Public Art Review issue 29 - 2003 (fall/winter)

OSSROADS

VOLUME 15

ISSUE 29

FOREWORD Ricardo Barreto

y

\

~ rE H A V E g r o w n

\ V

u s e d t ot h i n k i n g

OF SITE-SI'ECIFIC p u b l i c a r t as t h e

place

where

/ the visual arts cross b o u n d a r i e s a n d intersect w i t h the landscape architect, the V architect, the e n g i n e e r , a n d t h e administrator. H o w e v e r , as t h e field witnesses a

g r o w i n g trend to blur traditional demarcations, it is b e c o m i n g clear that w e n o w n e e d to a c k n o w l e d g e a m u c h b r o a d e r range of possibilities f o r a h y b r i d that includes dance, music, and theater. T h e articles in this issue of Public Ai't Rcvieiv e x p l o r e these c h a n g i n g b o u n d a r i e s f r o m a variety of perspectives and challenge us to t h i n k a b o u t w h e r e the practice of public art is leading.

C a r o l e G o l d C a l o c o n t i n u e s a l o n g - s t a n d i n g discussion a b o u t t h e m e a n i n g of public a n d private and o u r u n d e r s t a n d i n g of public art as a c o n t i n u u m of activity. C a l o is interested in h o w artists m a n a g e to balance their o w n creative lives, h o w those w h o s e p r i m a r y i d e n t i f i c a t i o n is w i t h public art seek o u t the m o r e private activities of the studio, gallery, and m u s e u m . For s o m e the private realm provides o p p o r t u n i ties to create w i t h o u t the constraints i m p o s e d by a public process and t h e a t t e n d a n t n e e d to c o m p r o m i s e , w h i c h is integral to b r i n g i n g a w o r k of public art to f r u i t i o n . For o t h e r s it is a way to heal a n d c e n t e r t h e i r creative spirit. At t h e same time, the limitations of the public art process o f t e n stimulate artists to f i n d creative solutions that o t h e r w i s e m i g h t n o t have b e e n i m a g i n e d . A n d o f t e n , these solutions are f o u n d in the solitude of the studio.

M i r i a m Seidel and Patricia C . Phillips link the f o u n d a t i o n for a d e f i n i tion of public art established by C a l o to e x p a n d i n g definitions of w h a t w e n e e d to c o n sider part of o u r w o r l d . Seidel illustrates that w e already possess a basic v o c a b u l a r y acquired t h r o u g h o u r e x p e r i e n c e w i t h t e m p o r a r y public art and p e r f o r m a n c e art in particular, and that dance is a vital dialect in the language of public art. Phillips w a r n s that interdisciplinarity is n o t i n h e r e n t l y constructive, that it "can b e c o m e c o m p l i a n t and neutralized, or a u t h o r i t a r i a n and doctrinaire, r a t h e r t h a n o p e n and i n q u i r i n g . " N e v e r theless, she shows that an interdisciplinary a p p r o a c h to public art has great potential to enlarge o u r u n d e r s t a n d i n g of the m e a n i n g of c o n t e m p o r a r y democracy.

Steve D i e t z c o n f r o n t s the role of n e w t e c h n o l o g i e s in public art. T h e issues raised by h i g h - p r o f i l e w o r k s such as Diller + Scofidio's Facsimile for the San F r a n cisco M o s c o n e C e n t e r E x p a n s i o n P r o j e c t p r o v i d e fascinating insight i n t o a level of administrative and practical c o m p l e x i t y o t h e r artists can e x p e c t to deal w i t h in their projects. U s i n g specific examples, D i e t z e x a m i n e s traditional n o t i o n s of p e r m a n e n c e , obsolescence, a n d m a i n t e n a n c e in this n e w w o r l d of public art. H e elegantly sums it all u p by o b s e r v i n g that "Facsimile is a b o r d e r o n the m a p of public art terra incognita b e t w e e n t h e siren call of n e w t e c h n o l o g i e s that p r o m i s e to u p g r a d e the very n o t i o n of site-specific public art, and the pragmatic realities of a t t e m p t i n g to d o so."

T h e rapid d e v e l o p m e n t of n e w t e c h n o l o g i e s o n l y serves to accelerate the e x c i t i n g results that will increasingly challenge o u r e x p e r i e n c e s in the built e n v i r o n m e n t w e inhabit. Perhaps w h a t awaits o n the far h o r i z o n is a time w h e n the n e e d to d e f i n e art in t e r m s o f public and private ceases to have the i m p o r t a n c e w e think it has today. Perhaps it is t h e idea of the Gesamtkunstwerk

to w h i c h w e should aspire, a s e a m -

less i n t e g r a t i o n of diverse activity to create an aesthetic w h o l e larger than the s u m of its individLial parts.

Ricardo D. Barreto is the director of the UrbanArts Institute at Massachusetts College of A r t in Boston.

Public Art Review CROSSROADS

features PUBLIC/PRIVATE ART

(INTER)DISCIPUNARY ACTIONS

DICHOTOMY OR INTERSECTION?

Patricia C. Phillips

II

DANCING IN PLACE

Miriam Seidel

16

INTERACTIVE PUBLICS

Steve D i e t z

23

Carole Gold Calo 4

reports, programs, and confercnce reviews CYBERARTS

LOWER MANHATTAN

Jane D. Marsching 30

CULTURAL COUNCIL

CELEBRATING CREATIVE SPACES

William Cleveland 35

POINTS OF ENTRY

Erica Pearson 32 FORECAST UPDATE

Jack Becker 38

book reviews PHILADELPHIA MURALS AND THE STORIES THEY TELL

CONSERVATION AND MAINTENANCE OF

J e f F H u e b n e r 40

CONTEMPORARY PUBLIC ART

PUBLIC ART REVIEW

© 2 0 0 3 Public Art Review (ISSN:

F O R E C A S T staff

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PUBLIC ART/PRIVATE ART DICHOTOMY OR

INTERSECTION?

Carole Gold Calo

" Y

•• V

\

\ V

- Y HAT MAKES PUBLIC A R T PUBLIC? MINIMALLY, PUBLIC ART IS S O M E T H I N G DISPLAYED IN A

/ p u b l i c place. B u t f o r m a n y artists w h o create w o r k for p u b l i c spaces, t h e V

process itself is public, involving as it o f t e n does c o l l a b o r a t i o n w i t h e n g i n e e r s ,

architects, and fabricators, as well as n e g o t i a t i o n w i t h f u n d e r s , n e i g h b o r h o o d residents, and others. S u c h is the case for t h e f o u r artists profiled here: Ellen Driscoll, H o w a r d B e n Tre, William Pope.L, and D e n i s e M a r i k a . For t h e m , t h e privacy of the studio can serve as a r e f u g e f r o m t h e d e m a n d s of t h e public sphere, a n d t h e interface b e t w e e n public a n d private realms can e n r i c h b o t h . T h i s p u b l i c - p r i v a t e d y n a m i c o f t e n creates a m i d d l e landscape, a p o i n t of i n t e r s e c t i o n that provides e x p o s u r e to a b r o a d public a u d i e n c e a l o n g w i t h t h e c o n t r o l that a c c o m p a n i e s m o r e private venues.

E i g h t years ago, sculptor Ellen Driscoll felt t h e n e e d t o r e c o n t e x t u a l i z e h e r gallery sculpture to reach a less select a u d i e n c e . H e r m o v e i n t o t h e public realm resulted in a variety of c o m m i s s i o n s , i n c l u d i n g a series o f mosaics at G r a n d C e n t r a l Station in N e w York City, As Above, So Below (1999), w h i c h represent a n c i e n t a n d m o d e r n ideas a b o u t the universe. C u r r e n t l y Driscoll is finalizing a M a s s p o r t p r o j e c t for S o u t h B o s t o n C o m m u n i t y P a r k , a s i t e - s p e c i f i c m o s a i c s c u l p t u r a l g r o u p i n g t h a t will b e installed in s p r i n g 2004. W o r k s such as these reflect a m o r e d e m o c r a t i z e d c o n c e p t i o n of art because they are v i e w e d by a m o r e diverse a u d i e n c e t h a n w o u l d a t t e n d a gallery.

Still, Driscoll is realistic. She does n o t e x p e c t e v e r y o n e w h o rushes t h r o u g h G r a n d C e n tral Station to carefully scrutinize o r fully c o m p r e h e n d t h e m e a n i n g of h e r t w e n t y n a r rative images. W h a t she h o p e s for is a spark o f r e c o g n i t i o n , a m o m e n t of r e f l e c t i o n a b o u t t i m e and b e i n g .

H o w a r d Ben Tre recently c o m p l e t e d t h e redesign ot a city c e n t e r in W a r r i n g t o n , England, a seven-year p r o j e c t that includes 12 gardens, 2

fountains,

and

22 sculptures. Like Driscoll, Ben Tre is c o m m i t t e d to r e a c h i n g a b r o a d public by c r e ating w o r k that p e o p l e are s u r p r i s e d a n d e n r i c h e d by. His Post O f f i c e Square f o u n t a i n s in B o s t o n (Immanent (top) William Pope.L,

Circumstance a n d Urn Fountain), for e x a m p l e , represent an a t t e m p t

" t o deal w i t h a negative e l e m e n t in c o n t e m p o r a r y society: t h e a n o n y m i t y that's hard

The Great White Way, N e w York City, N.Y., 2001.

Photo courtesy William Pope.L

o n the h u m a n soul." H e h o p e d to "create a m o r e h u m a n i s t i c space w h i c h asks p e o p l e to interact w i t h o n e a n o t h e r . " 1 His B a n k B o s t o n Plaza in P r o v i d e n c e , R h o d e Island, d e m o n s t r a t e s the desired effect. A circular, c o m m u n a l space encloses a p a t i n a - s u r f a c e d

( m i d d l e left) Ellen Driscoll, Catching the Drift, Smith College Museum of Art, 2003.

Photo courtesy Ellen Driscoll ( m i d d l e right) Howard Ben Tre, Marketgate,Warrington,

England,

cast glass a n d b r o n z e f o u n t a i n , w h i l e an organic, t r e e - l i n e d seating area lends itself to

T h e n o t i o n o f art in p u b l i c places as t r a n s f o r m a t i v e , as a m e a n s t o c h a n g e people's u n d e r s t a n d i n g a b o u t themselves a n d t h e i r w o r l d , is t h e m a j o r m o t i v a t i o n b e h i n d the public p e r f o r m a n c e s of W i l l i a m Pope.L. Pope.L has e n g a g e d in a series

U.K., 2002.

of "crawls," m o s t recently his o n g o i n g The Great White Way, a t w e n t y - t w o - m i l e crawl

Photo courtesy Howard BenTne

f r o m t h e Statue of Liberty t h r o u g h M a n h a t t a n to t h e B r o n x . "Pope.L's e n d u r a n c e pieces

( b o t t o m ) Denise Marika, Recoil, 1999.

Photo courtesy Denise Marika

05

private reflection.

are a b o u t t h e vulnerable black m a l e b o d y a n d w h a t h e describes as 'lack,' a sense o f insufficiency and d a m a g e . " 2 R a c i a l d e g r a d a t i o n and the h u m i l i a t i o n s of t h e h o m e l e s s are b r o u g h t to the a t t e n t i o n of t h e u n s u s p e c t i n g passerby. Pope.L universalizes p e r s o n a l

P u b l i c Art R e v i e w . FALL.WTR. 03

Denise Marika and C o r e y Tatarczuk, Crossing Paths,

Precisely because public art is public, it

part of the Visible Republic project, Boston. Mass., 2000.

Photo courtesy Denise Marika and New England Foundation for the Arts

has t h e p o t e n t i a l t o elicit a w i d e r r a n g e o f a u d i e n c e involvement

t h a n d o e s gallery art. S o m e t i m e s

that

( b e l o w ) Ellen Driscoll, As Above, So Below,

i n v o l v e m e n t b e g i n s w i t h an a r t w o r k s creation, as w h e n

G r a n d Central Terminal N o r t h , N e w York City, N.Y., 1993-1999.

M a r i k a i n v i t e d c o m m u n i t y p a r t i c i p a t i o n in t h e early

Photo courtesy Ellen Driscoll

stages of Crossing

Paths. P o p e . L has selected d i f f e r e n t

p e o p l e to crawl w i t h h i m in his public p e r f o r m a n c e s , t r a g e d y w i t h i n his o w n f a m i l y a n d elicits a r a n g e of

altering the circumstances d e p e n d i n g u p o n t h e partici-

responses i n c l u d i n g fear, disgust, a n d anger.

pants. H o w e v e r , after b e i n g accosted by an enraged black

In a m o r e c e l e b r a t o r y m a n n e r , D e n i s e M a r i k a a n d C o r e y Tatarczuk addressed t h e e x p e r i e n c e s ot t h e R o x b u r y / J a m a i c a Plain c o m m u n i t y in

m a n in 1991 d u r i n g his Tompkins

Square Crawl, Pope.L

has c h o s e n n o t to interact w i t h observers.

Crossing

But even if t h e a u d i e n c e is n o t involved

Paths, a t e m p o r a r y p h o t o - p r o j e c t i o n f u n d e d by Visible

in creating public art, they may play an interactive role

R e p u b l i c a n d installed a l o n g t h e S o u t h w e s t C o r r i d o r

w i t h t h e f i n i s h e d p r o d u c t . Ellen Driscoll's

Bike Path in B o s t o n f r o m 2 0 0 0 - 2 0 0 1 . M a r i k a and Tatar-

installation will consist o f t h r e e w h e e l s w i t h m o s a i c

czuk involved e i g h t e e n teenagers f r o m the c o m m u n i t y

imagery relating to transportation, i m m i g r a t i o n , and the

in c r e a t i n g p h o t o g r a p h s a b o u t t h e i r lives. T h e s e teens

fishing industry in B o s t o n . Viewers can t u r n t h e o u t e r

provided

the inspiration for Marika's

Massport

photographs,

rings of t w o of the large-scale wheels, thus c h a n g i n g the

w h i c h w e r e p r o j e c t e d o n t o c e m e n t slabs along the bike

pictures—a redefinition of surrealism's "exquisite c o r p s e "

p a t h each e v e n i n g for six m o n t h s .

g a m e . 3 B e n Tre's cast glass a n d b r o n z e

Fountainhead

(2002), in the lobby of the n e w l y renovated M a r y Baker E d d y Library in Boston, has a sensor that is activated by a spectator's presence. Words b u b b l e in the c e n t e r of t h e f o u n t a i n , t h e n spill over the sides o n t o t h e floor to b e r e c o n f i g u r e d on t h e walls in eight h u n d r e d q u o t a t i o n s r a n g i n g f r o m ancient to m o d e r n .

But w h i l e w o r k i n g in t h e public realm creates artistic possibilities, it can also generate frustration and disappointment. S o m e t i m e s

disappointment

results f r o m relationships w i t h sponsors. After s p e n d i n g m o n t h s on research and design, Ellen Driscoll recently l e a r n e d that a c o m m i s s i o n e d W o r l d W a r 1 m e m o r i a l p r o j e c t in Kansas C i t y was cancelled. She has b e e n asked to r e c o n f i g u r e the site-specific installation as a gate o n the o t h e r side of an existing m e m o r i a l . A l t h o u g h D e n i s e M a r i k a f o u n d the inclusive process of creating Crossing Paths h i g h l y g r a t i f y i n g , she a d m i t s that t h e p u b l i c art process is t i m e - c o n s u m i n g a n d exhausting. W h e n c o n troversy e r u p t e d over n u d e p a r e n t - a n d - c h i l d figures on h e r traffic light installation Crossing (1994) in B r o o k l i n e , Massachusetts, M a r i k a felt c o m p e l l e d to present a verbal d e f e n s e at a c o m m u n i t y m e e t i n g . A n o t h e r s o u r c e of anxiety for public artists is h o w their w o r k will b e m a i n tained. For example, Driscoll is c o n c e r n e d a b o u t water leaks in t h e G r a n d C e n t r a l S t a t i o n t u n n e l s w h e r e

As

Above, So Below resides. A l t h o u g h B e n Tre provides a care m a n u a l for each public w o r k , h e realizes that " o n c e that sculpture leaves h e r e [the studio] I can't c o n t r o l it." 4 W h i l e t h e artists profiled h e r e have all b e e n highly involved in creating art tor p u b l i c places, s o m e o f t h e m find m o r e p r i v a t e w o r k essential as a

Denise Marika, Crossing, Brookline, Mass., 1994.

Photo courtesy Denise Marika ( b e l o w ) H o w a r d Ben Tre,

Fountainhead,

Mary Baker Eddy Library, Boston, Mass., 2002.

Photo courtesy Howard Ben Tre

drawings o f t e n i n f l u e n c e h e r sculpture. Ghost, designed for C u s t o m Fit at t h e Smack M e l l o n Gallery in B r o o k lyn, N e w York (2003), features an e i g h t e e n - f o o t " b e a m " of w h i t e cloth that c o m p l e m e n t s the ceiling b e a m s of the space, an e l e m e n t f o u n d in recent drawings as well.

T h e w h e e l - l i k e f o r m s in this w o r k and in Plus and Minus Equal Zero, t e m p o r a r i l y installed for a s y m p o s i u m at the C o l l e g e of the Atlantic in Bar H a r b o r , M a i n e , are r e m i niscent o f Driscoll's public sculpture f o r Massport, but the f o r m e r only imply, rather than involve, m o t i o n .

Like Driscoll, H o w a r d Ben Tie's w o r k has i n c l u d e d p u b l i c installations, studio sculptures, and drawings; and, like Driscoll, there is evident cross-fertilization a m o n g these genres. In all t h r e e he explores vari o u s " f a m i l i e s " o f f o r m s — c o l u m n s , vessels,

figurative

presences. H o w e v e r , unlike Driscoll, w h o s e private w o r k is typically in m e d i a different f r o m h e r public art, Ben Tre's signature material for b o t h is cast glass, s o m e t i m e s used w i t h b r o n z e or stone; he developed a special l o w e x p a n s i o n glass for his o u t d o o r w o r k . W h e t h e r gallery Ellen Driscoll, Ghost, installation at Smack Mellon, Brooklyn, N.Y., 2003.

installation o r p u b l i c plaza, B e n T i e creates a k i n d o f "ritual s p a c e " t h r o u g h p l a c e m e n t of e l e m e n t s and special

Photo courtesy Ellen Driscoll ( b e l o w ) W i l l i a m Pope.L, Map of the World,

lighting effects.

2002.

Photo courtesy William Pope.L

William Pope.L is a n o t h e r artist w h o s e w o r k in o n e v e n u e influences w h a t he does in a differe n t sphere. His gallery installations s o m e t i m e s e x t e n d

s o u r c e o f r e g e n e r a t i o n . F o r e x a m p l e , f o r t h e past five

t h e m e s addressed in his public p e r f o r m a n c e s t h r o u g h a

years Driscoll has t u r n e d to d r a w i n g in the q u i e t times

v a r i e t y of m e d i a — t e x t , p h o t o g r a p h y , v i d e o , d r a w i n g s

b e t w e e n the d e m a n d s of h e r public commissions. It is in

w i t h p e a n u t b u t t e r , a m a p o f t h e U n i t e d States c o n -

this s p o n t a n e o u s a n d u n c o n s t r a i n e d private w o r k that

s t r u c t e d o u t of h o t dogs, c o l u m n s of m a y o n n a i s e jars,

she finds release and inspiration for n e w ideas.

a n d a p o p tart frieze. Pope.L subverts the expectations of

" P u b l i c " and " p r i v a t e " are really ends o f

art c u l t u r e t h r o u g h i m p e r m a n e n t o r u n c o n v e n t i o n a l

a c o n t i n u u m , a n d w o r k in either realm can i n f o r m and

materials and u n e x p e c t e d j u x t a p o s i t i o n s , e x p o s i n g t h e

e n r i c h t h e o t h e r . For e x a m p l e , Driscoll n o t e s that h e r

realities o f life f o r t h e p o o r a n d t h e d i s e n f r a n c h i s e d ,

b o d y as a vehicle for i n t r o d u c i n g private rituals a n d gestures i n t o public spaces." 6 W h i l e striving t o reach a p u b l i c a u d i ence, M a r i k a requires t h e c o n t r o l l e d setting o f a gallery o r m u s e u m . " T o have t h e c o n t r o l and p o w e r I w a n t t h e w o r k t o have, I n e e d t o have a c o n t e x t in w h i c h t h e public sees the w o r k as I m e a n t it t o be, to retain its p e r sonal nature." 7 H e r ideal site is an " i n - b e t w e e n space," a m e m b r a n e b e t w e e n p r i v a t e a n d p u b l i c . S h e first p r o j e c t e d Liquid

Glass o n t o a w i n d o w at t h e D a n f o r t h

M u s e u m in F r a m i n g h a m , M a s s a c h u s e t t s , in 2 0 0 0 a n d m o r e recently at P o m o n a College's A l e x a n d e r Hall. Liquid Glass surprised pedestrians, w h o m i g h t n o t e n t e r t h e m u s e u m itself, w i t h v i d e o i m a g e s o f r e p e t i t i v e tidal m o t i o n . T h e artist h o p e d to f u r t h e r e n g a g e t h e public by p r o v i d i n g the o p p o r t u n i t y for t h e m to c o n t r i b u t e t o t h e prayerful, t h e n v e n g e f u l gesture r e p e a t e d in In

Denise Marika, Liquid Class, Danforth Museum,

Supplica-

Framingham, Mass., 2000.

tion, a t e m p o r a r y o u t d o o r v i d e o p r o j e c t i o n d e s i g n e d for

Photo courtesy Denise Marika

a site in Los A n g e l e s ' C h i n a t o w n in N o v e m b e r 2 0 0 2 .

forced to d o w h a t they can to survive. In The Party Room

T h a t a t t e m p t at a u d i e n c e i n v o l v e m e n t p r o v e d t o o c o m -

(2001), installed at T h e Project in N e w York, t h e artist

plicated to achieve, b u t M a r i k a has n e w l y p r o p o s e d t h e

recalls an alcoholic uncle w h o regressed to a child-like

p r o j e c t for a m u s e u m in Florida.

state a f t e r c o n s u m i n g t o o m a n y b o t t l e s o f W i l d Irish Rose wine.

This m i d d l e landscape, or space that spans t h e public and private realms, is also a p p e a l i n g to

D e n i s e M a r i k a has used p h o t o g r a p h y

Ellen Driscoll. W h i l e she claims that it is t h e u n e x p e c t e d

a n d p r o j e c t i o n s in b o t h gallery and public art settings.

n a t u r e of w o r k i n g in public spaces that makes t h e e x p e -

H e r private v i d e o installations present t h e artist's n u d e

r i e n c e "spicy," she t o o appreciates t h e g r e a t e r sense ot

b o d y w i t h i n various e n v i r o n m e n t s , p e r f o r m i n g a simple

control within the m u s e u m setting. H e r

bathroom,

repetitive act, "a k i n d of s y n e c d o c h e in w h i c h a single

Catching the Drift (2003), designed for t h e S m i t h C o l l e g e

gesture expresses a c o m p l e x e m o t i o n or state of m i n d . " 5

M u s e u m of A r t , e m b o d i e s t h e idea o f " p r i v a t e space,

Recoil (1999) consists of v i d e o p r o j e c t i o n s of t h e artist in

public art, of g i v i n g the sense of b e i n g a l o n e w h i l e n o t

a large, basin-shaped c o n t a i n e r b e i n g pelted w i t h small,

b e i n g a l o n e . " 8 F o r this c o m m i s s i o n D r i s c o l l digitally

t h r e e - d i m e n s i o n a l , digitally f o r m e d replicas of herself in

s c a n n e d h e r o w n drawings and p h o t o g r a p h s a n d alluded

a c r o u c h i n g position. Like Pope.L in his p e r f o r m a n c e s ,

to f o u r w o r k s f r o m the m u s e u m ' s collection to create a

M a r i k a uses h e r b o d y as art, o f t e n e n d u r i n g physical dis-

total a q u a t i c e n v i r o n m e n t t h a t e x t e n d e d t o sinks a n d

c o m f o r t in t h e process. B u t w h i l e t h e gallery m i g h t

toilets as well as walls.

appear to b e a " s a f e r " v e n u e for M a r i k a s self-referential art, even for a m u s e u m a u d i e n c e h e r w o r k has b e e n c o n troversial. Unearthed (2001), p r o j e c t e d o n t o the R e n a i s sance c o u r t y a r d wall at t h e W o r c e s t e r Art

Museum,

s h o w e d the n u d e artist f r o m the back e n g a g i n g in the O O o e x h a u s t i n g physical act of b u i l d i n g a wall o u t of clay (a r e f e r e n c e to t h e s i x t h - c e n t u r y R o m a n mosaics o n t h e floor below) a n d t h e n t e a r i n g it d o w n . S o m e observers felt that this space was violated by the p r o j e c t i o n .

Marika's w o r k is an illustration o f h o w the c o n v e n t i o n a l distinction b e t w e e n public a n d private space can b e b l u r r e d by artistic e n d e a v o r . H e r w o r k "collapses t r a d i t i o n a l b o u n d a r i e s b e t w e e n p r i v a t e a n d public, and c o n f r o n t s a u d i e n c e s w i t h intensely personal images and issues. M a r i k a has consistently used h e r o w n

H o w a r d Ben Tre, fountain in memory of Casey Shearer, B r o w n University, Providence, R.I., 2003.

Photo courtesy Carole Gold Calo

T h i s b l e n d i n g o f p u b l i c a n d private is f u r t h e r d e m o n s t r a t e d by H o w a r d Ben Tre's r e c e n t f o u n tain in a s e c l u d e d c o u r t y a r d at B r o w n U n i v e r s i t y in m e m o r y of s t u d e n t Casey Shearer. T h e sensuous, h o u r glass-shaped f o u n t a i n resembles s o m e o f B e n Tre's earlier s t u d i o w o r k s t h a t recall A s i a n f e r t i l i t y f i g u r e s . T h e B r o w n f o u n t a i n creates an i n t i m a t e o u t d o o r e n v i r o n m e n t as semicircular b e n c h e s e m b r a c e the f o u n t a i n p o o l and t h e s m o o t h f l o w o f w a t e r induces a meditative calm.

W i l l i a m P o p e . L sees little d i f f e r e n c e

Howard Ben Tre, Sculpting Space in the Public Realm,

b e t w e e n p e r f o r m i n g in the public arena and e x h i b i t i n g

Minneapolis Institute of Arts, Minn., 2001.

in a gallery setting. C l a i m i n g that the n o t i o n of the soli-

Photo courtesy Howard Ben Tre

tary artist is a m y t h , Pope.L a c k n o w l e d g e s the n e e d to navigate

the

complex

relationships

involved

g a l l e r y / m u s e u m shows—dealers, curators, boards d i r e c t o r s , f u n d i n g o r g a n i z a t i o n s , critics, e v e n

in

Street Journal, o r i g i n a t e d as a street p e r f o r m a n c e in 1992

of

and was later p r e s e n t e d at M o b i u s in B o s t o n . Recently,

other

s e g m e n t s of his Great White Way were featured as part of

artists. Because h e o f t e n includes p e r f o r m a n c e s as part of

t h e W h i t n e y Biennial 2 0 0 2 .

a m u s e u m e x h i b i t i o n , the b o u n d a r i e s b e t w e e n his public

P u b l i c a r t / p r i v a t e art: d i c h o t o m y

or

and gallery w o r k are o f t e n effaced. Eating the Wall Street

intersection? T h e s e processes, w h i l e different, r e i n v i g o -

Journal, d u r i n g w h i c h the artist sat o n a toilet m o u n t e d

rate o n e o t h e r . For Ellen D r i s c o l l , H o w a r d B e n Tre,

o n a t e n - f o o t c o n s t r u c t i o n w h i l e c o n s u m i n g t h e Wall

D e n i s e M a r i k a , and William Pope.L, the ideal may b e a b l e n d i n g of the t w o — a controlled artistic e n v i r o n m e n t

William Pope.L, Party Room, installation at The Project,

in w h i c h s p o n t a n e o u s e n c o u n t e r s w i t h the general p u b -

N e w York City, N.Y., 2001.

lic o c c u r . W h a t seems a c o n t r a d i c t i o n in t e r m s is b e i n g

Photo courtesy William Pope.L

engagingly realized by these f o u r c o n t e m p o r a r y artists.

S.U.R.E.

Scholar Erin Demerjian assisted in researching and

writing this article.

Carole Gold Calo, Ph.D. is chair of the Fine Arts Department at Stonehill College and associate professor of art history. She has published two anthologies—Viewpoints: Readings in Art History and Writings About

Art—and

has written about contemporary sculpture for numerous publications.

Notes 1. D a n t o , A r t h u r , M a r y J a n e J a c o b ,

4. I n t e r v i e w w i t h t h e artist,

and Patterson Sims. Howard Ben Tre.

June 10,2003.

N e w York, N.Y.: H u d s o n Hills Press in Association w i t h Scottsdale

5. F o x , J u d i t h H o o s .

M u s e u m o f C o n t e m p o r a r y Art,

Origins and Projections. C l a r e m o n t ,

1999,87.

Calif.: P o m o n a C o l l e g e M u s e u m

Lexicon:

of Art, 2 0 0 2 , 9 .

2. C a r r , C . " I n t h e D i s c o m f o r t Z o n e . " In William

Pope.L.The

6. M c G r e w , R e b e c c a . Body

Friendliest Black Artist in America.

Projections: New Video

C a m b r i d g e , Mass.: M I T Press,

by Denise Marika. C l a r e m o n t , Calif.:

2 0 0 2 , 48.

Sculpture

P o m o n a C o l l e g e M u s e u m o f Art, 2002,3.

3. A g a m e in w h i c h several p e o p l e take t u r n s w r i t i n g a w o r d o r phrase,

7. I n t e r v i e w w i t h t h e artist,

f o l d i n g t h e p a p e r to c o n c e a l their

J u n e 6, 2 0 0 3 .

w r i t i n g , and passing it t o t h e n e x t player. T h e n a m e c o m e s f r o m a s e n -

8. M a c M i l l a n , J o h n . " F l u s h w i t h

t e n c e p r o d u c e d d u r i n g t h e game's

Art." Smith Alumnae

initial p l a y i n g : " T h e exquisite c o r p s e

( S p r i n g 2 0 0 3 ) : 20.

will d r i n k t h e y o u n g w i n e . "

Quarterly

(INTER)DISCIPLINARY ACTIONS

Patricia C . Phillips

In the realm of thinking, as that of action, nothing is finally settled. Whenever ing seems to reach a conclusion, another thought,

another question,

think-

another voice

emerges. There is always another way to turn an idea, another perspective on a phenomenon, a different conceptual approach to explore, afresh and startlingly

suggestive

example to be taken into account. What seems settled one moment is unsettled again the next.

—Elizabeth M i n n i c h 1

•

-W UBLIC A R T ' S GREATEST VIRTUE

L ^

A N D C H A L L E N G E — M A Y BE THAT IT IS CHRONICALLY

UNSETTLED.

It takes place in different settings and circumstances, its material a n d t e m p o r a l

characteristics are insistently variable, and it is critically e x a m i n e d t h r o u g h different fields and ideological perspectives i n c l u d i n g art, architecture, design, and u r b a n studies.

Public art, t h e n , has c o n n e c t i o n s w i t h interdisciplinary t h o u g h t . B u t if M i n n i c h is c o r rect, each i m m i n e n t conclusion invariably a n n o u n c e s and advances a n o t h e r approach o r idea. In h e r appeal to rethink c u r r i c u l u m and t h e ways that k n o w l e d g e is c o m m o n l y organized, she examines h o w k n o w l e d g e itself is an o p e n , transformative process. W i t h o u t limiting the possibilities for public art, h o w m i g h t w e identify it as a particular k i n d of interdisciplinary activity?

C i t i n g interdisciplinary approaches in u r b a n studies a d v a n c e d by g e o g raphers David H a r v e y and E d w a r d Soja in the early 1990s, R o s a l y n D e u t s c h e s k e p t i cally

praises

and

intelligently

critiques

some

of

the

claims

of

impartial

interdisciplinarity. E n g a g i n g ideas of class a n d social justice, H a r v e y a n d Soja's interdisciplinary approaches largely o v e r l o o k the i n f l u e n c e s of f e m i n i s m and postcolonialism advanced by o t h e r scholars, D e u t s c h e argues.

For a n y o n e in t h e art w o r l d eager to escape t h e c o n t r o l that traditional aest h e t i c c a t e g o r i e s exercise over h o w art is d e f i n e d , s u c h i n t e r d i s c i p l i n a r y approaches have a strong, even fatal, attraction. S t r o n g for m a n y reasons, b u t especially b e c a u s e t h e y p e r m i t us t o v i e w art f r o m p r e v i o u s l y e x c l u d e d perspectives w i t h i n w h i c h , l i n k e d to n e w elements, it m o d i f i e s its very i d e n tity. T h a t shift is i l l u m i n a t i n g n o t only f o r w h a t it reveals a b o u t art b u t f o r w h a t it suggests a b o u t k n o w l e d g e . For an instant, all e x p l a n a t i o n a p p e a r s u n c e r t a i n , since objects o f k n o w l e d g e are themselves i n d e t e r m i n a b l e , fixed o n l y by discursive r e l a t i o n s h i p s a n d e x c l u s i o n s

The

interdisciplinary

a p p r o a c h is appealing, t h e n , b e c a u s e it m o m e n t a r i l y u n d e r m i n e s t h e a u t h o r ity of all k n o w l e d g e . 2 But Deutsche cautions that "interdisciplinarity holds dangers, too, because it does n o t automatically b e c o m e antidisciplinary. M o r e o f t e n , disciplines u n i t e in alliances that f o r t i f y an a u t h o r i t a r i a n e p i s t e m o l o g y — b y a d d i n g to its a p p e a r a n c e o f c o m p l e t e n e s s — i n s t e a d of r e l i n q u i s h i n g it for a m o r e d e m o c r a t i c one."- 1 O t h e r s have distinguished b e t w e e n multidisciplinary a n d interdisciplinary activity. J o h n Butler and M a l c o l m Miles observe that u r b a n i s m has always b e e n

P u b l i c A r t R e v i e w . FALL.WTR. 03

T h e theoretical and intellectual foundations of his challenging, restive w o r k unquestionably engage and integrate

an

interdisciplinary

methodology.

More

specifically, he has examined h o w public space can be a site of e n a c t m e n t for, as well as an obstacle to, d e m o cratic ideas—as, for example, in his ephemeral projections of constructed images on m o n u m e n t s and o t h e r architectural structures in the 1980s. Wodiczko (with a professional b a c k g r o u n d in industrial design) has also developed vehicles and instruments for homeless people, immigrants, and o t h e r users that articulate and animate democratic concepts. Many of his projects are hybrids that share characteristics of design, architecture, film, fashion, and performance.

Wodiczko's w o r k raises a variety of questions about interdisciplinarity: W h a t methodologies Krzysztof Wodiczko, Aegis

does it require? D o e s it have identifiable aesthetic

during initial testing by Kelly Dobson, 1999. ( b e l o w ) Krzysztof Wodiczko, Dis-Armor,

dimensions? Are the tracks and traces of fields and disciplines discernible, or are their boundaries transformed

2000.

Photos courtesy Krzysztof Wodiczko and Galerie Lelong, New York

and reconstituted t h r o u g h a creative process?

multidisciplinary, tracing the shifting influences of class,

Wodiczko, an intricate c o n c e p t u a l m a p of routes and

capital, gender, ethnicity, and n e w practices of public art.

alternatives e m e r g e d and crystallized. 5 T h e artist's most

" D e b a t e s o n city f u t u r e s , t h e n , are lively and c o n -

insistent influences include ideas of radical democracy

In a recent series of conversations with

tentious, as well as c o m p l e x , and inclusive e n o u g h to

d e v e l o p e d by C l a u d e Lefort, C h a n t a l M o u f f e , and

a c c o m m o d a t e artists, architects, planners, sociologists,

E r n e s t o Laclau. T h e s e scholars advance c o n t e m p o r a r y

g e o g r a p h e r s , ecologists, e n v i r o n m e n t a l activists, and

d e m o c r a c y as a difficult, differential, and u n f i n i s h e d

p h i l o s o p h e r s . Few divisions of k n o w l e d g e . . . a r e n o w u n t o u c h e d by these debates, t h o u g h this brings with it a danger of a n e w fragmentation if the methodologies and specialist languages particular to each discipline act as ' k e e p - o u t ' notices." 4 Interdisciplinary

work

is f r e q u e n t l y

p r o m o t e d as i n h e r e n t l y c o n s t r u c t i v e , c h a l l e n g i n g the intellectual habits, assumptions, and conventions of discipline-based practices. But as M i n n i c h and D e u t s c h e are aware, interdisciplinary practices can b e c o m e c o m pliant and neutralized, or authoritarian and doctrinaire, rather than o p e n and inquiring.

T h e relationship b e t w e e n interdisciplinary research and public art requires e x a m i n a t i o n as b o t h t h e o r y and practice. W h a t t h e o r i e s shape and 12

i n f o r m an artist's work? And h o w does the work itself acquire an effect or appearance that m i g h t be described as interdisciplinary? Several brief case studies help illum i n a t e the c o m p l e x relationship of interdisciplinarity, public art, and democracy.

D e u t s c h e imagines and expects fruitful c o n n e c t i o n s b e t w e e n democracy and interdisciplinarity.

It is n o t s u r p r i s i n g , t h e n , that she is interested in KrzysztofWodiczko, w h o s e e n d u r i n g intellectual preoccupation is the relationship between democracy and art.

P u b l i c A r t R e v i e w . FALL. WTR. 03

process. In addition to developing vivid, ethereal images that r e p r e s e n t d e m o c r a c y ' s u n s e t t l e d c o n d i t i o n , W o d -

Krzysztof Wodiczko, The Tijuana Project/on, 2001.

Photos courtesy Krzysztof Wodiczko and Galerie Lelong. New York

iczko has b e c o m e increasingly interested in the r e l a t i o n ship of testimony, witnessing, and public space. M i c h e l

v i d e o projections) have created o p p o r t u n i t i e s t o speak

F o u c a u l t ' s ideas o f "fearless s p e e c h " — d e v e l o p e d in a

for individuals o r c o m m u n i t i e s that are typically u n r e c -

series of lectures h e gave at the University of C a l i f o r n i a ,

o g n i z e d and u n h e a r d in t h e public realm.

Berkeley in 1 9 8 3 — h a v e shaped Wodiczko's ideas o n t h e

In a d d i t i o n to d e m o c r a t i c and political

historical relationship o f speech and democracy. M o s t ot

t h e o r i e s , W o d i c z k o has e m b r a c e d a n d i n t e g r a t e d t h e

his projects in the past ten years (both i n s t r u m e n t s and

w o r k of J u d i t h Lewis H e r m a n , a psychiatrist a n d a u t h o r of Trauma and Recovery, a n d o t h e r s w h o have e x a m i n e d p e r s o n a l crisis a n d r e n e w a l t h r o u g h t h e lens o f social justice. T h o s e w h o have b e e n m a r g i n a l i z e d o r e x c l u d e d by society f r e q u e n t l y e x p e r i e n c e t r a u m a . C o n s i d e r i n g t h e psychological, t h e r a p e u t i c , and ethical d i m e n s i o n s o f public space, W o d i c z k o proposes that it is precisely these p e o p l e , w h o are least likely to b e heard, that n e e d t o b e e n c o u r a g e d a n d e m p o w e r e d to speak. T h e s e issues are t h e subject a n d objective o f his c u r r e n t w o r k .

W o d i c z k o , w h o has created a series o f i n s t r u m e n t s — i n c l u d i n g Alien

Staff (1992),

(1993), Aegis (1998), and Dis-Armor

Porte-Parole

(2000)—to enhance

speech a n d visibility for t h e u n h e a r d a n d o v e r l o o k e d , has studied D. J. W i n n i c o t t ' s idea o f "transitional o b j e c t s " as well as N o r b e r t W i e n e r ' s imaginative w o r k o n c y b e r n e t ics and prosthetic devices. In conversation, t h e artist e l u cidates t h e s e i n d e p e n d e n t ideas, b u t also

13

intricately

c o n n e c t s t h e m t h r o u g h his o w n aesthetic practice. It is n o t an easy, seamless, o r c o m p l e t e assimilation, b u t it is searchingly integrative a n d j u d i c i o u s l y o p e n - e n d e d , o n e that rejects an a u t h o r i t a t i v e p o s i t i o n for a m o r e d e m o cratic e x p e r i e n c e of art a n d k n o w l e d g e . Interdisciplinary w o r k is an actively political a n d aesthetic endeavor.

W o d i c z k o is interested in t h e seizure of public space. Seizure has b o t h political a n d p a t h o l o g i c a l P u b l i c A r t R e v i e w . FALL. WTR. 03

In a n o t h e r p r o j e c t that appropriates and criticizes the g r o w i n g culture o f intrusive surveillance, Surveillance C a m e r a Players p e r f o r m in f r o n t of

CCTV

cameras. F o u n d e d in 1996, the g r o u p , w h i c h has n o t h e ater professionals, has p e r f o r m e d classic plays s u c h as Orwell's 1984 a n d Beckett's Waiting for Godot. T h e surveillance p e r f o r m a n c e s e x p o s e c o n c e a l e d o r disguised cameras and subvert the institutional gaze, t u r n i n g clandestine c a m e r a o p e r a t o r s i n t o an i n a d v e r t e n t theatrical a u d i e n c e . A n d that a u d i e n c e also includes t h e p e d e s t r i ans w h o w a t c h these strange, silent p e r f o r m a n c e s .

As these and o t h e r projects demonstrate,

Group Material, Democracy, Dia A r t Foundation, N e w York City, N.Y., 1988.

a u d i e n c e and subject m a t t e r are perhaps the most salient

Photo by Ken Schles

d i m e n s i o n s of interdisciplinary w o r k . W h o is interdisciplinary w o r k for and w h a t issues does it engage? O f t e n

i n s i n u a t i o n s . It suggests that p u b l i c space is h e l d a n d

interdisciplinary tactics a t t e m p t to reach multiple a u d i -

c o n t r o l l e d by t h o s e w h o are e m p o w e r e d to speak, as

ences. Projects are staged over t i m e and in different situ-

W o d i c z k o , citing J u r g e n H a b e r m a s and Foucault, w o u l d

ations h a v i n g m u l t i p l e phases o r c o m p o n e n t s . G r o u p

suggest. T h e r e is also t h e invocation of a s u d d e n , t r a u -

Material's l e g e n d a r y Democracy p r o j e c t (1990) i n c l u d e d

matic o c c u r r e n c e — a n i m a g e that c o n n e c t s to a n u m b e r

e x h i b i t i o n s , interviews, installations, r o u n d t a b l e discus-

o f o t h e r artists w h o b r i n g an interdisciplinary p e r s p e c -

sions, and publications. S o m e t i m e s , the creative process

tive to public art a n d public space. I f W o d i c z k o is d e d i -

itself involves p a r t i c i p a n t s as researchers, i n t e r v i e w e e s ,

cated to giving invisible citizens visibility—especially in

collaborators, or artists. M a r t h a Rosler's IfYou Lived Here:

his r e c e n t v i d e o projects Charlestown Hiroshima

Projection

(2000),

and

Projection (1999), Tijuana

The City in Art, Theory, and Social Activism (1989) remains

Projection

o n e of the m o s t significant examples of interdisciplinary

(20.01)—other artists are keenly interested, and perhaps

w o r k a c c o m m o d a t i n g variable f o r m s and m e t h o d s w h i l e

a l a r m e d , by t h e proliferating systems and g r o w i n g c e n -

also inviting significant levels of e n g a g e m e n t and partici-

tralization of o b s e r v i n g citizens in public space.

pation t h r o u g h o p e n , d e m o c r a t i c f o r u m s .

T h e subject of d e m o c r a c y and p a n o p t i c

C i t i n g social practices and surveillance

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

in h e r discursive practice, A l e x a n d e r Alberro examines,

w o r k . N o t surprisingly, m u c h of it results f r o m c o l l a b o rations a m o n g artists, designers, and o t h e r scholars and

(right) Betti-Sue Hertz, Casita project, installation in

professionals. W h i l e W o d i c z k o offers a vivid e x a m p l e of

"City:Visions and Revisions," in the exhibition cycle

a single artist w h o w o r k s f r o m an interdisciplinary p e r spective w i t h different constituencies, artists' collabora-

IfYou Lived Here, organized by Martha Rosier at the Dia A r t Foundation, N e w York, 1989.

Photo by Open Slor

tives f r e q u e n t l y are f o r m e d to e n c o u r a g e a n d e x p l o i t ( b e l o w ) A section of the "Homeless" exhibition including

multidisciplinary a n d interdisciplinary w o r k .

Founded

in

1998, t h e

Institute

for

A p p l i e d A u t o n o m y is a collection o f artists, e n g i n e e r s , a n d activists i n t e r e s t e d in q u e s t i o n s o f p u b l i c space, expression, a n d surveillance. iSee (2001) ( w w w . a p p l i e d a u t o n o m y . c o m / i s e e / ) is a p u b l i c o n - l i n e W e b p r o j e c t 14

that e x a m i n e s the proliferation of closed-circuit television surveillance cameras in cities. U s i n g data assembled by the N e w York C i t y Surveillance C a m e r a Project, iSee presents a m a p of N e w York C i t y locating all k n o w n surveillance cameras. P a r t i c i p a n t s in this o n g o i n g p r o j e c t may subject a p l a n n e d walk in the city to r o u t e - p l a n n i n g software developed by the collaborative g r o u p that offers a "path of least surveillance." T h e research and d e p l o y m e n t of iSee involved a variety of fields and perspectives to i m a g i n e alternative spaces of democracy.

P u b l i c A r t R e v i e w . FALL. WTR. 03

MadHousers' Hut and other works, in the exhibition cycle IfYou Lived Here, organized by Martha Rosier at the Dia A r t Foundation, N e w York, 1989.

Photo courtesy Martha Rosier

a m o n g o t h e r issues, t h e i n t e r d i s c i p l i n a r y n a t u r e

of

M a r t h a Rosler's w o r k , w h i c h has aggressively a v o i d e d

inclusive process h e l p e d create an alternative, i n d e p e n d e n t public sphere.

If a significant s u b j e c t o f p u b l i c art is

association w i t h any material, genre, o r categorical style "Rosier

w h a t is public, it seems that interdisciplinarity offers a

h a d . . . b e e n l o o k i n g for ways to b e n d fences o f the art

f r u i t f u l , if n o t indispensable, resource. Q u e s t i o n s of p u b -

while

pursuing

an

ideological

continuity.

w o r l d , slip past its b o u n d a r i e s , and fill its silences. Artistic

lic space, a g r o w i n g p a n o p t i c e n v i r o n m e n t , t h e r e l a t i o n -

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

ship of d e m o c r a c y and i m m i g r a t i o n , rights a n d liberties,

questions and m a k i n g a r g u m e n t s . T o p u r s u e a practice of

a n d t h e i n f l u e n c e o f f e m i n i s m o n spatial practices invari-

art as an investigative endeavor, she w o u l d have to c o n -

ably r e q u i r e m u l t i p l e lens a n d p e r s p e c t i v e s . B u t it is

sider a n u m b e r of artistic c o n v e n t i o n s

i m p o r t a n t t o k e e p in m i n d D e u t s c h e ' s ideas o n

T h e first of

the

t h e s e . . . t h a t w o u l d have to be evaluated was t h e n o t i o n

abuses o f i n t e r d i s c i p l i n a r y w o r k . D e u t s c h e

questions

of closure." 6

w h e t h e r — a n d w h e n and how—interdisciplinary work Rosler's If You Lived Here was b o t h an

simply asserts a n e w k i n d of c o n f o r m i s t t r a d i t i o n r a t h e r

i n d e p e n d e n t artist's p r o j e c t a n d a collaborative process.

t h a n challenges a u t h o r i t a t i v e k n o w l e d g e , as is a c h i e v e d

S p o n s o r e d by t h e Dia Art F o u n d a t i o n (as was G r o u p

by m a n y f e m i n i s t social analysts and theorists. " R a d i c a l

Material's Democracy project), R o s i e r e x a m i n e d h o m e -

interdisciplinary w o r k , in o t h e r words, takes a c c o u n t o f

lessness, h o u s i n g , g e n t r i f i c a t i o n , art, a n d

urbanism

its o w n spatial relations. It interrogates t h e e p i s t e m o l o g -

t h r o u g h a series of three curatorial projects o n W o o s t e r

ical basis a n d political stakes o f disciplinary a u t h o r i t y .

and

Less interdisciplinary t h a n postdisciplmary, such w o r k is

f o r u m s w i t h artists, activists, homeless and u n d e r h o u s e d

based o n t h e premise that objects o f study are t h e effect

people, and advocacy groups. She p u r s u e d interdiscipli-

r a t h e r than t h e g r o u n d of disciplinary study." 7

S t r e e t in N e w York, a n d r e l a t e d c o n v e r s a t i o n s

n a r y w o r k t h r o u g h research, s u b j e c t m a t t e r , a e s t h e t i c p r o d u c t i o n , and audience. As A l b e r r o observes, her o p e n .

I n t e r d i s c i p l i n a r y p u b l i c art is always a critical practice that inevitably raises q u e s t i o n s a b o u t t h e m e a n i n g of c o n t e m p o r a r y d e m o c r a c y . Interdisciplinarity is n o t simply an i n d i s c r i m i n a t e a m a l g a m a t i o n o f c o n v e n t i o n s f r o m different fields, b u t a f a c e t e d way of l o o k ing at the f o r m a t i o n of k n o w l e d g e and the public realm.

THE CAS1TA PROMT

" A n d w h e n w e ask ourselves, W h a t does this m e a n ? w e are calling o n o u r ability to t h i n k a l o n e a n d t o g e t h e r in a w a y t h a t p r e p a r e s us t o m a k e j u d g m e n t s , t o m a k e choices, to take responsibility in t h e w o r l d o f action w e share w i t h o t h e r s . " 8 Interdisciplinary aesthetic practices are a way to t h i n k critically and act publicly.

Patricia C. Phillips is a professor of art at the State University of N e w York at N e w Paltz. She is editor-in-chief of Art Journal and an independent writer on contemporary art.

Notes 1. M i n n i c h , E l i z a b e t h K a m a r c k .

5. F r o m an i n t e r v i e w w i t h K r z y s z t o f

Transforming

W o d i c z k o t h a t will a p p e a r in Art

Knowledge.

Philadelphia:

T e m p l e U n i v e r s i t y Press, 1990,

Journal, W i n t e r 2 0 0 3 .

187-88.

;tlWJKW

6. A l b e r r o , A l e x a n d e r . " T h e D i a l e c 2. D e u t s c h e , R o s a l y n . Evictions:

MiyjiR!'";1

Antonio Tlrado viMtd to buBd hU twill in the H)k of« thine* pigodi «o In hrird fromhti friend I hit • breoootlcfc firtorj •»»> going out o( boilntu I* «wl up ind bo«gM lo« of Ihtm. Mr then cw*MnKlrd Mj r»tll« milrrlj mil of broormltVv lib Cttill indgirden builder frtffldt lovtd Ihem. 10 he K»<c I hem oul for people to lue. No. >on cmn we ill o\«f lh< neighborhood.

AnKxiioTlrado loll lhi> uory 10 Sunn SI)«novki In ibe tcwnci of IW*. Suun moll It In i rrmcmbrm) imkn lo Drill-Sue llcru In Ihe Spring of I9S9.

An

15

tics o f E v e r y d a y Life: M a r t h a R o s i e r

and Spatial Practices. C a m b r i d g e ,

a n d t h e S t r a t e g y o f t h e D e c o y , " in

Mass: M . l . T . Press, 1 9 9 6 , 1 9 5 .

Martha Rosier: Positions in the Life

3. D e u t s c h e , 196.

Z e g h e r . C a m b r i d g e , Mass: M . l . T .

World, e d i t e d by C a t h e r i n e d e

Press, 1998, 85.

4. Butler, J o h n a n d M a l c o l m Miles. " I n t r o d u c t i o n . " in Locality, tion & Diversities,

Regenera-

7. D e u t s c h e , 2 0 8 .

e d i t e d by Sarah

B e n n e t t a n d J o h n B u t l e r . Bristol,

8. M i n n i c h , 188.

U . K . : Intellect B o o k s , 2 0 0 0 , 1 1 .

P u b l i c A r t R e v i e w . FALL. WTR. 03

DANCING IN PLACE

Miriam

Seidel

I

SAW MY F I R S T S I T E - S P E C I F I C D A N C E P E R F O R M A N C E A B O U T T W E N T Y Y E A R S A G O , AT T H E Y E L L O W

Springs Institute for C o n t e m p o r a r y Arts in rural C h e s t e r Springs, Pennsylvania. I r e m e m b e r t h e six w o m e n of A g a p e D a n c e r s leaving t h e dark t h e a t e r space, a n d

t h e n the curtains b e h i n d the stage o p e n i n g , f r a m i n g a v i e w t h r o u g h t h e large w i n d o w of the dancers m o v i n g o n the grassy hillside j u s t outside. I was transfixed. T h e e x p e r i e n c e s n a p p e d m e i n t o a n e w awareness of t h e relation b e t w e e n t h e c o n v e r t e d b a r n in w h i c h w e sat and t h e land a r o u n d it.

T h i s is w h a t site-specific d a n c e can do: c h a n g e awareness o f t h e place in w h i c h it happens. M y m e m o r y aligned in a n o t h e r way w i t h that o f Aviva D a v i d s o n , executive director of N e w York-based D a n c i n g in the Streets, p e r h a p s t h e biggest p r o d u c e r of o u t d o o r and site-specific d a n c e in the U n i t e d States. " A lot o f earlier w o r k s w e r e a d a n c e on a hill, and g o i n g u p and d o w n a hill," she r e m e m b e r s . N o w she sees e v i d e n c e ot artistic mattiration in this area: " S o m e o f the site artists w e w o r k w i t h have b e e n d o i n g this for ten o r t w e n t y years. So they k e e p e x p a n d i n g o r g r o w i n g . " In a d d i t i o n to t h e i r g r o w i n g sophistication, m o r e p e o p l e are m a k i n g site-specific d a n c e w o r k now, a n d m o r e are p r o d u c i n g it. " T h e r e are n o t h u n d r e d s ot p e o p l e d o i n g this," D a v i d s o n says. B u t w o r l d w i d e , m o r e and m o r e c h o r e o g r a p h e r s are d o i n g w o r k that engages substantially w i t h place. M a n y c h o r e o g r a p h e r s s e l f - p r o d u c e w o r k that can b e c o m p l e x and logistically challenging, using a p a t c h w o r k o f f u n d i n g , b u t as u n d e r s t a n d i n g of this a r t f o r m spreads, c o m m i s s i o n s f r o m arts o r g a n i z a t i o n s a n d partnerships are g r o w i n g m o r e c o m m o n , and a n u m b e r o f d a n c e festivals f e a t u r e sitespecific w o r k .

W h i l e d a n c i n g in relation to a specific place is an activity that surely dates back to o u r s t o n e - a g e ancestors, t h e t e r m "site-specific d a n c e " g r e w o u t o f t h e same p e r i o d of e x p e r i m e n t a t i o n , t h e 1960s a n d 70s, that saw t h e e m e r g e n c e of t h e idea of site-specific sculpture. P i o n e e r i n g d a n c e r / c h o r e o g r a p h e r Trisha B r o w n m a d e s o m e of t h e earliest w o r k o f this k i n d b e g i n n i n g in 1970, w i t h Man Walking Down the Side of a Building. She f o l l o w e d w i t h o t h e r w o r k s sited in N e w York parks, o n r o o f t o p s , a n d o n rafts in a lake. Twyla T h a r p had staged large g r o u p s o f dancers in C e n t r a l Park in t h e 1960s a n d 70s, and o t h e r s t o o k their w o r k o u t of t h e theaters a n d lofts at t h e same t i m e that artists such as R o b e r t S m i t h s o n a n d Michael H e i z e r left t h e i r studios to m a k e e a r t h

17

art in r e m o t e settings.

J o a n n a H a i g o o d , a c h o r e o g r a p h e r w h o r e c e n t l y c o m p l e t e d an epic, three-city, site-specific d a n c e cycle i n v o l v i n g c o m m u n i t i e s in N e w Y o r k City, M i n neapolis, and San Francisco, r e m e m b e r s t h e p e r i o d w h e n she b e g a n d o i n g site-specific (left) Joanna Haigood, J o Kreiter,

w o r k in the late 1970s. By t h e n , o t h e r c h o r e o g r a p h e r s " h a d started f o c u s i n g o n p r o s c e -

and Sheila Lopez in Noon,

n i u m things and t o u r i n g again." She recalls reactions t o h e r w o r k , such a s , " W h y are you

San Franciso, Calif., I99S.

d o i n g [site] w o r k ? It's b e e n d o n e ; it n e v e r really e s t a b l i s h e d itself as a f o r m . " H e r

Photo by Theodora Litsios, courtesy Zaccho Dance TheatreŠ

r e s p o n s e : " W h y can't it b e a f o r m ? It's a f o r m ! It's m y f o r m ! " H a i g o o d , based in San Francisco, is part o f a g e n e r a t i o n that assimilated t h e earlier e x p e r i m e n t a l p e r i o d a n d b e g a n w o r k i n g in t h e late 1970s a n d 80s. T h e y P u b l i c A r t R e v i e w . FALL. WTR.03

notably Olive Bieringa and O t t o Ramstad, codirectors of the Minneapolis-based B o d y C a r t o g r a p h y Project, and Leah Stein D a n c e C o m p a n y in Philadelphia, have i n c o r porated the lessons of contact improvisation (another m o v e m e n t practice with roots in the 1960s and 70s) into their work in public places.

ACTIVATING PLACES

It's n o w possible—and i m p o r t a n t — t o picture a c o n t i n u u m , starting with a p e r f o r m a n c e that is simply staged in a nontheatrical venue, t h r o u g h w o r k that is shaped by its setting, and ending with a p e r f o r m ance that could n o t have h a p p e n e d a n y w h e r e else. It may be that the f u r t h e r a piece lies along this c o n t i n u u m — t h e m o r e site-specific it is—the greater will be its capacity to create the effect 1 e x p e r i e n c e d in Yellow Springs, transforming perceptions of the place.

"I think w h a t happens is that p e o p l e see things they hadn't seen," says choreographer Leah Stein. After a p e r f o r m a n c e she created at Clemson U n i versity using a staircase outside the library, an o n l o o k e r told her, "I walked by that staircase for eight years and I've never seen it the way I saw it today." T h e o t h e r choreographers I spoke with reported similar responses to performances, and Davidson affirmed that e n g e n d e r ing that kind of reaction is the goal of h e r w o r k at D a n c i n g in the Streets.

In trying to describe the effects of this Trisha Brown, Man Walking Down the Side of the Building,

process, many artists spoke of "activating" or "enliven-

N e w York City, N.Y., 1970.

i n g " places. Site-specific m o v e m e n t can minister to

Photo by Caroline Goodden ( r i g h t ) Marylee Hardenbergh, So/st/ce Falls on Friday, Minneapolis, Minn., 1985.

Photo courtesy Marylee Hardenbergh

include Marylee H a r d e n b e r g h in Minneapolis, k n o w n f o r h e r large-scale w o r k s o f t e n involving rivers and i n c o r p o r a t i n g the m o v e m e n t of boats, trucks, and heavy m a c h i n e r y . In Los Angeles, Heidi D u c k l e r has staged dozens of works in everyday settings including a laundromat, a gas station, and an unfinished office building.

Stephan K o p l o w i t z has m a d e w o r k in N e w York and 18

L o n d o n engaging with grand structures of public buildings. T a m a r R o g o f f , also based in N e w York, has designed several m e m o r a b l e p e r f o r m a n c e works involving w h o l e communities.

A n o t h e r generation of artists w h o came of age in the 1990s have b r o u g h t n e w sensibilities and possibilities to this area. Amelia R u d o l p h , w h o f o u n d e d her vertical-dance c o m p a n y Project Bandaloop in 1991, has h e l p e d crystallize a n e w g e n r e of o u t d o o r aerial dance on cliffs, m o u n t a i n s i d e s , and buildings. O t h e r s ,

P u b l i c A r t R e v i e w . FALL. WTR. 03

u n d e r u s e d , liminal spacesâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;vacant lots, p o l l u t e d w a t e r w a y s â&#x20AC;&#x201D; a n d to u r b a n ruins. It can e x p a n d awareness of n a r r o w - u s e areas, such as business districts. A n d it can

Heidi Duckler, Mother Ditch, Collage Dance Theatre, Los Angeles, Calif., 1995.

Photo by Jeff Kurt Peterson

h e i g h t e n one's e x p e r i e n c e o f s t r u c t u r e s a n d areas that are already c h a r g e d w i t h decades o f historical use.

t o w e r in San Francisco. T h e t o w e r h a d b e e n c u t off f r o m

(1995),

t h e d o w n t o w n area by a freeway for m a n y years. H a i -

m e m b e r s of her Z a c c h o D a n c e T h e a t r e rappelled d o w n

good's p e r f o r m a n c e came after the treeway had b e e n

and a r o u n d the clock face of the Ferry Building's clock

t o r n d o w n f o l l o w i n g the 1989 e a r t h q u a k e , revealing t h e

In J o a n n a

Haigood's

Noon

f o r g o t t e n b u i l d i n g b e f o r e developers restored it. " T h e r e w e r e t h o u s a n d s o f p e o p l e there," H a i g o o d n o t e s ot t h e performance, "and there were many people w h o never had c o n s i d e r e d t h e b e a u t y a n d t h e i n f l u e n c e that this clock had o n their daily routines."

T h e same year, H e i d i D u c k l e r ' s C o l l a g e D a n c e T h e a t e r p e r f o r m e d Mother of Wilderness

Found

Ditch: A

in a River Abridged,

Celebration

a p i e c e at t h e

c h a l l e n g i n g site of an u r b a n r u i n in Los Angeles. A b a n d o n e d c o n c r e t e piers m a r k e d t h e o u t f l o w ot w h a t had o n c e b e e n a stream n e x t to a G a b r i e l i n o I n d i a n village.

D u n e buggies, projected images, and a floating metal b e d f r a m e all b e c a m e part of an e v o c a t i o n ot t h e losses

19

a n d changes t h e site e m b o d i e d .

Bieringa a n d R a m s t a d ' s B o d y C a r t o g r a p h y P r o j e c t has c r e a t e d w o r k s at S u t r o B a t h s , t h e h u l k i n g c o n c r e t e r e m a i n s o f a massive

public-bath

c o m p l e x o n a San Francisco b e a c h . T h e y have also p e r f o r m e d in n u m e r o u s Bay Area locations, f r o m an alley to t h e pristine C i v i c C e n t e r Plaza, and in p u b l i c p a r k areas in N e w Z e a l a n d a n d C a n a d a , i n c l u d i n g an a m b i tious w o r k

on and around

New

Zealand's

Mount

P u b l i c A r t R e v i e w . FALL. WTR.03

W h a r e p a p a . For t h e m , " a c t i v a t i o n " of t h e site is an o u t g r o w t h o f t h e i r w o r k i n g process, o f t e n b u i l d i n g o n improvisational m o v e m e n t "scores" a n d d r a w i n g heavily on

t h e p r i n c i p l e s o f s e n s o r y awareness a n d

engagement

with

partners

that

underlie

active contact

improvisation. " T h e r e ' s an e n l i v e n i n g that h a p p e n s for m e , " says the N e w Z e a l a n d - b o r n Bieringa, " e v e n w h e n I ' m w o r k i n g in an alley, that h a p p e n s in letting myself t u n e i n t o the detail of the space." R a m s t a d calls it "list e n i n g w i t h the body, really paying a t t e n t i o n to sensat i o n a n d d i f f e r e n t physical forces." In effect, t h e site b e c o m e s the partner. Bieringa emphasizes h e r lack of interest in d e v e l o p i n g a style or even a g e n r e of dance; she prefers to call h e r w o r k a "practice."

LARGE-SCALE

IMPLICATIONS

W o r k i n g o u t s i d e t h e t h e a t r i c a l black b o x also allows o t h e r w i s e - u n i m a g i n a b l e increases in scale and o p e n s the d o o r for spectacle and pageantry, in a way that is rarely available to c o n t e m p o r a r y artists in any m e d i u m . M a r y l e e H a r d e n b e r g h ' s regular, w e l l a t t e n d e d s u m m e r - s o l s t i c e events in M i n n e a p o l i s have s p a n n e d a b r i d g e over t h e Mississippi R i v e r , involving d o z e n s of dancers, kayakers, and boats. H e r o t h e r p e r f o r m a n c e s have i n c o r p o r a t e d tall b u i l d i n g s , a l i f t i n g bridge, a barge, and c h o r e o g r a p h e d

cherry-pickers.

S t e p h a n Koplowitz's sweeping, m u l t i d a n c e r works, such Body Cartography, Sutro Baths, San Francisco, Calif,

Photo by Heather Pierce

as his Genesis

Canyon

at L o n d o n ' s N a t u r a l

History

M u s e u m , have also reached audiences in the thousands. (below left) Leah Stein,June Bug,

Performances

Bartram's Garden, Philadelphia, Penn., 1997.

Amelia R u d o l p h ' s Project B a n d a l o o p have led to c o m -

Photo by Tom Graylish

in

stunning

wilderness

locations

by

missions to create similar large-scale w o r k s for t h e 1998

( b e l o w m i d d l e ) Project Bandaloop, Crossing:

U n i t e d N a t i o n s C l i m a t e C h a n g e C o n f e r e n c e in B u e n o s

Wild Cat Point, Calif., 2001.

Aires, and o t h e r events.

Photo by Corey RichŠ

Leah Stein has used t h e

panoramic

Philadelphia skyline as a backdrop for a piece p e r f o r m e d around the historic riverside h o m e of botanist J o h n Bar-

Project Bandaloop, event for U ' w a people of Columbia, Creative Artist Agency Building, Los Angeles, Calif., 2002.

Photo by Dang NgoŠ

tram. She realized at a certain point that she had been influenced by a m e m o r y of Peter Schumann's Bread &

" b e i n g able to d r a w t h e eye a l o n g really l o n g , d e e p

Puppet Theater, p e r f o r m i n g on its rural land in V e r m o n t

space, or b e i n g able to b r i n g s o m e t h i n g f r o m a great dis-

"pieces that expanded over such a great landscape.There

tance forward over an e x t e n d e d p e r i o d of time."

were things close u p and things far away, great things crossing h u g e spaces." From her hrst site piece, she began

A U D I E N C E AND C O M M U N I T Y

to adjust the kinds of m o v e m e n t s she used (she has

Like practitioners of public art in o t h e r

w o r k e d w i t h b o t h dancers and n o n d a n c e r s ) , m a k i n g

media, the makers and presenters of site-specific dance

t h e m m o r e "simple, but attended to in the landscape."

develop a h e i g h t e n e d awareness of h o w audiences will

J o a n n a H a i g o o d has also b e c o m e aware of c o m p o s i n g

receive the w o r k . "It's an exchange w i t h the audience,"

m o v e m e n t in n e w ways as her scale has g r o w n larger,

says Aviva D a v i d s o n . B e f o r e each p e r f o r m a n c e , " w e spend a lot of t i m e t h i n k i n g w h e r e shall they sit, and

(below r i g h t ) Joanna Haigood, Picture Red Hook, Brooklyn, N.Y., 2002.

Photo by Ted Maki, courtesy Zaccho Dance TheatreŠ

h o w will they be greeted, and h o w will they b e c o m -

h u g e , old grain elevators that had b e c o m e a h a u n t i n g r e m i n d e r of the n e i g h b o r h o o d ' s m o r e prosperous past.

D a n c e r s rappelled o n the walls alongside h u n d r e d - f o o t slide p r o j e c t i o n s of R e d H o o k people, c u l m i n a t i n g in a p h o t o i m a g e of o n e t h o u s a n d c o m m u n i t y m e m b e r s . " I t was e x q u i s i t e , " says D a v i d s o n . " I t s h o w e d t h e visual i m p a c t site w o r k can have, a n d it s h o w e d the c o n n e c t i o n to a c o m m u n i t y . " T a m a r R o g o f F has created several c o m m u n i t y - b a s e d w o r k s that c o u l d b e called " c o m m u n i t y specific." R o g o f f , w h o lived for several years in Varanasi ( f o r m e r l y Benares), India, a c k n o w l e d g e s t h e p o w e r f u l i n f l u e n c e the m a n y large-scale, o u t d o o r religious p r o cessions and p e r f o r m a n c e s t h e r e had o n her, particularly t h e yearly r e - e n a c t m e n t o f t h e R a m a y a n a . " P e o p l e w o u l d take roles in a cast of h u n d r e d s and h u n d r e d s of p e o p l e , " she r e m e m b e r s , " w i t h s i m u l t a n e o u s

scenes

g o i n g o n . It just b l e w m e away."

In 1994, R o g o f f traveled to Ivye, the village in Belorus w h e r e her father's family had emigrated f r o m . O v e r the s u m m e r , she recruited actors, musicians, and t o w n s p e o p l e to enact a d a n c e - t h e a t e r piece in the w o o d s , on the site w h e r e J e w s — h e r relatives i n c l u d e d — Tamar Rogoff, The Ivye Project, Lithuanian actor with Belarussian child of

had b e e n m u r d e r e d d u r i n g World War 11. T h e rest of the

Holocaust survivors, Ivye, Belarus, 1994.

town made up the audience. "Everybody k n e w those

Photo by Aaron Paley

were the paths the Jews walked to their deaths," she says. brought

together

f o r t a b l e . " T h e B o d y C a r t o g r a p h y Project's early p e r f o r m -

m a n y m e m b e r s of h e r o w n p r e d o m i n a n t l y

Hispanic

ances involved a k i n d of guerilla d a n c e — u n a n n o u n c e d

n e i g h b o r h o o d o n N e w York's Lower East Side to tell and

actions in public buses o r o n traffic islands, involving a

re-enact

n u m b e r of dancers. B u t they always assigned a " b r i d g e "

r e t u r n — o n rooftops, in the street, and in a schoolyard.

H e r 1997 w o r k Demeter's

story

of P e r s e p h o n e ' s

abduction

and

p e r s o n , dressed in street clothes, to m i n g l e w i t h o n l o o k -

In w o r k s like these, the ingredients of

ers a n d e n c o u r a g e c o n v e r s a t i o n . M o r e recently, t h e y

o n e c o n t e m p o r a r y a r t f o r m — m o v e m e n t and music, t h e

have e x p e r i m e n t e d w i t h v i d e o as a b r i d g e to the a u d i -

o u t d o o r s , a deeply involved audience, a sense of altered

e n c e . T h e i r w e e k - l o n g d a n c e trek o n t h e f o r b i d d i n g

e x p e r i e n c e — b e g i n to a p p r o x i m a t e those of a traditional

M o u n t W h a r e p a p a was m a d e i n t o a video, w h i c h they

ritual event. " M y m o s t i n t i m a t e theatrical e x p e r i e n c e s

b r o u g h t to nearby t o w n s a n d t h e n screened o u t d o o r s ,

h a p p e n in site w o r k , " R o g o f f says. She cites " t h e e n e r g y

s o m e t i m e s a d d i n g an i m p r o m p t u live p e r f o r m a n c e . T h e y

o f so m a n y p e o p l e , t h e i n h e r e n t s p i r i t u a l i t y o f b e i n g

t h e n dispersed i n t o the a u d i e n c e and asked for responses

u n d e r the sky."

to t h e live a n d m e d i a t e d w o r k .

22

the

Daughter

J o a n n a H a i g o o d echoes this s e n t i m e n t ,

Artists in this field have also, like o t h e r

speaking of her p e r f o r m a n c e s at R e d H o o k , the clock

public artists, f o l l o w e d an arc of g r o w i n g sophistication

t o w e r , a n d e l s e w h e r e : " P e o p l e are o u t in t h e air, a n d

in t h e c o m p l e x process o f e n g a g i n g w i t h c o m m u n i t i e s ,

these are very magical and very charged places. So you

w h e n this is an aspect of the w o r k . J o a n n a Haigood's Pic-

just kind of ride that magic, a n d it envelops p e o p l e and it

ture Red Hook (2002), t h e c e n t e r p i e c e of her t h r e e - c i t y

b e c o m e s kind of a larger-than-life e x p e r i e n c e . "

cycle, may b e c o m e a l a n d m a r k of large-scale, c o m m u nity-based site p e r f o r m a n c e . C o m m i s s i o n e d by D a n c i n g

All quotations in this article arc from interviews the author

in t h e Streets, a n d h e l p e d by t h a t o r g a n i z a t i o n ' s l o n g

conducted with Olive Bieringa, Aviva Davidson, Joanna

p r e s e n c e in t h e isolated a n d i m p o v e r i s h e d R e d

good, Otto Ramstad, Tamar Rogoff, and Leah

Hook

Hai-

Stein.

section of B r o o k l y n , H a i g o o d d e v e l o p e d a p i e c e that i n c o r p o r a t e d images a n d stories f r o m c o m m u n i t y m e m -

Miriam Seidel is a corresponding editor for Art in America, and covers dance

bers. T h e n i g h t - t i m e p e r f o r m a n c e t o o k place o n t h e

regularly for the Philadelphia

P u b l i c A r t R e v i e w . FALL. WTR. 03

Inquirer and numerous other publications.

INTERACTIVE PUBLICS

Steve Dietz

The presence of all kinds of electronic displays is an essential part of contemporary architecture. This new "screen architecture" already has its classics (for instance, Prada's store in NYC by OMA/Kram, or the Facsimile project by Diller + Scofidio), but since in the near future every surface may become an electronic screen and/or a working computer, we are just at the very beginnings of what promises to become a whole new field.

—Lev Manovich1

F

V

HYSICALLY, FACSIMILE,

DILLER

+

SCOFIDIO'S NEW COMMISSION

F O R T H E SAN

FRANCISCO

* M o s c o n e C e n t e r E x p a n s i o n Project, is a 1 0 0 - f o o t - t a l l steel a r m a t u r e h o l d i n g a

f i f t e e n - f o o t by t w e n t y - f i v e - f o o t LED v i d e o m o n i t o r that m o v e s a l o n g t h e e x t e r i o r of t h e building's s e c o n d - s t o r y glass facade. A live v i d e o f e e d of t h e i n t e r i o r l o b b y is broadcast o n the LED screen. S e g m e n t s of fictional, p r e r e c o r d e d v i d e o p r o g r a m s that appear to b e live are r a n d o m l y substituted o n t h e screen. O n t h e rear ot t h e sign, r e a d able f r o m t h e i n t e r i o r l o b b y space, are f o u r h o r i z o n t a l , a l p h a - n u m e r i c

LEDs

that m o d i f y

a live feed f r o m G o o g l e , a process designed by B e n R u b i n a n d M a r k H a n s e n . T h e effect is to create a kinetic, t e x t - a n d i m a g e - b a s e d spectacle that is familiar yet reverses private a n d public spheres, broadcasting t h e inside to t h e outside a n d vice versa, a n d that is f u r ther denaturalized by inserting fictional v i d e o s e g m e n t s a n d s c r a m b l i n g t h e n e w s feed.

ConceptLially, Facsimile

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

i n c o g n i t a b e t w e e n the siren call ot n e w t e c h n o l o g i e s that p r o m i s e t o u p g r a d e the very n o t i o n of site-specific public art, and t h e p r a g m a t i c realities of a t t e m p t i n g to d o so.

B e n e a t h the b u r e a u c r a t i c surface of San Francisco Arts C o m m i s s i o n m i n u t e s is a tale o f n e a r - H o m e r i c p r o p o r t i o n s in w h i c h D i r e c t o r o f P u b l i c A r t Jill M a n t o n n a v i g a t e s b e t w e e n the Scylla of Diller + S c o f i d i o s thrilling yet shifting vision for t h e i r p r o j e c t , a n d the C h a r y b d i s of technical difficulties and p r a g m a t i c snafus. Is it w o r t h it? As n o t e d n e w m e d i a theorist Lev M a n o v i c h p o i n t s o u t , already Diller + Scofidio's Facsimile is a classic p o r t e n t o f w h a t t h e f u t u r e holds. I n t e r v i e w s w i t h d o z e n s o f artists a n d a d m i n i s trators reveal a wave of public art c o m m i s s i o n i n g that is increasingly a m b i t i o u s t e c h n o logically and aims to e n g a g e b r o a d a u d i e n c e s in public venues. W h a t lessons can b e learned f r o m this w o r k ? W h a t are t h e philosophical reasons f o r c o m m i s s i o n i n g it? H o w best to p r o d u c e such w o r k ? W h a t a b o u t m a i n t e n a n c e a n d obsolescence?

W h a t is interactive public art? Interactive. Participatory. M u l t i m e d i a .

23

M e t a m e d i a . Digital. C o m p u t a t i o n a l . N e w m e d i a . T h e r e is n o generally a c c e p t e d t e r m i n o l o g y for t h e w o r k u n d e r discussion. T h i s article focuses o n w o r k that is p e r m a n e n t l y installed in public spaces that are n o t art spaces, uses c o m p u t a t i o n to i n c o r p o r a t e p a r t i c ipant a n d / o r e n v i r o n m e n t a l i n p u t (in o t h e r w o r d s , it's d y n a m i c ) , a n d uses m o r e t h a n o n e m e d i u m — - t e x t , audio, video, sculpture, t h e Web, a n d so f o r t h .

FROM THE HEAD OF Z E U S — N O T

M u l t i m e d i a p u b l i c art t h a t is r e s p o n s i v e is n o t w i t h o u t a history, w h e t h e r it is t h e immersive, p a n o r a m a - b a s e d e n v i r o n m e n t s o f a D a g u e r r e in t h e m i d P u b l i c Art R e v i e w . FALL. WTR. 03

n i n e t e e n t h c e n t u r y o r t h e architectural s o u n d a n d light shows of a Nicolas S c h o f f e r in the m i d - t w e n t i e t h c e n tury. In

1976, C r e a t i v e T i m e

commissioned

Max

N e u h a u s to create Round: Sonnd for Concave Surfaces for "Ms. Manton r e p o r t e d on the status of the

the d o m e d r o t u n d a of the U.S. C u s t o m H o u s e in B o w l -

Diller + Scofidio project for the M o s c o n e

ing G r e e n . Round

C e n t e r . . . . Ms. Manton is confident in

the a u d i e n c e heard o n e f u n d a m e n t a l p i t c h w i t h various

Mitsubishi's quality and will s e e k a sole

o v e r t o n e s circulating a r o u n d t h e space via a r i n g of six-

was a t h r e e - d a y event d u r i n g w h i c h

s o u r c e e x e m p t i o n for Mitsubishi from the

teen speakers. In 1980, Kit Galloway and S h e r r i e R a b i -

Human Rights C o m m i s s i o n because of

n o w i t z ' s Hole-in-Space,

their proprietary patented t e c h n o l o g y "

b e t w e e n L i n c o l n C e n t e r f o r t h e P e r f o r m i n g Arts in

(September 25,2001).

N e w York C i t y a n d t h e B r o a d w a y d e p a r t m e n t store

a telematic projection

portal

located in C e n t u r y City's o p e n - a i r s h o p p i n g center, was s p r u n g o n an u n s u s p e c t i n g p u b l i c t h a t t h r o n g e d t h e "Ms. Manton reminded the C o m m i s s i o n e r s

event space in increasing n u m b e r s over three nights. A n d

that artist team Diller + Scofidio had t o

at v a r i o u s festivals t h r o u g h o u t t h e w o r l d , h u n d r e d s of

redesign the e q u i p m e n t o n c e before w h e n

interactive public art projects have b e e n p r e s e n t e d for

S A C O w e n t bankrupt and Mitsubishi was

a n y w h e r e f r o m a f e w h o u r s to a f e w weeks by R o b e r t

hired for t h e job" ( D e c e m b e r I 3, 2001).

A d r i a n , R o y Ascott, R a f a e l L o z a n o - H e m m e r , C h r i s t i a n Moeller, Bureau

o f Inverse T e c h n o l o g y ,

Knowbotic

R e s e a r c h , Surveillance C a m e r a Players, a n d d o z e n s o f o t h e r artists and groups.

"Mitsubishi is n o w proposing an air intake and cooling system comprised of 6 0 small units. Ms. M a n t o n . . . s u g g e s t e d that

"PERMANENCE"

in o r d e r t o m o n i t o r the cooling system, a

W h i l e the history of t e m p o r a r y installa-

c o m p u t e r would have t o be installed" (Jan-

tions is r i c h , p e r m a n e n t p u b l i c art has b e e n relatively

uary 1 6 , 2 0 0 2 ) .

u n c o m m o n . Jump

Cuts (1996) by Diller + Scofidio and

"Ms. Manton explained that because Mitsubishi repeatedly r e s p o n d e d in an untimely manner with information that was frequently inaccurate, artist Ric Scofidio c o n t a c t e d a n o t h e r LED vendor" (March 20, 2002).

"Because the large-scale LED screen is such a specialized project, it has been difficult t o find a manufacturer w h o could s e r v e as a true collaborator with this project. After t h r e e attempts with o t h e r 24

companies, Ms. Diller said that she believes they have found a true collaborator in

• j . J*

MultiMedia, the current LED company,

!SiSs*

and that she is very happy with their service s o far" (May 22, 2002).

f P u b l i c A r t R e v i e w . FALL. WTR. 03

I

«a»P . V

/

71si

•

uiKii

i o K W t K I

2. . §. . i j ] f i « iI

n i l

I

1/ if I f I f f ! i n tit

|

Paul Lewis (with technical s u p p o r t by Ben R u b i n ) was a r e w o r k i n g of t h e t r a d i t i o n a l t h e a t e r m a r q u e e at t h e U n i t e d Artists C i n e p l e x in San Jose. N o t u n r e l a t e d to the i n s i d e / o u t s i d e , p u b l i c / p r i v a t e binaries o f Facsimile, Jump

Cuts placed a row of twelve large LCI) panels on

"Motion t o authorize D i r e c t o r of Cultural

the theater's glass facade. M o u n t e d in t h e lobby, a m a t c h -

Affairs t o e n t e r into final c o n t r a c t with Liz

ing set of p r o j e c t o r s cycled t h r o u g h live images of p e o -

Diller and Ric Scofidio for a r t w o r k for the

ple o n t h e a t e r escalators, trailers o f m o v i e s s u p p l i e d

M o s c o n e Expansion project in an a m o u n t

m o n t h l y by U n i t e d Artists on laser disks, and a transpar-

n o t t o e x c e e d $ 3 5 5 , 0 0 0 " (June 19, 2 0 0 2 ) .

ent m o d e w h e r e the theater lobby could be viewed t h r o u g h the panels. In 2000, however, U n i t e d Artists left the c o m p l e x , w h i c h is n o w a b a n d o n e d , and even if it is

"Motion t o authorize t h e D i r e c t o r of

resurrected as an active C i n e p l e x , trailers are n o l o n g e r

Cultural Affairs t o e n t e r into final c o n t r a c t

distributed o n laser disk, so significant r e p r o g r a m m i n g of

with artist team of Diller + Scofidio for

b o t h hardware a n d software w o u l d b e necessary.

final implementation of their a r t w o r k

N e w York-based ECOSYSTM,

artist J o h n

Klima's

c o m m i s s i o n e d by Z u r i c h Capital M a r k e t s

and installed in its N e w York offices, uses r e a l - t i m e data

entitled Facsimile at M o s c o n e C e n t e r W e s t for a total a m o u n t n o t t o e x c e e d $ 4 4 7 , 4 5 2 " (July 1 , 2 0 0 2 ) .

for global currencies, m a r k e t indexes, a n d t h e w e a t h e r c o n d i t i o n s at JKF a i r p o r t to drive a simulation e n v i r o n m e n t w i t h f l o c k i n g birds (currencies), b r a n c h i n g trees

"Ms. Manton r e p o r t e d that t h e Diller +

(market indexes), and c l o u d f o r m a t i o n s (weather). T h e

Scofidio project at t h e n e w M o s c o n e

p r o j e c t requires only a data c o n n e c t i o n , electricity, and a

C e n t e r has been the victim of c o n t r a c t o r complications" ( O c t o b e r 1 6 , 2 0 0 2 ) .

Diller + Scofidio, Facsimile (model), San Francisco, Calif., 2003.

Photo courtesy San Francisco Art Commission

"Ms. Manton passed around a copy of the impressive brief that the city attorney prepared relative t o o u r assertion that the Arts C o m m i s s i o n should n o t have t o pay sales tax on the purchase of the LED s c r e e n for the M o s c o n e Project" ( N o v e m b e r 20, 2002).

"Ms. Manton also r e p o r t e d that Diller + Scofidio continue t o w o r k o n ideas for the LED t e x t for the interior of t h e building. [They] are interested in creating a kinetic w o r d sculpture which w o u l d e x t r a c t random w o r d s from an ongoing s o u r c e of n e w s data" (January 15, 2003).

25

"The problem with the screen n o t moving around t h e c o r n e r of the building has b e e n c o r r e c t e d " (May 21, 2003).

2

P u b l i c A r t R e v i e w . FALL. WTR. 03

Diller + Scofidio and Paul Lewis Jump

Cuts,

San Jose, Calif., 1996.

T h e c o n t e n t of interactive w o r k may b e e v e r - n e w , b u t i n e v i t a b l y its f o r m will b e o b s o l e s c e n t

Photo courtesy San Jose Public Art Program

almost f r o m the day it is installed. B r i g h t e r screens, faster

p r o j e c t o r . It has proven very robust, w i t h a predictable

processors, a n d n e w g i z m o s will all be o n the m a r k e t in

( m e a n t i m e b e t w e e n failures) for p r o j e c t o r bulbs

s h o r t order. Artists have devised a variety of strategies to

MTBF

a n d o t h e r c o m p o n e n t s . Yet if t h e f o r m a t in w h i c h t h e

deal w i t h this reality.

data are delivered ever c h a n g e s — a n d it almost certainly

S h e l d o n B r o w n ' s In the Event, a 1994

w i l l — t h e p r o j e c t will n o t r u n unless t h e software is at

installation at Seattle's Key A r e n a , is a s i x t y - f o o t wall

least t w e a k e d . T h e same is t r u e for the G o o g l e feed for

w i t h t w e n t y - e i g h t v i d e o m o n i t o r s set i n t o cast a l u -

Facsimile. At s o m e p o i n t , G o o g l e will c h a n g e the f o r m a t in w h i c h it delivers the n e w s , a n d R u b i n or s o m e o n e

Kit Galloway and Sherrie Rabinowitz, Hole-in-Space,

equally skilled will have to m o d i f y the p r o g r a m .

installation at Century City, Los Angeles, Calif., 1980.

Photo courtesy Galloway/Rabinowitz© 1980-2003 Y E S T E R D A Y ' S FUTURE TODAY

W h y b o t h e r w i t h i n t e r a c t i v e art? N o o n e I spoke t o was interested in t e c h n o l o g y for t e c h n o l ogy's sake. A n d n o o n e , p r a c t i t i o n e r o r c o m m i s s i o n e r alike, even h i n t e d that interactive was t h e only way to go. B u t t h e r e was passion. Shelly Willis, U n i v e r s i t y of M i n n e s o t a p u b l i c art c o o r d i n a t o r , w h o has c o m m i s s i o n e d t h r e e m a j o r i n t e r a c t i v e p r o j e c t s (Janet Z w e i g , E d u a r d o Kac, and A n n H a m i l t o n a n d Ben R u b i n ) , says 26

"It's a b o u t w h o w e are r i g h t now. A n d you are g e t t i n g a w o r k of art that truly has the possibility of living i n t o t h e f u t u r e , w h i c h a static w o r k can't." C a r o l Stakenas, c u r a t o r at N e w York-based Creative T i m e , e c h o e s this s e n t i m e n t , n o t i n g that m a n y artists are i n t e r e s t e d in e n g a g i n g t h e public in the life of t h e city t h r o u g h art, w h i c h increasingly means using the electronic means t h a t are p a r t o f t h e i r e v e r y d a y lives, f r o m v i d e o billboards to personal digital assistants.

P u b l i c A r t R e v i e w . FALL. WTR. 03

m i n u m relief panels. Its v i d e o i m a g e r y is g e n e r a t e d f r o m several sources i n c l u d i n g t w o v i d e o cameras, a laser disk, and the arena's live-event f e e d . T h e piece is controlled by a n e t w o r k of n i n e c o m p u t e r s that s e q u e n c e and display v i d e o i m a g e r y on the m o n i t o r s . B r o w n describes h o w h e dealt w i t h t h e a r t w o r k ' s i n e v i t a b l e

obsolescence:

" K n o w i n g that t h e p r o j e c t w o u l d b e 011 e x h i b i t l o n g past the p o i n t at w h i c h its t e c h n o l o g y w o u l d b e c o n s i d ered c o n t e m p o r a r y , I w o r k e d to c o n s t r u c t t h e sculptural and m e d i a t e d artifacts of the t e c h n o l o g y i n t o t h e c o n tent of the piece. T h e shape and materiality of the v i d e o m o n i t o r s are likely to b e a historical f o r m by the m i d d l e o f t h e life cycle o f t h e p i e c e ; t h e p i x e l i z a t i o n o f t h e i m a g e r y at the large scale of its display is likely to b e an artifact of its t i m e of i n v e n t i o n — s o w o r k i n g w i t h these e l e m e n t s as c o m p o s i t i o n a l f o r m s is i m p o r t a n t t o t h e l o n g - t e r m viability of the piece." |anet Z w e i g ' s f o r t h c o m i n g p r o j e c t for the M i n n e a p o l i s Light R a i l system (April 2004), Small Kindnesses,

Weather

Permitting,

is a series o f f o r t y - s i x

interfaces that a traveler uses to access v i d e o and a u d i o clips a b o u t " M i n n e s o t a n i c e " and t h e w e a t h e r — a n o t h e r tic of M i n n e s o t a courtesy. T h e project's i n f r a s t r u c t u r e is state of the art, p i g g y b a c k i n g o n the rail line's fiber optic c o m m u n i c a t i o n s system to deliver c o n t e n t f r o m a c e n tral server. B u t t h e actual interfaces, r a t h e r t h a n b e i n g v a r i a t i o n s o f a k e y b o a r d a n d m o u s e , are

whimsical

m e c h a n i s m s , w i t h parts r a n g i n g f r o m a w i n d s h i e l d w i p e r to a bicycle brake to a m i n i a t u r e pinball g a m e — c o m m o n l y used devices f r o m everyday life that will n o t s o o n b e c o m e obsolete, at least n o m o r e t h a n they already are.

VIRTUAL P U B L I C SPACE

Part of the appeal o f Diller + Scofidio's Facsimile is its i n c o r p o r a t i o n of fictional as well as W e b based c o n t e n t i n t o w h a t appears to b e d o c u m e n t a r y t o r mat.

As

Manton

writes

about

the

Google

feed

c o m p o n e n t , it "channel[s] the u b i q u i t o u s b u t o t h e r w i s e invisible streams of i n f o r m a t i o n circulating t h r o u g h a n d b e y o n d the city outside." 3 T h e W o r l d W i d e W e b is p u b l i c space, b u t its p r e c i p i t o u s g r o w t h has g e n e r a t e d c o n s i d e r a b l e

Nicolas Schoffer, Lux 10 (view at night),Toyko, Japan, 1959.

Photo courtesy Banque d'lmages, ADAGP/Art Resource, NY© Coll. E. Schoffer

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

p h o n e text messaging to publish their messages

d o m a i n in the face of c o m m e r c i a l and regulatory pres-

Speakers Corner, d e v e l o p e d by Jaap d e J o n g e .

sures. Artists have b e e n part of this debate. Muntadas's

O t h e r p r o j e c t s , s u c h as L y n n

on

27

Hersh-

File Room, an online, o p e n archive on censorship, is an

man's Agent

i m p o r t a n t w o r k o f i n t e r a c t i v e p u b l i c art. U K - b a s e d

Bleecker, and Scott P a t t e r s o n , use p e r s o n a l digital assis-

S i m o n Biggs's Babel is in the same vein b u t has a physical

tants for p l a t f o r m - s p e c i f i c , m o b i l e p u b l i c a r t w o r k s that

as well as a n e t w o r k presence. Also in t h e UK, a f i f t e e n -

e n g a g e t h e public in narratives and m a p m a k i n g , r e s p e c -

m e t e r LCD display wraps t h e M e d i a C e n t e r in H u d d e r s -

tively. As wireless n e t w o r k s proliferate, so will p r o j e c t s

field, E n g l a n d . Participants can use the I n t e r n e t o r cell

that use personal electronic devices to m o d i f y t h e e n v i -

Ruby a n d PDPal by M a r i n a Z u r k o w , Julian

P u b l i c Art R e v i e w . FALL. WTR. 03

Janet Zweig, The Medium, constantly transforming live-video conversation booth, School of Mass Communication and Journalism, A r t on Campus Program, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minn., 2002.

Photos by Jon Stemmle

r o n m e n t . PDPal, w h e n it makes its O c t o b e r 9 N e w York

a n d a c c e p t m a i n t e n a n c e as n o r m a l ? L i g h t bulbs? O f

l a u n c h o n a T i m e s Square v i d e o panel, will b e site spe-

c o u r s e t h e y n e e d t o b e r e p l a c e d o n a r e g u l a r cycle.

cific b u t malleable, p e r m a n e n t l y available b u t e p h e m e r -

C o m p u t e r s ? W h y aren't they " p e r m a n e n t " ? To b e fair,

ally visible.

every p r o j e c t I heard a b o u t had a plan for m a i n t e n a n c e .

T h e r e j u s t isn't m u c h e x p e r i e n c e to go by. Eventually w e PRAXIS

Interviews w i t h artists revealed a w i d e variety of interactive public art projects in the w o r k s or

will k n o w that a c o m p u t e r in a reasonably p r o t e c t e d e n v i r o n m e n t can last x years, an LCD screen needs to be replaced every y m o n t h s , and we'll plan accordingly.

o n t h e d r a w i n g b o a r d . D e s p i t e t h e diversity o f t h e s e

It's p r o g r a m m i n g that is a p a r t i c u l a r l y

projects, several practical issues surfaced again and again.

gnarly issue. Leaving aside t h e p r o b l e m of b u g g y c o d e ,

E v e r y o n e w a r n e d against t e c h n o l o g y -

what

happens

when

the

information

architecture

based projects that are m o r e a b o u t the t e c h n o l o g y t h a n

changes? W h o is responsible f o r m a k i n g t h e necessary

t h e c o n c e p t . A close s e c o n d was g e n e r a l disdain f o r

adaptations? All t h e artists I spoke w i t h indicated a will-

interactivity as a b u z z w o r d rather than s o m e t h i n g that

ingness and even c o m m i t m e n t to m a i n t a i n i n g t h e c o d e as

truly adds to t h e user e x p e r i e n c e .

l o n g as necessary, b u t most w e r e u n c e r t a i n w h e t h e r they

F o r p u b l i c art p r o j e c t s , D a v i d Allen,

w o u l d be paid or h o w l o n g t h e y w o u l d be able to d o this.

public art m a n a g e r for the Hiawatha Line of the M i n -

O v e r t h e n e x t several years, this g o o d will needs to b e

neapolis Light Rail project, suggested using t e c h n o l o g y

c o n v e r t e d t o s t a n d a r d i z e d p r a c t i c e s f o r t h e field t h a t

that already e x i s t s â&#x20AC;&#x201D; t h a t o n e c o u l d see in o p e r a t i o n

m a k e sense for b o t h c o m m i s s i o n e r s and practitioners.

s o m e w h e r e else. Shelly Willis, o n the o t h e r hand, said that part of w h a t a university can and should d o is provide

O B S O L E S C E N C E AND CONSERVATION

shelter, so to speak, for e x p e r i m e n t a t i o n . N o o n e w o u l d

T h i s is partly a c o n c e p t u a l issue: H o w

argue w i t h using proven, available t e c h n o l o g y w h e n p o s -

does o n e avoid relying o n s o m e t h i n g b e i n g " n e w " for its

sible and w e i g h i n g carefully t h e benefits of t r y i n g s o m e -

impact? Because it w o n ' t b e n e w for long. But the issue

t h i n g u n k n o w n . A l m o s t e v e r y p r o j e c t I discussed h a d

is also a p r a g m a t i c o n e . In 2 0 0 5 , a certain level of b r i g h t -

b r o u g h t in e x p e r t " i n t e g r a t o r s " to help w i t h the t e c h n o l -

ness for p r o j e c t i o n may be generally accepted, b u t over

ogy. T h i s f u n c t i o n needs to be f u r t h e r professionalized.

the course of t w e n t y or m o r e years it may c o m e to l o o k shoddy. S h o u l d there b e a plan to replace n o t only p r o -

MAINTENANCE

j e c t o r bulbs w h e n they fail b u t also the p r o j e c t o r itself

T h i s is the t o p i c n o o n e wants to talk

w h e n the difference in quality for the same cost is a c e r -

a b o u t t o o explicitly for fear it m i g h t j e o p a r d i z e t h e p r o j -

tain o r d e r of m a g n i t u d e ? Similarly, DVDs are n o t p e r m a -

ect. H o w can host organizations b e m a d e to u n d e r s t a n d

n e n t s t o r a g e devices. H o w s o o n s h o u l d t h e data b e

P u b l i c A r t R e v i e w . fALL.WTR.03

(right) Sheldon Brown, In the Event, Key Arena, Seattle, Wash., 1994.

Photo by Sheldon Brown ( b e l o w ) John Klima, ECOSYSTM, N e w York City, N.Y.

Photo Courtesy Postmasters Gallery and Zurich Capital Markets

m i g r a t e d ? A n d in t w e n t y years, w h i l e it may b e easy to m i g r a t e data, will a n y o n e be able to w r i t e a n e w DVD, o r will that c o m p o n e n t have to be replaced w i t h the latest h o l o g r a p h i c s t o r a g e m e d i u m ? At a m i n i m u m , t h e r e should

be a contingency

plan. W i t h

Facsimile,

for

instance, R u b i n and Diller + S c o f i d i o are p l a n n i n g to have preparsed texts available that can be s w i t c h e d on if the live feed fails for any reason. A n d ECOSYSTM

is set

R u b i n p u t it, h e is s h o o t i n g f o r s o m e t h i n g that acquires

S o m e of these issues will be solved o n l y

feels f o r t h e C i t g o sign l o o m i n g over t h e left field wall

t h r o u g h e x p e r i e n c e , b u t t h e r e may also n e e d to b e a

of Boston's F e n w a y Park and is visible f r o m almost every

redefinition of " p e r m a n e n t . " Perhaps p e r m a n e n t m e a n s

part o f t h e city. H o w can h e give s o m e t h i n g like that to

u p to be able to r u n off historical data, if necessary.

t h e layered familiarity a n d m e a n i n g over t i m e that h e

that the f u n c t i o n remains the same for t w e n t y years, b u t

t h e c o m m u n i t y ? N o d o u b t , t w e n t y years f r o m n o w a

the m e a n s of delivery changes after ten years, w h i l e t h e

y o u n g artist will b e inspired to create a n e w g e n e r a t i o n

c o n t e n t quality (e.g. level of digitization) changes every

of t h e k i n d of interactive public a r t w o r k that m e a n t so

five years, a n d t h e c o n t e n t itself c h a n g e s e v e r y o t h e r

m u c h to h e r w h e n she was g r o w i n g up.

year. Just as a plan is necessary to m a i n t a i n steel sculptures, t h e r e s h o u l d b e a p l a n a n d b u d g e t to m a i n t a i n

Steve Dietz was the founding director and former curator of new media at

t e c h n o l o g y - b a s e d public art. A n d it will b e u p to every

Walker A r t Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

c o m m i s s i o n e r , in c o n s u l t a t i o n w i t h decide

whether

this i n c l u d e s

t h e artist(s), to

periodic

"upgrades."

Notes 1. M a n o v i c h . Lev. Soft

Cinema.

2 . F r o m m i n u t e s o f t h e Visual Arts

W h e t h e r this a d d e d c o m p l e x i t y is w o r t h it will r e m a i n

Z K M , 2 0 0 2 . S e e also

C o m m i t t e e o f t h e San F r a n c i s c o

an individual decision, b u t s o m e p u b l i c art has always

http://www.manovich.net/cin-

Arts C o m m i s s i o n .

directly reflected t h e c o n t e m p o r a r y e n v i r o n m e n t , and

ema_future/design_history.html.

c o m p u t e r s and t h e n e t w o r k are n o t m e r e fads. As Ben

M a n o v i c h is also t h e a u t h o r o f The

3. M a n t o n , J i l l . Diller + S c o f i d i o

Language of New

project description. March 2003.

Media.

29

CONFERENCE

CYBERARTS James Buckhouse and Holly

by J a n e D. M a r s c h i n g • • •

Brubach, Tap, 2003.

Digital image from www.diacenterorg/buckhouse/ Boston C y b e r a r t s Festival

project in the h o m e of Boston's most famous public sculp-

April 26-May I 1,2003

tures but altered one's experience of that site through tech-

N e w media art, traditionally monitor-based and ghettoized in dark rooms and hallways, is c o m i n g into its o w n and taking a central place in galleries, museums, and festivals. O n e r e c e n t e x a m p l e o f this e m e r g e n c e was t h e 2 0 0 3 Boston C y b e r a r t s Festival, w h i c h showcased m a n y f o r m s of n e w media art—past, present, and future. B r i n g i n g together local,

nology. O n e of the artists, D o n a l d Burgy, chose his sites along the route by dowsing, a f o r m of divination that uses a rod or stick to locate water or o t h e r objects. His texts describe ordinary people's experience of scientific p h e n o m e n o n through everyday perceptions.

This year's festival placed public art front and center for the

national, and international artists w o r k i n g with technology in

first time with a conference, "Digital Art and Public Space:

multidisciplinary, groundbreaking, and challenging ways, this

E x p a n d i n g Definitions of Public Art," and events on the street

year's melange of exhibitions, online works, conferences, per-

and in storefronts, train stations, and m u s e u m facades. Tech-

formances, music, and public art t o o k place at m o r e than fifty

nology has long been a central tool of public art. O n e thinks,

venues in the greater Boston area. Boston is a natural h o m e

for example, of Jenny Holzer's early 1980s LED signs in Times

for such a conference, with its history of a r t / t e c h n o l o g y dia-

Square. But is a program downloaded from your PDA public

logue at institutions such as

Television

art? H o w has the e m e r g e n c e of new media art changed the

Workshop, as well as the area's high concentration of h i g h -

face of public art and transformed notions of what and w h e r e

tech industries.

public is?

G e o r g e Fifield, f o u n d e r of C y b e r a r t s and c u r a t o r of n e w

T h e c o n f e r e n c e i n c l u d e d a k e y n o t e address by C h r i s t i a n e

media at the D e C o r d o v a M u s e u m and Sculpture Park, has

Paul, curator of n e w media arts at the W h i t n e y M u s e u m , as

been involved with video as a maker and curator for many

well as t w o days of panels by artists, curators, and activists. O n e

years. H e is the wizard behind the festival, tirelessly w o r k i n g

panel, " T h e Pedestrian Experience: Artists E x p l o r i n g Street

to expand notions of what constitutes cyberart, both for the

C u l t u r e and the Everyday," addressed several pertinent ques-

initiated and uninitiated. From exhibitions of digital prints

tions: W h a t constitutes public space, and w h o makes it? Is

and photographs to N e t art projects to p i o n e e r i n g video art

public space—parks, streets, subways—determined by devel-

to a s e v e n t y - t w o - h o u r cyber l o u n g e at a local alternative

opers and urban planners, or is " p u b l i c " really just a reflection

gallery space, the festival seems to take over every available

of what people do? Many of the works discussed are sited in

space in Boston.

nonpublic spaces but are accessed by the public, such as N e t

MIT

and the

WGBH

art projects or PDA pieces. N e t w o r k e d R i g h t in the heart of the city, the Public Garden, visitors could stroll through the bucolic park with a Gi'S-enabled PDA spouting images, texts, and sounds recorded by a collaborative group, N a t u r e and Inquiry. This project sited a public art

communication

through mobile devices has m a d e it possible for art to separate itself f r o m a constructed environment and to relocate itself in a c o m m u n i t y of participants as code that mutates and changes or as technology that is portable and often hidden. Spaces— public and private, virtual and physical, local and i n t e r n a tional—intermingle and overlap.

O n the subway d u r i n g the festival, I got a chance to watch Tap, software designed by San Francisco artist James B u c k house and choreographer Holly Brubach, w h e n I watched the w o m a n in the seat next to m e w o r k i n g furiously to " t e a c h " a virtual tap dancer on her PDA screen h o w to dance. PDA o w n ers can d o w n l o a d Tap f r o m b e a m i n g stations, such as those located around the Boston festival, from the Internet, or from each other. Viewers work with the program's animated figure to choreograph dances and can t h e n b e a m those dances to other viewers or to a central archive.The notion o f ' p u b l i c " is engaged in many ways in this project: kiosks in public spaces, a c o m m u n i t y of participants, and the ability to play Tap anywhere. Particularly, Tip addressed o n e c o n c e r n of many t e c h nology-driven works, which is their lack of a central place.

These are projects that exist t h r o u g h o u t a network of people

P u b l i c Art R e v i e w . FAIL.WTK.03

CONFERENCE

( b e l o w ) Berkan Karpat, nazim Bruce Hanson, Wounds, 2003.

met: on a ship to mars.

Photo by Bruce Hanson

Photo by Florian Holzherr

hik-

the Deutsches M u s e u m in M u n i c h c o o r d i n a t e d their sleep, and their synchronized REM was recorded and p r i n t e d o u t in the gallery in B o s t o n . T h e sleepers in M u n i c h were supposed to be observed and interviewed via livestream television, but technological snafus prevented m u c h of the live c o m m u n i c a tion. Karpat's d i c t u m , " I t is n o longer a b o u t living a collective Utopian dream but about synchronizing the individual dreams of many," points to a n e w vision of w h a t is public, of a n o n h o m o g e n i z i n g , radically i n t e r c o n n e c t e d e x p e r i e n c e instigated and recorded by technology.

T h e festival's ambitious reach demonstrated that while public art has radically transformed itself over the last half century, the advent of technology is n o w radically transforming w h a t can be considered public. Issues of time, context, access, distribution, and c o m m u n i t y were all engaged by the many works and technology using a particular code, which is transformed

at the Boston festival. From ISPACE Design Collaborative's

over time as users add to or change it and then pass it on or

display of people's maxims, wishes, and words of w i s d o m o n a

upload n e w data.

large LED at Boston's main train station, to B r u c e Hanson's

A very different k i n d of piece also t o o k advantage o f t h e Internet to create a public community. Berkan Karpat's nazim hikmet: on a ship to mars at the G o e t h e Institute invited v o l u n teers to sleep in a pod and have their dream states affected by the rhythms of a p o e m read by the Turkish poet Nazim H i k met. Karpat described his project as a "media installation and transatlantic

cyberart

event." P a r t i c i p a t i n g

dreamers

in

Boston's G o e t h e Institute Gallery and across the Atlantic at

projections of images of w o u n d s on passersby, technologically driven public art emphasizes the untethered, c o m m u n i c a t i v e nature of public art and technology. We live in w h a t Patrick Lichty calls "a culture of distribution and nomadism," and in Boston in May, public art showed us s o m e t h i n g of h o w t e c h nology is changing o u r bodies, o u r c o m m u n i c a t i o n , o u r relationships, o u r homes, streets, cities, and even ourselves.

Jane D. Marsching is a media artist, professor, and w r i t e r living in Boston.

PROGRAM

THE LOWER MANHATTAN CULTURAL COUNCIL POINTS OF ENTRY (below left) Goil Amornvivt.Tom

by Erica Pearson • • •

Mobitzer, and Can Tiryaki,"Regarding the Mihrab," Points of Entry, 2003.

Photo by Jason Mandella

D u r i n g the s u m m e r of 2003, the f o u r storefront w i n d o w s of

T h e LMCC lost nearly e v e r y t h i n g o n S e p t e m b e r 11, 2001,

t h e L o w e r East Side T e n e m e n t M u s e u m b e c a m e a sacred

including its office at 5 World Trade C e n t e r , databases, and

space, a place for spiritual growth and healing. In " R e g a r d i n g

three decades of archives. Michael Richards, an artist in the

the M i h r a b " — t h e last in the Points o f E n t r y series a b o u t

organization's residency program on the 92nd floor o f T o w e r

p o s t - S e p t e m b e r 1 1 immigrant communities, sponsored by the

O n e , died in his studio.

museum

and

the

Lower

Manhattan

(LMCC.)—artists C a n T i r y a k i , T o m

Cultural

Council

M o r b i t z e r , and

Goil

Amornvivat built a mihrab, or Muslim prayer niche, pointing the b o d y towards Mecca.

Since the attacks, the council has w o r k e d to re-establish its programs and find a new h o m e , while developing projects that give artists an o p p o r t u n i t y to take part in rebuilding lower Manhattan and to have a voice in the post-September 11 c o n -

Collaborations like Points of Entry have l o n g been important d u r i n g the LMCC's thirty-year history and have allowed the organization to tackle i m p o r t a n t issues after S e p t e m b e r 11.

T h e council has been involved in public art in lower M a n h a t tan since it was f o u n d e d in 1973, the year the World Trade C e n t e r was c o m p l e t e d . In 1997, the organization began an artist residency program with the Port A u t h o r i t y of N e w York and N e w Jersey, giving free studio space in the Twin Towers.

versation about terrorism, fear, and patriotism.

In order to create a space for installations about i m m i g r a n t experiences after S e p t e m b e r 11, the LMCC teamed u p with the Lower East Side T e n e m e n t M u s e u m in the spring of 2002. "[In our partnership] with the t e n e m e n t m u s e u m , I think we are fortunate because it gives voice to some very contentious issues that need to be explored," said LMCC. Executive Director Liz T h o m p s o n . "I think we always try to explore issues, and that's what interests us in partnerships."

"I think w o r k i n g in the public realm is always political, and w o r k i n g with partners always has a political edge, but in the past two years this has been really highlighted by the projects," said M o u k h t a r Kocache, director of visual and media arts at LMCC. " A n d so there is equally a desire by artists to b e c o m e m o r e political and to touch the issues that are extremely difficult, and there is equally a reaction by agencies, arts organizations, c o r p o r a t i o n s to sort of be m o r e conservative in the spaces that are talked about."

32

P u b l i c Art R e v i e w . FALL.WTR. 03

( b e l o w m i d d l e ) Ulrick D e s e r t , " T h e

Alia Hasan-Khan, "Flight,"

Burqa Project," Points of Entry, 2002.

Points of Entry, 2003.

Photo courtesy Lower Manhattan Cultural Council

Photo courtesy Lower Manhattan Cultural Council

is you B ^ r ^ ^ n a l i t j i ^ ^ ^ ^ ÂŤr S f e you Write youM i a m ^ f ! o ^ ^ i i a l i v e f a g u a g e . u h. a v e an alias?

11 W h y a r e you visiting t h e U . S ^ W h a t is y o u r p r o f e s s i o n ?

How much mo u ever been a c o m m u n i s t ? i

T h e two organizations sent out a request for proposals asking artists to address themes that could include how Arab, Middle Eastern, South Asian, and Muslim immigrants are b e i n g treated after September 11; the participation of these c o m m u nities in the post-September 11 recovery in N e w York City; or " n e w definitions o f ' u s ' and ' t h e m ' that characterize w h o is a citizen and w h o is a terrorist."

T h e organizations asked artists to create works for the storefront w i n d o w s of the museum's 1863

five-story

tenement

building at 97 Orchard Street. Inside the building, once h o m e to over seven thousand immigrants from more than twenty different countries, the museum has recreated the apartments of former residents and teaches visitors about the history of immigration to N e w York City's Lower East Side. T h r o u g h new programming such as Points of Entry, the m u s e u m opens up its historic space to artists' stories and ideas, and works to teach those w h o come to 97 Orchard Street about c o n t e m p o rary immigrants' lives.

P u b l i c A r t R e v i e w . FALL. WTR.03

PROGRAM

Sandra Spannon,"Pieceportraits," Looking In at 50 Murray St.. 2003.

Photo by Jason Mandella

"I see the storefronts as politically charged space," said Kocache. " T h e y b r i n g out desires, and they negotiate fears and needs. We have used the storefronts as the best possible way to mark the public realm because they are very powerful."

Storefronts were the location for a n o t h e r of the council's collaborations after September

11.

In the fall of 2002, the

LMCC

filled the w i n d o w s along the block of 50 Murray Street with rotating performances and installations to enliven lower M a n hattan's street life and give artists and the public a way to explore the changing n e i g h b o r h o o d . "1 wanted to do s o m e thing with storefronts effectively a m o n t h or two after 9 / 1 1 , because 1 t h i n k w e n e e d e d it d o w n t o w n r i g h t away," said T h o m p s o n . ' " L o o k i n g In' was s o m e t h i n g that brought smiles to people's faces and made t h e m happy to be d o w n t o w n . " W h i l e developing these new programs, the LMCC worked to c o n t i n u e the artist residencies it had begun in the World Trade C e n t e r . T h e organization had c o m e to value the closeness and trust that developed d u r i n g the four-year residency program in the Twin Towers. " W e b e c a m e part of the Port A u t h o r i t y f a m ily, w h i c h is a really unexpected thing for an arts organization," said T h o m p s o n . "I get tears in my eyes. If we could have gone on and on there, that is the way w e really influence people."

In the Points of E n t r y series' first installation, " T h e Burqa Proj e c t , " U l r i c k D e s e r t created traditional M u s l i m veils using m o d e r n American, G e r m a n , French, and British flags.The artwork caused strong reactions as c o m m u n i t y m e m b e r s interpreted the cultural icons in different ways. " O n e thing that we didn't process, before ' T h e Burqa Project,' is what the m e a n i n g

"It was an incredible lab for us because it wasn't a one-stop deal, like m a n y t e m p o r a r y public art projects are," said Kocache. " W e saw p e o p l e change. People w h o had never b o u g h t c o n t e m p o r a r y artwork, property managers, were b u y ing artwork. S o m e t h i n g clicked."

of public art is in a local community. It is a shared space, and

After the attacks, the

you have an obligation to y o u r c o m m u n i t y , " said Liz Sev-

dency space for artists in places as close as the World Finan-

LMCC

was able to find temporary resi-

cenko, vice president of programs at the m u s e u m . " T h e y have

cial C e n t e r alongside G r o u n d Z e r o and as far away as Paris.

to look at it every day."

T h e work produced d u r i n g the World Financial C e n t e r resi-

In "Suspect," Peter Scott t u r n e d the museum's storefront w i n dows i n t o w h a t seemed to be simple tableaus of decorated interiors; but w h e n viewers looked closer, they saw the faces of m e n w h o fit the profile of September 11 detainees in the

dency brought up m a n y provocative questions, said Kocache, about "security, or issues dealing with patriotism, or questions about the loss of life, or the sacredness of the site, the notion of spectacle."

b a c k g r o u n d of striped wallpaper. T h e artwork pushed visitors

Now, with a n e w residency program in the iconic Woolworth

to think about h o w the disappearance of these faces from the

Building in lower Manhattan and a p e r m a n e n t office at 1 Wall

streets may misleadingly m a k e the general public feel safer in

Street C o u r t , the

their homes.

ship as o n e with artists themselves. " W e feel m o r e than ever

In " F l i g h t , " Alia H a s a n - K h a n d e p i c t e d the d e t e n t i o n s and d e p o r t a t i o n s of S o u t h Asian and M u s l i m i m m i g r a n t s after September 11. In o n e window, H a s a n - K h a n lined up the wax busts of three immigrants u n d e r n e a t h hot lights. T h e w i n d o w itself was covered with questions from actual INS forms, such

LMCC

continues to define its core partner-

like a citizen of this n e i g h b o r h o o d , " said T h o m p s o n . "I think we have an o p p o r t u n i t y and an obligation, because w e do have a voice at the table, to really insist that w h e n people talk about culture being a p r i m e mover in enlivening d o w n t o w n that they don't ignore or do it at the expense of artists."

as " W h y are you visiting the U.S.?" and " H a v e you ever been a c o m m u n i s t ? " T h e wax heads melted gradually, illustrating

Erica Pearson is a writer and editor at the N e w York City on-line

the harshness of the interrogations.

publication

Public A r t R e v i e w . FALL.WTR. 03

GothamGazette.com.

CONFERENCE

CELEBRATING CREATIVE SPACES S h o e s painted by c o n f e r e n c e

by William Cleveland • • •

delagates displayed o n steps of Parliament, 2003.

Photos by Alistair Eames

Whakahauhau

katoa o hanga: "Encouraging All to Create"'

T h e e-mail was f r o m Penny Eames, director of Arts Access Aotearoa. Would 1 c o m e to N e w Zealand in the late s u m m e r (February 2003) to participate in a national conference, " C e l e b r a t i n g Creative Spaces"? I said yes, t h i n k i n g "creative spaces" was the Kiwi equivalent of what we call c o m m u n i t y arts. N o w I k n o w differently.

At first glance, "creative spaces" d o resemble c o m m u n i t y arts programs in the U n i t e d States. But the m o r e I learned, the m o r e I recognized a subtle difference, o n e rooted in the special significance of both place and the natural world to those w h o live in Aotearoa, "land of the l o n g w h i t e cloud." For t h e m , where art happens is as i m p o r t a n t as w h a t and for w h o m .

M y experience at the conference b r o u g h t this h o m e to me.

My role, as I u n d e r s t o o d it, was to give a k e y n o t e address a b o u t c o m m u n i t y arts in the U n i t e d States. U p o n arrival, t h o u g h , I was told that I w o u l d have o n e m o r e job. It seems my "elder" status and the distance I had c o m e m a d e m e the spokesperson for the manuhiri (traveled guests). Because N e w Zealand

is

officially

(Pakelia)—Maori

bicultural—Maori

and

European

cultural protocols are an important part of

m a n y official gatherings. T h e r e f o r e , I was told, after a mihi (welcoming) by a representative of the assembled

Kauniatua

(elders), it was my j o b to r e s p o n d — n o t with s o m e r a n d o m h o w d y from the folks in my country, but with a kind of r i t u alized speech. Suffice it to say, I spent the evening practicing.

T h e next m o r n i n g , I began my part w i t h the traditional Maori g r e e t i n g to all ("Tena k o u t o u , tena k o u t o u , tena k o u t o u , katoa"), followed by a short homily h o n o r i n g the place of our gathering and our host's ancestors as well as a description of the river and m o u n t a i n w h e r e 1 receive my spiritual sustenance.

After singing o n e ot my o w n songs, e v e r y b o d y j o i n e d in a

waiata (Maori song) and finished with hongi (pressing noses and foreheads). W i t h that, the conference had taken an i m p o r t a n t step towards b e c o m i n g a "creative space."

Obviously, for m e this was a different b e g i n n i n g to an arts conference. O v e r the next few days my education c o n t i n u e d .

Since this was the first national g a t h e r i n g o f the artists and organizations in the Creative Spaces n e t w o r k , E a m e s m a d e sure that all of the three h u n d r e d attendees had an o p p o r t u nity to tell their story. It began, appropriately, with the story of the first Creative Space.

Dr. Julia Aranui-Faed's m o v i n g a c c o u n t of her w o r k at t h e C h e r r y F a r m Psychiatric Hospital in D u n e d i n recalled my

P u b l i c A r t R e v i e w . FAIL.WTK.03

CONFERENCE

The D o w s e A r t Museum celebrates youth culture through Respect Festivals.

Photo by Alistair Eames

o w n efforts establishing California's prison arts program. She

others. This could not have happened, t h o u g h , w i t h o u t Arts

told how, as the hospital's medical superintendent, she wanted

Access Aotearoa. In 1995 Eames left the Arts C o u n c i l to cre-

to move beyond traditional therapeutic approaches by using

ate an organization that w o u l d help local entities establish

the arts. In 1986 her idea t o o k f o r m with the Creative Expres-

n e w Creative Spaces. Since t h e n . Arts Access Aotearoa has

sions U n i t , w h i c h employed an arts administrator and artist

been a driving force in the development and growth of N e w

tutors to w o r k with patients. This unit, later called Kimi O r a

Zealand's Creative Space m o v e m e n t .

(the search for life) was designed as a multidisciplinary arts studio at the center of the hospital. This initial Creative Space

Many of the newer Creative Spaces have emerged in response

e m b o d i e d the belief that art m a k i n g is, by its nature, healing. It

to the needs of y o u n g N e w Z e a l a n d e r s . A c c o r d i n g to the

also represented a n o t h e r distinctive idea: As art is created in a

World H e a l t h O r g a n i z a t i o n , N e w Z e a l a n d has o n e of the

space, the healing capacity of that space grows.

highest y o u t h suicide rates in the industrialized world. This alarming statistic has spurred youth agencies t h r o u g h o u t the

My history lesson c o n t i n u e d with a session on prison a r t â&#x20AC;&#x201D; t h e

country to investigate n e w ways of reaching youth.

first arena outside the mental health sector to e m b r a c e the Creative Spaces idea. A shift in national correctional philoso-

Te Ao Marama Youth Arts C e n t r e in Hastings is a good e x a m -

phy in the late 1980s f r o m p u r e custody to " h a b i l i t a t i o n " -

ple. In the late 1990s graffiti meant vandalism to the Hastings

gave Eames, then at the Arts C o u n c i l of N e w Zealand, an

business community.Two y o u n g taggers 1 talked with said that

o p p o r t u n i t y to test the C h e r r y Farm m o d e l in a n o t h e r insti-

"graf art" was their only artistic o u t l e t â&#x20AC;&#x201D; b u t also a cause for

tutional milieu. Early council-supported programs at the W a n -

arrest. Hastings youth officer Wiki Malton told m e t h a t T e Ao

ganui and R a n g i p o prisons demonstrated that the arts could

Marama, which means " t h e world of light," was created to use

make prisons safer and less d e h u m a n i z i n g for both prisoners

artists to turn "all this negative energy into s o m e t h i n g positive."

and staff, and could assist in " t h e reintegration of inmates into the community." 1 T h e arts have had a significant presence in N e w Zealand's prisons ever since.

Since J u n e 2000, artists like Dave Waugh have c o m e to the Te Ao Marama studio to challenge young graf artists to take their craft seriously. In his d e s c r i p t i o n of t h e p r o g r a m , W a u g h

O v e r the next decade the success of these programs spawned a

described what usually happens: " T h e first time they come,

n a t i o n w i d e n e t w o r k of over ninety Creative Spaces serving

they arrive with their hoods pulled over their heads and don't

youth, prisoners, refugees, seniors, people with disabilities, and

c o m m u n i c a t e . T h e y start w i t h w a n t i n g to copy A m e r i c a n

CONFERENCE

( b e l o w ) Silvia Zonoobi (right) from the Philippines, manager of the A L A Y Centre, with refugee artists from Asia Inmate artist at Auckland Prison.

and South America

Photo by Robyn Hughes

Photo courtesy Arts Access Aotearoa

local businesses engage t h e m as mural designers. As a result, these y o u n g artists have p r o d u c e d over thirty murals as a paid service to business owners t h r o u g h o u t C h r i s t c h u r c h .

A n o t h e r Creative Space serving a very different constituency is the ALAY 4 C o m m u n i t y C e n t r e for R e f u g e e s and Migrants in Wellington. ALAY uses the arts as a way to reduce the isolation of n e w c o m e r s to N e w Zealand by providing space and support for immigrant artists to teach others and share their work. At an ALAY celebration following the conference, I was treated to an amazing range of p e r f o r m a n c e s , a r t w o r k , and food f r o m Sri Lanka, Iran, China, C a m b o d i a , Somalia, C o l o m bia, Ethiopia, and the Philippines.

T h e s e are j u s t a f e w of t h e m a n y C r e a t i v e Spaces that I learned about in Aotearoa. Even t h o u g h the programs represent a w i d e variety of approaches and constituents, I see a n u m b e r of shared characteristics. O n e distinction is a strong emphasis on local design and participant o w n e r s h i p . M a n y programs are multidisciplinary and also provide opportunities for participants to earn m o n e y f r o m their w o r k . Above all, my j o u r n e y d o w n u n d e r taught m e that Creative Spaces are just t h a t â&#x20AC;&#x201D; p e r m a n e n t "arts spaces for p e o p l e o n the margins of society," 5 spaces reflecting a simple but p o w e r f u l idea: that creative activities can i m b u e a space with healing potential.

William Cleveland is the founder and director of the Center for the Study of A r t and Community based in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Notes 1.Tliis is t h e M a o r i n a m e f o r Arts

Arts C o u n c i l o f N e w Z e a l a n d ,

Access A o t e a r o a . Unless o t h e r w i s e

1994, 5.

n o t e d , all n o n - E n g l i s h w o r d s used in this article are M a o r i .

4. T h e w o r d (day m e a n s

2. Interestingly, it was d u r i n g this

Tagalog, o n e o f t h e t w o p r e d o m i -

what's really important and start using their o w n motifs that

t i m e that U.S. penal t h i n k i n g

n a t e F i l i p i n o languages.

are influenced by Polynesian images."

b e g a n a d r a m a t i c m o v e in t h e

gang images, but o n c e they've d o n e that they m o v e on to

" b r i n g i n g p e o p l e t o g e t h e r " in

opposite direction.

5. Creative Spaces. W e l l i n g t o n ,

Waugh reported that over thirty y o u n g people ages twelve to

N e w Z e a l a n d : Arts Access A o t e a r o a ,

eighteen are involved in the p r o g r a m . T h e y attend classes, hold

3. E a m e s , Penny. Ciying

exhibitions, create hip-hop-inspired theater, and win awards

Freedom. W e l l i n g t o n , N e w Z e a l a n d :

for their work. In 2002, Helen Clark, N e w Zealand's p r i m e minister (and minister of culture) called the p r o g r a m " e v i dence of h o w m u c h Hastings people care for their young."

Most important, business owners w h o were o n c e advocating m a x i m u m p u n i s h m e n t for taggers are n o w providing financial support for the program.

A similar

effort called

Legal

Arts

operates

out

of a

Christchurch-based Creative Space called C r e a t i o n . T h e Legal Arts twist is that they have t u r n e d graf art "victims" into customers. In addition to h o n i n g their chops with some of the best artists in the area, y o u n g graffers also learn h o w to have

Out For

2 0 0 3 , 8.

REPORT

FORECAST UPDATE

by Jack B e c k e r • • •

Al Wadzinski, Red Alert (base to be added), a project of F O R E C A S T Public Artworks, St. Paul, Minn., 2003.

I often w o n d e r w h a t motivates people w o r k i n g in the public art field. W h y d o we put ourselves t h r o u g h so m u c h to realize a project? H o w m a n y of us b u r n ourselves out trying to birth n e w public art or save a historic treasure? F O R E C A S T P u b lic A r t w o r k s is a n o n p r o f i t that's b e e n a r o u n d t w e n t y - f i v e years now, yet the staff and board have rarely stopped to ask ourselves w h a t , why, and how. As part of an intensive planning effort this year, w e challenged ourselves to define w h a t w e believe in, our guiding principles, our raison d'etre. W h i l e the resulting language will likely be updated as the field evolves, w e want to share it with you and invite your response.

We decided it was i m p o r t a n t to agree on a definition of public a r t — n o t a fixed, u n c h a n g i n g statement, but s o m e t h i n g to use as a point of departure for all that w e do, a context for our w o r k .

• Public art is an expanding and evolving field of inquiry that takes many forms, encompassing a broad spectrum of activities and approaches. It is w o r k created by artists for places accessible to and used by the public. R a n g i n g from t e m p o rary installations to p e r m a n e n t

objects

and

entire public places, public art also includes p e r f o r m a n c e s and events. Artists w h o create public art may take cues from the work's physical envir o n m e n t , involve o t h e r professional disciplines or the c o m m u n i t y in a collaborative process, or p u r s u e i n d e p e n d e n t f o r m s of creative expression. Public art often reveals its m e a n i n g g r a d u ally over time. Public art may shape public places, serve a f u n c t i o n , engage a c o m m u n i t y , send a message, or c o n f r o n t the status quo.

T h e next step was to address w h a t public art does and w h y it's i m p o r t a n t . S o m e of these phrases have been overused and may

ducing and presenting public art. T h e next principles reflect

seem trite, but they w o r k , and for those w h o are n e w to the

our c o m m i t m e n t to growing and strengthening the field.

discussion, they can be compelling and inspiring.

• Public art is an integral part of the fabric of American culture. It can stimulate civic dialogue and e n g e n d e r pride, reflect and build c o m m u nity identity, s u p p o r t e c o n o m i c d e v e l o p m e n t , and revitalize communities.

• C o m m u n i t i e s b e n e f i t f r o m the dialogue- and c o l l a b o r a t i o n e n g e n d e r e d by public art in all stages of planning, developing, and i m p l e m e n t ing public art projects. C o m m u n i t i e s should be e n c o u r a g e d to develop p r o g r a m s and projects for public artists.

• Promotional and public education efforts are critical because they raise awareness, increase u n d e r standing, and foster appreciation of public art.

• Public artists should be supported at all levels of their professional development. T e m p o r a r y and p e r m a n e n t artwork should be supported as well as i n d e p e n d e n t projects conceived by artists for sites of their choosing.

• Artists should be afforded opportunities to create art that has m e a n i n g b e y o n d the value assigned by the marketplace. Innovative, experimental, and dynamic approaches and activities

As a n o n p r o f i t w h o s e mission is educational and service-ori-

unrestrained by traditional notions of art making

ented, F O R E C A S T remains c o m m i t t e d to going beyond pro-

should be encouraged.

P u b l i c A r t R e v i e w . FALL.WTR.03

REPORT

• I n f o r m a t i o n about public art should be recorded

• Effective m a n a g e m e n t and t h o r o u g h evaluation

and shared to enable the c o n t i n u e d evolution of

are critical to the successful d e v e l o p m e n t of the

the organization as well as the field of public art.

o r g a n i z a t i o n . It is essential to m a t c h available resources with needs and maximize resources to

T h e last principles address h o w we go about providing serv-

accomplish goals. Measurable criteria should be

ices and education, a critical aspect of our work.

used to evaluate the effectiveness and success o f all programs and services.

• P r o v i d i n g public art service to the field a n d assistance to c o m m u n i t i e s requires insight and

If any of this resonates for you, or if you strongly disagree w i t h

leadership. Every e f f o r t should be m a d e

to

something, w e w o u l d like to share your thoughts with all o u r

uphold the highest standards of quality in both

readers in the next issue, so please take a m o m e n t and send us

the artwork selected and the services provided.

a n o t e (see masthead for contact information).

• •

T h e b o a r d and staff o f F O R E C A S T Public A r t w o r k s gratefully a c k n o w l e d g e t h e f o l l o w i n g individuals f o r t h e i r c o n t r i b u t i o n s during t h e organization's t w e n t y - f i f t h a n n i v e r s a r y year. In r e s p o n s e t o o u r r e q u e s t f o r d o n a t i o n s , t h e s e individuals have e n a b l e d t h e o r g a n i z a t i o n t o c o n t i n u e , in challenging financial t i m e s , t o s e r v e o u r m i s s i o n as a public art r e s o u r c e and facilitator, s u p p o r t i n g public artists at all levels o f t h e i r p r o f e s s i o n a l d e v e l o p m e n t , and providing public art s e r v i c e t o t h e field and t o c o m m u n i t i e s .

S e y e d Alavi

Regina Flanagan

Stuart N i e l s e n

R e b e c c a Banyas

Sally French

David O ' F a l l o n

H a r r i e t Bart

Gita G h e i

Marc Pally

Jerry Beck

David Griggs

Laurie Phillips

Jack B e c k e r and N a n c y R e y n o l d s

Susan H a n n a - B i b u s

A m y and A d a m Piatt

Jim and Pam B r i m e y e r

Craig Harris

G a r y and Susan R a p p a p o r t

C a r o l y n Brunelle

Evan H a y n e s

Robyne Robinson

D i a n e M. Buck

Ralph H e l m i c k

Jon S c h o o n m a k e r

Betty C h e n

John and Pamela H e n r y

Vicki Scuri

Elizabeth Childs

Mariann J o h n s o n

Colleen Sheehy

Keith C h r i s t e n s e n

Mark J o h n s t o n e

A n d r e a Sisel

Howard Christopherson

Susan Kaprov

Toby T o p e k

Malcolm C o c h r a n

Megan Leboutillier

H a r r i e t Traurig

Edith C o n k l i n

Ingrid Lilligren

A n n Viitala

Dan C o r n e j o

Katy Lindblad

A d a m and Teri W a d s w o r t h

Carol Daly

Lee Littlefield

C h i p and C o u r t n e y W a d s w o r t h

Christine Daves

Laurie Lundquist

Emily W a d s w o r t h

Craig David

B o b Lunning

Lynn W a d s w o r t h

D u n g T r i Mai

Jill M a n t o n

Susan W a r n e r

Ming Fay

Malcolm and W e n d y McLean

Laura W e b e r

Jackie Ferrara

Richard Mills

Cate Whittemore

W e n d y Feuer

Laura and Philipp M u e s s i g

Francoise Yohalem

R. M. Fischer

Sharol N a u

Sharon Z w e i g b a u m

C a r o l e Fisher

S c o t t F. N e l s o n

Anonymous

39

If y o u m a d e a c o n t r i b u t i o n after o u r publication d a t e , w e w a n t t o t h a n k y o u f o r y o u r s u p p o r t .

If n o t , p l e a s e c o n s i d e r joining t h e f r i e n d s of F O R E C A S T and m a k e a c o n t r i b u t i o n during this a n n i v e r s a r y year.

P u b l i c A r t R e v i e w . FALL.WTR.03

REVIEW

PHILADELPHIA MURALS AND THE STORIES THEY TELL

by Jeff H u e b n e r

Jane Golden, Robin Rice, Monica Yant Kinney Photographs by David Graham and Jack Ramsdale Philadelphia, Penn.:Temple University Press, 2002 160 pages, $29.50

h o o d heroes their due, w h e t h e r in picture or p r i n t . Seven artists not fully discussed in the main text merit separate profiles. But the real spark of the b o o k is Golden, a Minneapolis native raised in N e w Jersey w h o started her mural career in Los

T h e last several years have seen a g r o w i n g library of books

Angeles b e f o r e j o i n i n g the Anti-Graffiti N e t w o r k in 1984,

about c o m m u n i t y murals. W h e t h e r illustrated city or regional

b e c o m i n g its artistic director. W h e n the program was reorgan-

guides, historical overviews, or a combination of the two, these

ized into MAP u n d e r the city's D e p a r t m e n t of R e c r e a t i o n ,

books signify not only the continuing viability of the national

Golden became its executive director. While there is a separate

mural m o v e m e n t , w h i c h e m e r g e d f r o m the S o u t h Side of

section in the b o o k o n h o w murals are made, Golden's quota-

C h i c a g o in the late 1960s, but also the growing recognition of

tions, scattered t h r o u g h o u t t h e b o o k , help demystify the

street murals as a legitimate artistic activity deserving of both

process and serve as valuable primers in themselves.

popular attention and academic scholarship. Murals are increasingly seen as an authentically participatory public art, as visual representations of c o m m u n i t y history and cultural democracy.

T h e authors' narrative approach matches the subject matter: a series of interconnected journalistic essays that highlight some significant aspects of the MAP experience. Balancing Rice's art

Now, f r o m the city of Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell,

writing

with

Kinney's

newspaper

background,

chapters

comes Philadelphia Murals and the Stories Tlicy Tell, by muralist

describe the healing effects of The Peace Wall (1998), painted by

Jane Golden along with R o b i n R i c e and Monica Yant Kinney,

Golden and Peter Pagast in the predominantly African-Ameri-

with photographs by David Graham and Jack Ramsdale. T h e

can and racially tense Grays Ferry neighborhood; the garden-

b o o k chronicles t h e city's Mural Arts P r o g r a m (MAP) w i t h

a n d - m u r a l s initiative in the o n c e primarily P u e r t o R i c a n

verve, insight, drama, and healthy self-examination. It's easy to

Norris Square, with Ana Uribe's lushly floral walls; M e g Salig-

romanticize the notion of art for the people, of artists c o m m i t -

man's efforts to create m o n u m e n t a l , multicultural works c o m -

ted to expressing n e i g h b o r h o o d values, concerns, and aspira-

b i n i n g c o n t e m p o r a r y and art-historical elements, like the

tions on o u t d o o r walls. But, as this b o o k often reminds, making

breathtaking Common Threads (1998); and, perhaps most reveal-

murals is indeed about consensus building.

ing of

MAP'S

triumphs and travails, the making of Diane Keller's

group of Italian-themed walls in South Philly in the latter half Philadelphia's mural m o v e m e n t has had several incarnations. It began in 1972 as a m u s e u m o u t r e a c h p r o g r a m , followed by

of the 1990s, i n c l u d i n g a divisive portrait of f o r m e r mayor Frank Rizzo.

the municipally f u n d e d Philadelphia Anti-Graffiti N e t w o r k (1984-96), w h i c h employed wall w r i t e r s , a n d finally by MAP. In

Philadelphia Murals itself is the result of a collaboration, which

that time, dozens of artists as well as residents and volunteers have

could explain w h y its largely self-contained, loosely c h r o n o -

designed and painted over two thousand murals—one hundred or

logical pieces don't aways add up to a seamless whole—things

so annually over the last several years—making the city the most

j u m p ahead and then flash back, somewhat impressionistically.

prolific mural center in the nation. Largely due to Golden's orga-

T h e mural map gives only the approximate locations ot just

nizational skills,MAP,as mural documentarian and a u t h o r T i m o t h y

thirty murals. I would have liked to k n o w where to find more.

Drescher points out in the book's introduction,"has b e c o m e the

Works by the talented Josh Sarantitis, w h o has also led murals

p r e e m i n e n t civic mural program in the U n i t e d States."

in San Francisco and Chicago, are prominently featured, but I f o u n d myself wanting to k n o w m o r e about him.

In Philadelphia, murals depict historical and urban scenes, real and idealized landscapes, racial and ethnic narratives, and,

W h a t I appreciated most about the b o o k — o t h e r than that it

increasingly, portraits of famous local citizens as well as c o m m u -

provides an inspirational cultural and historical t o u r of the

nity leaders and youths. Some are allegorically and technically

city's neighborhoods through public art—is that it unflinch-

stunning. Cities with deeper roots in the c o m m u n i t y mural tra-

ingly deals with conflicts while s h o w i n g h o w citizens can

d i t i o n — L o s Angeles, the San Francisco Bay area, C h i c a g o —

overcome them by working together. Building communities or

may have p r o d u c e d a larger n u m b e r of formally c o m p l e x ,

any democratic institution, like making c o m m u n i t y murals, is a

socially activist statements, often by nonprofit groups not tied to

collaborative process often fraught with struggle.The epic His-

city budgets. But Philadelphia's murals hold their own, adding

tory of Immigration (1994) by Golden, Adonis, and crew is visual

beauty, color, pride, and identity to a diversity of n e i g h b o r -

testament to that participatory democratic ideal. It's only fitting

hoods.To quote an iconic mural in the City of Brotherly Love

that Philadelphia, the cradle of " W e the People," should carry

that quotes Walt W h i t m a n : "I am large, I contain multitudes."

America's still-unfolding mural story into the future.

In 160 pages featuring ninety or so mostly full-color illustra-

Jeff Huebner is a Chicago-based arts journalist w h o is a regular contributor

tions, Philadelphia Murals gives m a n y muralists and n e i g h b o r -

to the Chicago Reader and writes frequently on public art topics.

P u b l i c A r t R e v i e w . FAIL.WTR.03

REVIEW

CONSERVATION AND MAINTENANCE OF CONTEMPORARY PUBLIC ART

by D i a n n e C r i p e â&#x20AC;˘ â&#x20AC;˘ â&#x20AC;˘

the land

For this reason w e d e c i d e d that t h e d e f i n i n g

m e t a p h o r for the Great Wall mural w o u l d be a tattoo on the scar w h e r e the river o n c e ran." Baca speaks passionately a b o u t questions involving the restoration of this w o r k . It is essential, she reasons, for the artists and o t h e r c o m m u n i t y m e m b e r s to be c o m p l e t e l y e n g a g e d . " T h e m o s t critical e l e m e n t in t h e m a i n t e n a n c e and preservation of a mural is its relationship to

Hafthor Yngvason, editor Cambridge, Mass.:Archetype, 2002 154 pages, $25.00

its community."

O t h e r case studies cover such diverse topics as b r i n g i n g a

Percent-for-art programs d u r i n g the last three decades have generated thousands of artworks in public spaces. O f t e n f a b r i cated with materials less durable than the m o r e traditional stone and bronze, c o n t e m p o r a r y works d e m a n d a different set of policies and treatments. W i t h o u t responsible leadership to effectively manage conservation efforts, many of these c o m munity landmarks will be lost.

N a m J u n e Paik v i d e o / s o u n d work, housed in a 1936 Chrysler Airflow, into the twenty-first century and restoring an eroding R o b e r t M o r r i s e a r t h w o r k in K i n g C o u n t y , W a s h i n g t o n .

R a t h e r than trying to return a work to its original c o n d i t i o n , a nineteenth-century

notion, conservators n o w look

to

restoring the artist's intent.

W h i l e m u c h planning goes into selecting and installing public

To address these and other issues, the C a m b r i d g e (Massachusetts) Arts C o u n c i l hosted the conference " C o n s e r v a t i o n and Maintenance of C o n t e m p o r a r y Public A r t " two years ago. T h e b o o k by the same title, edited by H a f t h o r Yngvason, presents a collection of papers delivered at that conference. For those responsible for public art conservation and maintenance, this

a r t w o r k , m a i n t e n a n c e issues are rarely addressed ahead o f time. However, city officials should realize that artworks are tangible assets to the c o m m u n i t y and that r o u t i n e m a i n t e nance could forestall costly restoration efforts. Los Angeles and N e w York C i t y have d e v e l o p e d sophisticated m a i n t e n a n c e systems that take into account the open nature of m e t r o stations and public schools. T h e N e w York City Board o f E d u c a -

b o o k is extremely timely.

t i o n goes a step f u r t h e r , r e q u i r i n g artists to c o n s u l t w i t h Conservation

and Maintenance

includes detailed i n f o r m a t i o n

conservators d u r i n g the project's design phase. T h e i r contracts

about collections m a n a g e m e n t issues, such as h o w to create a

include a ten-year warranty against " i n h e r e n t defect" in art-

workable database, c o n d u c t an assessment, and find a c o m p e -

work materials.

tent conservator, but it also goes beyond the m u n d a n e to look at the bigger picture. Several case studies point to the need for public art professionals, b e f o r e b e g i n n i n g any conservation project, to take into account multiple views regarding o w n e r ship, site changes, and cultural sensitivity. If there is o n e d o m i nant t h e m e in these case studies, it is the mantra "engage the

Ultimately, Conservation and Maintenance raises as m a n y questions as it answers. B u t artists, public art administrators, and conservators will find this an i m p o r t a n t guide, both regarding cultural concerns and the m o r e technical aspects of preservation. Several appendixes are particularly helpful. For example, the

artist, engage the community."

Los

Angeles

County

Metropolitan

Transportation

Authority and Broward County, Florida, outline the pros and O n e case study describes h o w w h a t m i g h t have b e e n a

cons o f art materials, and any city or institution could adopt

straightforward restoration of the 1883 statue of Hawaii's first

N e w York City's Public Art for Public Schools m a i n t e n a n c e

king, K a m e h a m e h a , b e c a m e an occasion to celebrate local

recommendations.

identity and encourage citizen participation on several levels.

T h e c o m m u n i t y voted to c o n t i n u e the practice of painting

Clearly, public art exists in the f o u r t h dimension: time. N o t

European

only does its physical p r o p e r t i e s d e t e r i o r a t e , b u t t h e site

m e t h o d of gilding. Local elders were called u p o n to choose

usually changes as well. W h a t is the d e f i n i t i o n o f " p e r m a -

the statue r a t h e r than r e t u r n to the o r i g i n a l the paint colors.

nence?" W h e n is it appropriate to let go and "deaccession"a w o r k ? H o w the c o m m u n i t y r e s p o n d s to these c h a n g e s is

A n o t h e r project with significant c o m m u n i t y involvement was

s o m e t h i n g that can only be addressed o n e artwork at a time.

The Great Wall of Los Angeles, arguably the most famous large-

C o n t e x t is everything.

scale mural project in the U n i t e d States. Begun in 1974 to reflect t h e city's i n d i g e n o u s , Hispano, and m u l a t t o p o p u l a -

Dianne Cripe is director of public a r t at Arizona State University inTempe

tions, the half-mile Great Wall mural lines the retaining walls

and has served as chair of the Tempe A r t s Commission.

of c o n c r e t e c h a n n e l s installed to encase the city's rivers.

According to Judith Baca, " W e had hardened the arteries of

P u b l i c A r t R e v i e w . FAIL.WTR.03

RECENT

PROJECTS

P E A C E , by Z h a n g H u a n , is the

LIGHTSTREAM. by Ed C a r p e n t e r , was

was conceived o u t of the artist's

W i m Delvoye's GOTHIC, a series of

third installation in Creative

c o m m i s s i o n e d by t h e C i t y of

realization that B o s t o n — a city

sculptural works, appeared f r o m

T i m e ' s multidisciplinary public

Dallas Public Art P r o g r a m . It

full of m o n u m e n t s and m e m o r i -

J u n e 27 t h r o u g h the end of the

sculpture series Art on the Plaza

consists of sixty-eight "light

als to colonial times and the

s u m m e r in N e w York City. T h e

at the R i t z - C a r l t o n in N e w

sticks" and f o u r clusters of

R e v o l u t i o n a r y War e r a — h a d n o

t w o - p a r t e x h i b i t i o n was o n

York City's B a t t e r y Park. T h e

smaller e l e m e n t s utilizing

sculpture or a r t w o r k h o n o r i n g

view simultaneously at Madison

e x h i b i t i o n o p e n e d in late July

dichroic glass, all of w h i c h e m i t

the p e o p l e w h o lived there

Square Park and D o r i s C.

2003 and continues through

800 feet of flowing pools of

thousands of years ago. R e m -

F r e e d m a n Plaza. In his life-size

April 2 0 0 4 . In Peace, a large bell

c o l o r o n t o the ceiling of t h e

nants of ancient fishweirs still

replicas of Caterpillar excava-

m o d e l e d after those f o u n d in

n o r t h lobby of the Dallas C o n -

exist, b u r i e d in clay thirty feet

tors, Del voye j u x t a p o s e s

C h i n e s e temples hangs n e x t to a

vention C e n t e r . T h o u g h a p p e a r -

b e n e a t h Boston's streets. F r o m

medieval craftsmanship with

gilded life cast of the artist's

ing r a n d o m , the flow of light is

J u n e 16-July 25, an e x h i b i t i o n

m a c h i n e - a g e technology. His

naked body. T h e b r o n z e bell is

precisely p r o g r a m m e d and elec-

of the Ancient Fishweir Project

massive sculptures are m a d e

inscribed w i t h t h e names of t h e

tronically controlled. T h e instal-

was held at the Scollay Square

f r o m C o r - T e n steel a n d p e r f o -

artist's ancestors f r o m his native

lation comprises 1,400 pieces of

Art Gallery in Boston Hall. A

rated w i t h G o t h i c filigree. T h e

village in C h i n a , w h i l e t h e

dichroic glass, 1,780 light bulbs,

dedication c e r m o n y t o o k place

sculpture installed at at Madison

rigid, p e r p e n d i c u l a r b o d y bears

and a microprocessor that c o n -

o n Boston C o m m o n g u i d e d by

Square Park was part of a full

naturalistic details such as skin

trols 384 d i m m e r circuits. C a r -

W a m p a n o a g m e d i c i n e m a n , Earl

c o n s t r u c t i o n site that i n c l u d e d

creases a n d strands of hair. V i e w -

p e n t e r was assisted by J o h n

Cash, to bless t h e g r o u n d and

shovels, a w h e e l b a r r o w , a c o n -

ers are invited to drive t h e b o d y

Rogers and Craig Marquardt.

reflect o n the fishweirs. T h e

crete mixer, a pile of sand, b a r r i -

i n t o t h e bell; t h e resultant s o u n d

W a m p a n o a g N a t i o n Singers and

cades, and traffic cones—all in

represents a c o n f r o n t a t i o n

F r o m M a y 7 - 1 1 , 2003, a t e m p o -

Dancers led over 250 adults and

t h e same G o t h i c style. T h e r e are visible references to N o t r e

b e t w e e n t h e artist a n d his

rary public art project by Ross

children in d a n c e celebration

ancestral past. T h e bell vocalizes

Miller graced Boston C o m m o n ,

w i t h several traditional

D a m e , but all of the sculptures

the clash of cultures in w h i c h

near Charles S t r e e t . T h e ANCIENT

d a n c e s . T h e Ancient Fishweir Pro-

in the series represent an amal-

Z h a n g H u a n is suspended and,

F I S H W E I R PROJECT was built by

ject was sponsored by the Boston

gamation of G o t h i c structures.

Miller w i t h assistance f r o m stu-

O f f i c e of Cultural Affairs and

R e p e a t e d arches, intricately patt e r n e d florets, and u n d u l a t i n g

w i t h i n view of Ellis Island, invites viewers to consider their

dents at Boston's Little H o u s e

the B o s t o n Parks and R e c r e -

o w n relationship to ancestry

Alternative Public School, their

ation D e p a r t m e n t , w i t h s u p p o r t

lines t r a n s f o r m familiar icons of

and identity,

teachers, Native A m e r i c a n e d u -

f r o m t h e N e w England F o u n d a -

productivity i n t o ornate, n o n u -

cators, and archaeologists.The

tion for the Arts, the Massachu-

tilitarian o b j e c t s . T h e s e works

students spent the last school

setts F o u n d a t i o n for the

g r e w o u t of an o n g o i n g series

year studying early peoples in

H u m a n i t i e s , and the Little

in w h i c h Delvoye applies

the Boston area. D u r i n g fish

H o u s e Alternative School,

traditional craft and folk art

spawns 5 , 0 0 0 years ago, p e o p l e

[right Photo of dedication

practices to various industrial

built fishweirs along the tidal

courtesy Ross Miller]

objects. Gothic was sponsored

[left Photo courtesy www.charliesamuels.com]

edge of w h a t is n o w Boston

by N e w York's Public Art

C o m m o n in o r d e r to trap h e r -

F u n d and the Madison Square

ring. Miller's m o d e r n recreation

Park Conservancy.

was a fence-like structure in interlaced w o o d and brush. It

RECENT

PROJECTS

I HAVE A STORY TO TELL Y O U . . . by

the A n d y Warhol F o u n d a t i o n ,

" M a k i n g Art, M a k i n g H o m e , "

T w o of L a w r e n c e Argent's

P e p o n O s o r i o was dedicated

and the I n d e p e n d e n c e

led by w r i t e r and c o m m u n i t y

recent public art installations

J u n e 18, 2003, at C o n g r e s o de

Foundation.

organizer N a y o Watkins. Latitude

were in t h e D e n v e r area, w h e r e

Latinos U n i d o s in N o r t h

[left Photo by Gregory Benson]

32°—Navigating

t h e artist c u r r e n t l y lives and

Home e m e r g e d

f r o m a yearlong p a r t n e r s h i p

teaches. P I L L O W TALK was c o m m i s -

of p h o t o g r a p h s that were

As part of its Evoking History

b e t w e e n festival organizers

sioned by t h e D e n v e r U r b a n R e n e w a l Association a n d Post

P h i l a d e l p h i a . T h e w o r k consists enlarged and transferred to

p r o g r a m , Spoleto Festival

and t w o o t h e r organizations:

glass panels, w h i c h were

U S A presented a p e r f o r m a n c e

the B o r o u g h Project and

Properties as part o f a residential

installed as w i n d o w s in the

piece, LATITUDE 3 2 ° — N A V I G A T I N G

C l e m s o n Architecture C e n t e r .

c o m p l e x o n t h e f o r m e r site of

m a i n building and were also

HOME, on J u n e 7 in C h a r l e s t o n ,

T h e B o r o u g h Project is a

Saint Luke's Hospital. Several

used to create an o u t d o o r

S . C . T h i s "social sculpture," facil-

grassroots, A f r i c a n - A m e r i c a n -

pillows m a d e of g r a n i t e a n d

casita ("little h o u s e " ) in the

itated by activist artists S u z a n n e

led n e i g h b o r h o o d preservation

C o l o r a d o Yule m a r b l e represent

adjacent courtyard. C o n g r e s o de

Lacy and R i c k Lowe, b r o u g h t

g r o u p that aims to provide a

an a t t e m p t to b r i d g e t h e site's

Latinos U n i d o s is the leading

t o g e t h e r a broad representation

f o r u m for civic participation

c u r r e n t and f o r m e r uses by

provider of social, e c o n o m i c ,

of the local citizenry to reflect

t h r o u g h creative action. It

d e p i c t i n g an o b j e c t of rest.

health, and educational services

their views o n land issues affect-

offers cultural o p p o r t u n i t i e s

Whispers was c o m m i s s i o n e d by

to the Latino c o m m u n i t y of

ing t h e r e g i o n . T h e event fea-

and addresses inequities

t h e University of D e n v e r for its

Philadelphia. O s o r i o w o r k e d

tured seventy-five citizen

in the L o w c o u n t r y , w i t h

recently c o m p l e t e d R i t c h i e

w i t h clients and staff f r o m

performers—from Mayor Joseph

significance b e y o n d t h e region.

Wellness C e n t e r . T h e a r t w o r k

C o n g r e s o to gather p h o t o g r a p h s

R i l e y to teenagers f r o m rural

C l e m s o n Architecture C e n t e r

consists of f o u r l i m e s t o n e

f r o m personal collections,

S o u t h C a r o l i n a — w h o gathered

in C h a r l e s t o n w o r k s as a b r i d g e

b e n c h e s and five c o l u m n s . T h e

selecting images that reflect

on porches c o n s t r u c t e d along

b e t w e e n academia and the archi-

fronts of t h e b e n c h e s are carved

shared e x p e r i e n c e and depict

C a l h o u n Street o n the n o r t h

tecture profession by e m p h a s i z -

in t h e shape of h u m a n lips,

local events that have shaped

side of A n s o n b o r o u g h Fields.

ing t h e local e n v i r o n m e n t and

e n l a r g e m e n t s of life casts m a d e

c o m m u n i t y life. O s o r i o creates

T h e porches were designed

hands-on construction,

f r o m a cross-section of t h e u n i -

installations that i n c o r p o r a t e

and built by R o b e r t Miller, K e n -

[middle Photo by William Struhs]

versity c o m m u n i t y . E a c h b e n c h

images and artifacts f r o m daily

neth H u g g i n s , and their

is c o n f i g u r e d w i t h interactive

life in Latino c o m m u n i t i e s ,

students at C l e m s o n A r c h i t e c -

s o u n d e q u i p m e n t . Sitting o n a

and his w o r k explores the

ture C e n t e r in C h a r l e s t o n .

b e n c h engages r e c o r d e d lectures

process of cultural transmission

Participants debated questions ot

piped f r o m a central system t o

and t h e c o n s t r u c t i o n of social

land use and r e d e v e l o p m e n t in

speakers built i n t o t h e b e n c h e s .

and cultural identity. His

the Charleston a r e a — f r o m

Lecture c o n t e n t ranges f r o m

art o f t e n grows o u t of a dia-

property rights to b e a c h f r o n t

p o e t r y to science to r h e t o r i c a l

logue a m o n g u n d e r s e r v e d

d e v e l o p m e n t to the f u t u r e of t h e

theory, and changes regularly.

c o m m u n i t i e s , social service

East S i d e . T h e J u n e 7 p e r f o r m -

A d j a c e n t l i m e s t o n e c o l u m n s are

providers, and the c o m m i s s i o n -

ance was a u g m e n t e d by w o r k -

t o p p e d w i t h cast b r o n z e lips,

ing i n s t i t u t i o n . T h i s project

shop activities of the Youth

[right Pillow Talk. Photo courtesy

was c o m m i s s i o n e d by the

Fellows P r o g r a m — a Spoleto

the artist]

F a i r m o u n t Park Art Association

Festival e d u c a t i o n and outreach

with support from the

initiative—and by the Alternate

William P e n n F o u n d a t i o n ,

Roots Regional Workshop

RECENT

PROJECTS

STANDING LEAVES. FALLING LIGHT by

F o u r n e w light sculptures by

MEMORY BOX, by S t e p h e n Farley,

CONNECTION, a site-specific

Barbara Grygutis was created

N e w York sculptor R . M . Fisher

was c o m m i s s i o n e d by t h e

ceramic mural at the Philadel-

for K i n g C o u n t y ' s O v e r t a k e

w e r e recently installed along t h e

P h o e n i x Arts C o m m i s s i o n to

phia International Airport,

Park and R i d e in R e d m o n d ,

south side of San Francisco's

h i d e a triple-line backflow p r e -

was designed by artist D i t W a h

W a s h . T h e installation is a series

U n i o n Square, a d o w n t o w n

vention assembly in d o w n t o w n

D e n g u n d e r the auspices of

ot five p e r f o r a t e d stainless steel

plaza that has u n d e r g o n e e x t e n -

P h o e n i x . T h e assembly is an

C O S A C O S A art at large, Inc.,

and galvanized metal sculptures

sive renovation. Fisher's pieces,

essential part of t h e city's sewer

a n o n p r o f i t organization d e d i -

111 a stylized leaf shape. T h e sev-

collectively titled UNION SQUARE

system, b u t its industrial a p p e a r -

cated to creating n e w art spe-

e n t e e n - f o o t sculptures are

COLONNADE, are the first p e r m a -

ance did n o t c o m p l e m e n t its

cific to Philadelphia

placed t h i r t y - t w o feet apart,

n e n t sculptures to be placed in

surroundings, a d j a c e n t to t h e

n e i g h b o r h o o d s and public

mirroring the support columns

the plaza since R o b e r t Ingersoll

Calvin C. G o o d e Municipal

spaces. For over a year, Dit

in the transit facility's m a i n

Aitken's n i n e t y - f i v e - f o o t b r o n z e

Building. Memory Box consists

Will D e n g and C O S A C O S A

building. D u r i n g daylight h o u r s

Dewey Monument

of a steel box overlaid w i t h

collaborated with y o u n g p e o ple t h r o u g h o u t Philadelphia

in 1901.

the p e r f o r a t e d metal skin is

Fisher's pieces are c o m p o s e d of

ceramic tile. T h e reinforced

almost transparent, inviting the

cast and c u s t o m - m a d e street

cover was designed to withstand

to create an e i g h t y - f o o t by

v i e w of sky and trees to be

lamp parts, b o t h historic and

t h e effect of people climbing o n

five-foot

i n t e r t w i n e d w i t h the stainless

c o n t e m p o r a r y . T h r e e consist of

it. T h e tiles depict scenes

over 1200 m i n i a t u r e clay

steel f o r m s . At dusk each sculp-

c a s t - a l u m i n u m historic attach-

designed to blend in with the

s c u l p t u r e s . T h e lower, outside

ture is illuminated f r o m w i t h i n

ments juxtaposed with contem-

s u r r o u n d i n g s . Farley t o o k p h o -

c o r n e r s of the piece c o n t a i n

by a p h o t o c e l l m e c h a n i s m .

porary stainless steel globes and

tographs of t h e adjacent areas

h u g e outstretched hands.

Grygutis, o f T u c s o n , Ariz., has

a large, clear, illuminated p o l y -

and transferred t h e m to ceramic

E m a n a t i n g f r o m the hands

served as lead artist in m o r e

carbonate sphere.The fourth,

tile, using a process h e invented

against a blue sky is an arc

than thirty projects across t h e

shorter piece is a single m o d e r n

called T i l o g r a p h y . T h e images

spanning t h e full eighty feet of the e x h i b i t i o n space.

mural m a d e u p of

country. H e r w o r k is f o u n d in

sphere of stainless steel, h o r i -

record the scene o n a day in the

parks, transit facilities, road p r o j -

zontally split and lit f r o m inside.

recent past, m a k i n g the b o x a

W i t h i n the arc are t h e i n d i -

ects, and public plazas in A r i -

All four pieces are m o u n t e d o n

visual time capsule. From a dis-

vidual clay sculptures. T h e

zona, M i n n e s o t a , N e w M e x i c o ,

slim, t h i r t e e n - f o o t bases of p o l -

tance, t h e tiles read as p h o t o -

c o m p l e t e d w o r k was installed

N e w Jersey, and O h i o . O v e r l a k e

ished granite. T h e goal, said the

graphs, b u t they melt i n t o a soft

in May and will be o n display

Village c o m p r i s e s a transit h u b

artist, was to integrate familiar

pointillism at close range. T h e

t h r o u g h 2004.

and 3 0 8 - u n i t h o u s i n g d e v e l o p -

e l e m e n t s i n t o n e w and u n e x -

sepia tones c o m p l e m e n t the

m e n t . T h e public art c o m p o n e n t

p e c t e d c o m b i n a t i o n s . Fisher's

sandstone used in nearby

was f u n d e d t h r o u g h a p e r c e n t -

U n i o n Square sculptures were

municipal buildings,

f o r - a r t dedication f r o m K i n g

c o m m i s s i o n e d by the San F r a n -

[right Photo courtesy the artistj

C o u n t y M e t r o Transit,

cisco Arts C o m m i s s i o n ,

[left Photo by Spike Mafford]

[middle Photo by Jane Lidz]

RECENT

M a r i k o Mori's WAVE UFO, an

PROJECTS

three participants' brains

M o n t r e a l artist Eric Sauve

W o r k i n g with c o m m u n i t y

reflected, t h r o u g h b i o f e e d b a c k ,

created VERT FORET for the

volunteers, Steven Siegel

t h e participants' interaction

Esplanade in M o n t r e a l . Last

created his largest N o r t h

with the exhibit and with each

year, t h e Societe de la Place

A m e r i c a n sculpture to date.

in N e w York City from May

other. Alpha (blue) waves

des Arts c o m m i s s i o n e d l a n d -

SCALE was c o m p l e t e d over an

10-July 3 1 . T h e project, three

indicated wakeful relaxation,

scape architect C l a u d e C o r n i e r

eight-day span in m i d - N o v e m -

years in the m a k i n g , fused

beta (pink) waves indicated

to redesign the Esplanade.

ber, 2002, for the A b i n g t o n

real-time c o m p u t e r graphics,

alertness or agitation, and

C o r n i e r designated the pool

Art Center's Sculpture G a r d e n

brain-wave technology, s o u n d ,

theta (yellow) waves indicated

as an area for artistic expression,

in J e n k i n t o w n , P e n n . T h e

and architectural e n g i n e e r i n g to

a dreamlike state. Different

to be r e n e w e d every s u m m e r .

sculpture, w h i c h appears

mental f u n c t i o n s t r a n s f o r m e d

Sauve was chosen to p r o d u c e

to b e m a d e of stone, is actually

the characteristics of t h e g r a p h -

this year's piece, w h i c h was

c o m p o s e d of m o r e than

ics. T h e s e c o n d part of t h e

installed at t h e b e g i n n i n g

2 0 , 0 0 0 p o u n d s of recycled

p r o j e c t i o n , " C o n n e c t e d World."

of t h e s u m m e r and taken

newspaper. W h e n it begins

linked the individual e x p e r i e n c e

d o w n S e p t e m b e r 15. Vert Foret

to d e c o m p o s e in an estimated

c o m b i n e d individual e x p e r i e n c e

to t h e universal t h r o u g h a

was a t w e n t y - e i g h t - m e t e r

fifteen years, it will provide

with Mori's vision of a cosmic

graphic a n i m a t i o n s e q u e n c e

translucent wall crossing

an i n c u b a t o r for f u n g i , insects,

based o n a series of paintings

almost t h e entire length of the

small animals, and y o u n g

by M o r i . C o l o r f u l abstract

p o o l . T h i s " i n o r g a n i c hedge,"

trees. Siegel's site-specific

f o r m s slowly e x p a n d e d and

m a d e u p of pieces of green

installations f r e q u e n t l y i n c o r p o -

use of scientific e q u i p m e n t

evolved into shapes that l o o k e d

glass set in an a l u m i n u m

rate recycled materials and

that m o n i t o r e d and visually

like single cells and molecular

structure and covered in

raise issues o f ecology, land

structures. Mori's intent was to

sheets of transparent acrylic,

use, and t h e h u m a n i m p a c t

T h e installation consisted of a

bring the viewer from the

explored the relationship

on the environment. This

fiberglass shell shaped like a

b i o f e e d b a c k state i n t o w h a t

b e t w e e n nature and t h e

project was m a d e possible

drop of water, t h i r t y - f o u r feet

she described as "a d e e p e r

urban landscape.The transpar-

by a special grant f r o m t h e

long, seventeen feet wide, and

consciousness in w h i c h t h e

e n t glass and m o v i n g w a t e r

Pennsylvania Historical and

f o u r t e e n feet t a l l . T h e shell

self and the universe b e c o m e

e n h a n c e d t h e diffraction,

M u s e u m C o m m i s s i o n and

housed an i n t e r i o r capsule,

i n t e r c o n n e c t e d . " T h e exhibit

reflection, a n d refraction of

i n - k i n d d o n a t i o n s f r o m Maslo

was sponsored by N e w York's

light and color. At night,

C o m p a n y and Lou G i r o u d

series of lily-pad-shaped steps.

Public Art F u n d w i t h assistance

artificial lighting provided a

Tree Services.

Inside, three viewers at a t i m e

from Bloomberg,

special effect.

reclined o n c o m f o r t a b l e chairs

[left Photo by Tom Powel Imaging]

interactive sculptural installation, appeared in the glass a t r i u m at 590 Madison Avenue

create a d y n a m i c interactive e x p e r i e n c e . D r a w i n g u p o n the Buddhist principle that all f o r m s of life in the universe are i n t e r c o n n e c t e d . Wave

UFO

dream world by s e n d i n g participants, three at a time, on an aesthetic voyage t h r o u g h t h e

interpreted their brain waves.

w h i c h viewers entered via a

to watch a s e v e n - m i n u t e projection on t h e d o m e d ceiling above. T h e t w o - p a r t v i d e o began w i t h a p r o j e c t i o n of participants' brain waves o n t o the screen. Six u n d u l a t i n g b i o a m o r p h o u s cells representing the left and right lobes of the

[right Photo courtesy Abington Art Center]

RECENT

PROJECTS

AIM ON SUNSET, six installations

T h e University of Minnesota's

T h e Portland, Oreg. Regional

c o m b i n a t i o n s of these layers

D e s i g n Institute, w i t h f u n d i n g

Arts & C u l t u r e C o u n c i l

create various tableaus d e p e n d -

using digital video, c o m p u t e r -

f r o m the Target C o r p o r a t i o n ,

c o m m i s s i o n e d n e w works in

ing o n w h e t h e r the viewer is

generated animation, digitized

l a u n c h e d a multifaceted project

2 0 0 2 at public buildings

inside or outside t h e building,

film, and a Q u i c k T i m e movie,

m S e p t e m b e r 2 0 0 3 that

t h r o u g h o u t the city. Bill Will's

[middle Pod. Photo courtesy

appear o n West Hollywood's

i n c l u d e d a public, c i t y w i d e

The Hero is a cast b r o n z e figure

Regional Arts & Culture Council]

Sunset Strip f r o m J u n e t h r o u g h

b o a r d g a m e and a series of

located in t h e lobby of the

D e c e m b e r . T h e p r o d u c t i o n s air

unusual m a p s . T h e g a m e

Central Northeast Neighbors

In Fernanda D ' A g o s t i n o ' s

every half h o u r at Key Club,

involved m o v i n g three t w e n t y -

offices, in t h e same building

U N S E E N W O R L D S , images and text

9 0 3 0 Sunset Blvd., and i n t e r -

five-foot-tall, brightly colored,

that houses Fire Station # 12.

are integrated into the built

mittently b e t w e e n advertising at

inflatable g a m e pieces t h r o u g h

T w e n t y b r o n z e panels face the

e n v i r o n m e n t of the C o l u m b i a

8 4 1 0 Sunset Blvd. In Flicker,

the Twin Cities of M i n n e a p o l i s

wall, f r o m w h i c h emerges a

Boulevard Wet Weather Treat-

Brian Karl a n d T i r t z a E v e n s

and Saint Paul. In t h e BIG URBAN

larger-than-life cast b r o n z e

m e n t Plant in Portland, O r e g .

digital v i d e o uses a time-delayed

GAME, three teams m o v e d g a m e

figure created in high relief.

Several sandblasted boulders

editing t e c h n i q u e to elongate

pieces a l o n g routes d e t e r m i n e d

T h e figure's surface consists

depict the m i c r o - o r g a n i s m s

and repeat the gesture of an eld-

by public voting. At various

entirely of f o u n d objects c o l -

and macro-invertebrates used

erly w o m a n resting her head o n

c h e c k p o i n t s , j u m b o - s i z e d dice

lected by the artist. P O D , by

to test water quality. T h e

her h a n d . T h i s vision of age and

were rolled to help d e t e r m i n e

Pete B e e m a n , is a three-legged

Dedritic Bridge frames a view

fragility stutters and

t h e game's o u t c o m e . T h e Insti-

sculpture that stands thirty

of the intersection of industrial

m a k i n g t h e image hard to see

tute also c o m m i s s i o n e d n i n e

feet tall and is located at the

and natural landscapes and

and thus a p p r o x i m a t i n g the

" k n o w l e d g e maps," w h i c h

halfway p o i n t o n the city's

provides perches for small

e x p e r i e n c e of palsied physical

i n c l u d e spiritual sites of t h e

streetcar line. S u s p e n d e d

birds. Perches reference bird

d e t e r i o r a t i o n for viewers.

Twin Cities, a m e e t - a n d - e a t

f r o m a central h i n g e d j o i n t

feathers and beaks, as well as

M a r t h a Gorzycki's Unfurling is a

m a p of weekly restaurant

is a cylindrical b r o n z e f o r m

tools used in t h e water treat-

Q u i c k T i m e movie that r e c o n -

roundtables, and locations of

resembling a giant seed.

m e n t p l a n t . T h i s project was

figures the U.S. flag by using

interesting smells and noises. A

J u t t i n g seventeen feet above

c o m m i s s i o n e d by the R e g i o n a l

images of cars, c o r p o r a t e logos,

final c o m p o n e n t of t h e Twin

this f o r m are seventy-three

Arts & C u l t u r e C o u n c i l ,

and windmills to m a k e u p the

Cities Design C e l e b r a t i o n was

t i t a n i u m rods. T h e b r o n z e

[right Photo courtesy Regional Arts

stars and s t r i p e s . T h e a r t w o r k

t h e c o m m i s s i o n i n g of a n e w

f o r m is a c o u n t e r w e i g h t to

& Culture Council]

conflates visual symbols of c o n -

t y p e f a c e , " T w i n , " to e m b o d y t h e

t h e rods above; w h e n it is

s u m e r i s m and t h e energy

qualities of Saint Paul and M i n -

pushed, the central section

sources it d e m a n d s w i t h t h e

neapolis. T h e digital version is

moves via a complicated pairing

national symbol of the world's

designed to c h a n g e in response

of p e n d u l u m s . In Portland's

largest energy c o n s u m e r . C o m -

to t e m p e r a t u r e

M e a d Building, w h i c h houses

posed entirely of quotations

traffic conditions,

the Multnomah County

f r o m rejection letters received

[left Photo by Matthew Pahs]

D e p a r t m e n t of C o m m u n i t y

by the artist, Verbatim by

Justice, Sheila Klein created

Annetta K a p o n achieves special

Show and Hide. Five layers

significance by virtue of its

of m o t o r i z e d draperies m o v e

location in the epicenter of a

slowly across a t w e n t y - f o o t by

n o t o r i o u s l y competitive i n d u s -

t e n - f o o t w i n d o w . O v e r fifty

try w h e r e success is everything

fluctuations

and

flickers,

RECENT

PROJECTS

but rejection is the e x p e r i e n c e

T h e Martin Luther K i n g j r .

i m p e r v i o u s to fire to h o n o r t h e

F r o m J u n e 6 - A u g u s t 31, the Des

of most. J o h n n y Karaguez's

Library in San Jose dedicated

i m m o r t a l i t y of ideas. Sour Grapes

M o i n e s Public Art C o m m i s s i o n

Noize harnesses a camera to a

RECOLECCIONES, a n e w public art

recalls Aesop's fox, w h o dispar-

o p e n e d its first public art instal-

PCU to record the c o m p u t e r

collection by M e l C h i n , o n

aged the grapes h e was unable

lation in t h e East Village of

screen, w h i c h , along w i t h prere-

August 16, 2003. Recolecciones

to reach, saying they were sour.

d o w n t o w n D e s M o i n e s . For THE

c o r d e d static and v i d e o f e e d -

consists of t h i r t y - t h r e e artworks

S p r o u t i n g in the ceiling in the

STOREFRONT P R O J E C T , ten Iowa

back, generates an image that

located t h r o u g h o u t the library.

business and e c o n o m i c s reading

artists w e r e asked to create t e m -

looks s o m e w h a t like an ele-

T h e works g r e w o u t of Chin's

r o o m , this twisted w r o u g h t - i r o n

p o r a r y installations in vacant

gantly m u s h r o o m i n g , and

collaboration with San Jose

vine, ripe w i t h green glass fruit,

storefronts and c o m m e r c i a l w i n -

increasingly baroque, animated

State University faculty and stu-

can be desired or dismissed as

dows. Works i n c l u d e painting,

tree. In Vis-a-vis, D e n n i s Miller

dents, city librarians and

t h e potentially sour grapes of

sculpture, m i x e d - m e d i a , video,

i m p l e m e n t s " c o n v o l u t i o n " (the

employees, library patrons, and

e c o n o m i c s . T h e installation can

s o u n d , and photography.Visitors

synthesis of t w o elements to

the greater San Jose c o m m u n i t y .

be v i e w e d as a sly c o m m e n t o n

walked t h r o u g h t h e area

create a new, third, element) as

In Babel, parallel walls in t h e

the early agricultural e c o n o m y

b o u n d e d by East G r a n d . East

t h e g o v e r n i n g principle for

library's g o v e r n m e n t periodicals

of San Jose and t h e d a t a - h a r -

Locust, East T h i r d , and East

c o m p u t e r - g e n e r a t e d sounds

and microfilm section are c o v -

vesting e c o n o m y that has

Sixth streets to see t h e w o r k s of

and images. In

ered with millwork derived

replaced it. Wise Cracks is

art. Artists selected w e r e Angela

G r e g o r y Scranton digitizes

f r o m Pieter Breughel's d e p i c t i o n

located o n t h e seventh

Battle, D e n n i s Swanson,Teresa

and radically simplifies f o u n d

of the Tower of Babel. M i r r o r s

bridge, near t h e library's art and

Paschke,Valerie K n o w l e s , Tilly

h o m e - m o v i e footage and

in t h e millwork's w i n d o w

art history holdings. T h e w i n -

W o o d w a r d . Sandra Dyas,

cycles t h e resulting images

frames reinforce the t h e m e of

d o w s here appear cracked.

C h a d e n Halfhill. Mira Engler,

t h r o u g h the colors of the spec-

infinite r e p r o d u c t i o n and invoke

Closer scrutiny reveals that t h e

Peter G o c h e , Mitchell Squire, and David R a v e r . T h e D e s

ROY-G-BIVII,

floor

trumâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;the eponymous

the reflective nature of lan-

cracks m a t c h t h e breaks in M a r -

r,o,y,g,b,i,v. W h a t first appear to

guage. Canary Couch, a reading

cel D u c h a m p ' s Large Glass (also

M o i n e s Public Art C o m m i s s i o n assigned an advisory panel to

be abstract l u m i n o u s pixels

chair upholstered in canary yel-

k n o w n as The Bride Stripped

m o v i n g against a dark b a c k -

low, recalls the history of m i n -

Bare by Her Bachelors, Even).

select the artists.The C o m m i s sion received s u p p o r t f r o m t h e

g r o u n d quickly translates into

ing south of San Jose. T h e

E v e n closer inspection reveals

pictograms of r u n n i n g , s w i n g -

" m i n e s h a f t canaries" that

that t h e cracked lines are m a d e

Downtown Community

w a r n e d miners of i m p e n d i n g

of j o k e s and p u n s sand-blasted

Alliance, a n o n p r o f i t g r o u p p r o -

danger parallel t h e role of

i n t o t h e surface of the glassâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;a

m o t i n g d e v e l o p m e n t in d o w n -

libraries as cultural institutions

r e m i n d e r that D u c h a m p shat-

t o w n D e s M o i n e s . For m o r e

w h o s e health and vigor reflect

tered a r t - m a k i n g tradition, using

i n f o r m a t i o n c o n t a c t J o h n Fir-

the state of the larger societies

p u n s and irony to emphasize t h e

m a n w i t h the Des M o i n e s P u b -

that s u p p o r t t h e m . Hearth is a

c o n c e p t u a l over t h e retinal,

lic Art C o m m i s s i o n at

c o r n e r fireplace built f r o m

[left Sour Grapes. Photo

5 1 5 - 2 4 4 - 3 3 2 2 o r visit their

bricks cast in t h e shape of b o o k s

courtesy City of San Jose's Public

website at w w w . d m g o v . o r g /

and marble selected for its

Art Program]

dsmartcommission/index.htm.

ing, and playing figures.

s m o k y tendrils. T h i s a r t w o r k ,

[right Mira Engler's installation.

situated in a quiet reading area,

Photo by FORECAST Public

speaks to t h e history of b o o k

Artworks]

b u r n i n g . T h e s e b o o k s are

47

RECENT

THE 4 E L E M E N T S , seventeen site-

PROJECTS

cally b r i n g air a n d light to

Scott Parsons's most recent

textile p a t t e r n based o n an

specific installations by t w e n t y

earth. M a r k W i n e t r o u t c o m -

public a r t w o r k , ALGORITHMIC

Asakiwaki handbag, c o m m e m o -

artists, o c c u p i e d Boston's

b i n e d an archive and cabinet

TAPESTRY, received the 2 0 0 0 J o b

rating t h e 1835 escape of Black

Forest Hills C e m e t e r y f r o m

of curiosities gathered f r o m

of the Year Award f r o m the

H a w k a n d his people in an area

J u n e 15-August 31. T h e e x h i b i -

the g r o u n d s a n d preserved

N a t i o n a l Terrazzo and Mosaic

n o w o c c u p i e d by the U W -

tion was c o n c e i v e d as an

in a glass-topped m u s e u m

Association. T h e

M a d i s o n campus. T h e E n g i -

e x p l o r a t i o n of h o w h u m a n

case. Kathleen Driscoll c o n -

foot epoxy terrazzo floor was

n e e r i n g C e n t e r s Building

10,200-square-

c u l t u r e reshapes the physical

structed a m o n u m e n t a l water

c o m m i s s i o n e d by t h e Wisconsin

received an award f r o m the

w o r l d in p u r s u i t of beauty,

spill using w o o d , hydrocal,

State Arts Board for the five-

Wisconsin chapter of the

order, and m e a n i n g . Frank

and burlap. Stacy Latt Savage

story a t r i u m of the E n g i n e e r i n g

A m e r i c a n Institute of Architects

Vasello, T h o m a s Matsuada,

assembled sculptural f o r m s

C e n t e r s Building, a n a n o t e c h -

this year. T h e $53.4 million,

Larissa B r o w n , J e a n n e Drevas,

inspired by the patterns of

nology research facility at t h e

2 0 4 , 0 0 0 - s q u a r e - f o o t building

and Jeffrey Hayes created

frost and cracking m u d . N a n c y

C o l l e g e of E n g i n e e r i n g o n

was designed by K o h n

sculptural f o r m s f r o m natural

M u r p h y Spicer used latex

the University of W i s c o n s i n -

Pederson Fox Associates of

materials r a n g i n g f r o m gathered

house paint to create f o r m s

M a d i s o n campus. Parsons's

N e w York City and Flad &

b r a n c h e s and p i n e needles to

that were part sculpture, part

design is c o m p u t a t i o n a l , i n c o r -

Associates of Madison,

i m p o r t e d w a t e r hyacinths.

drawing. T h e e x h i b i t i o n was

p o r a t i n g a tapestry of a l g o r i t h -

[right Photo courtesy the artist]

Daniel Bouthot, Christopher

m a d e possible by grants f r o m

mic patterns visualized f r o m

H o . Kaki M a r t i n , Susan C h i l d ,

the Boston F o u n d a t i o n , t h e

mathematical compressions

From S e p t e m b e r 24 t h r o u g h

and C h r i s Alonso inscribed

J o h n H . and H . N a o m i T o m -

c o m m o n l y used by engineers

O c t o b e r 4, curator J a c o b Fabri-

their designs directly i n t o the

f o h r d e F o u n d a t i o n , and an

to transform t h e c o n c e p t u a l

cius was o n view at the Fulton

earth by planting p a t t e r n e d

anonymous funder.

into the actual. T h e

Mall, a N e w York City s h o p p i n g

sod, rosemary beds, and a l o n g

[left Stacy Latt Savage, Fissure.

depicts quasicrystals, n a n o c r y s -

district. In a n e w version of a

line of lime m i x e d w i t h rye

Photo courtesy Forest Hills

tals, and a series of digital and

project he last c o m p l e t e d in Los

seed designed to highlight the

Educational Trust]

analog references to c o m p u t i n g

Angeles, Calif., Fabricius stood

cemetery's varied topography.

t e c h n o l o g y and n u m e r i c sys-

o n t h e street every a f t e r n o o n

N i h o K o s u r u and Danielle

tems. T h e n a n o objects were

f r o m twelve to three, sporting a

K r m a r recreated domestic-

scaled u p 2 billion times.

different sandwich board every

objects in u n e x p e c t e d materials

A n o t h e r part of the design

o t h e r day. T h e boards were

(translucent rubber, c e m e n t ) ,

consists of a black fractal w i t h

m a d e by a series of artists,

i m p a r t i n g a t o u c h of the

m o t h e r of pearl chips e x t e n d i n g

including L e o n Golub, Adrian

u n c a n n y to the familiar. Sean

almost 200 feet across the

Piper, and Ben K i n m o n t , and

Langlais, W i n s l o w Burleson,

a t r i u m and w i n d i n g d o w n

displayed such statements as

and C h r i s Verplaetse used

two hallways. T h i s e l e m e n t is

Golub's " B e w a r n e d ! We can

t e c h n o l o g y to g e n e r a t e mysteri-

based o n the fractal behavior

disappear you." A c c o r d i n g the

ous effects w i t h n o a p p a r e n t

of N e w t o n ' s m e t h o d , an algo-

N e w Y o r k T i m e s article of S e p -

source: traces of s o u n d in

r i t h m that relates to most

t e m b e r 21 by M e g h a n Dailey,

t h e air o r m o v e m e n t in t h e

branches of e n g i n e e r i n g . In

Fabricius w o r e t h e signboards as

water. A m y Stacey C u r t i s placed

addition to the design's c o m p u -

a way of e x p a n d i n g t h e curator's

an array of mirrors o n the

tational and e n g i n e e r i n g

role and learning a b o u t a u d i -

g r o u n d of a p i n e forest to m a g i -

elements, it also includes a

ences' reactions directly.

floor

ARTIST

• • • CORRECTION T h e last issue of Public Art Review r e p o r t e d o n a recent project by D e b b y and Larry Kline, THE ELECTRIC LIGHT FIELDS OF CALIFORNIA, w h i c h consists of a series of o u t d o o r light sculptures b e n e a t h high-voltage p o w e r lines in various locations t h r o u g h o u t the s t a t e . T h e

OPPORTUNITIES

Project, the first line of

T h e T o w n of H u n t i n g t o n is

Perry N . R u d n i c k N a t u r e Trail

Charlotte's n e w rapid transit

seeking qualifications f r o m

o n CCCDS property. T h e

system. Artists interested in

mural artists interested in b e i n g

b u d g e t for t h e project is $ 5 , 0 0 0 .

b e i n g considered for c o m m i s -

c o m m i s s i o n e d for a series of

For m o r e i n f o r m a t i o n and

s i o n ^ ) , design w o r k , or inclu-

alleyway mural projects in

application call 8 2 8 - 8 9 0 - 2 0 5 0

sion o n a design team for

H u n t i n g t o n Village, L o n g

o r e - m a i l info@craftcreativity

the C h a r l o t t e Area Transit

Island. T h e RFQ is posted o n

d e s i g n . o r g . T h e deadline is

System's n e w A r t - i n - T r a n s i t

the Town's website at w w w .

D e c e m b e r 5, 2 0 0 3 .

p r o g r a m should visit w w w . r i d e -

town.huntington.ny.us/public-

transit.org, o r call 7 0 4 - 4 3 2 - 0 4 7 9

n o t i c e d e t a i l s . c f m ? i d = 3 4 . For

for m o r e i n f o r m a t i o n . T h e

more information, contact

(ACL), a p a r t n e r s h i p of t h e

deadline is o p e n and o n g o i n g .

M i c h a e l Moss, D i r e c t o r of P u r -

N a t i o n a l E n d o w m e n t for t h e

chasing at 6 3 1 - 3 5 1 - 3 1 7 7 . T h e

Arts, t h e N a t i o n a l Park Service

deadline is D e c e m b e r 1, 2 0 0 3 .

R i v e r s and Trails division, and

description of the K l i n e s ' p r o j ect mistakenly implied that the

December

sculptures' fluorescent light bulbs are p o w e r e d by c o n n e c tions to the p o w e r lines. H o w ever, a clarification from the artists makes it clear that t h e sculptures are illuminated by the a m b i e n t electromagnetic fields created by the p o w e r lines, w i t h o u t any direct c o n n e c t i o n to t h e lines themselves. Indeed, the p o w e r lines generate electrical fields strong e n o u g h to excite the plasma in the

fluores-

cent bulbs w i t h o u t the n e e d for a wired c o n n e c t i o n . As such, the sculpture makes an e n v i r o n m e n tal as well as an artistic statem e n t . L o n g - t e r m exposure to electromagnetic fields has b e e n suggested as a cancer risk, and this a r t w o r k is a visual d e m o n stration of such f i e l d s ' p o w e r .

T h e artists have c o m p l e t e d three of five planned installat i o n s — i n K e t d e m a n City, O n t a r i o , and Niland, Calif.

T h e Massachusetts Port A u t h o r i t y (Massport) is seeking creative design concepts for an airport m e m o r i a l to a c k n o w l edge the events of S e p t e m b e r 11, 2001, the lives lost, and t h e p r o f o u n d impacts of those events o n the Logan I n t e r n a tional A i r p o r t c o m m u n i t y .

Envisioned as a place for p e r sonal reflection and r e m e m b r a n c e for a n y o n e affected by the terrorist attacks almost t w o years ago, t h e m e m o r i a l will h o n o r those w h o lost their lives and the compassion, d e d i cation, and professionalism of airline and a i r p o r t workers foll o w i n g t h e tragic events. T h e 1.6-acre site set aside for the a i r p o r t m e m o r i a l is n e x t to the A i r p o r t H i l t o n H o t e l , w h e r e Massport a n d airline teams ministered to t h e g r i e f stricken families and friends of the passengers aboard A m e r i c a n Airlines Flight # I 1 and U n i t e d Airlines Flight

ARTIST

OPPORTUNITIES Ongoing

# 1 7 5 . T h e b u d g e t for the project is $1 million. For m o r e i n f o r m a t i o n go to www.massport.com/

Art & C o m m u n i t y Landscapes

the N e w England Foundation N e w M e x i c o State M o n u m e n t s and the C a m i n o R e a l I n t e r n a tional H e r i t a g e C e n t e r a n n o u n c e a c o m p e t i t i o n for t h e c o m m i s s i o n of an a r t w o r k for t h e historic El C a m i n o R e a l . T h e A r t w o r k Selection C o m m i t t e e seeks to c o m m i s sion a U.S. artist to create a towering, welcoming landmark.

T h e a r t w o r k c o u l d reflect A m e r i c a n Indian and Hispanic cultures. Hispanic and A n g l o traders, or celebrate EI C a m i n o R e a l — a t o n e t i m e the longest s o u t h to n o r t h international trail o f c o m m e r c e . T h e a r t w o r k site is 35 miles s o u t h of Socorro, N e w M e x . , near the j u n c t i o n of H i g h w a y 1 and t h e e n t r a n c e road to El C a m i n o R e a l International H e r i t a g e C e n t e r . T h e project a m o u n t is $ 1 0 1 , 0 0 0 and includes costs for design, c o n s t r u c t i o n , insurance, and taxes. A c o m p l e t e prospectus can be d o w n l o a d e d from www.nm.blm.gov or c o n t a c t J o y P o o l e at 5 0 5 -

for t h e Arts is a c c e p t i n g artist applications for site-based public art projects. For application guidelines, project descriptions, and p r o g r a m i n f o r m a t i o n see w w w . n e f a . o r g o r call 6 1 7 - 9 5 1 - 0 0 1 0 . ACL s u p ports site-based art as a catalyst for e n v i r o n m e n t a l awareness, restoration, and action at t h e c o m m u n i t y level. O v e r t h e past year—ACL'S first g r a n t i n g cycle—seven artists w o r k e d o n n i n e diverse projects in California, O r e g o n , Idaho, V e r m o n t , and W a s h i n g t o n .

Projects i n c l u d e d Postcards from the Trail, by Evan Haynes, S t e p h e n Dignazio, and R o n S m i t h , f o c u s i n g o n the N o r t h e r n Forest C a n o e Trail.

V e r m o n t - M a i n e . T h e artists distributed cameras to citizens of R i c h f o r d . V t . to create a c o m m u n i t y self-portrait, d e f i n ing t h e t o w n in images.

Postcards w e r e p r i n t e d of select p h o t o g r a p h s and sent to other communities along the

49

8 5 4 - 3 6 0 0 or by cell p h o n e at 5 0 5 - 3 1 0 - 0 1 0 5 . T h e deadline for submissions is D e c e m b e r 1,2003.

Trail in t h e N e w E n g l a n d r e g i o n . Outfall

Clean-Up,by

K a t h r y n Miller a n d Andreas

C h a r l o t t e Area Transit System

press_news_91 l a m . h t m l ,

(CATS) is well o n its way to

or contact J o h n Krajovic,

T h e C e n t e r for C r a f t Creativity

installation in an outfall c h a n n e l

developing rapid regional mass

M a n a g e r of A i r p o r t Planning,

a n d Design in H e n d e r s o n v i l l e ,

of t h e A r r o y o Seco in Pasadena,

transit. As part of the design

at 6 1 7 - 5 6 8 - 3 5 5 9 or by email

N . C . seeks design proposals

Calif, that called a t t e n t i o n to

initiative, CATS is c o m m i s s i o n i n g

at J K r a j o v i c @ m a s s p o r t . c o m .

for a public art project that

t h e regional w a t e r s h e d and

public art for integration into its

T h e deadline for proposals is

will serve as a trailhead

t h e n e e d for restoration and

S o u t h C o r r i d o r Light Rail

December 1,2003.

directional indicator for the

w a t e r cleansing t h r o u g h

Hessing, was a t e m p o r a r y

P u b l i c A r t R e v i e w . FALL.WTR.03

ARTIST

OPPORTUNITIES

riparian plantings. Susan

artists and their communities

depending on the project

Berkan Karpat, nazim hikmet: on a

Leibowitz Steinman and Jackie

across the United States and to

budget. Awards will seldom

ship to mars.

Brookner worked in three

their colleagues in Central

cover the applicant's total

Photo by Florian Holzherr

Pacific Northwest communities

Europe, Russia, and Eurasia.

project expenses. For an applica-

on related river projects address-

T h e program enables artists

tion form, complete guidelines,

ing local environmental issues.

and arts organizations from

and information on projects

Highlighting their year-long

the U.S. to work in cooperation

funded in the past, contact

Diller + Scofidio and Paul Lewis, Jump Cuts, San Jose, Calif., 1996.

Photo courtesy San Jose Public Art Program

river trail planning work in

with artists and audiences in

ArtsLink staff at 212-643-1985

Tillamook, Oreg., the artists

these regions. ArtsLink helps

ext.22, e-mail artslink@

Denise Marika, Crossing, Brookline,

planned a festival to give visibil-

build relationships that extend

cecip.org, or visit www.cecip.

Mass., 1994.

ity to the future siting of the

beyond the individual or

org. Applications must be post-

Photo courtesy Denise Marika

Hoquarten Interpretive Trail.

organization to benefit c o m m u -

marked by January 15,2004.

Application postmark deadline

nities in the regions and, ulti-

is December 17.

mately, at home in the U.S.

January

•

•

Krzysztof Wodiczko, Aegis

•

during initial testing by Kelly

In 2004, applications will be

Dobson, 1999.

accepted from individual artists,

Photos courtesy KrzysztofWodiczko and Galerie Lelong, New York

ArtsLink 2004 Performing

presenters, and nonprofit arts

Arts and Literature Awards

organizations working in

guidelines and applications are

dance, music, theater, and

available. ArtsLink Projects

literature. ArtsLink project

bring the many rewards of

awards will generally range

working internationally to

from $2,500 to $10,000

AMERICANS /or ""ARTS SERVING COMMUNITIES. ENRICHING LIVES.

Happy 25th Anniversary FORECAST!

COVER PHOTO CAPTIONS |clockwise from top] Joanna Haigood, J o Kreiter,

Heidi Duckler, Mother

and Sheila Lopez in Noon,

Collage Dance Theatre,

San Franciso, Calif., 1995.

Los Angeles, Calif., 1995.

Photo by Theodora Litsios, courtesy Zaccho Dance Theatre©

Photo by Jeff Kurt Peterson

T

Ditch,

Art-

r S i n S I T

Opportunities

Charlotte Area Transit System ( C A T S ) in Charlotte,

IMC is seeking professional artists for design collabo-

rations and/or public art commissions for its Art-in-

Transit Program. Over the next few s yearsjS+raFtatte x

Explore the Public Art Network A Program of Americans For The Arts

www.AmericansForTheArts.org/PAN YEAR IN REVIEW 2003 SLIDE SET A Public Art Tool for Art and Design Professionals, Community Planners, and Universities 107 Slides of 34 Public Art Projects Annotated Slide Script $125 Americans for the Arts Members $145 Nonmembers Order#100074 Order online or call: 800.321.4510

is building a rapid transit system and wjH incorpo-

rate public art into its stations, park a/id rides, and

maintenance facilities.

$2.3M for art. Design fees $5I< to $2^J<; commissions $25K to $250K. Professional artists

Deadline:

immediate and ongoing to join the slide registry and artist roster

Application:

online at www.Ndetransit.oi~q

submit materials to: CATS ATTN: Slide Registry 600 East Fourth Street Charlotte, NC 28202

For more information, email catsartintransit@ci.charlotte.nc.us or call 704-432-0479.

Public Art Studies Program The first national graduate program in public art Celebrating 10 Years of Excellence at USC

• Two-year p r o g r a m with n i g h t - t i m e c o u r s e o f f e r i n g s • Professional faculty practicing in t h e public realm • Internationally r e n o w n e d g u e s t s p e a k e r s • Internship p l a c e m e n t for enrolled s t u d e n t s • Located in Los Angeles- a regional a n d national h u b of c o n t e m p o r a r y art, public art, a n d a r c h i t e c t u r e

Degrees offered: Master of Public Art Studies Dual D e g r e e Option: Master of Public Art Studies a n d Master of Planning

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USC UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

Published by A r c h e t y p e Publications, Ltd. and distributed in the U.S.

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by A m e r i c a n s for the Arts.

AVAILABLE NOW at A m e r i c a n s for the Arts bookstore for $25 ($22.50 for A m e r i c a n s for the

This unique resource brings together 27 papers presented at a conference on contemporary public art conservation organized by the Cambridge Arts Council.

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working in public art today. Together, they

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and public participation are addressed, along

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with specific concerns such as funding and legal responsibilities. The book also includes case studies that examine major conservation projects and how commissioning agencies have responded to the conservation challenge.

AMERICANS ""ARTS

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