ m i d d l e Image from

p l a n e t s has e v e n t r a v e l e d t o

a n d classlessness o f s i n g i n g . "

www.charliesamuels.com]

o u t e r s p a c e . S i m p s o n is m a r r i e d

Roundhouse,

fleeting

nature of images.

Sixteen distinctive g r o u p s —

t o NASA A s t r o n a u t C a t h e r i n e

including the Congolese

Coleman, w h o took one of

Christian Choir, the South

his p l a n e t s i n t o s p a c e w i t h h e r

H a m p s t e a d S c h o o l f o r Girls,

o n a 1995 mission of the Space

the Ngati Ranana Maori

Shuttle Columbia.

Choir, and the L o n d o n Diocese Deaf Choir—-joined Orlando Gough's own choir,The Shout, to create a piece of theater anim a t i n g different spaces w i t h i n

44 *<>*>( 'I

"'UTWA nSaT- rIl

P u b l i c A r t R e v i e w . SPFt. SUM. 01

For many fig-

as t h e

RECENT

PROJECTS

M i n n e a p o l i s - b a s e d artist

F o r six w e e k s in w i n t e r 2 0 0 0 ,

In J a n u a r y , S a n t a M o n i c a ' s

In 1 9 9 0 e c o a r t i s t Aviva

A m a n d a D e g e n e r created her

Leni S c h w e n d i g e r Light P r o -

Division o f C u l t u r a l Affairs

R a h m a n i left N e w York

latest w o r k , A N C E S T O R B A L L O O N , in

jects p r o d u c e d VANISHING GARDEN

completed the BEACH IMPROVEMENT

City and California and moved

h o n o r of her grandfather, w h o

at t h e Alaska P e r f o r m i n g A r t s

GROUP (BIG) project, a m o n u m e n -

t o t h e r e m o t e f i s h i n g village

was a h o t - a i r balloonist w i t h a

C e n t e r in A n c h o r a g e . C o n t r a s t -

tal r e d e s i g n o f S a n t a M o n i c a ' s

ofVinalhaven, Maine, where

S o u t h e r n e r ' s flair f o r " s p i n n i n g a

ing with the whiteness of

coastline and p a r k l a n d . T h e

she acquired a t w o - a n d - a - h a l f -

yarn." D e g e n e r created a ten-

s n o w all a r o u n d , l i q u i d c o l o r s

f i v e - y e a r p r o c e s s p a i r e d artist

a c r e coastal site t h a t h a d f o r -

foot-diameter balloon from 250

and transparent images—

J o d y Pinto and landscape

merly been the town dump.

sheets of t w o - b y - t h r e e - f o o t

including a panoply of multicol-

architect Ignacio Bunster-Ossa

For the next decade, R a h m a n i

Kozo p a p e r cast o n t o a s t y r o -

o r e d w a t e r - l i l y petals l a y e r e d

w i t h a t e a m o f c i t y specialists t o

lived a n d w o r k e d o n t h e site,

foam sphere, h a n d - s e w n , and

w i t h abstract patterns and

create pathways and p r o m e -

u l t i m a t e l y r e s t o r i n g it t o a

m a d e a i r t i g h t w i t h g l u e strips.

f o r m s of the m o u n t a i n peaks,

nades, gardens and playgrounds,

salt m a r s h w i t h t h e h e l p o f

S h e also m a i l e d p a r t i c i p a n t s

ponds, and ice—were projected

shaded glens and lookouts.

scientists, p l a n n e r s , a n d

s h e e t s o f Washi p a p e r s h e h a d

o n t h e highly reflective w i n t e r

P i n t o is c r e d i t e d w i t h " s e a m -

bioengineers. H e r n e w project,

m a d e , a s k i n g t h e m t o fill t h e m

g r o u n d . T h e w o r k was c o m m i s -

lessly i n t e g r a t i n g a r t i n t o t h e

C I T I E S A N D O C E A N S OF I F , w i l l t a k e

with text and images about

s i o n e d by A n c h o r a g e M u s e u m

natural environment." S o m e of

p l a c e in a s e r i e s o f r e s i d e n c i e s

their ancestors and send t h e m

of History and Art.

t h e p r o j e c t ' s details i n c l u d e a

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

b a c k . D e g e n e r has s e w n t h e s t o -

[ m i d d l e Photo by Randy Brandon]

promenade enlivened with

internationally. Individual

s t r i p e s a n d a b a l o n e shell a n d

urban centers, including Port-

T a - c o u m b a Aiken created a

h a n d - t r o w e l e d walls a c c e n t u a t -

l a n d , M a i n e , St. L o u i s , M o . ,

has b e e n e x h i b i t e d t w i c e — a t

massive ( 1 2 8 - b y - 2 0 - f o o t )

ing the walkway's curves and

and Liverpool, England,

the Minneapolis College of Art

m u r a l o n t h e e x t e r i o r wall o f

r e v e a l i n g strata o f c o l o r f u l

will b e s t u d i e d f o r p r e s e t t l e m e n t

and Design and the Columbia

the Gospel U n i o n Child

s t r i a t i o n s , s t o n e s , a n d seashells

large p r e d a t o r a n i m a l m i g r a t i o n

College C h i c a g o C e n t e r for

C a r e C e n t e r in S a i n t P a u l ,

r e m i n i s c e n t o f an u n d e r w a t e r

routes and waterways. T h e

B o o k and Paper Arts—but

M i n n e s o t a , in t h e fall o f 2 0 0 0 .

archaeological dig. At the t o p of

p r o j e c t ' s u l t i m a t e g o a l is " t o

ries i n t o small b o o k s a n d t e t h e r s t h e m to the balloon.The work

D e g e n e r ' s t r u e i n t e n t i o n is t o

V O I C E S OF H O P E is m e a n t t o

the California Incline, the artery

rethink our relationship to

someday launch the balloon,

convey the striving of the

t h a t c o n n e c t s Palisades P a r k t o

water by taking p e o p l e o u t

s t o r i e s a n d all, o v e r a b o d y o f

s u r r o u n d i n g c o m m u n i t y a n d is

Pacific Coast Highway, P i n t o

o f c e n t e r stage a n d s e e i n g

w a t e r ; in this s h e w a s i n s p i r e d

t h e latest a d d i t i o n t o t h e city's

also c r e a t e d an o v e r l o o k , a b o a t -

our interdependencies." For

by stories f r o m W o r l d War I I ,

growing mural tradition. T h e

shaped platform crowned with a

m o r e i n f o r m a t i o n visit

w h e n Japanese people launched

w o r k was sponsored by F O R E -

f o r t y - f i v e - f o o t fiberglass m a s t

R a h m a n i s i n t e r e s t i n g W e b site:

nine thousand such balloons—

C A S T and f u n d e d by

t h a t is lit f r o m w i t h i n .

www.ghostnets.com.

each holding a b o m b — t o w a r d

S a i n t Paul's C u l t u r a l STAR

t h e U.S. D e g e n e r is " i m p r e s s e d

P r o g r a m and the Saint Paul

by t h e e n d u r a n c e o f t h e h a n d -

Foundation with in-kind

m a d e p a p e r t h a t t r a v e l e d across

support f r o m theValspar

the ocean and the collaborative

Corporation.

[right Drawing courtesy t h e artist]

u n d e r t a k i n g t h a t o c c u r r e d [in creating them], [left Photo courtesy t h e artist]

•OSJDEADJ-OS'

45

ARTIST

OPPORTUNITIES

T h i n k Again, an artist-activist

F l o r i d a ' s A r t in S t a t e B u i l d i n g s

Art & Design Program M a n -

prospectus contact: Fine Arts

c o l l e c t i v e t h a t talks b a c k t o

P r o g r a m is c u r r e n t l y a d v e r t i s i n g

ager, M e t r o T r a n s i t , 5 6 0 S i x t h

S e r v i c e s , I n c . , 1 0 7 S. I r v i n g

m a i n s t r e a m ideas that

sixteen n e w public art

Ave. N . , M i n n e a p o l i s , MN

B l v d . , Los A n g e l e s , CA 9 0 0 0 4 ;

perpetuate injustice, kicked off

projects with submission

5 5 4 1 1 - 4 3 9 8 ; tel: 6 1 2 - 3 4 9 - 7 6 2 2 .

fax: 3 2 3 - 9 3 8 - 2 2 4 6 ; e-mail:

t h e i r latest p r o j e c t , P O P P I N G THE

d e a d l i n e s in A p r i l , May, J u n e ,

Q U E S T I O N , in San F r a n c i s c o

a n d July. A r t b u d g e t s r a n g e

d u r i n g Valentine's week, giving

f r o m $5,800 to $46,000.

vent to their gripes about the

Various art selection c o m m i t t e e s

institution of marriage. A

are s e a r c h i n g f o r a w i d e

twenty-four-foot truck with

variety of w o r k , from existing

b i l l b o a r d s o n t h r e e sides

two-dimensional interior

circulated t h r o u g h o u t the city

a r t w o r k to large-scale i n d o o r

a s k i n g , " D o A f r i c a n m i n e r s see

and outdoor commissions.

d i a m o n d s as s y m b o l s o f

For m o r e i n f o r m a t i o n and to

romance?" "Does someone

receive the descriptive booklet,

have to recite w e d d i n g vows to

M a r c h 2 0 0 1 C a l l t o Artists,

get health insurance?" and

w h i c h describes each project,

depicting, " T h e fantasy that

contact Lee Modica, P r o g r a m

w e d d i n g s are a b o u t love a n d

A d m i n i s t r a t o r , A r t in S t a t e

not about inheriting property,

Buildings Program, Division

r e g u l a t i n g sex a n d c o n s p i c u o u s

o f C u l t u r a l Affairs, t h e C a p i t o l ,

consumption

" Think

Tallahassee, FL 3 2 3 9 9 - 0 2 5 0 .

A u s t i n Peay S t a t e U n i v e r s i t y is h o l d i n g a n o p e n c o m p e t i t i o n

C o m m i t t e e f o r t h e A r t s (ECCA)

art p i e c e . T h e p r o j e c t i n v o l v e s

is s e e k i n g w o r k f o r its 3 r d

design a n d e x e c u t i o n o f an

Annual Sculpture on the

exterior water feature-sculpture

Avenues exhibition f r o m July

to b e located in a plaza. T h e

2 0 0 1 - J u n e 2 0 0 2 . All w o r k

p r o j e c t b u d g e t is $ 9 2 , 0 0 0 . F o r a

submitted must be of sound

prospectus please c o n t a c t G r e g g

design, freestanding, and

S c h l a n g e r , M i l l e n n i u m Plaza

suitable for o u t d o o r public

Sculpture C o m p e t i t i o n , Austin

display w i t h o u t e x t e r n a l

Peay S t a t e U n i v e r s i t y , B o x 4 6 6 6 ,

s u p p o r t , except for pedestal

C l a r k s v i l l e , TN 3 7 0 4 4 , e - m a i l :

m o u n t . S e l e c t i o n s will b e

schlangerg@apsu.edu. Applica-

m a d e by a p r o c e s s o f b l i n d

t i o n d e a d l i n e is A p r i l 3 0 , 2 0 0 1 .

review. A $ 3 0 0 h o n o r a r i u m will b e a w a r d e d f o r e a c h p i e c e

May

Tel: 8 5 0 - 4 8 7 - 2 9 8 0 , e x t . 116;

T h e city o f N o r t h g l e n n , C o l o . ,

fax: 8 5 0 - 9 2 2 - 5 2 5 9 , e-mail:

and the N o r t h g l e n n American

i g n o r e s — t h a t the average

lmodica@mail.dos.state.fl.us.

L e g i o n Post is c o n d u c t i n g

p e r s o n leads m o s t o f t h e i r

T h i s p u b l i c a t i o n is also p o s t e d

an o p e n e n t r y c o m p e t i t i o n to

lives u n m a r r i e d a n d t h a t t h e

o n t h e D i v i s i o n ' s W e b site:

select a p e r m a n e n t , l a r g e - s c a l e ,

i n s t i t u t i o n o f m a r r i a g e is still

www.dos.state.fl.us/dca.

three-dimensional bronze

M e t r o Transit and t h e M i n -

• • •

nesota D e p a r t m e n t o f T r a n s portation to submit

ARTIST O P P O R T U N I T I E S April

to purchase selected sculptures at n o c o m m i s s i o n c h a r g e .

E n t r i e s w i t h slides are d u e May 25, 2 0 0 1 . T o request entry f o r m and guidelines, contact J a n e K e m p e r , tel: 2 1 7 - 3 4 2 - 5 3 0 4 .

sculpture h o n o r i n g American I n d i v i d u a l artists o r c o l l a b o r a tive t e a m s are i n v i t e d b y

legal r i g h t s . "

exhibited, and individuals a n d businesses are e n c o u r a g e d

"what the media often

t h e p r i m a r y w a y t h e state

T h e Effingham, III., C o m m u n i t y

t o select a p e r m a n e n t p u b l i c

A g a i n h o p e s t o m a k e visible

grants e c o n o m i c benefits and

fineartsservice@ mediaone.net.

qualifications to be considered for artwork commissions for f i f t e e n l i g h t rail s t a t i o n s a n d maintenance or administrative

v e t e r a n s o f all w a r s a n d c o n flicts. T h e p i e c e m a y n o t b e

June

reproduced. B u d g e t allocation is $ 1 7 5 , 0 0 0 . T o r e c e i v e an a p p l i c a t i o n p a c k e t , s e n d SASE w i t h 68f postage to: C i t y of N o r t h g l e n n , 11701 C o m m u n i t y C e n t e r D r i v e , P.O. B o x 3 3 0 0 6 1 , N o r t h g l e n n , CO

Artists are i n v i t e d t o s e n d slides t o t h e M i n n e s o t a P e r c e n t f o r A r t in P u b l i c Places p r o g r a m to be considered for a p u b l i c art p r o j e c t at t h e M i n n e s o t a State A c a d e m y f o r

Bemis C e n t e r for C o n t e m p o -

o f f i c e s facilities o n M i n n e s o t a ' s

r a r y A r t in O m a h a , N e b r . ,

first L i g h t R a i l T r a n s i t (LRT)

o f f e r s r e s i d e n c i e s o f t w o t o six

System, the Hiawatha Line.

m o n t h s f o r U.S. a n d i n t e r n a -

S c h e d u l e d t o b e c o m p l e t e d in

T h e state o f C a l i f o r n i a is

t i o n a l visual artists. I n c l u d e d are

2004, the approximately twelve-

s e e k i n g artists in a n y m e d i a

t h e c e i l i n g . O f special i n t e r e s t

s t u d i o a n d l i v i n g s p a c e ; steel,

m i l e s y s t e m will i n c l u d e s e v e n -

applicable to public space

is w o r k t h a t c a n b e w a l l -

w o o d w o r k i n g , printmaking, and

teen stations stretching f r o m

f o r t h e C a p i t o l A r e a East E n d

m o u n t e d a n d has a tactile o r

p h o t o g r a p h y facilities; digital

d o w n t o w n M i n n e a p o l i s to

C o m p l e x in S a c r a m e n t o , t h e

textured surface. W o r k may

video camera; video editing

t h e M i n n e a p o l i s / S t . Paul

largest o f f i c e b u i l d i n g p r o j e c t

i n c l u d e p a i n t i n g s , cast glass,

facility; a n d m o n t h l y s t i p e n d s o f

International Airport and on

in C a l i f o r n i a history. All artists

o r w a l l - r e l i e f s in m a t e r i a l s s u c h

$500-$! 000. Application dead-

to the Mall o f A m e r i c a . T h e

living, w o r k i n g , o r t e a c h i n g

as c e r a m i c , w o o d , m e t a l , o r

l i n e s f o r t h e 2 0 0 2 - 2 0 0 3 resi-

P u b l i c A r t & D e s i g n b u d g e t is

in C a l i f o r n i a , o r w h o have in

textile. B o t h a b s t r a c t a n d

d e n c y c y c l e are A p r i l 3 0 a n d

$2,500,000. Application dead-

t h e past are eligible. C o m m i s -

f i g u r a t i v e w o r k will b e c o n s i d -

S e p t e m b e r 30, 2001 .To request

l i n e is A p r i l 2 7 , 2 0 0 1 . F o r

sions r a n g e f r o m $ 8 , 0 0 0 t o

ered. T h e b u d g e t for creating

a n a p p l i c a t i o n , call 4 0 2 - 3 4 1 -

application information and a

$1,000,000. Entry deadlines

a r t w o r k is a p p r o x i m a t e l y

7130 or download from Web

list o f c o m m i s s i o n s , c o n t a c t

are M a y 1 1 , 2 0 0 1 ( P o c k e t

$ 2 5 , 0 0 0 . Artists w i t h visual

site at w w w . b e m i s c e n t e r . o r g .

David Allen, Hiawatha Public

Park) a n d J u n e 15, 2 0 0 1 . F o r

i m p a i r m e n t s a n d artists w i t h

P u b l i c A r t R e v i e w . SPR. SUM. 01

80233-8061. Application d e a d l i n e is M a y 4 , 2 0 0 1 .

t h e B l i n d in F a r i b a u l t , M i n n .

T h e site is an i n t e r i o r r o o m w i t h walls t h a t are slightly c u r v e d a n d c a n t e d in t o w a r d

PUBLICATIONS

experience working with

• • •

d i v e r s e c o m m u n i t i e s are e n c o u r a g e d t o apply. F o r m o r e i n f o r m a t i o n or to receive an a p p l i c a t i o n , call A n g i e B e n s o n at 6 5 1 - 2 1 5 - 1 6 2 6 , o r R u t h W i k o f f - J o n e s at 6 5 1 - 2 1 5 - 1 6 1 8 , o r t h e M i n n e s o t a State A r t s B o a r d at 8 0 0 - 8 6 6 - 2 7 8 7 , o r e m a i l at m s a b @ a r t s . s t a t e . m n . u s .

D e a d l i n e f o r slide s u b m i s s i o n is

PUBLICATIONS

Kosovo, the anxiety-fraught

p r o f e s s i o n a l s , visual artists,

technological landscape, and

design professionals, and

the megacity.

organizations planning public

H O W A R D B E N TRE p u b l i s h e d in C O W S ON PARADE IN CHICAGO t e x t b y

conjunction with the exhibition

M a r y E l l e n Sullivan, p h o t o -

Howard

graphs by S i m o n Koenig, edited

organized by Scottsdale

Ben Tre:

Interior/Exterior

by H e r b e r t and R i c o Berchtold

M u s e u m of C o n t e m p o r a r y

(Kreuzlingen, Switzerland:

A r t ( N e w Y o r k : H u d s o n Hills

N e p t u n Verlagsauflieferung,

Press, I n c . , 1 9 9 9 , $ 5 0 c l o t h ) .

1999, $ 2 9 . 9 5 c l o t h ) . T h e official

T h i s m o n o g r a p h f e a t u r e s essays

tribute, riddled with bovine

by M a r y J a n e J a c o b a n d

T h e city o f Atlanta's B u r e a u o f

puns, but providing good color

A r t h u r C . D a n t o a n d an

C u l t u r a l Affairs, D e p a r t m e n t o f

photographs of the 300 entries

i n t e r v i e w w i t h B e n T r e by

Parks, R e c r e a t i o n a n d C u l t u r a l

in t h e first U . S . " a n i m a l p a r a d e . "

Patterson Sims that provide

June 1,2001.

Affairs, a n d t h e D e p a r t m e n t o f

an insightful c o n t e x t f r o m

art projects a n d p r o g r a m s .

T h e directory contains u p - t o date i n f o r m a t i o n of over 3 0 0 p u b l i c art p r o g r a m s a r o u n d t h e U.S., i n c l u d i n g c o n t a c t i n f o r m a t i o n , W e b sites, slide r e g i s t r y i n f o r m a t i o n , artist eligibility r e q u i r e m e n t s , a n d p r o g r a m details. C o p i e s m a y be ordered through Americans f o r t h e Arts's W e b site, w w w . a r t susa.org or by calling 8 0 0 - 3 2 1 4 5 1 0 . T h e c o s t is $ 2 0 f o r

A v i a t i o n i n v i t e artists t o s u b m i t

ED C A R P E N T E R : BREATH OF LIGHT

their qualifications for future

preface by Michael M c C u l l o c h ,

p u b l i c a r t p r o j e c t s at H a r t s f i e l d

introduction by Ed Carpenter

Atlanta International A i r p o r t

(Milan: L'Arca Edizioni, 2000,

a n d w i t h i n t h e city o f A t l a n t a .

$25 paper). A collection of

S e l e c t e d artists will b e p l a c e d in

t w e n t y - f o u r o f t h e artist's

a registry for a m i n i m u m of t w o

architectural sculptures e m p h a -

years t o b e c o n s i d e r e d f o r a

sizing light, f r o m the 1983

w i d e variety o f public art p r o j -

w i n d o w in t h e P o r t l a n d J u s t i c e

ects. A p p l i c a t i o n i n f o r m a t i o n

C e n t e r to the 2 0 0 0 a t r i u m of

c a n b e f o u n d at w w w . b c a a t -

t h e M e m p h i s P u b l i c Library.

2000 celebrations, f r o m D e c e m -

l a n t a . c o m o r by e - m a i l i n g p u b -

Carpenter's interesting intro-

NET CONDITION: ART AND G L O B A L MEDIA

b e r 2 6 , 1999—January 7 , 2 0 0 0 ,

l i c a r t @ m i n d s p r i n g . c o m or by

d u c t i o n h i g h l i g h t s his e v o l u t i o n

e d i t e d by P e t e r W e i b e l a n d

calling 4 0 4 - 8 1 7 - 6 9 8 0 . Applica-

in e m p l o y i n g s u n l i g h t — a l o n g

T i m o t h y D r u c k r e y in c o n j u n c -

w h i c h t o p o n d e r t h e artist's

m e m b e r s of Americans for the Arts, $25 f o r n o n m e m b e r s .

a b s t r a c t a n d a r c h i t e c t u r a l glass f o r m s a n d p u b l i c spaces.

VECTORIAL ELEVATION: RELATIONAL

Interior /Exterior

ARCHITECTURE NO. 4 e d i t e d b y

will r o u n d

o u t its f i v e - c i t y t o u r at t h e Orange C o u n t y M u s e u m of A r t , C a l i f . , ( F e b r u a r y 3 - M a y 6, 2001) and the N e u b e r g e r M u s e u m , N.Y. (September 23, 2001—January 6, 2 0 0 2 ) .

Rafael L o z a n o - H e m m e r (Mexico: Conaculta and Impresiones y Ediciones San Jorge, 2000, $39.95 paper).

D u r i n g t h e N e w Year's E v e

M e x i c o City's Z o c a l o Square was t r a n s f o r m e d by i m m e n s e light sculptures created by

w i t h d i c h r o i c glass, p r i s m s ,

tion w i t h an international

stainless steel, a n d a l u m i n u m —

exhibition that t o o k place

as a n a r t m e d i u m .

s i m u l t a n e o u s l y in G e r m a n y .

P r o g r a m are n o t i f y i n g artists

G R E Y ROOM 01 e d i t e d b y B r a n d e n

Austria, Spain, and Japan

of an u p c o m i n g j o i n t project

W. J o s e p h , R e i n h o l d M a r t i n ,

for Cultural C o r r i d o r s : Public

a n d Felicity D. S c o t t (Fall 2 0 0 0 ,

Art on Scenic H i g h w a y s /

C a m b r i d g e : T h e MIT Press, $ 1 8 ) .

A l b u q u e r q u e East G a t e w a y .

T h e first issue o f a n e w

T h e m o n u m e n t a l roadside

quarterly publication "dedicated

c o m m i s s i o n will c o m m e m o r a t e

to the theorization of m o d e r n

historic R o u t e 66 and

and c o n t e m p o r a r y architecture,

Albuquerque, gateway to the

art, m e d i a , a n d p o l i t i c s , " a n d

desert southwest. Project

" d e v o t e d t o t h e task o f p r o m o t -

a m o u n t is $ 1 0 0 , 0 0 0 a n d is

ing and sustaining critical

o p e n t o artists n a t i o n w i d e . T o

investigation into each of these

receive prospectus, contact

fields separately, i n t o t h e i r

NM Arts, P.O. B o x 1 4 5 0 ,

mutual imbrications, and into

S a n t a Fe, NM, 8 7 5 0 4 - 1 4 5 0 .

the historical forces that m e d i -

2 0 0 0 - 2 0 0 1 P U B L I C ART P R O G R A M

Davis, Maria F e r n a n d e z , and

Tel: 5 0 5 - 8 2 7 - 6 4 9 0 o r 8 0 0 - 8 7 9 -

ate t h e i r i n t e r a c t i o n s . " T h e p r e -

DIRECTORY m a r k s t h e l a u n c h o f t h e

Geert Lovink.

4 2 7 8 f o r i n - s t a t e callers; e - m a i l :

m i e r issue f e a t u r e s articles o n

A m e r i c a n s f o r t h e Arts's P u b l i c

c s a n d e r s @ o c a . ~ s t a t e . n m . us.

the w o r k of architects Alfred

A r t N e t w o r k (L'AN), a p r o g r a m

Please r e f e r t o C u l t u r a l

Loos, R i c h a r d N e u t r a , and Paul

designed to provide professional

P L A N N I N G is a c o m p r e h e n s i v e

Corridors/Albuquerque when

R u d o l p h , as w e l l as t h e d e s t r u c -

services and n e t w o r k i n g

h a n d b o o k designed to help

requesting prospectus.

t i o n o f h i s t o r i c a r c h i t e c t u r e in

o p p o r t u n i t i e s for public art

artists p l a n n i n g t h e i r estates.

t i o n d e a d l i n e is J u n e 2 9 , 2 0 0 1 .

N e w M e x i c o A r t s a n d t h e city of Albuquerque Public Art

( C a m b r i d g e : T h e MIT Press, 2001, $39.95 paper).This heavily designed b o o k packed w i t h color, images, and a myriad o f f o n t s has t h e s a m e d i z z y i n g e f f e c t o n t h e eyes as g a z i n g t o o l o n g at a c o m p u t e r s c r e e n .

N e v e r t h e l e s s , it b r i n g s t o g e t h e r an impressive collection of s c h o l a r s , t h e o r i s t s , artists, a n d activists t o e v a l u a t e " t h e social c o n s e q u e n c e s a n d t h e artistic possibilities o f n e t . c u l t u r e . "

participants o n the Internet using a virtual reality p r o g r a m .

This book documents the interactive art project, called Vectorial Elevation

and master-

m i n d e d b y artists R a f a e l L o z a n o - H e m m e r and Will Bauer, w h i c h allowed thousands of people from eighty-nine countries to control eighteen robotic searchlights w i t h 126,000 watts of power. T h e dual Spanish and English publication documents the p r o j e c t a n d i n c l u d e s essays b y artists a n d c r i t i c s s u c h as Andreas Broeckmann, Erik

A VISUAL ARTIST'S G U I D E TO ESTATE

P u b l i c A r t R e v i e w . SPR SUM 01

EXHIBITIONS

Part I introduces general

w o r k s o f public art for various

f e a t u r e s w o r k s by A l i c e A y c o c k ,

While Raleigh's C o n t e m p o r a r y

estate p l a n n i n g c o n c e p t s and

Philadelphia n e i g h b o r h o o d s

Elizabeth Egbert, Janet Goldner,

A r t M u s e u m awaits c o m p l e t i o n

offers practical advice and a

that reflect their u n i q u e

Jane G r e e n g o l d , Esther Grillo,

o f its n e w facility, it is p r e s e n t -

d i s c u s s i o n o f legal issues raised

c o m m u n i t y identities and

Marisol, Louise Nevelson,

i n g A r t in T r a n s i t i o n , a series

b y artists at a n e s t a t e p l a n n i n g

n e e d s . P r o j e c t s i n c l u d e d are

Antonia Papatzanaki,

o f t h r e e e x h i b i t i o n s displayed

c o n f e r e n c e . P a r t II p r o v i d e s a n

E d L e v i n e ' s Embodying

Ursula Von Rydingsvard,

in u n o c c u p i e d b u i l d i n g s a r o u n d

i n - d e p t h discussion of policy

(with the Pennypack Environ-

N i k i d e S a i n t Phalle, J e r i l e a

t h e city. E a c h e x h i b i t i o n

a n d l a w o n issues o f e s t a t e

mental Center Advisory

Zempel, and Elyn Z i m m e r m a n ,

will p a i r N o r t h C a r o l i n a

planning and administration

Council), and Pepon Osorio's

a n d is c u r a t e d by A d r i a n Sas.

artists w i t h i n t e r n a t i o n a l

f o r visual a r t i s t s . T h e 2 7 8 - p a g e

I have a story to tell you...

(with

F o r m o r e i n f o r m a t i o n call 2 1 2 -

artists t h r o u g h s p e c i f i c t h e m e s .

p u b l i c a t i o n is a j o i n t p r o d u c t i o n

C o n g r e s o de Latinos Unidos).

360-8163; www.nyc.gov/parks.

T h e first in t h e series,

o f the M a r i e Walsh S h a r p e

For m o r e information,

Art Foundation and the Judith

visit w w w . p a f a . o r g .

JAMES TURRELL: INFINITE LIGHT

view March 16-April

GRAVITY G R E A T E R T H A N V E L O C I T Y .

o c c u p i e s all s e v e n o f t h e

at 5 2 0 W e s t L a n e S t r e e t ,

R o t h s c h i l d F o u n d a t i o n a n d is available f o r $ 1 0 ( p r i c e i n c l u d e s shipping and handling; Colo, r e s i d e n t s a d d 6 . 1 % tax p e r b o o k ) . T o order, send name, address, a n d p h o n e w i t h c h e c k or m o n e y order (no credit cards) t o : T h e M a r i e W a l s h Sharpe Art Foundation, 711 N . T e j o n St., Ste B, C o l o r a d o S p r i n g s , CO 8 0 9 0 3 . F o r i n f o r m a t i o n call 7 1 9 - 6 3 5 - 3 2 2 0 .

Thoreau

n e w work by Seoul-based artist L e e B u i , will b e o n v i e w at t h e San F r a n c i s c o A r t I n s t i t u t e f r o m A p r i l 5 - M a y 19, 2 0 0 1 . O v e r t h e last d e c a d e , L e e has i n v e s t i g a t e d issues o f f e m i n i n i t y a n d b o d y politics, t e c h n o l o g y a n d society, a r t a n d g e n d e r . W o r k i n g across various media, her works i n c l u d e p e r f o r m a n c e s , soft

THE LOS A N G E L E S WATTS T O W E R b y

sculptures, and multimedia

B u d Goldstone and Arloa

i n s t a l l a t i o n s . F o r this s o l o

P a q u i n G o l d s t o n e (Los A n g e l e s :

exhibition, Lee explores the

T h e Getty Conservation

collective m e m o r y c o n s t r u c t e d

I n s t i t u t e a n d t h e J. P a u l G e t t y

around p o p songs and the

M u s e u m , 1997, $24.95 paper).

e x p e r i e n c e of the b o d y in

N o t a recent publication, but a

o u r technologically obsessed

c a p t i v a t i n g l o o k at t h e e c l e c t i c

c u l t u r e t h r o u g h a series o f

towers of Simon Rodia written

p o d - s h a p e d karaoke capsules

by a c o u p l e w h o have w o r k e d

in w h i c h g a l l e r y v i s i t o r s can

since 1959 to preserve t h e m .

sing. Also a c c o m p a n y i n g this

•

•

•

w o r k is a c o m p l e t e series o f video productions, A m a t e u r s +

EXHIBITIONS N E W - L A N D - M A R K S : P U B L I C ART, C O M M U N I T Y , A N D THE M E A N I N G O F 48

P L A C E will b e o n v i e w at t h e

A n t h e m + L i v e Forever, explori n g Lee's i n t e r e s t in l o u n g e bands that inhabit t h e strange, n o m a d i c realm of hotels. For m o r e i n f o r m a t i o n visit www.sfai.edu.

M E M O R I E S OF N A T U R E , is o n

Scottsdale M u s e u m of C o n t e m -

a n d i n c l u d e s w o r k b y five

p o r a r y Art's galleries f r o m

local a n d five i n t e r n a t i o n a l

F e b r u a r y 1 1 - J u n e 3, 2 0 0 1 .

artists t h a t q u e s t i o n s h o w

I n c l u d e d are six o f T u r r e l l ' s

n a t u r e is p e r c e i v e d in t h e

r o o m - s i z e d light works,

W e s t t o d a y : as s o m e t h i n g

w h e r e f o r m s s e e m t o float in

" o u t there," " n o t ourselves,"

t h e air a n d spaces g r a d u a l l y

and a " d o m a i n that can take

fill w i t h l i g h t , as w e l l as T u r r e l l ' s

c a r e o f itself." F o r m o r e i n f o r -

perceptually based gallery

m a t i o n , call 9 1 9 - 8 3 6 - 0 0 8 8 .

i n s t a l l a t i o n , GasWorks,

which

ONCE, THEN SOMETHING, o n v i e w

immerses viewers within a

M a r c h 6 - A p n l 14, 2 0 0 1 , at

s p h e r e o f l i g h t . Also, m a k i n g

N e w York's S c u l p t u r e C e n t e r ,

a p u b l i c d e b u t , is S c o t t s d a l e ' s

is a g r o u p e x h i b i t i o n e x p l o r i n g

new, p e r m a n e n t Turrellc o n c e i v e d elliptical Skyspace,

an

interactive space that frames t h e sky, l o c a t e d in t h e m u s e u m ' s sculpture garden and designed by a r c h i t e c t W i l l B r u d e r .

T h e e x h i b i t i o n also i n c l u d e s an o v e r v i e w o f T u r r e l l ' s m a m m o t h Roden

Crater Project, w h i c h

h e has b e e n w o r k i n g o n s i n c e the 1970s, reshaping a n d modifying the northern Arizona volcanic crater to create "celestial v a u l t i n g , " a p h e n o m e n o n in w h i c h t h e eye sees t h e sky as a d o m e r a t h e r t h a n a flat e x p a n s e c a u s i n g v i e w e r s t o feel as t h o u g h t h e y are

Pennsylvania A c a d e m y of the

15,2001,

Fine Arts f r o m February

W O M E N ' S W O R K S is a r e t r o s p e c t i v e

standing on the edge of the

1 0 - A p r i l 15, 2 0 0 1 . T h e e x h i b i -

o f p u b l i c artists in N e w Y o r k

e a r t h . D e s i g n e d as a n o b s e r v a -

tion d o c u m e n t s the sixteen

City parks f r o m 1967 to 2 0 0 1

tory, Roden

Crater will also

"instantaneous sculpture" t h a t o c c u r s b r i e f l y in t i m e before c o m i n g to the audience in d i v e r s e a n d l a s t i n g w a y s .

Monika Brandmeier's p h o t o g r a p h s depict sculptural i n t e r v e n t i o n s that she t e m p o r a r i l y e n a c t e d in an abandoned, half-finished house in t h e Polish c o u n t r y s i d e .

R o m a n Signer's v i d e o s f e a t u r e his t e m p o r a r y s c u l p t u r e s - a s e v e n t s u s i n g s u c h p r o p s as kayaks, e x p l o s i v e s , c h a i r s , water, balloons, and r e m o t e controlled toy helicopters.

Works by Spencer Finch, Finnbogi Petursson, and Holly Z a u s n e r are also i n c l u d e d .

F o r m o r e i n f o r m a t i o n visit www.sculpture-center.org.

" w o r k s in p r o c e s s " in F a i r -

o n v i e w at t h e A r s e n a l G a l l e r y

f e a t u r e a series o f t u n n e l s a n d

m o u n t Park Art Association's

(3rd F l o o r , T h e Arsenal,

c h a m b e r s that provide v i e w i n g

Van Alen I n s t i t u t e p r e s e n t s

ongoing

F i f t h A v e n u e at 6 4 t h in

o p p o r t u n i t i e s d u r i n g celestial

ARCHITECTURE+WATER from

initiative, w h i c h c o m b i n e s the

C e n t r a l Park) f r o m M a r c h 2 - 2 9 ,

events. For m o r e i n f o r m a t i o n ,

March 28-September 2001,

t a l e n t s o f artists a n d c o m m u n i t y

2 0 0 1 . In c e l e b r a t i o n o f W o m e n ' s

call 480-994-AR.TS, o r visit

an e x h i b i t i o n o f five i n t e r n a -

organizations to develop n e w

History M o n t h , the exhibition

www.scottsdalearts.org.

tional b u i l d i n g projects of high

NewLand'Marks

P u b l i c A r t R e v i e w . SPR SUM 01

CONFERENCES

design caliber that integrate architecture, landscape, and infrastructure to fully e n g a g e today's w a t e r f r o n t . C u r a t o r s

" e y e b a l l s " a n d a ball o f daisies

it will b e at t h e C e n t e r f o r

t h e r i n f o r m a t i o n , call 6 1 7 - 3 4 9 -

held up by a c a r t o o n character

C r e a t i v e P h o t o g r a p h y in

4380 or e-mail hyngvason@

n a m e d " O v a l " sitting upside

T u c s o n . T h e p r o j e c t also has an

c i . C a m b r i d g e . m a . us.

d o w n — a n d t w o large

e x t e n s i v e W e b p r e s e n c e at

U p d a t e d i n f o r m a t i o n will also b e p o s t e d o n t h e A r t s

floor

Lewis.Tsurumaki.Lewis, a

sculptures covered with

www.indivisible.org.The Web

design and research practice,

c a r t o o n eyes.

site i n c l u d e s p h o t o g r a p h s ,

C o u n c i l ' s W e b site: w w w . c i .

audio interviews, short video

Cambridge, ma. u s / ~ C A C .

reviewed hundreds of projects t o cull w o r k t h a t is n o t

I N D I V I S I B L E : S T O R I E S OF A M E R I C A N

clips, a s p a c e f o r o n l i n e

merely excellent architecture,

C O M M U N I T Y is an o r i g i n a l d o c u -

dialogue, resource guides and

but that e m b o d i e s a r e t h i n k i n g

m e n t a r y project that explores

links, e d u c a t o r s ' m a t e r i a l , a

of the character and f o r m

the creativity a n d diversity o f

bibliography for further reading,

of the s u r r o u n d i n g landscape.

c o n t e m p o r a r y grassroots

a n d suggestions f o r h o w visitors

T h e i r c h o i c e s are a f e r r y t e r m i -

democracy, featuring twelve

can d o c u m e n t their o w n

nal in Y o k o h a m a , J a p a n , by

p l a c e s across t h e U . S . w h e r e

c o m m u n i t y efforts. T h e e x h i b i -

Foreign Office Architects; a

p e o p l e are e n g a g e d in e f f o r t s

tion was o r g a n i z e d by t h e

r i v e r b r i d g e in L o n d o n

t o m a k e lasting c h a n g e s in

C e n t e r for D o c u m e n t a r y

d e s i g n e d as a vast g l a z e d

their communities. U s i n g

S t u d i e s at D u k e U n i v e r s i t y

s t r u c t u r e w i t h a train s t a t i o n

original p h o t o g r a p h s by s o m e

and the C e n t e r for Creative

at its c e n t e r by A l s o p a n d

of the country's leading

P h o t o g r a p h y at t h e U n i v e r s i t y

S t o r m e r ; housing elevated high

p h o t o g r a p h e r s and the voices

of Arizona. A catalogue,

a b o v e a r e s t o r e d m a r s h in

of citizens telling their o w n

i n c l u d i n g a f o r e w o r d by

T h e H a g u e by M V R D V ;

s t o r i e s , Indivisible

j o u r n a l i s t R a y S u a r e z , is avail-

an e x h i b i t i o n center, theaters,

a f i r s t h a n d l o o k at local i n i t i a -

a b l e n a t i o n a l l y in b o o k s t o r e s

a n d r e s t a u r a n t s t h a t are i n t e -

tives t h a t a d d r e s s issues f a c i n g

a n d t h r o u g h t h e W e b site.

g r a t e d i n t o t h i r t y - t w o acres

m a n y c o m m u n i t i e s across

o f l a k e f r o n t p r o p e r t y in

t h e U.S.. i n c l u d i n g h o u s i n g ,

Switzerland by Diller+Scofidio;

immigration, the environment,

and a n e w water treatment

c r i m e p r e v e n t i o n , h e a l t h care,

facility a n d w a t e r w o r k s p a r k

youth e m p o w e r m e n t , race

in H a m d e n , C o n n . , b y

relations, a n d e c o n o m i c a n d

S t e v e n H o l l a n d M i c h a e l Van

community development.

Valkenburgh. For m o r e infor-

S o m e of the c o m m u n i t i e s

m a t i o n , call 2 1 2 - 9 2 4 - 7 0 0 0 .

f e a t u r e d are CHALK ( C o m m u n i -

TARA D O N O V A N AND J A E KO a t t h e J o h n Michael K o h l e r Arts C e n t e r in S h e b o y g a n , W i s e . , f r o m F e b r u a r y 18—April 2 9 , 2 0 0 1 , f e a t u r e s t w o artists w h o e m p l o y paper to create sculptural w o r k s e v o k i n g n a t u r e ' s subtleties.Visit w w w . j m k a c . o r g .

provides

ties in H a r m o n y A d v o c a t i n g f o r L e a r n i n g a n d Kids) in San Francisco and their y o u t h - r u n peer-to-peer conversation and crisis i n t e r v e n t i o n p h o n e s s e r v i c e called Y o u t h l i n e ; A l a s k a n fishing communities o n the N o r t h Pacific Coast; and P r o y e c t o A z t e c a in San J u a n ,

T h e recently launched Public Art N e t w o r k of Americans for the Arts and the N a t i o n a l Assembly of State A r t s A g e n c i e s will p r e s e n t C O M P E L + PROVOKE: P U B L I C ART 2 0 0 1 . a p u b l i c art p r e c o n f e r e n c e to t h e i r first j o i n t c o n v e n t i o n , in N e w York City o n July 2 6 - 2 7 , 2 0 0 1 . T h e c o n v e n t i o n is scheduled for July 2 8 - 3 1 , 2 0 0 1 .

T h e preconference kick-off will i n c l u d e a Year In R e v i e w session h i g h l i g h t i n g t h e m o s t innovative and exciting public a r t p r o j e c t s across t h e c o u n t r y ,

•

•

•

presented by author Harriet Senie and

FORECAST

P u b l i c A r t w o r k s artistic

CONFERENCES

director Jack Becker. For m o r e information about the public

THE COMPUTERS IN ART AND D E S I G N

art p r e c o n f e r e n c e a n d t h e

EDUCATION (CADE) C O N F E R E N C E 2001

c o n v e n t i o n , i n c l u d i n g fees

will t a k e p l a c e A p r i l 9—12 in

a n d h o t e l rates, visit w w w .

G l a s g o w , S c o t l a n d . T h i s year's

participate2001 .org.

t h e m e is D i g i t a l C r e a t i v i t y : C r o s s i n g t h e B o u n d a r i e s a n d is o p e n t o a n y o n e i n t e r e s t e d in exploring the interdisciplinary and international character of digital c r e a t i v i t y a n d m e d i a . F o r m o r e i n f o r m a t i o n c o n t a c t : CADE 2001, Meeting Makers, Jordanhill C a m p u s , 7 6 S o u t h b r a e D r i v e , G l a s g o w G 1 3 1 PP.Tel:

T h e N I N E T E E N T H INTERNATIONAL SCULPTURE C O N F E R E N C E w i l l t a k e p l a c e in P i t t s b u r g h , Pa., t h i s year, f r o m J u n e 6 - 1 0 . T h e International Sculpture C e n t e r in c o l l a b o r a t i o n w i t h APT P i t t s b u r g h ( A r t + P e r f o r m a n c e + T e c h n o l o g y ) invite participants to c o m e and

W I N K is a n e x h i b i t i o n o f

Hidalgo County,Texas, a

n e w w o r k b y J a p a n e s e artist

grassroots h o u s i n g i n i t i a t i v e

Takashi M u r a k a m i in N e w

for migrant f a r m workers and

York's G r a n d C e n t r a l T e r m i n a l ' s

o t h e r l o w - i n c o m e residents to

Vanderbilt Hall o n v i e w

l e a r n skills t o b u i l d a n d f i n a n c e

C O N S E R V A T I O N AND M A I N T E N A N C E

To request a c o n f e r e n c e regis-

March 14-April 13,2001.

their o w n h o m e s . Encompassed

OF C O N T E M P O R A R Y P U B L I C ART.

tration brochure, contact

P r e s e n t e d b y MTA A r t s f o r

i n t h e p r o j e c t is a n a t i o n a l l y

organized by the C a m b r i d g e

Margaret Perrin, International

Transit and Creative T i m e ,

touring m u s e u m exhibition

A r t s C o u n c i l , will b e h e l d in

S c u l p t u r e C e n t e r , 14

0141 4 3 4 1500; fax: 0141 4 3 4 1519; e-mail: c a d e 2 0 0 1 @ meetingmakers.co.uk.

re-vision the "Steel Capital o f the W o r l d . " T h e 2001 Lifetime

will h o n o r N a m J u n e P a i k .

t h e installation w a s d e s i g n e d

t h a t b e g a n at t h e T e r r a M u s e u m

O c t o b e r 2 0 0 1 at t h e A r t h u r

F a i r g r o u n d s R o a d , S u i t e B.

specifically f o r t h e s p a c e a n d

o f A m e r i c a n A r t in C h i c a g o

M . S a c k l e r M u s e u m at

H a m i l t o n , NJ 0 8 6 1 9 .

consists o f t h r e e i n f l a t a b l e

in O c t o b e r 2 0 0 0 . F r o m

H a r v a r d U n i v e r s i t y . T o lie

Tel: 6 0 9 - 6 8 9 - 1 0 5 1 ; e - m a i l

sculptures—two giant

July 1 4 - S e p t e m b e r 3 0 , 2 0 0 1 ,

p l a c e d o n a m a i l i n g list f o r f u r -

isc@sculpture.org.

floating

49

A c h i e v e m e n t A w a r d gala

P u b l i c A r t R e v i e w . SPR SUM.OI

Penland Summer

Compel + Provoke: Public Art 2001

May 2 4 - S e p t . 1, 2 0 0 1

July 2 6 - 2 7 - N e w York City

One- and Two-Week Workshops Selected Classes with Public Art

A preconference of pARTicipate 2001 hosted by Americans for the Arts & National Assembly of State Arts Agencies.

Content

May 2 7 - J u n e 8 Alvin Frega Sculpture & Adaptive

o o O

n t

O)

Post Office Box 37

Penland, NC 28765 voice: 828.765.2359 fax: 828.765.7389 office@penland.org www.pentand.org

Public Art Tours Studio Visits Workshops Panels Keynote Speakers Year In Review

Reuse

June 1 0 - 2 2 Regina Flanagan Landscape to Ecology (photo) Sonya Clark Beading Beyond Belief (textiles) June 2 4 - J u l y 6 Jacob Fishman, Sally Prasch, David Wilson Penland Plasmarama (neon) July 8 - 2 0 Ellen Kochansky Quilts as Sculpture & Archive

www.participate2001 .org

iA^RTSANS

PUBLIC ART NETWORK: A Program of Americans for the Arts 202.371.2830

www.artsusa.org

2000-2001 Public Art Program Directory A Resource Guide for Public Art

July 2 2 - A u g u s t 7 Don Falk & Max Rada Dada Re-Enchantment of Everyday Fashion

Professionals

Contact information and program details for 307 public art programs nationwide. $25, Americans for the Arts Members $20 To Order 800.321.4510

Visit our website for complete course descriptions or call for a summer catalog.

i : i rAY/_> t :

A

e i

P U B L I C ART & DESIGN PROGRAM FOR P R O G R A M U P D A T E S AND P R O J E C T D E T A I L S CONTACT:

M E T R O TRANSIT

RAS

Metro 560 Minn 6 1

Transit S i x t h A eapolis, 2 - 3 4

Attn: David Allen v e n u e N o r t h MN 55411-4398 9 - 7 6 2 2

King County

Public Art P r o g r a m Office of Cultural R e s o u r c e s

Presents the new

2001 Design Team Registry

Sheila Klein Alice Aycock B J Krivanek Linda Beaumont Donald Lipski « Howard Ben Tre Jack Mackie Beliz Brother Mike Mandel & Bill & Mary Buchen Larry Sultan & Ken Smith Don Merkt James Carpenter Mary Miss Troy Corliss Anna Valentina 1 Dan Corson Murch Fernanda D'Agostino Valerie Otani Claudia Fitch Erin Shie Palmer Ann Gardner Melody Peters 5 Cliff Garten Jody Pinto Andrew Ginzel & Jim Sanborn Kristen Jones Norie Sato Barbara Grygutis Tad Savinar Laura Haddad T. Ellen Sollod Jim Hirschfield & Paul Sorey Sonja Ishii Michael Stutz Lorna Jordan Stuart Williams Jun Kaneko Janet Zweig Stuart Keeler & Michael Machnic

E x p a n d the C r e a t i v e P o s s i b i l i t i e s

ARTISTSREGISTER ®

•

•

CONNECT to a nationwide community of more than 1,300 artists.

DISCOVER artists or BE DISCOVERED by art enthusiasts in an easily searchable online gallery.

ANNOUNCE exhibits, calls for entries, and openings - at no charge.

For more information on how to register as an artist, list an event, or join as a state partner, go to www.ArtistsRegister.com or call 1-888-562-7232.

www.metrokc.gov/exec/culture/publicart

-

M I N N E S O T A P E R C E N T FOR ART I N P U B L I C

J

PLACES

Slide Registry Deadlines May 15, 2 0 0 1 N o v e m b e r 15, 2 0 0 1 May 15, 2 0 0 2 Minnesota Percent for Art in Public Places supports and administers the installation of both commissioned and purchased art in public spaces of state buildings.

Stone Arch Bridge, 2000 Ken Moylan, Minneapolis, MN 24 x 36 inches, oil paint and gesso on panel Afternoon Hiawatha, 2000 David Knowlton, Eau Claire, WI 63 x 45 inches, oil on canvas Minnesota Department of Transportation Central Office Building, Saint Paul

Get your slides on file in our Slide Registry to be considered for future projects. All media is accepted.

Contact the Minnesota State Arts Board for an application.

Minnesota State Arts Board

Park Square Court

400 Sibley Street, Suite 200 Saint Paul, MN 55101-1928 (651) 215-1600 (800) 8MN-ARTS msab@arts.state.mn. us www.arts.state.mn.us

m MINNESOTA

I't K« I'M FOR Art

MINNESOTA

IN PUBLIC PLACES STATE ARTS BOARD

The Cambridge Arts Council announces the first international conference on

Conservation and Maintenance of Contemporary Public Art October 26-28,2001 in Cambridge, Massachusetts

N a m J u n e Paik's Requiem f o r t h e Twentieth Century at Decordova Sculpture Park in M a s s a c h u s e t t s illustrates the challenges posed by contemporary art materials, ranging from broken automobile glass and rusted underbody to aging video monitors and sound equipment.

Martin Puryear's Pavilion in the Trees in Fairmount Park, Philadelphia

Panels and workshops will

address program structures, collection policies, public

involvement, ethical and legal issues, documentation, contracting for services, relations between agencies, conservation assessment, maintenance plans, treatment in the field, material research, preventative measures, and responsibility for collaborative designs.

Case studies of

programs include Los Angeles MTA Metro Art, the City of Montreal

Public Art Program, New York City Public Art for Public Schools, Wisconsin Percent

for Art Conservation Initiative, Los Angeles Murals Assessment and Conservation Project, and the Cambridge Conservation and Maintenance Program.

Case studies of major conservation projects will explore the unique challenges of publicly sited art, such as roadway runoff, industrial and residential encroachments, volunteer plant growth, and vandalism, as well as public engagement during and afterthe creation of public art.

Robert Morris's 4.7-acre earthwork in King County,

Who should

Washington

attend:

Artists, administrators, conservators, curators, preperators, registrars, and others involved in public art, whether it is in civic spaces, sculpture parks, college campuses, Lei draping on Kamehameha monument in Hawaii

I

Or Corporate sites.

For further information, contact the Cambridge Arts Council: 61 7-349-4380 hyngvason @ ci.Cambridge.MA.US; webs\te.www.ci.cambridge.ma.us/~CAC Organized by the Cambridge Arts Council, the conference is funded in part by the National Endowment for the Arts, a Federal agency, and co-sponsored by the Harvard University Art Museums and Cambridge Center for Adult Education.