Public Art Review issue 31 - 2004 (fall/winter)

www.publicartreview. org

FALL . W I N T E R 0 4

Public ArtReview

VOLUME

16

NUMBER I ISSUE 3 1

IffHH

© Cappy Thompson, I W a s Dreaming of Spirit Animals, (detail) 2002. Vitreous enamels on float glass with reverse laminated stained glass, Seattle Tacoma International Airport Collection. Photo: Russell Johnson

Extraordinary S p a c e s — Everyday P l a c e s

M

C U L T U

Public Art 4Culture works with public and private developers to commission portable, permanently sited R E

anc

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arc

hitecturally integrated artwork. I Was

Dreaming

of Spirit

Animals

by a r t i s t C a p p y

T h o m p s o n is i n s t a l l e d in S e a t t l e T a c o m a I n t e r n a t i o n a l A i r p o r t . The w o r k is o w n e d by t h e P o r t o f S e a t t l e a n d w a s f a b r i c a t e d in G e r m a n y by D e r i x G l a s s t u d i o s .

4 C U L T U R E

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Believing that art can make the transit experience more inviting and meaningful for the public, Metro commissions artists for a wide array of projects

METRO ART

t h r o u g h o u t LA County.

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Artworks for Metro Rail and Metrolink s t a t i o n s Artworks for Metro bus system Benches, murals and artist-designed s t r e e t s c a p e e n h a n c e m e n t s Lightbox displays for p h o t o g r a p h i c artworks Poetry in Motion in p a r t n e r s h i p with Poetry Society of America Artist-created p o s t e r s of n e i g h b o r h o o d s served by Metro Free docent-guided Metro Rail art t o u r s To receive METRO ART announcements and to add your name to our database for upcoming art opportunities, call 213.922.4ART. For more information on current projects and opportunities, visit metro.net/art.

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European and international information on contemporary public art artist and architect collaboration unique professional resource primary source of reference the work alphabet of forms polished stainless steel assemblage sculptural benches wall-mounted light boxes moulded glass ceramic reliefs aluminium mural light sensitive acrylic rods new media digital film projections immersive cinematic experience sensory perspective sound and video installation acoustic space fibre optic net internet interventions liquid mobile photovoltaic screen colour sequence iconic anti-monument motion sensor trigger art banner decorative textiles contemporary ornamental chandelier street jewellery new heritage interactive facade poetry memorial trail lamina jet water feature landmark gateway tower threshold viewing platform urban pier outdoor gallery colonnade performance plinth neighbourhood billboards personal leaning place precisely engineered man-made structures vernacular toolkit informal choreographic elements catalytic process happy face healing environment socially engaged arts practice artistic praxis community representative corporate partnership audience identity site-specificity agent provocateur Art & Architecture Journal

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Put your public art rosters online with ArtistsRegister.com, and let our online management system serve as your back Eric Fischl. mosaic detail. M T A Arts for Transit, Penn Station, A C E Lines, New York, NY

Franz M a y e r of M u n i c h , Inc. Architectural Glass and Mosaic 5 T u d o r City Place # 1 5 2 0 , N e w Y o r k , N Y 1 0 0 1 7 Phone: 2 1 2 - 6 6 1 - 1 6 9 4 , i n f o @ m a y e r - o f - m u n i c h . c o m

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Ray K i n g S t u d i o

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CITY OF DALLAS PUBLIC ART PROGRAM LIGHTSTREAM

Convention Center North Lobby - Dallas, Texas Ed Carpenter-lead artist

Lightstnam was commissioned through the City of Dallas Public Art Program. It is composed of 68 primary elements or "light sticks" and four secondary "clusters" of smaller elements which emit 800 feet of flowing pools of color onto the ceiling. The light is precisely programmed and controlled electronically. Artist Ed Carpenter of Portland, Oregon, was commissioned via a competitive process to collaborate with architects, HKS, to create a site-specific artwork to run the full length of the lobby ceiling space. The artwork also had to be energy efficient as well as compatible with the space by allowing flexibility for exhibitors' displays.

Since 1989, the City of Dallas has commissioned 49 Public Art Projects through its Percent for Art Program. The City recognizes the importance of public art as a means of encouraging interaction between communities and artists and involving the thinking and creative abilities of artists in the design of the City's visual environment.

City of Dallas Public Art Program * 1925 Elm Street * Suite 400 * Dallas TX 75201 * 214-670-3284 * Fax 214-670-3243 * www.dallasculture.org

Shoot r*

Bell of Two Friends, Karen Sontag

PUBLIC ART

J O H N S O N - W A R D PEDESTRIAN M A L L

Artist's

RFQ - CALL FOR ARTISTS

Rockman, Tom Otterness Inner Search, Mark di Suver

Work >

sue

h a r t l e y

p h o t o g r a p h y minneapolis, m n 7 6 3 - 4 7 9 - 1 5 5 8

mim

ROJECT

The University of Tennessee seeks to commission a permanent outdoor sculpture for the campus at Knoxville, Tennessee. The total budget for this project is $250,000. A wide variety of media for the public artwork will be considered, but a freestanding sculptural object should be the primary component.

All portfolio submission materials must be postmarked by Monday, January 10, 2005.

Applications and inquiries to website : http: //art.utk.edu / sculpture

ti tien diez dieci dix dez zehn ten

Stanton Gray Sears and Andrea Myklebust celebrate our first collaborative decade in public art: 1 9 9 4 - 2 0 0 4

Myklebust • Se

612.331.7772 www.myklebust-sears.com

Top Left: "Allegory of Excelsior," St. Louis Park, M N • B o t t o m Left: "Kagin Plaza," St, Paul. M N • Center Left: "Weatherdance," Iowa City, IA [Photo © Sandy Oyas] Top Right: "LifeRing." Tallahassee. FL • Bottom and Far Right: "Hamilton Gateway," Hamilton, OH

USC School of Fine Arts Jnion Station

Graduate Program in Public Art Studies T h e U S C M a s t e r of Public A r t Studies is a two-year professional p r o g r a m offering courses in the evenings. Cross-disciplinary faculty practicing in t h e public realm direct students t h r o u g h theoretical a n d practical curricula and facilitate p l a c e m e n t in m e n t o r e d i n t e r n s h i p s at regional cultural institutions. I -ocated in L o s A n g e l e s , the p r o g r a m is situated in an exciting international locus o f c o n t e m p o r a r y art, public art, and architecture.

Degrees offered: MaSKr ofPublieArtStudics, MaSlerolPublu Art Studies / MaJIcroi Planning.

W a t t Hall 104 University Park .90089-0292 t: 213 73 e: pasprog@u

www.usc.edu/publicart

JACK BECKER

W H E R E IN T H E W O R L D ?

H m n x m . . . . Belgian waffles or French toast? Sitting in an International H o u s e of Pancakes d u r i n g the final days of the s u m m e r O l y m p i c games in Athens, s u r r o u n d e d by etched glass flags of foreign countries that keep my table private, it's hard to choose. S u r r o u n d e d as w e all are by everything going o n in the world, it's difficult to decide w h a t to include in this international issue of Public Art

Review.

O n e of the main reasons I love tracking the field of public art is because it takes m e everywhere, at least in the virtual sense: f r o m m o u n t a i n t o p s to desert valleys, the frozen N o r t h Pole to tropical islands in the Pacific. It touches o n every aspect of daily life—the built and natural world, politics, the e n v i r o n m e n t , death, birth. T h e boundless and boundary-less creativity of artists w o r k i n g in public is inspiring, t h o u g h t - p r o v o k i n g , and sometimes exhausting.

I was never very adept at geography, world history, or social studies. W h a t I learned came mostly f r o m back issues of National Geographic. In fact, m u c h of what I've learned about public art in o t h e r lands came f r o m that j o u r n a l — f r o m the building of Stonehendge to the toppling of Saddam Hussein statues in Baghdad. Today the world is indeed smaller, so it becomes increasingly important to gain a broader awareness and better understanding of people, places, and issues beyond our o w n borders. Public art can be a point of departure, or a point of entry—a passport to the world.

B u t h o w is public art shaped by geo-political forces? H o w d o social changes affect the nature of artists'work in their communities? H o w d o artists w o r k i n g today build u p o n centuries of art history in their h o m e l a n d , or perhaps ignore it altogether? H o w d o American artists fare in f o r eign lands? A n d w h a t can w e gain by e x a m i n i n g public art practices elsewhere in the world?

Addressing these and o t h e r questions is a diverse m i x of contributors to this issue of PAR. C a m e r o n Cartiere and G u l g u n Kayim focus o n portions of Great Britain, H e r v e Bechy and Maren R i c h t e r analyze Central Europe, Jeffrey H u e b n e r reviews a project in Finland, Meiling C h e n g reports f r o m China, Jodie C o x and Andra Kins cover east and west Australia, N a n c y Adajania surveys projects in India, and Susan Kendzulak discusses public art in Taiwan. In the D e p a r t m e n t s section, H a n n a h Firth covers the U r b a n Legacies conference in England, R o b i n R i c e reports o n a mural c o n f e r e n c e in Philadelphia, and curator A m y Gilman interviews the globe-trotting artist Spencer Tunick. A trio of n o t e w o r t h y n e w books are reviewed by Mason Riddle, Claire Sykes, and Kristen R h o d e s , and the Listings section highlights a sampling of n e w work, including many interFORECAST board of directors David Allen, Elizabeth Childs, Carol Daly, R e g i n a Flanagan, R o b e r t Lunning, Kim Olsen.Jenn R o w e . J o n Schoonmaker, Stanton Sears, Ann Viitala, Emily Wadsworth, Shelly Willis

national projects.

I am especially pleased to present a n e w section of the j o u r n a l called "Artist Pages," w h i c h allows selected artists to use a page of the j o u r n a l as they see fit. See pages 8 and 9 to view c o n t r i butions by Aleksandra M i r and H e n d Al-Mansour.

Artists today can t h i n k — a n d act—globally. T h e World W i d e W e b and electronic mail allow us to travel duty-free, w i t h o u t a visa, and engage in conversations with people f r o m different longitudes and latitudes.These technologies m a d e this issue possible.They give us e n c o u r a g e m e n t that w e can c o n t i n u e to expand o u r horizons and explore n e w terrain.

Jack Becker is t h e executive director of FORECAST Public Artworks, publisher of Public Art Review.

Public Art Review advisors Penny Balkin Bach,Tom Bannister, Ricardo Barreto, Cathey Billian, Fuller Cowles, Greg Esser, T h o m a s Fisher, Gretchen Freeman, Glenn Harper, Mary Jane Jacob, Mark Johnstone, Stephen Knapp, Suzanne Lacy, Jack Mackie,Jill Manton, Jennifer McGregor, Patricia Phillips, Joyce Pomeroy Schwartz, Phil Pregill

Thank you for your overwhelmingly positive response to our 15th anniversary issue. With the introduction of full color, we are seeing an increase in subscription and advertising support. With this issue—the largest ever—we are expanding geographically and hope to increase our readership outside the United States. With a minimal marketing budget, we turn to you, our readers, to help spread the word about P A R . Also,please check out the new P A R anthology available at uivw.publicartreview.org, featuring selected articles from the past 15 years. Your comments and suggestions are, as always, greatly appreciated.

Public ArtReview FOREIGN AFFAIRS

features

ARTIST PAGES

REDEFINING THE LIMITS:

T H E ( R ) E V O L U T I O N OF T H E

IN COLD SNOW

Aleksandra M i r

A R T A N G E L BLURS T H E

FOURTH PLINTH

JeffHuebner

BOUNDARIES

C a m e r o n Cartiere

Hend Al-Mansour

8-9

Giilgiin K a y i m

10

CONCEPTUAL HIGHLIGHTS

A CLASH OF C O N T E X T S

CLANDESTINE INTERVENTIONS

Herve Bechy

Maren Richter

Meiling C h e n g

20

21

P O L I C Y AS CATALYST IN QUEENSLAND

27

Jodie C o x W E S T COAST S C H E M E

MADE IN TAIWAN

Andra Kins

Susan Kendzulak

31

17

II

30

A W O R K I N PROGRESS 35

N a n c y Adajania

39

departments

I N T E R V I E W W I T H SPENCER

NEWS FROM THE HOMEFRONT

I N T E R N A T I O N A L K I N E T I C ART

R E C E N T PROJECTS

TUNICK

Jack Becker

46

48

Amy Gilman

44

41

N E W S BRIEFS

R E P O R T F R O M JAPAN

C O N F E R E N C E O N M U R A L ART

U R B A N LEGACIES C O N F E R E N C E

52

Elizabeth N o r m a n

Robin Rice

H a n n a h Firth 57

BOOK REVIEWS

55

56

RECENT PUBLICATIONS

FROM THE ARCHIVES

62

Patricia C . Phillips

PUBLIC ART REVIEW

© 2004 Public Art Review (ISSN:

about the cover

acknowledgments

VOLUME 16, NUMBER I

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A A Anaruik Superstars** Proposal lar a ptimanent public drtuioik Byfllphsandramil

For h e r biggest c o m m i s s i o n yet, N e w York-based Aleksandra M i r has proposed a h o m e - g r o w n replica o f H o l l y w o o d ' s walk of f a m e in the n o r t h e r n N o r w e i g a n p o r t city of N a r v i k . Instead of h o n o r i n g m o v i e stars, however, M i r will give a star to each of the n e x t 1000 babies b o r n in N a r v i k . For those l o o k i n g d o w n

o n the N a r v i k Superstars f r o m the s u r r o u n d i n g hills d u r i n g the sunlit polar night, M i r hopes this living m o n u m e n t will appear as "a galaxy of glittering stars through a night they don't have."

Mir was selected for this page hy Peter Eleey Curator & Producer, Creative Time, NY

My Prayer Rug

REDEFINING THE LIMITS: ARTANGEL BLURS THE BOUNDARIES

GULGUN KAYIM A r t a n g e l first c a m e to my a t t e n t i o n f o u r years ago t h r o u g h an article by M i c h a e l N e w t o n in (ai) performance for the planet a b o u t Artangel's c o d i r e c t o r a n d p r o d u c e r Michael M o r r i s and his interest in commissioning artists that blur disciplinary boundaries to create site-specific p e r f o r m a n c e . W h a t intrigued m e most about the interview was Morris's c o m ments on the experiential quality of Artangel projects, w h i c h he described as displacing the typical relationship b e t w e e n audience and artwork to create m e m o r a b l e events that immerse the viewer in a visceral experience o f place and art. Intrigued and curious to find o u t more, I visited L o n d o n in N o v e m b e r 2 0 0 2 to witness five projects c o m m i s s i o n e d to celebrate a decade o f Artangel work.

I was skeptical of h o w witnessing an Artangel project w o u l d afford m e a fresh experience of the city 1 had spent 20 years living in and exploring and felt I k n e w intimately. But

Shirin Neshat and Sussan Deyhim, still from Logic of the Birds, 2002.

I was surprised to discover L o n d o n a n e w through Artangel projects, guided by the visions of

Photo courtesy of the

artists R i c h a r d W e n t w o r t h , J a n e t Cardiff, and Steve M c Q u e e n . M y doubts were erased by W e n t -

artists and Artangel

i

THE (R)EVOLUTION OF THE FOURTH PLINTH

CAMERON

CARTIERE As I w r i t e this, it has been a w e e k since election day in L o n d o n , and I remain cautiously optimistic for the future of public art in the metropolis. Ken Livingstone has been reelected for another t e r m as o u r mayor, and while most o f the electorate will be w o n d e r i n g a b o u t his grand plan to expand the congestion charge zone, forcing t h e m to pay five p o u n d s a day to drive to work, I am w o n d e r i n g about the possibilities of an equally ambitious proposal. In April, the mayor released his cultural strategy for L o n d o n , w h i c h included a proposal for a program called M a k i n g R o o m for L o n d o n e r s . T h i s program w o u l d improve or create 100 public spaces in L o n d o n and could have quite an impact o n the state of public art in the city. Currently, t h e most celebrated public art project in L o n d o n does n o t even have any art o n view. The Fourth Plinth Project is between installations, but this e m p t y c h u n k of stone has b e e n o n e of the most hotly contested bits of real estate in L o n d o n for quite s o m e time.

T h e F o u r t h Plinth sits in the n o r t h w e s t c o r n e r ofTrafalgar Square, just opposite the Sainsbury W i n g of the National Gallery. It was built in 1841 to display an equestrian statue.

However, d u e to insufficient f u n d s t h e statue was never created and the f o u r t e e n - f o o t granite plinth remained e m p t y until 1999, w h e n the Royal Society of Arts finally stepped in and the first of three temporary works was installed. D u b b e d " t h e three W s " by the press, artists M a r k Wallinger,

Bill Woodrow, Regardless of History,

2000.

Photo courtesy Cass Sculpture Foundation

Bill Woodrow, and Rachael W h i t e r e a d created three very different responses that d r e w countless compliments and complaints and sparked a spirited public debate over w h o should set u p p e r m a n e n t residence o n the plinth.

Wallinger's Ecce Homo (1999) was a life-size

Still, o n e of the consolations of temporary public art is that if

figure of t h e artist's interpretation of Jesus Christ. T h e resin fig-

o n e does not like it, it will not be there forever. After twelve

ure, bald and bare except for a small loin cloth and a sparse

months, Regardless of History was replaced by R a c h e l Whiteread's

c r o w n , stood at t h e e d g e o f t h e plinth, d w a r f e d by Nelson's

Monument

(2001).

C o l u m n (a 185-foot granite c o l u m n s u r m o u n t e d by a statue of

In classic Whiteread style, the artist cast the

Admiral Nelson) and the three bronze sculptures on the other

granite plinth in resin, 11.5 tons of resin to be precise, and had

plinths (General Napier, G e o r g e IV on a horse, and M a j o r G e n -

t h e u p e n d e d work lowered o n t o the plinth with a crane. T h e

eral Sir

square.

resulting mirror image of the plinth lit up the northwest c o r n e r

Henry

Havelock), which

dominate

the

Wallinger's Christ was n o t a figure of mythic proportions. It did

of the square as it continually changed color with t h e changing

n o t stand heroic in its nakedness or possess a gaze filled with

light. Whiteread viewed the work as "a pause" and wanted to

compassion and k n o w i n g , as is so o f t e n d e p i c t e d in classical

create a quiet space amidst the chaos that is Trafalgar Square. Yet

sculpture. Rather, Wallinger's w o r k was true to the phase uttered

this subtle and poetic work spoke volumes about the politics of

by Pilate w h e n C h r i s t was b r o u g h t before the masses, " e c c e

the space. Was it just a plinth? M o r e than a plinth? A m o n u m e n t

h o m o " (behold the man).

to m o n u m e n t a t i o n ? Was the plinth's e m p t y state a reflection on

W h i l e m u c h of t h e p o w e r o f Wallinger's

the shortsightedness that affects so many governments? O r p e r -

w o r k lay in its subtlety and stillness, Bill Woodrow's c o n t r i b u -

haps a testament to 158 years of indecision causing the plinth to

tion to the plinth followed with an opposite approach. Regard-

sit empty. In presenting the "emptiness" of the plinth, Whiteread

less of History (2000) was a gargantuan b r o n z e sculpture that

filled the square with its presence. For many viewers, its t e m p o -

depicted the head of a man crushed u n d e r a h u g e b o o k and

rary nature was a disappointment rather than a consolation, and

t o p p e d by a dead tree with roots that b o u n d all three elements

after twelve m o n t h s Monument

to the plinth below. T h e caption fixed to the plinth stated that

remained e m p t y ever since.

was removed and the plinth has

the sculpture "makes reference to the n e v e r - e n d i n g relationship

O v e r the last few years, several proposals for

b e t w e e n civilization, k n o w l e d g e and t h e forces of nature."

p e r m a n e n t m o n u m e n t s in Trafalgar Square have been put forth,

However, like many m o n u m e n t s that try to convey a c o m p l e x

i n c l u d i n g statues of Princess Diana, t h e Q u e e n M o t h e r , and

message in a single gesture, t h e w o r k was

overbearing.

Nelson Mandela. Soccer megastar David B e c k h a m m a d e a brief

W o o d r o w b r o u g h t d o w n the full weight of symbolism, both lit-

appearance o n the plinth in 2002 w h e n his w a x w o r k likeness

erally and figuratively, and the result bordered on the cliched.

appeared o n e m o r n i n g . However, it was an u n a u t h o r i z e d instal-

J a n e t C a r d i f f , Missing Voice (case study B), 2 0 0 2 .

Photo of random listener courtesy Janet Cardiff and Artangel (opposite page) Rachel Whiteread, House, 1993.

Photo courtesy John Davies, Stephen White and Artangel (far right) Steve McQueen, still from Carib's Leap/Western Deep film installation, 2002. Photo courtesy of Steve McQueen and Artangel

N o t all the projects held m e enthralled. I f o u n d the e i g h t - h o u r viewing odyssey of M a t t h e w Barney's Cremaster cycle tedious and the Logic of the Birds, by a collaborative team of Iran artists i n c l u d i n g Shirin Neshat and Sussan D e y h i m , predictable. Presented in traditional venues, these two 12

projects lacked an element crucial to the success of the o t h worth's fresh view o f Kings Cross in his series of interactions, tours, and talks in Kings Cross an Area of Outstanding

ers—their integration into and e n g a g e m e n t with place.

Unnatural

M y j o u r n e y to these projects led m e to the

Beauty. I was absorbed by Janet Cardiff's whispered intimacies

Artangel offices this spring to ask codirectors Michael M o r r i s

in h e r a u d i o t o u r Missing

through

and James L i n g w o o d h o w they have m a n a g e d to develop a

Voice (case study

B)

W h i t e c h a p e l and Spitafields. I was entranced as I ventured into

reputation for sponsoring s o m e of the most daring and i n n o -

the dark, gutted, dusty bowels of the d e f u n c t and m u c h - l o v e d

vative site-specific artwork in Britain. Said L i n g w o o d , " E a c h

L u m i e r e T h e a t r e to view Steve M c Q u e e n ' s film installation

p r o j e c t is s t r u c t u r e d loosely t o allow artists t h e m a x i m u m

Carib's Leap /Western

flexibility

P u b l i c A r t R e v i e w . Fall. Winter. 04

Deep.

t o maneuver. It's like a house of cards but with p u b -

Rachel Whiteread, Monument, 2000.

Photo courtesy Cass Sculpture Foundation

2001), they take on an even m o r e p o i g n a n t quality. Lapper's portrait will be carved f r o m a single block of w h i t e marble and w h e n finished will stand over twelve feet high atop the plinth.

N o t unlike the Give &Take exhibition, Q u i n n ' s latest w o r k will be sited against classic figurative m o n u m e n t s . Alison Lapper will be the lone female figure in this o d d gentlemen's club. Indeed, the entire square is t e e m i n g w i t h testosterone, f r o m Nelson's u n d e n i a b l y phallic c o l u m n to w h a t Q u i n n calls t h e " t r i u m p h a n t male statuary" o f the o t h e r three plinths.

Following Q u i n n , in S u m m e r 2006, will b e T h o m a s Schutte's Hotel for Birds.Trafalgar

Square has long been

k n o w n as a place w h e r e pigeons rule, and for decades people lation, and wardens f r o m the Greater L o n d o n A u t h o r i t y were

came to feed the birds and to have their p h o t o g r a p h s taken with

quick to have the figure removed. Yet plans are afoot for a n e w

pigeons eating o u t of their hands or perched o n their heads.

installation as the official " F o u r t h Plinth Project" g r o u p ( c o m -

This long-standing tradition did n o t sit well w i t h M a y o r Liv-

plete with its o w n logo and a seal of approval from the m a y o r s

ingstone's plans f o r t h e r e i n v e n t i o n o f Trafalgar S q u a r e as a

office) has recently c o m m i s s i o n e d t w o n e w w o r k s to b e

pedestrian zone, and in 2 0 0 0 he b a n n e d the sale of birdseed in

installed in 2005 and 2006.

the area. Despite the ban, the birds still c o m e , and the irony has

T h e first of these, slated for Spring 2005, will

n o t b e e n lost as t w o o f t h e short-listed public art proposals

be Marc Q u i n n ' s Alison Lapper pregnant, a n u d e marble portrait

involved c r e a t i n g a safe haven for t h e f e a t h e r e d r e f u g e e s .

of Ms. Lapper w h e n she was eight m o n t h s pregnant. Lapper, an

Schutte's proposal seems m o r e a r c h i t e c t u r e t h a n sculpture.

artist herself, was b o r n with n o arms and shortened legs. Q u i n n

Indeed, the press release describes the w o r k as an architectural

is k n o w n f o r his w o r k w i t h disabled models, and w h e n t h e

m o d e l comprising three blocks: a t w e n t y - o n e story building, a

sculptures are sited amongst classic marble portraits (as in the

large lobby, and an eight-story horizontal block. T h e piece will

Give & Take exhibition at the Victoria and Albert M u s e u m in

be constructed f r o m thick strips of colored Plexiglas designed

lie f u n d i n g b e i n g t h e firm basis o n w h i c h each p r o j e c t is

usual organizational b o u n d a r i e s defined in c o m m i s s i o n i n g n e w

launched."

works of art. W h a t is even m o r e remarkable is Artangel's consisFlexibility is fundamental to Artangel prac-

tent and successful support o f a broad range o f art disciplines.

tices and has been at t h e center of its success in redefining t h e

From film, to p e r f o r m a n c e , to sculpture, to installation, to m u l -

parameters of w h e r e art can be presented and challenging t h e

tidisciplinary work, to t h e uncategorizable, Artangel has m a i n -

P u b l i c A r t R e v i e w . Fall. Winter. 04

Mark Wallinger, Ecce Homo, 1999.

Photo courtesy Cass Sculpture Foundation

b e e n c o m p o s e d o f t w o w o o d e n , life-size replicas of sealaunched T o m a h a w k cruise missiles. Sarah Lucas also had birds in m i n d w i t h This One's for the Pigeons (Oi! Pigeons, over here!) w h i c h w o u l d have featured a replica of an a b a n d o n e d car covered w i t h resin and paint resembling p i g e o n droppings. T h e premise was that over time pigeons w o u l d have b e c o m e collaborators by adding the " t h e real t h i n g " to the sculpture.

After the shortlist was a n n o u n c e d in D e c e m ber 2003, a poll for the L o n d o n paper, the Evening

Standard,

f o u n d that 70 p e r c e n t of p e o p l e i n t e r v i e w e d p r e f e r r e d an e m p t y plinth to any of the six designs. Such aversion to change, particularly in the realm of public art, is neither surprising nor new. A n t h o n y G o r m l e y ' s Angel of the North caused q u i t e an to capture light and reflect it through the edges of t h e piece.

uproar within the local constituency w h e n it was first proposed

W h a t the pigeons will make of it is anybody's guess.

in the late 1990s. Claims that placing the sixty-five-foot figure

Q u i n n and S c h u t t e w e r e selected f r o m a

o n t h e A1 m o t o r w a y w o u l d cause traffic accidents as drivers

shortlist of six artists. T h e o t h e r finalists were C h r i s B u r d e n ,

craned their necks to stare were n o t u n c o m m o n , and everyone

Sokari Douglas C a m p , Stefan Gee, and Sarah Lucas. Burden also

f r o m the local b u t c h e r to the regional M P had a negative o p i n -

proposed a high-rise of sorts. His Toy skyscraper as tall as a real

ion.Yet Angel of the North was the harbinger for the transforma-

building was j u s t t h a t — a design f o r a cluster o f t o w e r s that

tion of Newcastle as an arts destination. T h e o p e n i n g of the

l o o k e d as if they had b e e n built w i t h an erector set. Sokari

B A L T I C C e n t r e for C o n t e m p o r a r y Art and the proliferation of

Douglas C a m p proposed the figurative work, No-o-war-r

No-o-

public art t h r o u g h o u t Newcastle's city centre has helped trans-

war-r, featuring a g r o u p of m a r c h i n g antiwar protestors. Stefan

f o r m the area into a thriving pedestrian zone, and Angel of the

Gee's proposal also had a war m o t i f . Mannequin

North has b e e n elevated to iconic status.

w o u l d have

tained a nimble, flexible public presence that defies definition.

of this p e r i o d artists such as Barbara Kruger, R a s h e e d Araeen,

M o r r i s and Lingwood doggedly avoid labels that w o u l d limit

and Les Levine created billboard art in t o w n centers; Krzystoff

and categorize their projects. "We've never used terms such as

W o d i c z k o p r o j e c t e d images o f Britain's disenfranchised citi-

' p e r f o r m a n c e art,"live art,"site-specificity,'or'public art,'" M o r -

zenry o n t o m o n u m e n t s in L o n d o n and Edinburgh; and Jenny

ris insisted. " W e trust audiences to respond to each work o n its

H o l z e r displayed h e r terse one-liners o n Piccadilly's Spectra-

o w n terms." But perhaps the following generalization would be

color screen.

fair: Artangel is a loosely structured organization that c o m m i s -

14

When

L i n g w o o d and M o r r i s t o o k

over

sions temporary, site-specific art emphasizing spatial relation-

Artangel in 1992, they retained s o m e of the infrastructure cre-

ships and the relationship between artist and place, and b e t w e e n

ated by Took and Carson but significantly changed the organi-

audience and artwork.

zation's maneuverability and w o r k i n g relationship with artists

T h e scope and versatility of Artangel c o m -

and t o o k on a w i d e r variety of projects, m o v i n g into disciplines

missions can b e attributed to the alchemy created by the disci-

such as p e r f o r m a n c e and film through its sister organization,

plinary

Morris

Artangel M e d i a . T h e f u n d i n g structure also changed, expanding

union

of

Lingwood

(visual

arts)

and

( p e r f o r m a n c e ) a n d also to t h e legacy of A r t a n g e l f o u n d e r ,

and diversifying to s u p p o r t the g r o w i n g variety of projects.

R o g e r T o o k . Took established Artangel in 1985 (he was later

C o r e support and operational security was provided through

j o i n e d by cocurator J o h n Carson) to commission n e w works of

public f u n d i n g by organizations such as t h e Arts C o u n c i l of

public art in unusual locations and t o s u p p o r t artists w h o s e

England and the National Lottery, supplemented by contribu-

w o r k could n o t be presented in traditional exhibition venues.

tions f r o m individual arts patrons t h r o u g h T h e C o m p a n y of

T h e projects of this p e r i o d were characterized by their overt

Angels. W i t h this f i r m basis of support, M o r r i s and Lingwood

social and political c o m m e n t a r y , high visibility, and occasional

could afford to remove the usual barriers to project develop-

controversy.Took and Carson often initiated projects by assign-

m e n t and build " t h e house of cards" of an o p e n - e n d e d , artist-

ing artists a particular t h e m e such as A I D S or homelessness. O u t

centered commission process with few guidelines and timelin;

P u b l i c A r t R e v i e w . Fall. Winter. 04

Observing

the

artistic

and

economic

walks that highlight the city's history and relationship to the

the

e n v i r o n m e n t . Two of Artangel's previous commissions are still

potential of Mayor Livingstone's M a k i n g R o o m for L o n d o n -

accessible: Janet Cardiff's audio t o u r of the W h i t e C h a p e l area in

ers p r o j e c t . L o n d o n is t r u l y an a m a z i n g city, a t e e m i n g

the East E n d , The Missing Voice (case study B) (available at the

metropolis rich in history, culture, and architectural styles. It

W h i t e C h a p e l Library), and J e m Finer's Longplayer, a s o u n d

also possesses all those aspects o f urban living that wear away

piece that can be accessed at www.longplayer.org or at a listen-

at t h e h u m a n p s y c h e : traffic, o v e r c r o w d i n g , p o l l u t i o n , a n d

ing post in an unused lighthouse at Trinity B u o y W h a r f .

changes in N e w c a s t l e r e t u r n s o n e to c o n t e m p l a t i n g

noise. Part of w h a t makes a c o n t e m p o r a r y city b o t h i n t r i g u i n g

If there is o n e t h i n g that the public response

and bearable are the u n i q u e places that o n e can uncover w h i l e

to the evolution of the F o u r t h Plinth reveals, it is that, as o n e of

exploring the streets and avenues.

t h e largest cities in t h e world, L o n d o n should b e b r i m m i n g

For many cities such as N e w York, Berlin, San

with public art. T h e M a k i n g R o o m for L o n d o n e r s proposal has

Francisco, or Paris, public art has been used as a way to create

the potential to create a profusion of intriguing n e w public art

u n i q u e tranquil spaces o r to highlight interesting historical

projects and develop interesting places across t h e capital that

places, developing a m o r e h u m a n e environment. Given the scale

will make the city a m o r e enjoyable and habitable space. Since

of London and the high density of its population, there are rela-

Ken Livingstone has heralded the F o u r t h Plinth Project as o n e

tively few such places in the capital. P e r m a n e n t c o n t e m p o r a r y

of the great successes in his cultural strategy, the real question is

public art, for the most part, is limited to a handful of c o n c e n -

w h e t h e r the mayor will seize the project's full potential and

trated areas in the city such as Canary W h a r f and the Docklands.

look beyond Trafalgar Square to m a k e public art a part of t h e

T h e city has had a tradition of interesting temporary public art

entire city for all Londoners.

projects over t h e years t h r o u g h the efforts o f such groups as Artangel and t h e Public Art C o m m i s s i o n s Agency, b u t w i t h

Dr. Cameron Cartiere is currently a lecturer at Dartington College of the

funding cuts to the PACA and w h a t appears to be Artangel's

Arts in the United Kingdom, where she teaches in the Department of Arts

new focus on film, o n e is left to w o n d e r about the state of t e m -

and Cultural Management and specializes in curatorial practice, public art

porary public art in L o n d o n as well.

development, and critical theory.

Certainly projects c o n t i n u e to happen. T h e artist group P L A T F O R M has b e e n w o r k i n g for over t w e n t y years in L o n d o n , p r o d u c i n g public art interventions and artist

or budget restrictions. Since Artangel has n o galleries or season

Artangel's approach to c o m m i s s i o n i n g site-

to maintain, the projects have n o required duration, although all

specific art, t h o u g h u n o r t h o d o x , has resonated t h r o u g h o u t t h e

of them are temporary.

British art world, invigorating and r e a n i m a t i n g t h e w h o l e field

Each artist is invited to develop a piece o f

of public art. It is increasingly seen by critics as representative

work along the lines of an o n g o i n g conversation. " W h e n w e

of organizations that are s p r i n g i n g u p to offer artists and a u d i -

open a discussion w i t h an artist there are n o constraints. We

ences alternatives to t h e traditional n e t w o r k s o f galleries and

don't need to k n o w w h e n a project m i g h t h a p p e n , w h a t f o r m

m u s e u m s . Evidence of Artangel's success can be f o u n d in t h e

it will take, w h e r e it will be, or h o w m u c h it will cost," said

vitality of its commissions, s o m e of w h i c h have significantly

Morris. " T h e process of d e v e l o p m e n t can g o o n for as long as

c o n t r i b u t e d to t h e w i d e r national debate (Rachel Whiteread's

it needs to. It seems to take a b o u t t w o or three years, but there

House (1993) p r o j e c t significantly raised Artangel's profile in

are some conversations w h i c h c o n t i n u e for l o n g e r than that

this regard) and t h e size, diversity, and enthusiasm o f its a u d i -

prior to any kind of p r o d u c t i o n process." T h e element of trust

ences. It has provided artists a way to create projects that w o u l d

seems to be crucial to this relationship since the curators make

o t h e r w i s e have lived in t h e i m a g i n a t i o n , and audiences with

the astonishing claim that 110 contracts are signed dictating that

u n i q u e , visceral e x p e r i e n c e s o f t h e city's social and cultural

the a r t w o r k b e c o m p l e t e d . Trust also seems to be t h e glue

topography.

15

holding t h e c u r a t o r i a l p a r t n e r s h i p t o g e t h e r . As L i n g w o o d observed, " W e don't have a set system for w o r k i n g together.

Gulgiin Kayim is an artist and writer specializing in site-specific perform-

Sometimes we'll share ideas and consult each o t h e r as the n e e d

ance. She is coartistic/managing director of Minneapolis-based Skewed

arises, but ultimately w e have a mutual respect and trust in each

Visions Performance Company and curator of Intermedia A r t s ' A r t

other's j u d g m e n t . I have e n o r m o u s respect for Michael's w o r k

Inside/Outside Space Commission Program.

and trust that he will select artists that are interesting."

P u b l i c A r t R e v i e w . Fall. Winter. 04

J

IN COLD SNOW

EFF

HUEBNER

An ethereal temple of ice stood in a snow-laden forest o n a cold, clear night in early February, and although the installation designed by architect Arata Isozaki and artist Yoko O n o was softly floodlit, it also seemed to glow w i t h its o w n inner light. O n c e inside Penal Colony 2004, a b o x - w i t h i n - a - b o x structure of ice blocks sited right o n the Arctic Circle a few miles n o r t h of R o v a n i e m i , the capital of Finland's Lapland province, o n e had to navigate a maze before b e i n g rewarded with a view of the sky—and tonight, a faint aurora borealis display. T h a t the artwork "rings the world," remarked O n o curator J o h n Hendricks, "adds to its metaphorical, social, and political meaning." A n d in the end it w o u l d leave only a m e m o r y on the landscape by spring.

In The Snow Show, a $1 million environmental art exhibition staged last winter, a distinguished cast of artists and architects f r o m a r o u n d the w o r l d — i n c l u d i n g Diller + Scofidio, D o - H o Suh, Zaha Hadid, Carsten Holler, Ernesto N e t o , Kiki Smith, and R a c h e l W h i t e r e a d — paired to design site-specific pieces c o m p o s e d of snow and ice. Frozen water in its various f o r m s was then constructed, sculpted, or cast by expert builders. Originally thirty works were to have been divided between t w o cities, but budget constraints and dropouts reduced the n u m b e r to seve n t e e n — n i n e in the industrial p o r t o f K e m i and eight in R o v a n i e m i , seventy-five miles inland and reached via the city bus that whisks visitors to the touristy Santa Claus Village, h o m e of Father Christmas's "official" post office.

O n e could question the p o i n t of it all—this was " t e m p o r a r y " public art at its most e l e m e n t a l — b u t sheer loftiness o f vision t r a n s c e n d e d t h e e x h i b i t s i n h e r e n t temporality.

Although a few projects seemed hastily conceived, overall the show was the magically t r a n s f o r m ing, at times austerely sublime realization of an idea w h o s e test r u n of t w o designs (one in each town) t o o k place in early 2003. T h e r e was only o n e early casualty: Future Systems and Anish Kapoor's red-pigmented, whale-like ice enclosure collapsed just before the opening.

T h e R o v a n i e m i site, across the frozen Ounaskoski R i v e r f r o m the city center, (clockwise f r o m t o p left)

occupied a c a m p g r o u n d and beach. It provided an unearthly scene: o n o n e side, t h e generically

Terraced landscapes by

blocky modernist t o w n that had b e e n planned by f a m e d architect Alvar Aalto after Nazis b u r n e d it

architect Zaha Hadid, 2004.

d o w n in World War II, and o n the o t h e r side, spread o u t along the bank, a kind of sculpture garden

Caress Zaha with Vodka e v e n t , b y

village of glaciated earthworks. Even in the clarity of low sunlight, w i t h temperatures barely cracking -10°F, they looked like apparitions, casdes in the air. O n e couldn't help b u t feel suspended

Cai Guo-Qiang, 2004.

b e t w e e n two worlds—of p e r m a n e n c e and ephemerality, the m u n d a n e and the primordial.

TadaoAndo andTatso Miya-

H e r e stood o n e o f t h e exhibit's m o s t g r o u n d b r e a k i n g pieces, t h e elegantly

jima, Iced Time Tunnel, 2 0 0 4 .

c o m m a n d i n g Iced Time Tunnel, a large, semicircular, o p e n - e n d e d t u n n e l built w i t h blocks o f ice. It

17

was designed by t h e Japanese team of architect Tadao A n d o and artist Tatsuo M i y a j i m a , w h o was

Detail

inside installing a series of tiny L E D boxes that blinked endless n u m e r i c a l s e q u e n c e s — m a r k s of Hollmen Reuter Sandman, Lanterns of Ursa Minor,

2004,

with text by Robert Barry.

infinity in response to Ando's finite f o r m . A n arched structure o n such a g r a n d scale had never b e e n d o n e using ice m a s o n r y m e t h o d s before, said the s h o w s organizers; they w e r e a m a z e d it was even standing.

Detail

N e w York gallerist Lance F u n g got the idea for The Snow Show f o u r years ago

All photos by Jeffeney Debany,

w h e n he visited the Kemi Ice Castle, an edifice w i t h a " s n o w h o t e l " that has b e e n built every w i n -

courtsey ofThe Snow Show

ter since 1996 in the otherwise nondescript pulp mill center at t h e head of the Gulf of Bothnia.

F u n g gained the support of the two Finnish towns and, as the exhibit's chief curator, d r e w f r o m his

P u b l i c A r t R e v i e w . Fall. Winter. 04

contacts in the art world and sent o u t invitations. Surprised by

artist w h o doesn't m i n d w o r k i n g w i t h architects, b u t archi-

the results, h e spent a year culling f r o m s o m e 1,000 artists and

tects m i n d w o r k i n g w i t h artists." W h i l e that may n o t have

3 0 0 architects, a n d t h e n , w i t h s o m e i n p u t f r o m candidates,

been the case here, artists sometimes did seem superfluous.

In R o v a n i e m i , Finnish architects H o l l m e n

m i x e d a n d ( m i s ) m a t c h e d pairs—an " e x c r u c i a t i n g l y difficult

R e u t e r S a n d m a n d e s i g n e d t h e m e d i t a t i v e Lanterns

process," h e said.

Art

M u s e u m and t h e K e m i Art M u s e u m to organize t h e event,

ble-like cracks) aligned with the stars of the Little Dipper. Each

w h i c h was paid for by Finland and Lapland g o v e r n m e n t funds,

could a c c o m m o d a t e two or three people. " T h e fact it's going to

c o r p o r a t e sponsors, and an admission fee. T h e cities' separate

vanish, melt, vaporize into the air adds very m u c h to the r i c h -

exhibit areas, F u n g said, f o r m e d a "symbiotic diptych, a philo-

ness o f the piece, and is s o m e t h i n g that will affect o u r work,"

sophical exchange." Kemi's works, located in a seaside park,

said Jeni R e u t e r . "You have to start with the material, w h e t h e r

were more conceptually oriented, while Rovaniemi's were

it will last a h u n d r e d years or fifty minutes or three weeks."

m o r e structurally based.

A m e r i c a n artist R o b e r t Barry mailed in the words "desperate,"

Fung worked

with

the

Rovaniemi

T h e result was a c o m b i n a t i o n of global cul-

" e x p e c t , " "real," " m e a n i n g , " and "possibility," a n d each was

tural spectacle, c o n t e m p o r a r y art investigation, technical s h o w -

inscribed o n a piece. But the lanterns could have just as elo-

case, and off-track tourist destination—skiing and Santa and

quently stood o n their o w n .

reindeer safaris aside, w h a t better way to lure visitors to Lapland

O n e project was barely a collaboration at all.

in winter? " The Snow Show," said Fung, "is about collaborating

In R o v a n i e m i , Iraqi-born architect Zaha H a d i d designed the

with M o t h e r Nature—it's about process.The educational curve

show's most titanic piece, t w o m i r r o r i n g , terraced-landscape

has been p h e n o m e n a l . H o w d o you budget s o m e t h i n g built out

formations in snow and ice (participants were allotted a 100-

of snow and ice?" (It wasn't easy: C o n s t r u c t i o n cost overruns

square-meter area). All Chinese artist Cai G u o - Q i a n g did was

delayed payment for workers.)

stage a o n e - n i g h t p e r f o r m a n c e in w h i c h the sculptures' surfaces the

were set o n fire, yielding a clever play of opposites. B u t the

o p p o r t u n i t y to w o r k with materials outside their e x p e r i e n c e —

swooping cantilever forms Hadid had originally planned for her

and in some cases control. It served as a laboratory for collabo-

project were d e e m e d unworkable. " S o m e artists didn't u n d e r -

rative discourse b e t w e e n two disciplines that seldom m e e t on

stand the difficulties," said chief builder Seppo M a k i n e n .

The

exhibition

o f f e r e d participants

neutral g r o u n d . Architects are n o t a c c u s t o m e d to b u i l d i n g

M a k i n e n ' s a r m y of Finnish

construction

structures that d o n o t last, just as artists are n o t accustomed to

workers and snow and ice experts as well as 120 student v o l u n -

partnering to make objects; part of the challenge was finding an

teers constituted the exhibition's largely unheralded third col-

overlap in individual approaches.

laborating force. W o r k e r s w e r e also challenged by t h e t h r e e

British artist R a c h e l W h i t e r e a d c o n c e d e d it

works, all in Kemi, that called for pigmented molds. For e x a m -

was an " u n u s u a l way to collaborate," especially since t e a m -

ple, in Colored Ice Walls, a pair of purplish parallel

mates rarely m e t — t h e y mostly p h o n e d , faxed, and emailed

forms by architects L O - t e k ( I t a l y / N e w York) and Changtrakul,

ideas and plans back and f o r t h . W h i t e r e a d and Finnish archi-

water-dye mixes had to be cast in layers so they would disperse

tect J u h a n i Pallasmaa's R o v a n i e m i project Untitled (Inside), in

evenly in frigid weather. M o r e than most projects, cast works

w h i c h an actual L o n d o n stairwell space was r e c o n s t r u c t e d

stressed process over result. " W e were intrigued w i t h using a

w i t h s n o w b u t t u r n e d by ninety degrees, sensitively balanced

shapeless material w i t h o u t f o r m and letting it freeze i n t o a

e x t e r i o r f o r m a n d i n t e r i o r space, a t e s t a m e n t to t h e pair's

shape," said L O - t e k ' s Ada Tolla. In all, as M a k i n e n asserted,

m u t u a l respect.

" W i t h this project, we have moved snow and ice technology 100 Any artist w h o has w o r k e d w i t h architects,

designers, and e n g i n e e r s w o u l d have f o u n d The Snow

18

of Ursa

Minor, five cylinders of cast ice (with naturally o c c u r r i n g m a r -

fluorescent-lit

years forward."

Show

N o Finnish or Sami (native Laplander) artists

i n s t r u c t i v e . As Fung's c u r a t o r i a l s t a t e m e n t asked, " W i l l t h e

participated in The Snow Show ( a l t h o u g h O s m o R a u h a l a , a

artist e x a m i n e t h e task at h a n d f r o m an architectural p o i n t of

painter and video artist w h o splits his time b e t w e e n Tampere

view and the architect as an artist w o u l d ? " B u t w h i l e the e x h i -

and N e w York, collaborated o n o n e of the two preview projects

bition m i n e d t h e sculptural possibilities of architecture (and

in 2003).This upset s o m e Lapland artists, w h o saw the exhibi-

vice versa), f e w works were truly collaborative. Architects f o r -

tion as an overhyped "art star" j u g g e r n a u t that t r u m p e d local

mally d o m i n a t e d , w i t h artists f r e q u e n t l y a d d i n g e n h a n c e -

culture. F u n g said t w o Finnish artists had b e e n selected early

ments. "It was like an arranged m a r r i a g e , " T h a i - b o r n artist Top

on, but n o t h i n g came of their plans.

C h a n g t r a k u l said, e c h o i n g h o w s o m e p u b l i c art p r o g r a m s

Kalle Lampela, a R o v a n i e m i - b a s e d painter

create similar forced yokings. At the R o v a n i e m i s y m p o s i u m —

and critic, argued that g o v e r n m e n t funds w o u l d have been b e t -

w h e r e a schism e m e r g e d b e t w e e n builders and m o l d e r s —

ter spent creating a Lapland art market and increasing the p u r -

A m e r i c a n conceptualist Lawrence Weiner observed, "I am an

chase b u d g e t s o f t h e R o v a n i e m i and K e m i art m u s e u m s .

P u b l i c A r t R e v i e w . Fall. Winter. 04

"Artists in Lapland will be w o r k i n g in their studios b o t h before and after T h e S n o w Show," he wrote, adding that local sculptors w h o participate in international s n o w and ice carving events were also bypassed. "After all the hullabaloo they will be sorely in need of grants. Instead of genuine regionality, the artists in Lapland w h o express and create the local spirit, w h a t is f u n d e d is a colossal event." 1 Still, it was fitting that t h e e x h i b i t i o n had been staged in Finland, w h i c h over the last t w o decades has developed as an alluring locus f o r o u t d o o r a r t w o r k s that explore the relationship a m o n g nature, culture, and landscape— in natural or u r b a n settings. Lampela's c o m m e n t s aside, Finland—a c o u n t r y of over 5 million largely c o m p o s e d of forests and lakes—has o n e of the w o r l d s highest per-capita rates of arts funding. It is a technologically literate society w h o s e deep-felt bond with nature and landscapes has acquired a mythical status in the national imagination. Art played a vital role in the f o r g i n g

Arata Isozaki andYoko O n o , Penal Colony, 2004.

Photo byVille Kostamoinen courtesy The Snow Show

of cultural i d e n t i t y — w i t h the Kalevala, the Finnish folk epic, and with R o m a n t i c painters such as Akseli Gallen-Kallela at the

p o o l that f e a t u r e d various w o m a n - i n - t h e - s k y images, steel

turn of the last c e n t u r y — l e a d i n g to the Grand Duchy's i n d e -

cutouts that were laser lit f r o m beneath t h e g r o u n d . By day the

pendence f r o m Russia in 1917. In c o n t e m p o r a r y art, tensions

figures were m u r k y shadows; by night they were darkly illumi-

persist b e t w e e n expressions of "Finnish-ness" and w o r k w i t h a

n a t e d . As ice m e l t e d , t h e actual figures w o u l d b e g r a d u a l l y

more international outlook.Yet h u m a n beings' often contradic-

revealed, the "magic well" eventually filled w i t h earth again.

tory relationship with nature remains a m a j o r theme.

S m i t h had never created a public art piece

Events like Hie Snow Show can also b e seen

b e f o r e a n d said h e r project's t e m p o r a l n a t u r e l i b e r a t e d h e r

in the c o n t e x t o f quintessentially Finnish e n v i r o n m e n t a l art

f r o m having to deal w i t h bureaucratic constraints and c o m -

exhibitions and festivals. R o u t i n e l y organized by cities, towns,

promises. "I felt this was a very sweet e x p e r i e n c e because it

and educational institutions, these s u m m e r t i m e affairs feature

wasn't g o i n g to kill thousands o f p e o p l e if it wasn't e n g i n e e r e d

temporary o u t d o o r installations that seek to engage o r c o m -

properly, it didn't have to last 150 years, a n d you didn't have to

ment on the characteristics and experience of a specific place.

sign insurance papers," she said. " T h e r e w e r e m a n y aspects n o t

Many universities and trade colleges offer degrees in the field.

f o u n d in t h e n o r m a l b u i l d i n g process w h e r e p e o p l e have t o b e

"Environmental art," writes M a r k k u H a k u r i , an artist and p r o -

responsible." N o w S m i t h was p r e p a r e d t o c o l l a b o r a t e o n a

fessor at the University of Art and Design in Helsinki, "is a p u b -

p e r m a n e n t w o r k . "I w o u l d like to w o r k w i t h architects, t o

lic s t a t e m e n t

have that e x p e r i e n c e . "

on

the

aesthetic

and

ethic

issues

of

the

environment," defined as space, place, and landscape c o m b i n e d .

The Snow

Show

closed in R o v a n i e m i

on

Yet in Finland, perceptions of the national-romantic landscape

M a r c h 31, and in K e m i a w e e k e a r l i e r — s o m e pieces m e l t e d

have c h a n g e d d u e to a n u m b e r of global e c o n o m i c factors.

prematurely and became dangerous. Exhibition

organizers

"Boundless wilderness and the sanctity of the forest are myths,"

have p r o d u c e d a catalogue, v i d e o s , p h o t o g r a p h s ,

Hakuri adds.

shows, and a f u l l - l e n g t h d o c u m e n t a r y — a n d have also insti-

touring

For all its r h e t o r i c a b o u t built space, t h e

t u t e d t h e p e r m a n e n t S n o w S h o w A r t E d u c a t i o n P r o j e c t at

exhibition's two most successful works were n o t even architec-

t h r e e L a p l a n d universities. O t h e r p a r t i c i p a n t s will d o it all

tural at all. Both, by American teams, were provocative visual

again at S a i n t - M o r i t z , Switzerland, in 2 0 0 5 and at Torino, Italy,

and conceptual m e t a p h o r s for the process of ephemerality. In

during the 2006 Winter Olympics.

19

Kemi, architects Diller + Scofidio and J o h n R o l o f f , w h o works with site, process, and natural systems, created Pure Mix , a g r i d -

Jeff Huebner is a Chicago-based arts journalist and w r i t e r with a special

ded "water mosaic" within the frozen gulf.Viewers had to walk

interest in public a r t He is t h e author, with Olivia G u d e . o f Urban Art Chicago:

out on the ice to see its 81 o n e - s q u a r e - m e t e r ice blocks e m b e d -

A Guide to Community Murals, Mosaics, and Sculptures (Ivan R. Dee, 2000).

ded beneath the surface. Each was c o m p o s e d of 170 liters of branded w a t e r f r o m a r o u n d t h e g l o b e a n d labeled. As ice thawed, the c o m m o d i f i e d "natural w a t e r " would b e c o m e " p u r i fied" as it re-entered the sea. In R o v a n i e m i , architectural t h e o rist Lebbeus W o o d s and artist Kiki Smith created a circular ice

Notes: 1. Lampela, Kalle. " T h e Snow Show, Santa Claus and Lalervo Paisa."

Framework:The Finnish An Review (vol. 1,2004), 72-73.

Public Art R e v i e w . Fall. Winter. 04

CONCEPTUAL HIGHLIGHTS

H E R V E BEC.HY

A portion of the following Washington,

D.C. on July

report was presented at the PAN 16,

Conference—Public

Art: Civic

Catalyst—in

2004.

F o r t h e last ten years, a m o v e towards c o n c e p t u a l art has b e e n a m o s t i n t e r e s t i n g d e v e l o p m e n t o f p u b l i c art in E u r o p e . Artists have f r e e d themselves f r o m b e i n g d e s i g n e r s — i n t h e s a m e realm as l a n d s c a p e architects a n d a r c h i t e c t s — i n o r d e r to achieve a d i f f e r e n t level o f i m p a c t . H a v i n g c o n t r i b u t e d significantly t o p u b l i c art by t e a m i n g u p w i t h u r b a n designers a n d place m a k e r s , artists are n o w i n f u s i n g an extra layer o f m e a n i n g , poetry, and timelessness i n t o a v a r i e t y o f p u b l i c spaces.

Jan D i b b e t s , Vitraux de la cathedrale Saint-Louis de Blois, 2 0 0 0

(two details). Produced at the

HISTORICAL MONUMENTS

workshop of Jean Mauret, Saint-Hilaire-en-Lignieres.

In France, t h e state is responsible f o r t h e u p k e e p and restoration o f religious

Photo © Gert Jan Van ROOIJ,

buildings, including the country's n u m e r o u s R o m a n and G o t h i c churches. T h e Ministry of

courtesy "French State O r d e r "

A CLASH OF CONTEXTS MAREN

RICHTER

In discussing public art in current Central Europe, it is crucial to consider the region s history, recent developments, and the call for discourses a b o u t the idea of Central E u r o p e itself. This article considers art projects that deal with the s o c i o e c o n o m i c , political, and cultural changes in the region over the last t w o decades. It also joins the debates o n Central E u r o p e as a public d o m a i n as well as an imagined c o m m u n i t y reflected in art projects.Thus the works discussed are not limited to those interventions into public spaces in the ordinary sense.The "public-ness" of these works draws on their complicated relationships to the idea of Central Europe.

"Central E u r o p e " is a s y m p t o m that marks a transitory state. It should be seen n o t solely as a region b e t w e e n East and West—historically the western part d e f e n d i n g a b o r d e r position and the eastern part operating in an Eastern E u r o p e a n m e d i u m according to western n o r m s — b u t also as a s y m p t o m of n u m e r o u s errors resulting f r o m m o v e m e n t b e t w e e n localisms and larger contexts in the debate a b o u t a c o m m o n Europe. Whereas the t e r m Balkan suggests an (left) Marjetica Potrc, House for Travelers, 2000, d u r i n g

construction at Manifesta 3,

historically anchored O t h e r b e t w e e n East and West, s o m e t h i n g geopolitical b u t also highly e m o tional, the linguistic role of Central E u r o p e is m o r e ambiguous. Sometimes it is n o t even clear

Ljubljana, Slovenia.

w h i c h regions are assigned to the center, t h o u g h Central E u r o p e is principally regarded as c o m -

Photo by Bojan Brecelj

prising G e r m a n y , C z e c h i a , Slovakia, Austria, P o l a n d , Slovenia, and H u n g a r y . E a s t e r n C e n t r a l Europe, meanwhile, has proven an academically acceptable t e r m for the ethnically mixed z o n e

( r i g h t ) Go - Home

Sarajevo,

Bosnia, and Herzegovina,

Photo by Acif Hodovic

2002.

between the closed G e r m a n and Russian linguistic regions. However, a c o r r e s p o n d i n g Western Central E u r o p e supposedly does n o t exist.

W i t h its s y m p t o m s o f a c c u l t u r a t i o n

and

cussions of t h e E U s eastern e x p a n s i o n , C e n t r a l E u r o p e a n issue:

crises, t h e p a r a d i g m o f C e n t r a l E u r o p e is n o t o n l y historically

that h a d m o r e o r less vanished f r o m t h e agenda o f c u r r e n t polit-

i n t e r e s t i n g b u t also w o r t h l o o k i n g at f o r c u r r e n t d e v e l o p m e n t s

ical affairs b e c a m e substantial again.

o f artistic p r a c t i c e . In light o f t h e v a r i o u s h i s t o r i c a l m o d e l s

T h o s e discussions have f o c u s e d o n a debate

t h a t h a v e b e e n p r o p o s e d , it is c h a l l e n g i n g to trace t h e d i s c u r -

r e g a r d i n g p o s t c o m m u n i s m a n d efforts to link t h e c o m m u n i s

sive line o f w h a t " p u b l i c - n e s s " m e a n s today. D u r i n g t h e first

a n d capitalist m o d e l s , w h i c h has led t o q u e s t i o n s a b o u t th<

h a l f o f t h e 1 9 8 0 s , t h e artistic c o l l e c t i v e N e u e

Slowenische

c o n s e q u e n c e s this upheaval h a s — f o r c u l t u r e a n d art in Easteri

K u n s t was f o u n d e d in L j u b l j a n a / S l o v e n i a , close t o t h e A u s -

E u r o p e a n d f o r c u l t u r e a n d p o l i t i c a l t h i n k i n g in W e s t e r i

trian border. W i t h a purposely G e r m a n n a m e and a brutal

E u r o p e . As art t h e o r i s t B o r i s Groys provocatively p u t it, "The

t o t a l i t a r i a n visual l a n g u a g e , m e m b e r s o f t h e collective called

c o m m u n i s t i d e o l o g y was i n t e r n a t i o n a l , globalizing, ultimately

a t t e n t i o n t o t h e c o m m o n historical roots o f C e n t r a l E u r o p e in

a n t i - n a t i o n a l . T h e c o m m u n i s t r e g i m e g o v e r n e d in t h e n a m e of

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

this internationalist i d e o l o g y that t r a n s c e n d e d t h e b o u n d a r i e ;

a quasi-emancipatory criticism of b o t h

systems—National

o f t h e n a t i o n - s t a t e . T h i s i d e o l o g y was its claim to l e g i t i m a c y

Socialism a n d C o m m u n i s m . T h e visual art g r o u p I R W I N , as

T h e present p o s t - c o m m u n i s t i c n a t i o n a l i s m in E a s t e r n E u r o p e

p a r t o f t h e c o l l e c t i v e , called t h e i r w o r k i n g m e t h o d

"retro-

is, f o l l o w i n g t h e d e c l i n e o f c o m m u n i s m , t h e r e s u l t o f t h e

gardist o v e r - i d e n t i f i c a t i o n , " t h u s s u g g e s t i n g cynically t h a t —

democratization of the east-European countries and the for-

u n l i k e t h e a v a n t - g a r d e — t h e i r v i e w was n o t d i r e c t e d f o r w a r d

m a t i o n o f n e w nation-states. T h e significance o f n a t i o n a l i s m in

b u t r a t h e r t o t h e past.

t h e east t h u s also clearly differs f r o m its s i g n i f i c a n c e in the

I R W I N ' s c o n f r o n t a t i o n of totalitarian ideas w i t h m o d e r n i s m was i m p o r t a n t because m o d e r n i s m had c o m e

west, w h e r e n a t i o n a l i s m is traditionally b o t h state s u p p o r t e d a n d controversial." 1

t o f u n c t i o n as a cultural a n d political fault line a l o n g w h i c h

W i t h that clear sense o f nation and o f history,

m a n y C e n t r a l a n d E a s t e r n E u r o p e a n artistic questions of i n c l u -

t h e h i s t o r i c a l s i g n i f i c a n c e o f p u b l i c s p a c e also a s s u m e s an

s i o n / e x c l u s i o n b e t w e e n East a n d West w e r e a r r a n g e d a n d n e g o -

i m p o r t a n t p o s i t i o n in this m e t h o d o l o g i c a l view, a c c o r d i n g

tiated. Especially t h r o u g h o u t t h e 1980s in t h e central r e g i o n ,

to Groys's a r g u m e n t s . Because public space in Eastern E u r o p e

i m p a s s i o n e d debates w e r e c o n d u c t e d that p r o v i d e d a substantial

was c o n t r o l l e d by t h e state a n d was h i g h l y

" n o n p o l i t i c a l , " artistic, i n t e l l e c t u a l c o n t r i b u t i o n t o a g r a d u a l

progressive o r Utopian o r avant-garde artistic efforts o f t e n devel-

bureaucratic,

l o o s e n i n g o f E a s t - W e s t o p p o s i t i o n . F o l l o w i n g t h e collapse o f

o p e d in secret s p a c e s . T h e very n o t i o n s o f " p u b l i c " and " s p a c e "

t h e p a r a d i g m o f duality b e t w e e n East a n d West, a n d w i t h dis-

w e r e p o l i t i c a l l y d e t e r m i n e d , d e f i n e d e i t h e r by w i t h d r a w a l or,

C u l t u r e has p u b l i c f u n d s f o r this p u r p o s e that are a d m i n i s t e r e d

T h e artist c o l l a b o r a t e d w i t h c h u r c h a u t h o r i t i e s ; t h e i c o n o g r a -

by the Historic Preservation D e p a r t m e n t . Thanks to a collab-

p h y uses t h e l a n g u a g e a n d s y m b o l s o f traditional liturgy.

o r a t i o n b e t w e e n that d e p a r t m e n t a n d t h e Visual Arts D e p a r t ment,

public

commissions

were

extended

to

historical

monuments.

COMMEMORATIVE MONUMENTS D u r i n g W o r l d W a r II, 3 0 , 0 0 0 p e o p l e were

A m o n g t h e s e are c o m m i s s i o n s o f s t a i n e d

c o n d e m n e d t o d e a t h b y t h e N a z i r e g i m e f o r d e s e r t i o n or

glass w i n d o w s t o r e p l a c e w i n d o w s t h a t w e r e d a m a g e d o r

i n s u b o r d i n a t i o n . T h e e x e c u t i o n s t o o k place at M a r e l l e n b e r g in

d e s t r o y e d . T h e n e w a n d d a r i n g idea was t o e n t r u s t t h e c o n c e p t i o n o f t h e s e w i n d o w s t o c o n t e m p o r a r y artists a n d t h e realisation to m a s t e r glass w o r k e r s , r e s u l t i n g in a f r u i t f u l c o l l a b o r a t i o n b e t w e e n artists a n d c r a f t s p e o p l e . M a n y artists o f international reputation benefited f r o m these commissions: 22

Englishman David Tremlett, G e r m a n s G e o r g Etti and Markus L u p e r t z , Swiss artist G o t t f r i e d H o n e g g e r , F r e n c h m a n P i e r r e S o u l a g e , a n d A m e r i c a n R o b e r t M o r r i s , a m o n g o t h e r s . T o date nearly fifty m a j o r w o r k s h a v e b e e n c o m p l e t e d .

F o r t h e S a i n t - L o u i s C a t h e d r a l in

Blois,

D u t c h m a n J a n D i b b e t s u s e d d i a m o n d - s h a p e d lead p a t t e r n i n g , typical o f G o t h i c c a t h e d r a l s . I n s i d e t h e s e r e g u l a r s t r u c t u r e s , D i b b e t s , w o r k i n g w i t h m a s t e r stained glass artist J e a n M a u r e t , c r e a t e d light a n d d e c o r a t i v e g e o m e t r i c a l

figures,

using bold

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

P u b l i c A r t R e v i e w . Fall. Winter. 04

Patricia Pisani, Monuments to the Victims of Nazi Military Justice, (detail) 2002.

Photo by Patricia Pisani © 2002

Neue Slowenische Kunst, NSK

contrast t h e n o w - f a m i l i a r visual p r e s e n c e o f big i n t e r n a t i o n a l

Embassy Moscow,

c o m p a n i e s in E u r o p e a n c i t y c e n t e r s w i t h t h e p e r s i s t e n c e o f

1992.

Photo by Joze Suhadolink

m a n y local C r o a t i a n c o m p a n i e s a n d factories that h a d existed f r o m b e f o r e t h e b r e a k u p ofYugoslavia, m a n y o f w h i c h use o n l y

as in t h e case o f t h e N e u e S l o w e n i s c h e Kunst, by o v e r a f f i r m a t i o n . I n d e e d t h e role and the definition of public space (and h e n c e public art)

110(10.1 b( 1TB 0

in t h e c u r r e n t c o n t e x t

of

C e n t r a l E u r o p e has t o

be

reconsidered that

spiral

in of

exactly contrasts.

A r t i s t s see t h e m s e l v e s c o n fronted with the old f o r m s of ideological

a simple g r a p h i c r e p r e s e n t a t i o n o f t h e first letter o f t h e c o m p a n y n a m e as t h e i r logo. D e s p i t e t h e s t r o n g p r e s e n c e o f local logos in t h e city center, B i g H o p e discovered that m a n y o f these c o m p a n i e s w e r e s t r u g g l i n g to c o m p e t e in t h e globalized e c o n o m y a n d w e r e f a c i n g closure o r b a n k r u p t c y . To e m p h a s i z e t h e t e n s i o n b e t w e e n a fixed local e c o n o m y a n d a fluid global e c o n omy, B i g H o p e r e p r o d u c e d , c u t o u t , a n d p a i n t e d letters t a k e n f r o m different local logos, t h e n placed t h e m b e t w e e n c o l u m n s a r o u n d t h e o u t s i d e o f t h e gallery b u i l d i n g . T h e s a m e text was p a i n t e d in English, using d i f f e r e n t logos o n t h e inside walls o f t h e i n n e r circular space. 3

separation/

globalization and t h e n e w e c o n o m i c g l o b a l i z a t i o n / s e p a r a t i o n .

C o n s e q u e n t l y , t h e d e v e l o p m e n t o f p u b l i c art, still criticized until r e c e n t l y as "a privatist v e r s i o n o f p u b l i c w e l f a r e " o r a "pretext f o r g e n t r i f i c a t i o n , " has f o c u s e d a h i t h e r t o p o l i t i c a l /

T h e tension between n e w e c o n o m i c and old p o w e r s t r u c t u r e s is also a c o n s i s t e n t t h e m e in t h e w o r k o f S l o v e n i a n artist M a r j e t i c a P o t r c . F o r Manifesto

3, 2 0 0 0 , in

L j u b l j a n a , P o t r c built House for Travelers f o r a r e f u g e e family.

W i t h this w o r k , m o d e l e d after a U N E S C O r e s e t t l e m e n t p r o j e c t

e c o n o m i c d e b a t e in artistic terms. 2

in Kenya, P o t r c e x a m i n e s alternative possibilities f o r living a n d T h e artists g r o u p B i g H o p e , f o u n d e d in H u n g a r y in 1 9 9 8 , d e m o n s t r a t e s this d y n a m i c . U n l i k e

the

I R W I N strategy o f o v e r i d e n t i f y i n g w i t h political systems, h e r e symbols (and t h u s also t h e criticism) o f politics give w a y to

s u r v i v i n g in u r b a n z o n e s by g i v i n g a t e m p o r a r y s t r u c t u r e to a t e m p o r a r y social g r o u p . E x h i b i t i n g in t h e c o n t e x t o f institutions a n d as p u b l i c installations, t h e projects o f P o t r c s h o w t h e city to be a constandy changing organism.

those of e c o n o m y . T h e i r Points of Departure (2003) was realized T h e f o c u s o f these w o r k s is o n simple m a t e in the P B G a l l e r y / Z a g r e b , located in t h e c e n t e r o f t h e city in rials a n d an i n f r a s t r u c t u r e o r i e n t e d t o e l e m e n t a r y n e e d s . T h e y the Square for t h e Victims of Fascism. Points of Departure t r i e d t o r e p r e s e n t a socially aware design that is n o t t a r g e t e d p r i m a r i l y

Berlins C h a r l o t t e n b u r g district. O n M a y 15, 1997, t h e G e r man P a r l i a m e n t o v e r r u l e d t h e o r i g i n a l s e n t e n c e s , a n d in N o v e m b e r 2 0 0 0 , t h e city o f Berlin l a u n c h e d a c o m p e t i t i o n for t h e c r e a t i o n o f a m o n u m e n t t o h o n o u r t h e w a r d e a d .

CITY CENTERS A m o n g the many exemplary projects c o m m i s s i o n e d t o revitalize t h e city o f C o v e n t r y , E n g l a n d , The

Time

Zone Clock (2003), by Franijoise S c h e i n , is especially n o t e w o r -

In M a r c h 2 0 0 1 , Patricia Pisani's p r o j e c t was

thy. T h i s m o n u m e n t a l p e r m a n e n t s t r u c t u r e is in M i l l e n n i u m

selected, a n d h e r p e r m a n e n t i n s t a l l a t i o n was c o m p l e t e d in

S q u a r e , at t h e h e a r t o f C o v e n t r y ' s c o m m e r c i a l d i s t r i c t . T h e

2002. A l o n g a forest p a t h a b o u t 5 0 0 m e t e r s l o n g that leads t o

massive t i m e p i e c e consists o f t w e n t y - f o u r bars set i n t o t h e slate

w h e r e t h e e x e c u t i o n s w e r e h e l d , t h e artist installed 100 road

floor o f t h e p e d e s t r i a n square, lit f r o m b e n e a t h . T h e h o u r o f t h e

sign m i r r o r s that e n a b l e o n e t o see places n o t o t h e r w i s e visi-

day c o r r e s p o n d s t o t h e n u m b e r o f lit bars, w h i l e m i n u t e s are

ble. T h e p u r p o s e o f these m i r r o r s is t o signal, m a r k , f o r e w a r n ,

k e p t by l u m i n o u s dials at t h e e n d o f e a c h bar. O n stainless steel

show, and p r o t e c t . Pisani uses t h e m t o reveal a h i d d e n place in

circular plates a r o u n d t h e bars are n a m e s o f t h e w o r l d ' s capital

history. Laser w r i t i n g i n s c r i b e d in t h e m i r r o r s is a n o t h e r w a y

cities a n d C o v e n t r y ' s t w e n t y - s i x sister cities. T h e clock's b l u e

of s e n d i n g visitors b a c k t o t h e past. A t t h e b e g i n n i n g of t h e

n e o n lights a n i m a t e t h e square as t h e y r e c o r d t h e passing t i m e .

path, t h e texts are o b j e c t i v e a n d i m p e r s o n a l , b u t they b e c o m e

T h e n o t i o n o f t i m e z o n e s evokes an i m a g e

progressively p e r s o n a l a n d s u b j e c t i v e as o n e nears t h e e x e c u -

o f parallel lines. In contrast, t h e lines o f The Time Zone Clock are

tion site. A n o t h e r f u n c t i o n o f t h e m i r r o r s is a m u l t i p l i c a t i o n

c u r v e d a n d irregular. T h e s e are t h e familiar b u t i m a g i n a r y lines

effect, w h i c h can b e seen as a c o m m e m o r a t i o n o f o t h e r v i c -

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

tims o f injustice, k n o w n o r u n k n o w n .

p a r t o f h o w p e o p l e d e f i n e t h e m s e l v e s a n d are d e f i n e d b y o t h -

23

ers, t h e s e lines are o f t e n d r a w n o n m a p s a n d d o c u m e n t s b u t d o n o t exist o n physical land itself. T h e clock's lines o f light are

P u b l i c A r t R e v i e w . Fall. Winter. 04

t o t h e ideal c o n s u m e r in t h e industrialized w o r l d b u t that can

d e s i g n e d a u t o n o m o u s l y a n d i n d e p e n d e n t o f any c o m m u n a l or

instead b e universally d e p l o y e d in p r e c a r i o u s zones. T h e y m a y

n a t i o n a l regulations, illustrate a n e w p o w e r b a l a n c e b e t w e e n

b e t h o u g h t o f as u r b a n case studies, o f t e n linked w i t h local c i r -

t h e i n d i v i d u a l a n d t h e larger society. B o t h Points of

c u m s t a n c e s a n d actual p r o b l e m s . D u e t o its t e m p o r a r y a n d

a n d House for Travelers destabilize familiar assumptions. Irregular

i n d i v i d u a l l y a d a p t a b l e c h a r a c t e r , t h e a r c h i t e c t u r e reflects t h e

m o m e n t s w i t h i n a p p a r e n t o r d e r s u b s u m e b o t h p o l i c i e s an 1

Departw?

n e e d s o f increasingly t r a n s i t o r y c o m m u n i t i e s . R e f l e c t i n g t h e

c u r r e n t s o f m i g r a t i o n , as well as increasingly p r e c a r i o u s w o r k -

c o n v i c t i o n t h a t a r c h i t e c t u r e a n d d e s i g n are n o t n e u t r a l b u t

i n g situations that t h r e a t e n t o strategically, o m i n o u s l y , a n d dii -

i n s t e a d have always b e e n p o l i t i c a l e x p r e s s i o n s , t h e s h e l t e r s ,

fusely overlap.

B e l g r a d e - b o r n artist Tanja O s t o j i c treats e c o n o m i c and political issues using t h e m o s t o b v i o u s case study he r o w n e x p e r i e n c e of g e n d e r politics a n d capitalism. In Looking Jot a Husband with EU Passport (2002), O s t o j i c illustrated t h e collision of isolation, poverty, and t h e d e m a r c a t i o n policies o f the E U . T o attain a w o r k p e r m i t in G e r m a n y , O s t o j i c s o u g h t a marriageable E U citizen by placing an ad, i n c l u d i n g a n u d e p h o t o of herself, o n t h e I n t e r n e t . A b r i e f m e e t i n g in B e l g r a d e was foll o w e d in 2 0 0 2 by m a r r i a g e w i t h a G e r m a n artist in t h e f o r m of a p e r f o r m a t i v e a c t . T h u s , O s t o j i c n o t o n l y p o r t r a y e d t h e politics of m o b i l i t y as exclusionary, a deviation f r o m t h e i m a g e of cosm o p o l i t a n i s m , she also d e t a c h e d t h e artist's actions as an individual f r o m an artistic process.

From a different perspective, Frankfurt-

with EU

b a s e d artist Silke W a g n e r deals w i t h t h e status o f t h e e m i g r a n t

passport, interactive Web project, 2000-2002. www.kultur.at/howl/tanja/

a n d associated d e p o r t a t i o n a n d f a k e m a r r i a g e s w i t h f o r e i g n -

T a n j a O s t o j i c , "Yes...!", p h o t o c o l l a g e . f r o m Looking for a Husband

Photo b y ! Ostojic and K. Golf

ers. F o r t h e G e r m a n p u b l i c art p r o j e c t No Man

is an Island

(2003) in B r e m e n , she i n i t i a t e d a p u b l i c i n t e r v e n t i o n called ( r i g h t ) T a n j a O s t o j i c , Looking for a Husband

with EU

passport,

interactive Web project, 2000-2002.

Schutzehe

Photo by Borut Krajnc

vival strategies o f m a r r i a g e . " O n e o f t h e reasons is solidarity

( p r o t e c t i o n m a r r i a g e ) , w h i c h investigates t h e sur-

Fran^oise Schein, The Time Zone Clock, 2003. Photo Š Art-Public-France

natural pleats in t h e e a r t h , suggesting h o w traces are left o n the sand by m o v e m e n t of w i n d a n d water.

T h e 1 , 4 5 3 m o v i n g parts o f this impressive p i e c e are c o n t r o l l e d by an adaptable c o m p u t e r p r o g r a m , which offers t h e possibility f o r p e r f o r m a n c e g r o u p s o r street artists to use t h e space as a b a c k d r o p f o r their w o r k . N e a r t h e square is a scaled v e r s i o n o f t h e c l o c k w i t h an i n s t r u m e n t p a n e l that allows visitors to light u p a n d locate cities o n t h e map.

Franijoise S c h e i n , artist a n d u r b a n architect, c o n c e i v e d of The Time Zone Clock in 1988 as an installation for t h e W o r l d T r a d e C e n t e r in N e w York City. It is fitting that this w o r k was u l t i m a t e l y c o n s t r u c t e d in t h e c o u n t r y that gave birth t o t h e t i m e z o n e s y s t e m a n d w h e r e n o similar t r i b u t e had existed b e f o r e . T h i s w o r k has particular relevance t o Coventry, w i t h its i m p o r t a n t h i s t o r y o f industrial c l o c k - a n d w a t c h - m a k i n g a n d its c o l l e c t i o n o f sister cities f r o m a r o u n d t h e globe.

LIGHT RAIL SYSTEMS In r e c e n t years, m a n y cities in F r a n c e have built light rail systems. In a d d i t i o n t o r e d u c i n g e n e r g y co.i-

P u b l i c A r t R e v i e w . Fall. Winter. 04

vith and s u p p o r t f o r refugees and migrants. M a r r i a g e is o n e

Maren Richter is a c u r a t o r and a r t critic based in Linz (Austria) and Berlin

possibility for p r o t e c t i n g a p e r s o n f r o m d e p o r t a t i o n and h e l p -

(Germany). In her institutional and i n d e p e n d e n t projects she focuses on

tig t h e m to get a p e r m a n e n t residence p e r m i t . " A website

political artistic practice in c o n t e m p o r a r y shifting societies. She gratefully

/as set u p in eight languages o f f e r i n g counsel f o r G e r m a n s

acknowledges t h e translation assistance of Aileen Derieg.

nd n o n - G e r m a n s w a n t i n g to m a r r y . T h a t t h e p r o j e c t was n o t nly an artistic gesture b u t an i n t e r v e n t i o n into real politics

Notes:

ad b e e n proved a year earlier, w h e n t h e city g o v e r n m e n t o f

1.This is one of the central themes

extensively both in theory and in

nother G e r m a n city, Wolfsburg, c e n s o r e d t h e realization of

of the research project The Post-

reference to practice. E I P C P is a

chutzehe w i t h t h e a r g u m e n t that t h e p r o j e c t m i g h t lead to riminal actions.

L o o k i n g at C e n t r a l E u r o p e t h r o u g h these lew examples of c o n t e m p o r a r y artistic practice, t h e s y m p t o matic role of the region b e c o m e s evident. W h i l e representa-

Communist Condition, directed by

transnational network initiated in

Boris Groys at the Z e n t r u m fur

Austria that deals with the creation

Kunst und Medientechnologie/

of new public spheres. T h e current

Karlsruhe, which was initiated in

republican project is a transnational

2003. See www.postcommunist.de.

research project on the development of public art in the f o r m of twelve

2. Marchart, Oliver. "Art, Space and

artistic projects and twelve

tion of a n e w E u r o p e a n solidarity (mostly f r o m a w e s t e r n

the Public Sphere(s)." (October

conferences.

point of view) is celebrated, there is a highly critical awareness

1998). See w w w . e i p c p . n e t . T h e

of t h e " n e w " responsibilities t o w a r d s a c o m m o n

European Institute for Progressive

cultural

region, w h i c h implies n o t only a s h a r p e n e d view of t h e m e a n -

3. See www.republicart.net. See

Cultural Policies (EIPCP) has

www.bighope.hu/

addressed the transformation

pointsofdeparture/index.html.

ing of responsibility b u t also of w h a t is defined as n e w and who defines it. W i t h alternative models and strategies, alternative discursive places a n d d i f f e r e n t c o n t e x t u a l spaces are opened up. B u t those spaces are conceived as fragile c o n s t r u c tions, w h i c h m a r k a transitional stage rather than a solid system. A n d by b r i n g i n g f o r t h the " p u b l i c - n e s s " o f art projects, along w i t h their involvement in the issues of t h e r e g i o n as a shared c o n t e x t , a r t i s t s â&#x20AC;&#x201D; w h e t h e r f r o m f o r m e r Eastern E u r o p e or f r o m t h e w e s t e r n p a r t â&#x20AC;&#x201D; h e l p us b e t t e r u n d e r s t a n d these fragile constructions and their everyday implications f o r t h e experiences in a region called Central E u r o p e .

Jean-Marie Krauth, The Compasses (detail), 2000.

Photo Š Art-Public-France

as advisors, public commissioners prefer a personality f r o m t h e art w o r l d . F o r t h e S t r a s b o u r g light rail p r o j e c t , a s t e e r i n g c o m m i t t e e was f o r m e d . T h i s t e a m called o n

international

experts in c o n t e m p o r a r y art to advise t h e m o n t h e c h o i c e o f artists. J e a n - C h r i s t o p h e A m m a n , d i r e c t o r o f t h e F r a n k f o r t M u s e u m at t h e time, was b r o u g h t in for the first line in 1994.

C h r i s t i a n B e r n a r d , d i r e c t o r o f t h e M u s e e d ' a r t m o d e r n e et c o n t e m p o r a r a i n in Geneva, was chosen for t h e following t w o lines (1998-2000).

T h e w o r k s of art a r o u n d t h e Strasbourg light rail syssumption and pollution, light rail links suburbs to a city centre

t e m are f o c u s e d o n social c o m m u n i c a t i o n , i n c l u d i n g texts, and

through h i g h - q u a l i t y public t r a n s p o r t a t i o n . T h e s e c o n s t r u c -

f u n c t i o n a l w o r k s . A m o n g t h e m a n y n o t e w o r t h y artists in

tion p r o j e c t s have resulted in v a r i e d u r b a n

Strasbourg are J e a n - M a r i e K r a u t h , and h e r Compasses

developments

embed-

around the transit stations.These n e w public spaces have b e e n

ded in a station p l a t f o r m , J o n a t h a n Borofsky, Barbara K r u g e r ,

accompanied by public art programs overseen by city councils

M a r i o M e r z , and Siah A r m a j a n i . Words o c c u p y an i m p o r t a n t

with the s u p p o r t of t h e M i n i s t r y of C u l t u r e .

part in these works, playing w i t h t h e n o t i o n of itinerary a n d

Unlike Great Britain and the United States, independent

25

t h e identification of u r b a n places.

public art consultants are rare in France. T h e r e are a few a g e n cies, generally formed by architects. In addition to asking artists to act

H e r v e Bechy is t h e director of Art-public.com, based in Paris.

P u b l i c A r t R e v i e w . Fall. Winter. 04

china

r

CLANDESTINE INTERVENTIONS

IEILING C H E N G

Live artâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;translated i n t o C h i n e s e as xingwei (behavior a r t ) â&#x20AC;&#x201D; b e g a n in C h i n a just a f e w years before the 1989 T i a n a n m e n Square massacre. A p i o n e e r i n g w o r k entitled Concept 21 t o o k place at Beijing University in the w i n t e r of 1987. In this collective action, S h e n g Q i , K a n g M u , Z h e n g Yuke, Z h a o Jianhai, and X i J i a n j u n undressed, w r a p p e d their bodies w i t h linen cloth, p o u r e d various colored paints o n each other, and t h e n engaged in simultaneous r a n d o m actions. S o m e rode bicycles, w h i l e others climbed o n the r o o f and called o u t n a m e s o f i c o n o graphic sites such as " T h e Great Wall" and "Yangtze River."

T h e idealistic buoyancy of Concept 21 followed t h e spirit o f " t h e '85 M o v e m e n t " (Bawu meishu yundotig), a t e r m coined by curator G a o Minglu to c o m m e m o r a t e the artistic and intellectual vigor of that year, w h i c h witnessed an array of performances, conferences, artist visits to factories and villages, and many self-organized, ephemeral exhibitions that appeared w i t h o u t official sanction. 1 M o s t of these activities t o o k place in the public sphere, alerting b o t h the Chinese people and g o v e r n m e n t officials to a n e w p e r m u t a t i o n of public art that w e n t beyond propaganda billboards, m o n u m e n t s of political leaders, or compulsory mass demonstrations. A novel chapter in Chinese c o n t e m p o r a r y art history had c o m m e n c e d , w i t h avant-garde art taking the spotlight.

Unfortunately, whatever m o m e n t u m gained by the avant-garde artists proved fragile and temporary; its energy quickly dissipated w i t h the resurgence of strict political control after the 1989 T i a n a n m e n Square incident. In t h e wake o f a failed democratic m o v e m e n t , artists and intellectuals in the 1990s faced t h e pressures of intensified political oppression. In 1992, a To Add One Meter to an Unknown Mountain, 1995.A Beijing, Miaofeng Mountain perform-

nomadic collection of p e r f o r m a n c e artists settled in Dashan Village, an impoverished n e i g h b o r h o o d at the eastern fringe of Beijing. T h e artists r e n a m e d the place East Village, after its namesake

ance, conceived by Zhang Huan

in lower Manhattan, and converted this garbage-infested area into a residential and exhibiting artist

and performed collectively by

community. East Village e m e r g e d in 1994 as the site of m a n y public live artworks that have since

ten artists including Zhu Ming, Duan Yingui, Zhang Bingbing,

b e c o m e legendary markers for Chinese p e r f o r m a n c e art.

T h e East Village performances were public in nature but unofficial and private

Zhang Huan, Zu Zhou,Wang Shihua, Cang Xin, Ma Liuming,

by necessity, most of t h e m witnessed by an exclusive viewership of invited artists, a f e w foreign art

Ma Zongren, and Gao Yang.

critics, and even fewer local residents w h o w a n d e r e d occasionally into t h e action sites. By the late

Photo courtesy the artists

1990s, however, East Village n o longer existed, w h i c h m e a n t that m o r e adventurous xingwei and Wu Gaozhong, Born on May

zhuangzhi

28th,

o n the support of an emergent g r o u p of i n d e p e n d e n t curators/researchers, most o f w h o m had a

2000.

Photo courtesy the artist Zhang Huan, 65 Kilos, 1994. An early EastVilliage endurance performance in which the artist hung his naked body upsidedown with iron chains on a roof

yishu (installation art) could find n o regular exhibition venues. Instead, artists d e p e n d e d

career in art, criticism, or journalism and w o u l d organize exhibitions as t h e " a c a d e m i c host." 2 T h i s p h e n o m e n o n resulted in an e x p e r i m e n t a l artistic scene shaped largely by f r e q u e n t interactions

A c a d e m i c hosts, however, did n o t have t h e a u t h o r i t y t o g u a r a n t e e an u n d i s turbed exhibition environment. Many edgy exhibitions therefore attempted to circumvent

beam about three meters above

g o v e r n m e n t censorship by s p r i n g i n g u p w i t h little o r n o a d v a n c e a d v e r t i s e m e n t and closing, if

his studio floor. 250cc of blood

n o t w i t h i n h o u r s , t h e n a f t e r o n e o r t w o days. S u c h u n d e r g r o u n d e x h i b i t i o n s w e r e like

dripped from the artist's body

e p h e m e r a l p e r f o r m a n c e events, d r a w i n g their spectators by w o r d - o f - m o u t h , insider i n f o r m a -

into a pan burning on an electric stove, designating the performance duration. h

hoto courtesy the artist

27

b e t w e e n artists and curators, w i t h the latter's sensibilities taking the implicit lead.

tion, and cell p h o n e c o m m u n i c a t i o n . W h e n such e x h i b i t i o n s w e r e o p e n to general viewers at all, t h e y existed as w h a t I m i g h t call clandestine public art. T h o u g h s e e m i n g l y o x y m o r o n i c , clandestine public art is n o m o r e c o n t r a d i c t o r y than is t h e fusion of c o m m u n i s t ideology and a

P u b l i c A r t R e v i e w . Fall. Winter. 04

I

pathology evinced in its gross use of a dead h u m a n b o d y pai t.

To me, however, Pocket Theology succeeded in redefining inte activity as site-specific exchanges b e t w e e n divergent experiei tial domains, b e t w e e n those of t h e dead and the living, link.ii g the metaphysical w i t h the visceral.The dead a r m c o n t i n u e d o sustain a host of living microbes even as it was t u r n e d into a startling sight for the living, whereas the living, as they engagi d in a p e r c e p t u a l collision w i t h t h e sight, validated t h e exi t e n c e — t h e " l i f e " — o f a dead a r m . In an interview, Z h u sa d that t h e ( u n i d e n t i f i e d ) hospital f r o m w h i c h h e r e n t e d the a m p u t a t e d limb had b e c o m e the m a j o r supply for a n u m b e r jf artists w h o had b e g u n using h u m a n corpses and b o d y parts in t h e i r a r t w o r k s . E n t e r w h a t s o m e critics b e g a n calling the "cadaver school."

T h e conceptual ramifications of the cadaver school reached a tragic apex on January 1, 2000, w h e n artist Z h a n g Shengchuan h u n g himself as the last piece of his xingwei yishu. Z h a n g ' s suicide n o t e q u e s t i o n e d t h e u l t i m a t e conseq u e n c e of art, w h i c h , he believed, hinged on w h e t h e r to preserve one's life or not. H e had chosen to end his life, it seemed, to p e r f o r m an action impossible to be repeated, either by others or himself. If Zhang's last piece of live art may be best described as a private death art, it entered the public realm w h e n the work was included posthumously in Infatuation with Injury, an exhibition that was closed in three hours after official intervention. m a r k e t e c o n o m y that c h a r a c t e r i z e d C h i n e s e society after

C u r a t o r Li Xianting, nevertheless, believed that the event was

D e n g Xiaoping's e c o n o m i c reforms.

successful in s o m e m e a s u r e because it d e m o n s t r a t e d to the

C l a n d e s t i n e p u b l i c art r e a c h e d a c e r t a i n critical mass in 1999 and 2000, w i t h t h e o p e n i n g s of three

world that Chinese artists have expanded the possibilities of art in ways that n o artist f r o m other countries have dared.

controversial exhibitions: Post-sense Sensibility: Alien Bodies and Delusion

(1999), organized by Wu M e i c h u n and Q i u Zhijie,

bility associated w i t h t h e cadaver school f o u n d a m a t c h in

w h o r e n t e d a l o w - c e i l i n g b a s e m e n t w h e r e the participating

t h e u s e o f a n i m a l s , d e a d o r a l i v e , in p e r f o r m a n c e s . This

artists w o r k e d and held their exhibition in the last two days of

practice inspired G u Z h e n q i n g ' s a m b i t i o u s e x h i b i t i o n series

t h e rental p e r i o d ; Infatuation with Injury (2000), organized by

Human'Animal,

w h i c h r e f l e c t e d Gu's i n t e n t i o n t o redress

Li X i a n t i n g , a p r o m i n e n t art critic, and held in the Sculptural

w h a t he saw as t h e exclusive v i e w i n g c o n d i t i o n s f o r xingwei

S t u d i o in Beijing's Central A c a d e m y of Art; and a multipart

yishu. H e w i d e l y publicized t h e e x h i b i t i o n s and organized

exhibition

28

T h e ethical a m b i g u i t y and g r o t e s q u e sensi-

(2000),

t h e m in diverse parts o f C h i n a , m a n y at o u t d o o r sites. The

o r g a n i z e d by i n d e p e n d e n t c u r a t o r G u Z h e n q i n g and held

w i t h t h e general title Human'Aniinal

series g e n e r a t e d t r e m e n d o u s media response b o t h b e f o r e and

over five m o n t h s in six cities f r o m d i f f e r e n t p r o v i n c e s : B e i -

after the events, w i t h coverage by 120 newspapers in China

j i n g , C h e n g d u , Gulin, N a n j i n g , C h a n g c h u n , and Gueiyang.

alone. Yet because of t h e media exposure, G u faced increasing

These radical exhibitions generated t r e m e n -

difficulty p r o d u c i n g these events, m a n y o f w h i c h h a p p e n e d in

dous public outcries and debates in the media. For a n e w g e n -

a chaotic rush d u e to bureaucratic i n t e r f e r e n c e and threats ot

eration of p e r f o r m a n c e artists, flesh as matter and landscape—a

arrest. I n d e e d , Gu's series b e c a m e increasingly clandestine as

m o t i f that o c c u r r e d in many East Village performances—read

t i m e w e n t by. " W e were like guerrilla troupes, r u n n i n g revo-

simply as u n r e s t r i c t e d use o f t h e b o d y as art material and

l u t i o n a r y m o v e m e n t s ; t h e situation b e c a m e very dangerous,"

m e d i u m . T h i s reading f o u n d a literal manifestation in Post-sense

said Gu. 4 After t h e series, G u was blacklisted as a c u r a t o r and

Sensibility: Alien Bodies and Delusion, for which Z h u Y u created

e n d u r e d a "career f r e e z e " f o r a year.

Pocket Theology* Z h u Y u ' s performative installation consisted of a

In rationales offered to local officials attend-

severed h u m a n a r m h u n g from the ceiling and holding on to

ing t h e events, G u r e m a r k e d o n t h e morality of " a n i m a l pro-

o n e end of a long rope that covered the entire exhibition r o o m ,

tection," t h e "everyday v i o l e n c e " that often occurs between

forcing spectators to step on the rope to view the a r t w o r k . T h e

h u m a n s and animals, and the general insensitivity toward ani- i

majority of responses to the piece c o n d e m n e d the violence and

mals in a culture obsessed with f o o d . " T h e w h o l e society is ter-

P u b l i c A r t R e v i e w . Fall.Winter.04

rizing animals to satisfy its o w n spiritual needs," he said,

Meiling Cheng is associate p r o f e s s o r and d i r e c t o r of critical studies at t h e

'eople are in the center. T h e y rule by force. T h e y can kill

School of Theatre, University of Southern California. Born and raised in

riimals], let t h e m live, put t h e m in zoos."

5

Taipei,Taiwan, Cheng is the a u t h o r of In Other Los Angeleses: Multicentric

In Gu's series, t h e p i e c e that h a d stirred

Performance Art

i ost media censure and ridicule was W u G a o z h o n g ' s Born on ay 28th, w h i c h o p e n e d the regional exhibition

Human'Ani-

i il: Aestheticism and Ambivalence in Nanjing's Q i n g Liang Shan 1 rk on May 28, 2 0 0 0 . As t h e s p e c t a t o r s w a n d e r e d i n t o a

Notes: 1. Minglu, Gao. "Toward a Transna-

3. An account of Pocket Theology can

tional Modernity: An Overview of

be found in T h o m a s J. Berghuis,

g assy c l e a r i n g in t h e park, t h e y saw t h e o u t e r carcass o f a

Inside O u t : N e w Chinese Art." In

"Flesh Art: Performance and Body

c w — w h i c h W u had b o r r o w e d f r o m a s l a u g h t e r h o u s e — l y i n g

Inside Out: New Chinese Art. San

Art in Post-Mao China." Chinese-

Francisco, Calif.: San Francisco

art.com 4, no. 5 (2001).

o i a piece of w h i t e paper. S o m e b l o o d and rose petals seeped o it of the cow, and flies buzzed a r o u n d it. W u r e m o v e d the towel that covered his n a k e d body, c r a w l e d i n t o t h e cow's

M u s e u m of M o d e r n Art and Asia Society Galleries and University of

4. Unless otherwise noted, all quota-

California Press, 1998,21.

tions from Gu Z h e n q i n g are the

belly, and had an assistant sew him inside t h e cow. H e w r i g gled inside t h e carcass f o r a f e w m i n u t e s b e f o r e he c u t t h e

author's translations from a p h o n e interview with Gu on J u n e 2 , 2 0 0 4 .

2. See Z h a n g Z h a o h u i and Yang Yingshi, "Problems and Possibilities:

thread loose to release himself.

As W u e m e r g e d f r o m the cow, a park guard appeared and s h o u t e d at the artist, " W h y d o n ' t you wear any clothes? Stop right n o w ! " W u rushed o u t of the cow's belly,

Curators and Art Museums in

5. See " M a n and Animal." C h i n e s e -

China." In Cliina-gallery Art

art.com 3, no. 3 (2000).

Fowm,

www.china-gallery.com/

Available at www.chineseart.com/

en/forum/problems.htm.

artists/quzhengqing.htm.

spreading rose petals toward the sky. H e then quickly covered himself and pleaded to the guard n o t to stop t h e show, p r o m ising to leave right away. In the c o n f u s i o n , t h e n e x t p e r f o r m e r , Gu Xiaoping, hastened to the c o w carcass, placed a traditional stringed i n s t r u m e n t on top of it, and played intensely until he bloodied his fingers. Before t h e guard t u r n e d to h i m , G u f i n ished the piece, aptly entitled " C h a o t i c Playing," by b r e a k i n g

( o p p o s i t e p a g e ) ZhuYu, Pocket Theology. 1999. Photo courtesy t h e artist

the strings. " W h a t ' s this farce? A naked m a n bursting o u t o f a

( b e l o w ) Qin Ga, Freeze 2000, f r o m Post-sense sensibility:Alien Bodies and

slaughtered c o w ! " blared t h e f r o n t - p a g e headline f r o m N a n -

Delusion. Photo courtesy t h e artist

jing's Yangtze

Evening

News t h e n e x t day. Variations o f this

headline p r o l i f e r a t e d in n e w s p a p e r s , r a d i o a n d

television

broadcasts, and I n t e r n e t chat r o o m s t h r o u g h o u t C h i n a and Asia. M o s t m e d i a coverage l a m e n t e d t h e d e g e n e r a t i o n a n d sensationalism of xingwei yishu, for w h i c h Born on May

28th

became the latest symbol.

A

c

Clandestine public art in C h i n a c a m e into being as a response to the prevalence of g o v e r n m e n t censorship and b u r e a u c r a t i c restrictions. M a n y p e r f o r m a n c e s and installations that m a y be s u b s u m e d u n d e r this g e n r e have incorporated b o d i e s — b e they h u m a n or animal, dead or alive, complete or partial—in a fashion that only seems possible in a society w h o s e legal systems and public consciousness remain vague about t h e rights of individual organic beings. In C h i n a , political repression, c o m b i n e d with a c o m m u n i s t heritage that condemned religion as an opiate of the masses, has yielded a cultural terrain w h e r e n o t h i n g short of h o m i c i d e is beyond the pale of artistic imagination and execution. T h e p e r f o r m a n c e s surveyed here appear uniquely C h i n e s e less f r o m their intrinsic qualities than f r o m the specific political, historical, and cultural confluence that has given rise to clandestine public art. T h u s , we can almost anticipate the obsolescence of clandestine p u b lic art, as C h i n a m o v e s to a d i f f e r e n t political and cultural economy in the foreseeable future.

P u b l i c A r t R e v i e w . Fall.

a

<1 A 4

POLICY AS CATALYST IN QUEENSLAND

JODIE

T h r o u g h its

five-year-old

COX

public art policy, Art Built-in, the Q u e e n s l a n d gov-

e r n m e n t has altered the states public art and built e n v i r o n m e n t landscape. T h e policy allocates t w o p e r c e n t o f capital works budgets to the integration of artwork into Q u e e n s l a n d g o v e r n m e n t building programs. It aims to create better public spaces by including arts and cultural practitioners in shaping the built e n v i r o n m e n t , while creating e m p l o y m e n t opportunities for artists, designers, and o t h e r arts workers. As a result of this policy, Queensland enjoys artwork commissions with s o m e o f t h e largest budgets in Australia.

Art Built-in has resulted in over 144 completed and active commissions projects

Sandra Selig, Echo, 2003, at Varsity Lakes. Photo courtesy of Delfin Lend Lease

since its i m p l e m e n t a t i o n inception in 1999. M a j o r projects include allocations of $1.4 million for the R o m a Street Parklands, $1.3 million for 33 Charlotte Street, $1.4 million for the Aged Care Capital Works Program, and $1.7 million for the Brisbane Magistrates C o u r t . (All figures are in

j

WEST COAST SCHEME

L MORA K I N S

Flying back to Perth, Western Australia f r o m the east coast o f t h e U n i t e d States n o t long ago, I realised w h a t an isolated place my h o m e t o w n is. M y trip t o o k t w e n t y - f o u r hours.

Flying f r o m Perth to Sydney, the largest city o n Australia's east coast, takes f o u r and a half hours.

Australia's west coast is k n o w n f o r its beautiful landscapes and beaches and easy-going lifestyle.

W h a t is n o t well k n o w n a b o u t t h e area is that t h r o u g h the g o v e r n m e n t ' s Percent f o r Art S c h e m e , over the past f o u r t e e n years s o m e 2 0 0 West Australian artists have c o m p l e t e d over 4 0 0 public a r t works totalling $11.2 million.

T h e S c h e m e c a m e a b o u t t h r o u g h t h e d e d i c a t i o n and passion of p e o p l e in t h e D e p a r t m e n t o f C u l t u r e and t h e Arts w h o believed that i n c o r p o r a t i n g art i n t o public facilities Stuart Green, Timber Wandoo, 2002, at Peel Senior Campus.

w o u l d i m p r o v e t h e quality o f t h e built e n v i r o n m e n t . J e n n y B e a h a n s p e a r h e a d e d this push i n t o

Photo by Robert Firth, Acorn

n e w territory, a n d w i t h t h e s u p p o r t o f t h e d e p a r t m e n t ' s director, A n d r e a H u l l , a Ministerial

Photo Agency

T a s k f o r c e o n P u b l i c A r t was e s t a b l i s h e d . T h i s g r o u p o p e r a t e d f o r several years u n t i l t h e D e p a r t m e n t o f H o u s i n g a n d W o r k s c a m e o n b o a r d as a d e d i c a t e d p a r t n e r and t o o k o n t h e r e s p o n s i b i l i t y f o r i m p l e m e n t i n g t h e S c h e m e . A r c h i t e c t G l e n R o b i n s o n , e m p l o y e d by t h e D e p a r t m e n t of H o u s i n g and Works, b e c a m e t h e first client m a n a g e r f o r public art. His passion, energy, and advocacy ensured that m a n y g o v e r n m e n t d e p a r t m e n t s â&#x20AC;&#x201D; p a r t i c u l a r l y H e a l t h , E d u c a tion and Training; Justice; and t h e W e s t e r n Australian Police F o r c e â&#x20AC;&#x201D; w e r e k e e n t o have public artworks in and a r o u n d their n e w buildings. T h i s advocacy, a l o n g w i t h a g r o w i n g n u m b e r ot

31

P u b l i c A r t R e v i e w . Fall. Winter. 04

c o m p l e t e d p r o j e c t s , has seen local g o v e r n m e n t a u t h o r i t i e s ,

ator and creates an a r t w o r k in direct response to a specif c

r e d e v e l o p m e n t agencies, a n d private developers also start to

brief. T h e n t h e r e are projects w h e r e t h e client wants m o e

c o m m i s s i o n public artworks for their n e w buildings and public

c o m m u n i t y i n v o l v e m e n t . For example, a p r i m a r y school m; y

o p e n spaces.

w a n t an artist to w o r k w i t h t h e school c o m m u n i t y in deve T h e S c h e m e uses an a l l o c a t i o n o f u p t o

o p i n g a design c o n c e p t , perhaps even involving students n if

o n e p e r c e n t o f t h e estimated total costs o f capital w o r k s p r o j -

p r o d u c i n g t h e a r t w o r k . O n s o m e projects a high d e g r e e

ects t o c o m m i s s i o n public artworks. C o o r d i n a t i o n and m a n -

a r t w o r k i n t e g r a t i o n is desired, and o n these projects the art it

a g e m e n t of public art projects is carried o u t by i n d e p e n d e n t

usually w o r k s w i t h architects and landscape architects wl o

art consultants selected by t h e D e p a r t m e n t of H o u s i n g and

are either interested in b l u r r i n g t h e distinctions b e t w e e n art

W o r k s and a p p o i n t e d to an Art C o o r d i n a t i o n Services Panel.

A n art c o n s u l t a n t d e v e l o p s an

artworks

b r i e f for each project in consultation w i t h the client d e p a r t -

and architecture or are willing to p e r m i t a d e g r e e of desi^ n flexibility so that t h e a r t w o r k can be integrated into built ai d landscape f o r m s in t h e best possible m a n n e r .

m e n t and t h e design professionals involved. T h i s d o c u m e n t

Stuart Green, A n n e Neil, Jenny Dawson,

covers all aspects o f t h e project i n c l u d i n g b a c k g r o u n d i n f o r -

a n d S a n d r a Hill are artists w h o have w o n p e r c e n t f o r art

m a t i o n , submission r e q u i r e m e n t s , selection procedures, type o f

c o m m i s s i o n s . G r e e n ' s s t u n n i n g large-scale a r t w o r k s involve

c o m m i s s i o n i n g process, a n d a r t w o r k t h e m e s . An A r t w o r k s

metals. At b o t h C h a l l e n g e r T A F E Peel C a m p u s and Mindarie

Selection C o m m i t t e e is established w h o s e role it is to shortlist

Senior College, h e w o r k e d w i t h architects to ensure that his

artists based o n their expressions of interest and t h e n to m a k e

installations w e r e well i n t e g r a t e d w i t h t h e built f o r m s . On

a final selection f r o m three or f o u r design concepts f r o m those

t h e Banksia Hill J u v e n i l e D e t e n t i o n C e n t r e a n d B a n d y u p

artists. For example, a project at a n e w school w o u l d have a

W o m e n ' s P r i s o n p r o j e c t s , A n n e N e i l w o r k e d closely with

c o m m i t t e e comprising the principal, a teacher, a parent, a

y o u n g o f f e n d e r s a n d w o m e n p r i s o n e r s in t h e research and

D e p a r t m e n t of E d u c a t i o n representative, t h e D e p a r t m e n t of

design d e v e l o p m e n t phases to develop relevant artworks for

H o u s i n g and W o r k s contract manager, the architect, and t h e

these facilities. J e n n y D a w s o n and Sandra Hill o f t e n team up

landscape architect.

f o r public art projects. Hill is an i n d i g e n o u s artist and Daw-

All t h e p u b l i c art p r o j e c t s f u n d e d by t h e S c h e m e are a u d i e n c e specific. O v e r t h e years different p r o j e c t

son a ceramic designer. T h e y w o r k w i t h school children and community

m e m b e r s to c r e a t e a r t w o r k s that reflect an

types have evolved to reflect client aims and values. Straight

exploration of t h e i n d i g e n o u s history of an area, f o c u s i n g on

c o m m i s s i o n s are w h e r e the artist or artist team is t h e sole c r e -

t h e natural e n v i r o n m e n t .

Australian dollars.) T h e Brisbane Magistrates C o u r t project will

Barbara Penrose, Voxe/fe, 2003, at Varsity Lakes (detail). Photo by Rod Bucholz

result in fourteen individual artworks b o t h inside and outside the building. I n f o r m e d by Jay Younger's curatorial rationale, the collection will focus o n process art as a reflective m e t a p h o r for the legal process.

W h i l e these m a j o r commissions have significant value to Queensland's cultural and built e n v i r o n m e n t , Art Built-in's value far exceeds that of any o n e individual project or commission. Queensland's policy has influenced the adoption of similar policies in local g o v e r n m e n t councils and has e n c o u r aged the integration of artworks into private development p r o j ects, thus sparking o p p o r t u n i t i e s for artists' involvement in a 32

wide range of projects for a broad range of clients.

A n u m b e r o f local councils

throughout

Q u e e n s l a n d have e m b r a c e d t h e p h i l o s o p h y o f Art B u i l t - i n .

M a n y regional local councils have utilised its f r a m e w o r k and guidelines t o i n f o r m policies responsive to their specific

T h e Public Art Agency, established to over-

regional and e c o n o m i c context. W i t h b o t h regional and m e t r o -

see A r t Built-in's i m p l e m e n t a t i o n , has also initiated several

politan councils i m p l e m e n t i n g public art policies, the g r o w t h of

projects that have simultaneously provided professional devel-

cultural e c o n o m i e s in Q u e e n s l a n d is enhanced, pride and o w n -

o p m e n t o p p o r t u n i t i e s for artists and d e m o n s t r a t e d w h a t art

ership in c o m m u n i t i e s is increased, and e m p l o y m e n t o p p o r t u -

can be in the pubic realm. A partnership project with South

nities for local and regional artists are generated.

Bank C o r p o r a t i o n , A r t Built-in S o u t h B a n k , provided nine

P u b l i c A r t R e v i e w . Fall. Winter. 04

:

T h e first f o r m a l review of the Percent for

and had created m a n y n e w professional and e c o n o m i c o p p o r -

t Scheme, c o n d u c t e d in 2002, d e t e r m i n e d that the average

t u n i t i e s f o r W e s t e r n Australian artists. T h e S c h e m e will b e

ai work budget was $ 5 5 , 0 0 0 and that 13 percent of projects

e x p a n d e d to i n c l u d e g o v e r n m e n t infrastructure such as n e w

h /e had a budget of $ 1 0 0 , 0 0 0 or more. Western Australia is

railway and road projects.

fi e times the size of Texas, and 36 percent o f projects were ct inpleted in r e g i o n a l areas. T h i r t y - f o u r i n d i g e n o u s artists

Andra Kins has a degree in architecture from the University o f W e s t e r n

w re m e n t o r e d o n projects or were awarded commissions. O n e

Australia and is a public art consultant and writer. Her consultancy firm is

w akness of the review was its insistence o n evaluating projects

Urban Thresholds.

at ording to traditional art gallery curatorial practice, w h i c h le

to assessing "aesthetic excellence" rather than recognising

tli t the true strength o f the S c h e m e lies in its responsiveness to m uy different public contexts and audiences. Still, the review

Anne Neil and T.Versluis, Rrandyup, water feature (and detail), 2003. at Brandyup Women's Prison.

Photo by Anne Neil

concluded that the Percent for Art S c h e m e had c o n t r i b u t e d significantly to e n h a n c i n g the quality of the built e n v i r o n m e n t ,

young artists w i t h professional d e v e l o p m e n t o p p o r t u n i t i e s

by the artwork c o m m i s s i o n i n g experience. T h r o u g h public art

during t h e c o n c e p t d e v e l o p m e n t and creation o f t e m p o r a l

projects a n d their associated activities, artists have increased

public artworks in the S o u t h Bank Parklands. Projects such as

o p p o r t u n i t i e s to develop their art practices by o b t a i n i n g c o m -

this act as precedents that i n f o r m t h e nature o f commissions

missions w i t h a scope, b u d g e t , and a u d i e n c e n o t usually possi-

undertaken by b o t h the private sector and local g o v e r n m e n t s .

ble in s t u d i o practice, a n d to b e e n g a g e d as professionals

T h e private sector has also e n d o r s e d t h e

alongside o t h e r designers.

inclusion of public art into n e w developments. For example,

With

the aim of g o v e r n m e n t

initiatives

Delfin Lend Lease commissioned a n u m b e r of artworks for a

b e i n g t h e c u l t u r a l , social, a n d e c o n o m i c w e l l - b e i n g o f t h e

substantial residential d e v e l o p m e n t on the Gold Coast. T h e i r

society, t h e Q u e e n s l a n d g o v e r n m e n t is to b e c o m m e n d e d f o r

artwork program, developed and managed by Brecknock C o n -

t h e role its A r t Built-in policy has played in activating t h e arts

sulting, included a w i d e range of projects, including a c o n t e m -

industry and h i g h l i g h t i n g t h e role o f arts and cultural profes-

porary water f e a t u r e titled Voxcllc by Barbara Penrose. T h i s

sionals in t h e public d o m a i n . W h i l e s o m e believe t h e policy

work was sited to mediate the space a m o n g the commercial,

has yet to deliver its potential to create great art, it has d o n e

educational, and recreational precincts within the development.

m u c h to provide an e n v i r o n m e n t in w h i c h this k i n d o f w o r k

Also included in the Delfin Lend Lease program were two t e m -

can e m e r g e .

33

Poral, conceptual artworks by Sandra Selig that utilised earth

| and earth m o v i n g e q u i p m e n t . B o t h these commissions d e m o n strate the financial and conceptual c o m m i t m e n t by the private sector to include c o n t e m p o r a r y art in their public spaces.

T h e increased interest in public art has led

Jodie Cox is an artist and arts professional working as a project manager and curator with Brecknock Consulting. She is currently involved in managing a number of Art Built-in projects, including projects for local government and the private sector.

to greater e m p l o y m e n t o p p o r t u n i t i e s for Q u e e n s l a n d artists, accompanied by increased skill and professionalism generated

P u b l i c A r t R e v i e w . Fall. Winter. 04

MADE IN TAIWAN

S

SAN

KENDZULAK

LAND OF PARADOX T a i w a n , a s u b t r o p i c a l island, is full o f p a r a d o x e s — h i g h - t e c h in s o m e s e c t o r s a n d d e v e l o p i n g in o t h e r s — a s t h e first a n d t h i r d w o r l d s coexist, s o m e t i m e s uneasily. F o r e x a m p l e , a l t h o u g h T a i w a n is a l e a d i n g m a n u f a c t u r e r o f c o m p u t e r t e c h n o l o g y , it d i d n o t have t h e c a m e r a e q u i p m e n t necessary t o r e s c u e v i c t i m s in its d e v a s t a t i n g 1 9 9 9 e a r t h q u a k e . T h e c o u n t r y m a n i f e s t s cultural paradoxes as well. In s o m e respects T a i w a n is v e r y C h i n e s e ; guanxi,

the n e t w o r k of one's

social c o n n e c t i o n s , is u s e d t o o p e n d o o r s . B u t T a i w a n has also a d o p t e d business practices f r o m J a p a n a n d t h e U n i t e d States. E v e r y n e g o t i a t i o n — f r o m o p e n i n g a business t o installing p u b l i c a r t — r e f l e c t s these diverse practices. B u t d e s p i t e these s o m e t i m e s difficult dealings, an a f f o r d a b l e cost o f living, t h e p r e s e n c e o f n a t u r e a m i d d e n s e u r b a n c o n d i t i o n s , an e n e r g e t i c c u l t u r a l scene, a n d t h e availability o f u p - t o - d a t e t e c h n o l o g i e s a n d i n f o r m a t i o n m a k e T a i w a n a v i b r a n t e n v i r o n m e n t f o r artists.

T h e l i f t i n g o f m a r t i a l l a w in 1 9 8 7 s p a r k e d a c u l t u r a l b l o s s o m i n g as artists b e g a n f i n d i n g t h e i r o w n voices a n d t a c k l i n g t h e issue o f T a i w a n identity. T h e c o u n t r y is still c o m i n g t o t e r m s w i t h its history, i n c l u d i n g t h e W h i t e T e r r o r o f 1947, a p e r i o d o f repression t h a t i n c l u d e d e x e c u t i o n s o f dissidents a n d intellectuals at t h e h a n d s o f t h e N a t i o n a l i s t Party, t h e r u l i n g K u o m i n t a n g w h o fled C h i n a . T h u s , t h e u b i q u i t o u s m e m o r i a l statues o f G e n e r a l C h i a n g K a i s h e k are b e i n g u n c e r e m o n i o u s l y r e m o v e d f r o m p u b l i c parks. In t h e face o f d a u n t i n g i n t e r n a l c h a n g e s , T a i w a n has b e e n a v e r i t a b l e G o l d i l o c k s , t r y i n g o u t n e w laws a n d p r o g r a m s u n t i l f i n d i n g o n e that fits. T h i s o p e n n e s s t o e x p e r i m e n t applies n o t o n l y t o civic a n d political life b u t t o c u l tural events a n d p u b l i c art as well, a n d is a sign t h a t T a i w a n is p r o g r e s s i n g in a h e a l t h y a n d i n d e p e n d e n t way.

ART ENGAGES THE COMMUNITY Taiwan's p u b l i c s p a c e s — p a r k s , plazas, t r a n s p o r t a t i o n s t a t i o n s — f e a t u r e t h e k i n d o f m a i n s t r e a m p e r m a n e n t s c u l p t u r e seen in m o s t large cities, f r o m m o n u m e n t a l w a r h e r o e s t o abstract slivers o f w e l d e d m e t a l t o s t o n e f o u n t a i n s . M u c h o f this w o r k seems c l i c h e d a n d u n c o n n e c t e d t o its locality. H o w e v e r , t h e situation is slowly c h a n g i n g as p e o p l e b e c o m e m o r e i n v o l v e d in their n e i g h b o r h o o d s and m o r e interested in p u b l i c art. T h e p e r c e n t - f o r - a r t p r o g r a m b e c a m e law in 1992; by 2 0 0 1 f o r t y - t w o n e w p u b l i c art p r o j e c t s h a d b e e n c r e a t e d , a n d by 2 0 0 2 t h e r e w e r e 121. In 2 0 0 1 , $ 1 1 . 4 million was s p e n t o n p u b l i c art in t h e city o f T a i p e i a l o n e .

Liou Kou-Chan,Tainan painted walls, 2004.

Photo courtesy of Chou Sin-Zten WL Diing-wuu Walis, The Good Place, 2001. One of 3 series of street signs of extinct animals placed

T w o r e c e n t p r o j e c t s reflect t h e g o v e r n m e n t ' s interest in c o n n e c t i n g art a n d

35

artists w i t h t h e i r a u d i e n c e . B o t h i n c l u d e d activities d e s i g n e d t o link t h e c o m m u n i t y t o t h e site.

B o t h h a d e n o r m o u s b u d g e t s a n d h a d t o g o t h r o u g h m a n y g o v e r n m e n t a n d local c o m m i t t e e m e e t i n g s . T h e first p r o j e c t was t e m p o r a r y a n d f e a t u r e d n a t u r a l materials, w h i l e t h e s e c o n d is p e r m a n e n t and focuses on technology.

T h e N e i h u S e w a g e T r e a t m e n t P l a n t P u b l i c A r t Festival was h e l d in 2 0 0 2 in a s u b u r b o f T a i p e i . T h o u g h this was a p e r c e n t - f o r - a r t p r o j e c t , it was n o t installed at t h e site o f t h e

throughout the streets ofTaichung.

n e w l y built s e w a g e plant b u t in a n e a r b y residential p a r k . It i n c l u d e d e i g h t artists f r o m T a i w a n

Photo courtesy o f W u

a n d o n e f r o m J a p a n . W h a t m a d e this p r o j e c t m o r e t h a n a typical o u t d o o r art installation was t h e

p r g-wuu Walis

a c c o m p a n y i n g c o m m u n i t y i n v o l v e m e n t p r o j e c t s . M i d d l e - a g e d w o m e n w e r e t r a i n e d as v o l u n t e e r

P u b l i c A r t R e v i e w . Fall. Winter. 04

t o u r g u i d e s , a b a m b o o w e a v e r gave d e m o n s t r a t i o n s , a n d artists

Move) b r o u g h t discussions o f city p l a n n i n g a n d u r b a n d e v e l -

c o n d u c t e d w o r k s h o p s in local g r a d e s c h o o l s . T h e a r t w o r k was

opment

011 site f o r less t h a n a m o n t h . S o m e w o r k s w e r e m a d e f r o m

b r o u g h t t o g e t h e r i n t e r n a t i o n a l architects f r o m E u r o p e , Asia,

n a t u r a l m a t e r i a l s , s u c h as Lin M i n - y i ' s e a r t h e n caves, w h i c h

a n d Australia a l o n g w i t h local s t u d e n t s to w o r k o n an u r b a n

l o o k e d like fragile b i r d nests installed o n t h e hill, a n d W a n g

r e n e w a l p r o p o s a l f o r t h e r u n - d o w n H u a s h a n district a n d to

W e n - c h i h ' s w o v e n b a m b o o w a l k w a y that e x t e n d e d i n t o t h e

link art a n d a r c h i t e c t u r e w h i l e f o c u s i n g o n t h e design of Asian

lake. T h r e e o f t h e m o r e p e r m a n e n t w o r k s — T s a i

Hai-ru's

cities. S o m e w o r k s h o p s w e r e based o n t h e situationist ideas of

s t r e e t - s i g n - t h e m e d i n t e r a c t i v e tilting m i r r o r s , T s o n g Pu's p u b -

G u y D e b o r d and i n c l u d e d street e n g a g e m e n t — a p i n g p o n g

i n t o t h e s t r e e t . In

1999, a o n e - w e e k

workshop

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

table set u p o n t h e street for passersby to play a g a m e w h i l e o n

t h a n actual l i q u i d , a n d S u n g H s i - t e ' s w i n d m i l l s — w e r e r e l o -

t h e i r l u n c h b r e a k ; an " u r b a n living r o o m " w i t h table, chairs,

c a t e d f o r p e r m a n e n t e x h i b i t i o n at t h e t r e a t m e n t plant.

a n d p o t t e d plants f o r a tea b r e a k . A s c o o t e r - c u m - t a x i t o o k vis-

T e c h n o D r e a m Sphere: T h e N a n k a n g Soft-

itors t o v i e w t h e expansive site. S i n c e t h e n U r b a n Flashes has

w a r e P a r k P u b l i c A r t P r o j e c t was c o n s i d e r e d by m a n y a m i l e -

b e e n b r o u g h t to Linz (Austria), I s t a n b u l , a n d L o n d o n , w i t h

s t o n e in t h a t it h a d a $ 2 m i l l i o n b u d g e t a n d i n c o r p o r a t e d

plans to b r i n g it t o o t h e r cities a r o u n d t h e w o r l d .

m a n y p r o j e c t s u n d e r t h e b a n n e r o f p u b l i c art, t h u s s e t t i n g t h e OUTSIDE THE WHITE CUBE

t o n e f o r f u t u r e e n d e a v o r s . O n e o f t h e project's stated aims was t o h u m a n i z e t h e n e w l y built a n d r a t h e r austere h i - t e c h c e n t e r .

T h e o p e n i n g was p r e c e d e d b y an i n t e r n a t i o n a l

T w o r e c e n t c u r a t e d art e x h i b i t i o n s t o o k t h e

animation

city as t h e i r " w h i t e c u b e . " The Good Place (2001) was a g r o u p

competition, jazz concerts, a dance performance, and a sym-

s h o w o f T a i w a n e s e a n d C a n a d i a n artists w h o enlisted t h e h e l p

p o s i u m o n h o w t e c h n o l o g y i n f l u e n c e s c o n t e m p o r a r y art. T h e

o f local s h o p o w n e r s a n d utilized h i g h - t r a f f i c areas a n d s t o r e -

s y m p o s i u m , h e l d at t h e T a i p e i F i n e Arts M u s e u m , i n c l u d e d

f r o n t s in d o w n t o w n T a i c h u n g as an e x h i b i t i o n s p a c e . O n

d i s t i n g u i s h e d speakers s u c h as F u m i o N a n j o , d e p u t y d i r e c t o r

o p e n i n g day, street p e r f o r m a n c e s a n d i n t e r v e n t i o n s s u c h as

o f t h e M o r i A r t M u s e u m ; G e r f r i e d S t o c k e r , d i r e c t o r o f Ars

T a i c h u n g ' s W a n t Space g r o u p gave f r e e massages in t h e m i d d l e

E l e c t r o n i c a ; a n d t w o o f t h e e x h i b i t i n g artists, T o n y C r a g g a n d

o f a busy street, and N i T s a i - C h i n ' s noisy N o n s t o p E l e c t i o n

S u s u m u S h i n g u . T e c h n o D r e a m S p h e r e also f e a t u r e d a b i l i n -

P a r a d e t r a c e d t h e city's h i s t o r y o f d e m o c r a t i c d e m o n s t r a t i o n s .

gual w e b s i t e ( w w w . n k s p p u b l i c a r t . c o m . t w ) .

A b o r i g i n e artist W u D i i n g - w u u Walis's traffic signs o f e x t i n c t animals o n c e i n d i g e n o u s to t h e area w e r e installed t h r o u g h o u t

PUBLIC/PRIVATE COALITIONS

t h e city a n d w r y l y r e f l e c t e d t h e rapid assimilation o f T a i w a n ' s

In a d d i t i o n to these t w o large a n d c o m p l i -

a b o r i g i n e g r o u p s i n t o C h i n e s e society. Several years later, in

c a t e d p r o j e c t s , several n o t e w o r t h y a n d p r o v o c a t i v e efforts have

t h e s o u t h e r n city o f T a i n a n , f o r m e r l y a D u t c h p o r t , a derelict

b e e n less costly a n d less t r o u b l e s o m e t o get off t h e g r o u n d .

area o f b u i l d i n g s has b e c o m e a canvas f o r muralists in a o n e -

T h e s e projects, both p e r m a n e n t and i m p e r m a n e n t , tackle

year p u b l i c art i n s t a l l a t i o n ( 2 0 0 4 - 2 0 0 5 ) , w i t h e a c h p a i n t e d

c h a l l e n g i n g issues such as p u b l i c safety, u r b a n i z a t i o n , e n v i r o n -

wall r e f l e c t i n g its site or n e i g h b o r h o o d .

m e n t a l i s m , a n d c o m m u n i t y activism.

PUBLIC SAFETY

T h e r u n - d o w n c o m p l e x o f b u i l d i n g s called

36

H u a s h a n , l o c a t e d in a p r i m e area o f d o w n t o w n T a i p e i , has

S i n c e n a t u r a l disasters o c c u r r e g u l a r l y in

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

T a i w a n a n d rapid u r b a n o v e r d e v e l o p m e n t is a p e r p e t u a l state

v e n t i o n . O r i g i n a l l y built in 1 9 1 6 as a w i n e factory, t h e s t r u c -

o f affairs, t h e safety o f c o m m e r c i a l i z e d p u b l i c space is a p r o m i -

t u r e u n d e r w e n t various a d d i t i o n s u n t i l 1959. C l o s e d in 1 9 8 7

n e n t c o n c e r n . O n e artist t o address this issue is H s u C h e n g -

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

r e n , w h o p u t n e o n l i g h t i n g o n a b u i l d i n g t h a t sank a f t e r a

t a k e n over in 1 9 9 7 by a small g r o u p o f T a i w a n e s e artists a n d

l a n d s l i d e a n d o n t h e n e w s t r u c t u r e ' s s c a f f o l d i n g . T h e lights

t h e a t r e p e r f o r m e r s . T h e f o l l o w i n g year t h e provincial g o v e r n -

b l i n k e d to s h o w t h e building's o r i g i n a l p o s i t i o n a n d its a f t e r -

m e n t r e n t e d it t o its C u l t u r a l Affairs D e p a r t m e n t for a n o m i -

m a t h . A Meta-Poetic

Illusion was installed for e i g h t m o n t h s in

nal fee. H o w e v e r , t h e T a i w a n p r o v i n c e was dissolved in early

1997. T h e artist initially paid f o r t h e installation h i m s e l f at a

1999, leaving H u a s h a n w i t h n o q u a l i f i e d o r g a n i z a t i o n to r u n

cost o f $ 8 , 5 0 0 a n d was partially r e i m b u r s e d by t h e N a t i o n a l

it. E v e n t u a l l y t h e c e n t r a l g o v e r n m e n t ' s C o u n c i l f o r C u l t u r a l

C u l t u r a l F o u n d a t i o n . T h e local c o m m u n i t y v o t e d t o allow

Affairs t o o k it over, a n d c u r r e n t l y an arts o r g a n i z a t i o n a d m i n -

h i m to m a k e t h e piece, a n d h e s h u t o f f t h e b l i n k i n g lights at

isters it. A f t e r years o f s t r u g g l e a n d u n c e r t a i n t y , t h e c o m p l e x

11 P M so as t o n o t d i s t u r b t h e n e i g h b o r s . T h e n e o n light,

has b e e n p r e s e r v e d as a historical site a n d will r e m a i n d e v o t e d

c o m m o n l y u s e d f o r signage in busy T a i w a n streets, served to

t o t h e arts.

c o n n e c t low and high culture.

Urban

In m y o w n Safer City p r o j e c t — p a r t d o c u -

Flashes (inspired by t h e i n t e r n a t i o n a l e x h i b i t i o n Cities on the

m e n t a t i o n , p a r t p e r f o r m a n c e — I w o r e a h a r d h a t , reflective

The

P u b l i c A r t R e v i e w . Fall. Winter. 04

architect-initiated

program

A multi-use ping-pong table from the Urban Flashes workshop in 1999.

Photo courtesy the artists

p o l i c e vest, a n d p i n k shirt t o c o n v e y d o m e s t i c o f f i c i o u s n e s s

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

w h i l e I w e n t a r o u n d m y i m m e d i a t e n e i g h b o r h o o d in Taipei

develop i n t o an i n t e r n a t i o n a l l y significant e x a m p l e o f s u s t a i n -

and m a d e it safer by a d d i n g f o a m r u b b e r o n c e m e n t b a r r i e r s

able (and creative) c o m m u n i t y d e v e l o p m e n t , a t t r a c t i n g m a n y

and s h a r p - e d g e d bus signs, and t a p i n g l o o s e electrical wires to

t h o u s a n d s o f p e o p l e t o Taipei e a c h year, f r o m a r o u n d T a i w a n

prevent pedestrian injuries.

and f r o m m a n y c o u n t r i e s a r o u n d t h e w o r l d . " A n o t h e r p r o j e c t p l a n n e d f o r T r e a s u r e Hill in

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT Sponsored

by t h e Taipei

N o v e m b e r 2 0 0 4 w i l l b e d e s i g n e d by artists Lily Y e h City

Cultural

S u z a n n e Lacy. Cities on the Moveâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;The

and

Organic Layer Taipei II

D e p a r t m e n t , T r e a s u r e Hill b r i n g s artists, architects, a n d e n v i -

will link artists w i t h f o u r g r o u p s o f residents: seniors, y o u t h ,

r o n m e n t a l i s t s t o live and w o r k in a c o m m u n i t y o f residents in

w o r k i n g w o m e n , a n d families.

an area o f favela ( s h a n t y t o w n ) h o u s i n g that o v e r l o o k s a river

Perhaps Taiwan's public art will

become

and is n e a r t h e n a t i o n a l university. First settled by r e t r e a t i n g

Utopian a n d f o l l o w t h e p a t t e r n o f T r e a s u r e Hill as artists a n d

K u o m i n t a n g soldiers w h o c a m e to T a i w a n w i t h C h i a n g K a i -

planners w o r k collaboratively w i t h t h e c o m m u n i t y t o c r e a t e a

shek, t h e r a m s h a c k l e h o u s e s b e c a m e a p e r m a n e n t h o m e f o r

d e e p e r a n d lasting sense o f e n g a g e m e n t a n d

a b o u t 2 0 0 families. At o n e p o i n t in t h e 1990s t h e c o m p l e x was

a n d a b e t t e r life f o r all.

empowerment

slated f o r d e m o l i t i o n to m a k e a park, b u t c o m m u n i t y protests led t o its b e i n g t u r n e d i n t o an e x p e r i m e n t a l site f o r collective

Susan Kendzulak is an artist and writer living in Taipei. She gratefully

living a n d f a r m i n g . Plans are a f o o t t o create sustainable living

acknowledges editorial assistance of architect Roan Ching-yueh.

c o n d i t i o n s based o n G e r m a n y ' s u f a F a b r i k - B e r l i n , a c c o r d i n g t o Dr. M i c h a e l L a F o n d : " A p r o c e s s o f s u s t a i n a b l e c o m m u n i t y d e v e l o p m e n t has b e e n i n i t i a t e d at Treasure Hill, in c o o p e r a tion w i t h t h e residents, university p l a n n e r s and e x p e r t s , artists,

P u b l i c A r t R e v i e w . Fall. Winter. 04

A WORK IN PROGRESS

N A N C Y ADAJANIA

"The social effectiveness of an artist can be complete only if a society accepts [her/] him in this role.'

T h e distinguished Indian artist and teacher K. G. Subramanyan m a d e this d e c e p tively simple statement, addressing the social context of c o n t e m p o r a r y Indian art, in 1973. T h i r t y years later, art practice largely continues to ignore the possibility of n e w publics and the activation of public space as a context for art p r o d u c t i o n — a l t h o u g h artists, curators, and critics devote m u c h rhetorical attention to extending art practices beyond the hallowed confines o f the gallery. A n d while some projects have successfully addressed this contradiction, these have b e e n sporadic and uneven, propelled largely by the charisma of individual artists rather than by a c o h e r e n t vision, p o l icy decisions, or the deployment of tactical media. (In India there is n o g o v e r n m e n t f u n d i n g for public art. Art in public spaces is mainly f u n d e d by corporations or N G O s . ) As I write, the recent m e m o r y of a s u b u r b a n train at Bombay's C h u r c h g a t e Station cuts across my mindscape. Its official coat of chocolate b r o w n has disappeared u n d e r neat pictorial compositions. T h e s e m u t e paintings, t e s t i m o n y to a n a e m i c social realism o r o b v i o u s political c o m m e n t a r y , d o n o t h i n g for m e — n o r , apparently, f o r t h e o t h e r passengers r u s h i n g i n t o the train's c o m p a r t m e n t s . A gentle n u d g e and the train starts. T h e sounds I had b l o c k e d off a m o m e n t ago r e t u r n . At t h e concourse, passengers c h e e r a g a m e o f cricket o n overhead television screens; closer up, s o m e swear and others sigh; a lover's h a n d waves soundlessly. A n d t h e n an abrupt c l i n c h — o n e outstretched h a n d pulls a n o t h e r u p as a passenger barely manages to j u m p aboard. Inside, w o m e n knit, talk, pray, and sort c o r i a n d e r leaves. S o m e roll their eyes u p o n s p o t ting smutty graffiti; others dream. C h e m i c a l air, sweat, f a t i g u e — a n o r m a l day that art in a public space did n o t even t o u c h , let alone change.

Indian artists are chronic victims of t h e gallery c o m p l e x . W h e n invited to step outside their z o n e of c o m f o r t , they unconsciously treat the street or any public terrain as a proxy gallery. T h u s t h e train is only a surface to be painted on, n o t a site of conscious d i s p l a c e m e n t (above) M.S. Umesh, e a r t h w o r k

f r o m routine art practice. A l t h o u g h a g r o u p of Indian artists painted this train as part o f t h e

(detail), 1996.

o n g o i n g events at the World Social F o r u m earlier this year, they m i g h t j u s t as well have p a i n t e d

Photo courtesy t h e artist

s o m e t h i n g similar for any o t h e r charitable cause. It is ironic that, w h i l e t h e activists and cultural Baiju Parthan, The Crossing,

workers at t h e W S F shouted themselves hoarse a b o u t t h e negative impact o f globalisation and

2000. Site-specific installation

neocolonialism, t h e media circus publicising these events did n o t p o i n t o u t that such cultural

at t h e Army & Navy Building,

agents as artists can and often d o behave like imperialists—by filling public spaces w i t h a r t w o r k s

Kala G h o d a A r t District, Bombay, India.Wooden mock Tibetan prayer wheel with vinyl walk-overs, e r e c t e d during t h e Kala G h o d a A r t Festival. Visitors w e r e requested t o pick up

39

that only pretend to speak in t h e n a m e and aspirations of an i m a g i n a r y public.

T h i s attitude is e c h o e d in t h e activities o f artists p a r t i c i p a t i n g in t h e Kala G h o d a Art Festival, w h i c h was initiated in 1999 to p r o m o t e t h e e p o n y m o u s area in S o u t h B o m bay as an art district. Instead of b r i n g i n g art to the public, t h e festival has p r o m o t e d t h e galleri-

a piece of silk ribbon f r o m a

sation of p u b l i c space, w i t h established galleries h i r i n g stalls o n t h e p a v e m e n t t o s h o w

nearby s h o e box and tie it t o

small-format works in the signature styles of established artists. W i t h f e w exceptions, t h e art fes-

the prayer wheel. After this act

tival has n o t succeeded in b r i n g i n g art closer to t h e public because it has never addressed several

one could r o t a t e t h e wheel and make a wish.

Photo courtesy t h e artist

i m p o r t a n t questions: W h o is the public f o r w h o m these artworks are m a d e ? Is it t h e specialist art public that already visits galleries and m u s e u m s ? O r is it t h e lawyers, restaurateurs, s h o p k e e p e r s .

P u b l i c A r t R e v i e w . Fall. Winter. 04

I

Kala Ghoda A r t Festival in South Bombay.

Photo courtesy Nancy Adajania

place, and a c o r r e s p o n d i n g collapse of the insular and privileged category of t h e " v i e w e r " into the m o r e inclusive roles of participant and user.

S o m a n epitomised this m o d e l of placedness in his project with t h e S u r a j k u n d Crafts Mela Authority. His subject was the works of Malayalam p o e t R a m a k r i s h n a n , w h o was highly regarded in his h o m e t o w n o f Kadamanitta, and the villagers gladly d o n a t e d part o f t h e village c o m m o n s f o r Soman's site-specific project, w h i l e t h e village council paid for and providers of i n f o r m a l ancillary services in t h e area? W h a t

materials. T h i s e x a m p l e shows h o w t h e artist did n o t have to

is t h e raison d ' e t r e of art p r o d u c e d in a public space? W h o can

force an outsider's view o n residents; instead, he invested in

claim public space? If it is t h e local people, w h o live and w o r k

their k n o w l e d g e and familiarity w i t h the subject.

there, w h y are they b y p a s s e d â&#x20AC;&#x201D; e x c e p t w h e n artists n e e d to

However, such democratisation of art prac-

i m p o s e artworks o n their space? W h e n they create "site-spe-

tice is n o t easy to achieve, especially w h e n artists are perceived

cific art," d o artists consider t h e different c o m m u n i t i e s w h o

as an elite c o m m u n i t y engaged in a practice incomprehensible

live in an area, its d e m o g r a p h y a n d t o p o g r a p h y , or d o they

to the masses. This situation is f u r t h e r complicated by a highly

i m p o s e a personal fantasy o n an area chosen o n t h e basis of

divided and politicised society marked by differences of caste,

c o n v e n i e n c e rather than deliberation?

class, ethnic and religious identity, interest, milieu, and specific

T h e s e questions reverberate w i t h echoes of

local assumptions and experiences.Therefore, public art in India

that divorce of art f r o m life that was legislated in the last half of

needs to be seen as o n e a m o n g many political and cultural prac-

the n i n e t e e n t h c e n t u r y in India, w h e n the colonial-imperial

tices. It cannot be u n d e r s t o o d only as an institutional critique of

apparatus of k n o w l e d g e systematised its hierarchy of f o r m s . In

the commercial gallery system or as an isolated search for alter-

this t o p - d o w n approach, an academically sanctified " f i n e arts"

native spaces. R a t h e r , it should be seen as an exploration of

was programmatically divorced f r o m the a m b i e n t plurality of

alternative attitudes, tactics, and vocabularies.

ritual and social contexts and isolated as a bourgeois activity.

B o t h the Safdar H a s h m i M e m o r i a l Trust

T h e native art f o r m s were denigrated as decorative or indus-

( S A H M A T ) and O p e n Circle have made efforts in this direc-

trial arts, w h i l e t h e fine arts w e r e invested w i t h t h e cult of

tion. S A H M A T , an organisation run by artists, activists and intel-

genius. After this breach, artists b e c a m e d e p e n d e n t o n acade-

lectuals, has emerged as an important voice against the forces of

mies and galleries, and social effectiveness was reduced to a fine

H i n d u majoritarianism. It has facilitated encounters with differ-

arts n o t i o n of visionary genius. D u r i n g t h e Indian struggle for

ent publics and held multidisciplinary o u t d o o r exhibitions and

i n d e p e n d e n c e , art was seen as an a d j u n c t to t h e nationalist

events for m o r e than a decade. Unfortunately, S A H M A T has not

vision, with a stress o n reviving folk art f o r m s .

been able to sensitise artists, activists, and the general public to

T h e n e e d f o r alternative public spaces for

the misuse of the sacred by politicised religion. For its part, the

displaying art, as well as the n e e d to make art accessible to a

artists' initiative O p e n Circle, f o u n d e d in 2000, is still struggling

w i d e r audience, was first strongly articulated by Leftist artists.

to find a language that does not replicate street theatre or other

In t h e 1970s, N a v j o t Altaf and Vivan S u n d a r a m o r g a n i s e d

conventional activist f o r m s of c o m m u n i c a t i o n , w h i l e c o n -

m o b i l e art exhibitions in colleges, factories, and railway sta-

f r o n t i n g b o t h t h e forces of H i n d u m a j o r i t a r i a n i s m and the

tions, w o r k i n g towards a n e w definition of engaged postcolo-

power and e c o n o m i c asymmetries of globalisation.

Public art in India is still an e m e r g e n t f o r m ,

nial subjectivity.

D u r i n g the 1980s and 1990s, artists such as

a w o r k in progress w h o s e c o n t o u r s are yet to be defined.

Vivan Sundaram, N . N . R i m z o n , Valsan Kolleri, M . S. U m e s h , N a v j o t Altaf, S o m a n , S u b o d h G u p t a , R a m e s h Kalkur, Shya-

Nancy Adajania is a cultural theorist, a r t critic, and independent curator. She

mala, and Shilpa Gupta e x p e r i m e n t e d with a w i d e variety of

has lectured extensively on c o n t e m p o r a r y Indian art, especially new-media

media in m a k i n g site-specific art at parks, bookshops, historical

a r t and its political and cultural contexts.

m o n u m e n t s , village c o m m o n s , and c o m m u n i t y spaces. Instead of b e i n g cool and distant surveyors of a site, they o f t e n collaborated with inhabitants of the locales w h e r e they w o r k e d or

Notes: 1. Subramanyan, K. G . " T h e Indian

with professionals f r o m o t h e r disciplines, so as to give their art

Artist and the Socio-Cultural

a sense of placedness. T h e i r w o r k marked a shift f r o m space to

Context." Vrishchik (December, 1973).

P u b l i c A r t R e v i e w . Fall.Winter.04

INTERVIEW

INTIMATE AND PUBLIC: AN INTERVIEW W I T H SPENCER TUNICK Amy Gilman

• • • Spencer Tunick, who lives and works in New York, has been documenting live nude figure in public, with photography organized over sixty-five

the

and video, since 1992. He has

installations in the United States and abroad.

pie w h o had signed up. B u t o n t h e W e d n e s d a y b e f o r e t h e s c h e d u l e d Saturday installation, a local n e w s p a p e r p u b l i s h e d t h e l o c a t i o n , a n d s u d d e n l y w e had to deal w i t h t h e very real possibility o f h a v i n g t o c o n t r o l a c r o w d of eager o n l o o k e r s o r even protesters. F o r t u n a t e l y , n o n e of M O C A Cleveland's w o r s t fears w e r e realized, a n d t h e instal-

I s p e n t t h e last year o r g a n i z i n g an o u t d o o r installation for S p e n c e r T u n i c k that t o o k place in d o w n t o w n C l e v e l a n d , O h i o , o n J u n e 26, 2 0 0 4 . W h e n I initially a g r e e d to this d a u n t i n g task, I h a d n o idea w h a t an a m a z i n g , c o m p l e x , a n d c h a l l e n g i n g p r o j e c t I was g e t t i n g into. B r i n g i n g s o m e t h i n g of this m a g n i t u d e to f r u i t i o n gave m e a

lation w e n t off w i t h o u t a hitch; S p e n c e r c o m m e n t e d t h a t he's n e v e r had a b e t t e r e x p e r i e n c e . M a n y of t h o s e w h o p o s e d that m o r n i n g have w r i t t e n o r called M O C A , e x p r e s s i n g t h e i r a p p r e c i a t i o n t o us f o r b r i n g i n g Spencer to Cleveland and saying w h a t a transformative e x p e r i e n c e it was for t h e m t o participate.

d e e p e r a p p r e c i a t i o n for s o m e o f t h e challenges S p e n c e r has struggled

At its best, an e n c o u n t e r w i t h art s h o u l d b e b o t h a c o n n e c t i o n t o t h e

w i t h t h r o u g h o u t this career. O n e c h a l l e n g e was f i n a n c i a l . F o r t u -

mission of t h e artist and a d e e p l y persona] e x p e r i e n c e . T h i s e v e n t was

nately, t h e M u s e u m of C o n t e m p o r a r y A r t C l e v e l a n d ( M O C A ) had a

a r e m a r k a b l e and u n f o r g e t t a b l e a d v e n t u r e for m e , a n d it is g r a t i f y i n g

s p o n s o r , B o a r d M e m b e r M a r k S c h w a r t z of t h e

award-winning

to k n o w that it was similar for e v e r y o n e w h o p o s e d f o r S p e n c e r a n d

design firm N e s n a d n y + S c h w a r t z , w h o was enthusiastic a b o u t t h e

w o r k e d w i t h m e t o m a k e t h e installation possible. 1 had t h e f o l l o w i n g

p r o j e c t f r o m t h e m o m e n t w e suggested it. A n o t h e r h u r d l e was l o c a -

conversation w i t h S p e n c e r in July 2 0 0 4 .

tion. W e originally i n t e n d e d t o have t h e installation i n d o o r s d u r i n g J a n u a r y 2 0 0 4 t o c o i n c i d e w i t h a solo e x h i b i t i o n of Spencer's w o r k at M O C A , b u t d u e to t h e o v e r w h e l m i n g n u m b e r of p e o p l e w h o signed

AMY GILMAN: DO

you see your work in the context of public art?

SPENCER TUNICK: O f c o u r s e it's p u b l i c a r t w o r k .

u p t o pose, w e m o v e d t h e installation to an o u t d o o r location in early Well, there is a very public component to it

s u m m e r . T h a t n e c e s s i t a t e d a r r a n g i n g p e r m i s s i o n t o use t h e site

GILMAN:

Spencer wanted,

o u t logistical details ( H o w m a n y p o r t - o -

TUNICK: It is an installation in public that is t e m p o r a r y and that r e f e r -

j o h n s will w e n e e d ? W h a t if w e get protesters?), and w o r k i n g w i t h

ences p e r f o r m a n c e art, sculpture, land a r t . T h e fact t h a t it is t e m p o r a r y

Kelly Bird, M O C A Cleveland's m a r k e t i n g director, to c o o r d i n a t e t h e

o f t e n is c o n f u s i n g for p e o p l e . M o s t p u b l i c art stays a r o u n d a m o n t h o r

t r e m e n d o u s press a t t e n t i o n that is an inevitable result o f an event o f

forever. I c o n s i d e r a n y t h i n g that can b e accessed b y an individual t o b e

this k i n d . W e at M O C A C l e v e l a n d struggled, like Spencer, w i t h bal-

public. If it's gated o f f it's n o t public, n o m a t t e r w h e r e it is. B u t if t h e y

a n c i n g o u r sense of e x c i t e m e n t over t h e m e d i a frenzy w i t h o u r desire

can s o m e h o w see it o r e x p e r i e n c e it, t h e n it b e c o m e s p u b l i c . T h e

to e n s u r e that t h e spectacle of t h o u s a n d s of n a k e d p e o p l e w o u l d n o t

S m i t h s o n piece [Spiral Jetty]—I

o v e r s h a d o w t h e i m p o r t a n c e o f t h e e v e n t as an a r t w o r k — o r worse,

tell p e o p l e a b o u t it, it b e c o m e s available t o t h e public. If it's secret, it's

figuring

p r e v e n t S p e n c e r f r o m b e i n g able t o create his w o r k .

T h o s e w h o sign u p to pose for o n e of Spencer's installations use t h e W e b - b a s e d process S p e n c e r has p e r f e c t e d t h r o u g h past installations.

T h o s e w h o p o s e d in Cleveland ranged in age f r o m six m o n t h s t o 71 years. We spent m o n t h s g e t t i n g t h e w o r d o u t t h r o u g h e - m a i l , w o r d of m o u t h , and o t h e r grassroots t e c h n i q u e s . To p r o t e c t t h e privacy and ensure t h e safety o f t h e participants, w e only revealed t h e exact t i m e and location of t h e e v e n t five days in advance and only to those p e o Participants at Spencer Tunick's Cleveland installation, June 26,2004.

Photo courtesy of Nesnadny + Schwartz

c o n s i d e r it a public p i e c e o f art. If y o u

personal, private; it's n o t p u b l i c even t h o u g h it's o u t d o o r s .

GILMAN:

But your work isn't public to everyone, only to those participating in it.

TUNICK: It's semipublic. T h e invitation is there, and t h e site is o n l y accessible to those w h o are posing. Interestingly, s o m e p e o p l e e n d u p there by a c c i d e n t — m a y b e t h e y are j u s t w a n d e r i n g b y a n d d e c i d e to j o i n o n t h e s p u r o f t h e m o m e n t . M o s t o f m y w o r k s are m a d e in p u b l i c space. T h e installation itself is f o r t h e p a r t i c i p a n t s , n o t t h e o n l o o k e r s , b u t t h e results can b e s e e n b y e v e r y o n e . I c o n s i d e r t h e i n s t a l l a t i o n s t o b e v e r y g e s t u r a l a n d s p o n t a n e o u s . T h e y a r e still

41

P u b l i c A r t R e v i e w . Fall. Winter.04

I

INTERVIEW

c o n c e i v e d a n d carefully p l a n n e d p r i o r t o t h e e v e n t , b u t y o u c a n ' t

ously. B u t in t h e U.S., because o f m y arrests in N e w York City, p e o p l e

w h o l l y c o n t r o l h u n d r e d s , even t h o u s a n d s , o f p e o p l e , so there is this big

l e a r n e d of m e and m y w o r k for t h e first t i m e t h r o u g h stories in the

u n k n o w n e l e m e n t that 1 have to w o r k w i t h in t h e m o m e n t .

mass m e d i a , c r e a t i n g this a t m o s p h e r e a r o u n d m y w o r k that was o f t e n misleading. I f o u n d that w h e n an artist is arrested, t h e art w o r l d is very

GILMAN:

IS

there a difference between working with an institution like MOCA Cleveland and

dismissive. O n l y w h e n Guilliani was t h r e a t e n i n g to take f u n d i n g away

simply organizing installations on your own?

f r o m t h e B r o o k l y n M u s e u m did t h e arts c o m m u n i t y c o m e o u t and

TUNICK: I t h i n k t h e w o r k is b e t t e r n o w that I p a r t n e r w i t h institu-

fight.You have n o idea w h a t it's like to c o m e u p against t h e c o n s e r v a -

tions. T h e r e is a safety n e t w i t h an institution; y o u feel s u p p o r t e d and

tive r i g h t w i n g and be arrested, and be c a u g h t u p in that w o r l d o u t -

d o n ' t feel like a c r i m i n a l . I felt that way in t h e past.

side of t h e art w o r l d . T h e only p e r s o n w h o c o n t a c t e d m e d u r i n g m y struggles w i t h t h e legal system was C h u c k Close, w h o said h e w o u l d

GILHAN:

d o a n y t h i n g h e c o u l d to help.

What has changed?

TUNICK: T h e r e ' s a little m o r e clarity a b o u t t h e w o r k , and it's b e t t e r o r g a n i z e d . I ' m able to reach vast n u m b e r s o f p e o p l e w i t h a m e a n i n g t o t h e w o r k t h a t is n o t as c o n v o l u t e d as it was in t h e past. I ' m able to b e t t e r deal w i t h t h e o f t e n crazy mass m e d i a , w h o f r e q u e n t l y p u t o u t t h e w r o n g message a b o u t m y w o r k . M o r e so t h a n any artist I k n o w , I h a v e t o deal w i t h t h e p a r t i c i p a n t s ; t h e i n s t i t u t i o n o r g a n i z i n g t h e e v e n t ; t h e city, c o u n t y , a n d / o r state g o v e r n m e n t s — b u t also

the

media's desire t o r e c o r d t h e e v e n t b e c a u s e it's in a p u b l i c space.

In t h e U.S. things have c h a n g e d for t h e b e t t e r o n l y recently. I t h i n k i t s t h e greatest h o n o r that M O C A C l e v e l a n d and t h e A l b r i g h t K n o x are w o r k i n g w i t h m e . H a v i n g m y solo e x h i b i t i o n at M O C A Cleveland in J a n u a r y a n d t h e n t h e installation in J u n e as well as t h e u p c o m i n g installation and e x h i b i t i o n at t h e A l b r i g h t - K n o x over t h e s u m m e r of 2 0 0 4 — n o w I t h i n k things will get b e t t e r f o r m e and b r i n g a d e g r e e of dignity to t h e w o r k . I'll b e able t o surf this art career I've c h o s e n m o r e successfully. I ' m n o t saying that I have had a t u r b u l e n t career o r a n y thing, b u t I d o t h i n k I've had to struggle for critical a n d institutional

GILMAN: HOW

does that amount of media attention hurt or help you?

TUNICK: T h e way that p e o p l e get i n f o r m a t i o n a b o u t m e is n o t t h e

a c c e p t a n c e in t h e art w o r l d , in part because t h e w o r k I d o receives so m u c h a t t e n t i o n f r o m t h e general m e d i a .

traditional way p e o p l e get i n f o r m a t i o n a b o u t art o r o t h e r artists. I was in a g r o u p s h o w at t h e M u s e u m of C o n t e m p o r a r y A r t in M o n t r e a l .

T h e r i g h t language and c o n t e x t a b o u t m y w o r k was used there, b u t i n f o r m a t i o n a b o u t m y installation afterwards m a d e it i n t o t h e mass m e d i a , w h o disregarded t h e a p p r o p r i a t e l a n g u a g e necessary to build c o n t e x t . In a n o t h e r c o u n t r y , a m u s e u m d i r e c t o r o r c u r a t o r w o u l d read

GILMAN:

DO

you see a difference between organizing work inside the United States and instal-

lations you have done internationally?

TUNICK: Actually, it all relates t o f o o t b a l l [soccer]. C o u n t r i e s t h a t e n j o y football e n j o y b e i n g n a k e d m o r e [laughs]. In S o u t h A m e r i c a n a n d Spanish c o u n t r i e s , I get t h e m o s t p e o p l e . Actually, I w o u l d n ' t

" n a k e d p h o t o s h o o t , naked, naked, n a k e d " and j u s t dismiss m y w o r k as

really relate it t o sports; y o u r average C l e v e l a n d B r o w n s fan probably

a stunt. In s o m e ways it h u r t s m y career. C u r a t o r s w a n t t o discover t h e

w o u l d n ' t pose. B u t I've b e e n surprised in a c o u p l e c o u n t r i e s . C h i l e ,

artist, b e t h e first o n e t o f i n d s o m e o n e . A n d t h e y w a n t t o get that

f o r instance, t h o u g h t to b e very conservative, surprised m e and m y

i n f o r m a t i o n in a very intellectual way, n o t because they read a b o u t it

crew. W e only e x p e c t e d 6 0 0 - 8 0 0 participants and over 4 0 0 0 p e o p l e

o r see it in n o n - a r t s m e d i a .

e n d e d u p posing. I was also surprised at t h e l o w n u m b e r s of p e o p l e in England.

GILHAN:

But do you think that perception is changing now, that you are gaining more insti-

tutional and critical acceptance?

GILMAN:

TUNICK: T h i n g s started t o c h a n g e in 1999. T h a t year, I did a w o r k early o n w i t h t h e K u n s t h a l l e W e i n and an i n s t a l l a t i o n / p e r f o r m a n c e at t h e Basel A r t Fair as well. T h a t was w h e r e t h e art m e d i a first started s h o w i n g up. T h a t k i n d o f g o t m e g o i n g in E u r o p e , b e i n g taken seri-

Do you think it depends on who is organizing it—if it's a partnership with an insti-

tution or if you're working by yourself?

TUNICK: Yes, t h e organization is half o f i t — t h e strategy f o r g e t t i n g t h e website in t h e press, f o r p e o p l e to sign u p t o pose. If t h e y are savvy in using t h e mass m e d i a , or take o u t ads, o r d o posters, w e get m o r e p e o ple. In Barcelona, they did m y traditional process of d o i n g sign-ups o n

Participants at Spencer Tunick's Cleveland installation, June 26, 2004.

Photo courtesy of Nesnadny + Schwartz

a website, b u t t h e y also h a n d e d o u t over 1 0 0 , 0 0 0 flyers and posters.

T h i s c o m b i n a t i o n p r o d u c e d m y largest installation: 7 0 0 0 p e o p l e . T h e mass m e d i a o f t e n refers t o t h e n u m b e r o f p e o p l e s h o w i n g u p as "records." T h a t ' s ridiculous. I t h i n k o f it as sculpture g e t t i n g bigger and smaller.

GILMAN:

lhat's interesting—seeing the installations as sculptures.

TUNICK: I d o n ' t w a n t to b e sensational. I w a n t t o d o m o r e i n t i m a t e w o r k : m y n e w party series, f r i e n d s o f friends, smaller pieces in public spaces t h a t are m o r e sculptural. I still w a n t t o d o t h e larger pieces because I d o f i n d it fascinating to v i e w this mass of h u m a n i t y . It's an a m a z i n g sight w h e n t h e n u m b e r of p e o p l e goes above 2 0 0 0 . 1 balance this fine line o f d o c u m e n t a t i o n and creating an o b j e c t .

GILMAN: HOW

would you describe your relationship with the participants?

TUNICK: I try n o t to have r e p e a t participants. I d o n ' t like t h e idea of a f o l l o w i n g . I t h i n k this is an e x p e r i e n c e to h a p p e n m a y b e o n c e , m a y b e t w i c e for p e o p l e . T h e w o r k c h a n g e s people's p e r c e p t i o n s of

P u b l i c A r t R e v i e w . Fall.Winter.04

INTERVIEW

(left) Spencer Tunick, Melbourne 3, 2001. (right) Spencer Tunick, Chile 2 (Museo d e A r t e Contemporaneo), 2002. (below) Spencer Tunick, Barcelona I (Institut de Cultura), 2003.

Photos courtesy of 1-20 Gallery, N e w York their b o d i e s , a n d it gives t h e m this u n f o r g e t t a b l e e x p e r i e n c e . For

GILMAN:

e x a m p l e , t h e A l b r i g h t - K n o x is w i t h i n a f e w h o u r s of C l e v e l a n d . I

TUNICK: N a n c y R u b e n s ' s w o r k w i t h mattresses a n d cake, a i r p l a n e

You mentioned Robert Smithson earlier. Who are some of your other influences?

c o u l d invite e v e r y o n e f r o m C l e v e l a n d , b u t I w o n ' t . I d o n ' t w a n t t h e

parts, appliances. I like t h e w o r k o f R i c h a r d L o n g a n d C h r i s B u r d e n

same p e o p l e j u s t shifting f r o m state to state. I d o n ' t w a n t a f o l l o w i n g

(All the Submarines of the United States of America, 1987). I like p e r f o r m -

that p e o p l e associate w i t h g r o u p i e s of a r o c k b a n d .

ance and multiples—artists w h o w o r k w i t h o n e o b j e c t t o m a k e s o m e t h i n g bigger than that o n e o b j e c t . M u l t i p l e s can s o m e t i m e s b e an easy

GILMAN: YOU

want it to be about the community sponsoring the event.

TUNICK: R i g h t . I w a n t it to b e a b o u t this large intimacy.

way o u t for artists, b u t certain artists can really take it t o a n o t h e r level.

M y biggest i n f l u e n c e early o n , really y o u n g , was Claes O l d e n b u r g .

W i t h t h e size differences, giant popsicles l o o m i n g over a l a n d s c a p e —

GILMAN:

Simultaneously intimate and public.

TUNICK: R i g h t . Well, all o f that w o u l d c o m e crashing to an e n d if there was a brave institution in W a s h i n g t o n , D C , that w a n t e d m e t o d o a w o r k . T h a t c o u l d b e m o r e i m p o r t a n t t h a n anyone c o u l d i m a g i n e . In that case, I w o u l d e - m a i l e v e r y o n e f r o m m y list.

very accessible t o a six-year-old. I was also fascinated by d i o r a m a s a n d architectural m o d e l s — t h e small m o d e l o f F r a n k Lloyd W r i g h t ' s Falling Water that was at t h e W h i t n e y o r M O M A , I t h i n k . I was always fascinated by Japanese m o n s t e r f i l m s — n o t so m u c h w i t h t h e m o n s t e r s b u t w i t h t h e m i n i a t u r e sets. I guess n o w w h e n I ' m o n this b i g lift, h i g h over t h e n u d e participants, l o o k i n g d o w n , I feel like this b i g m o n s t e r o v e r l o o k i n g t h e m . B u t o n e of t h e g o o d m o n s t e r s .

GILMAN: Why? TUNICK: I t h i n k there are i m p o r t a n t spaces that c o n t r i b u t e to f r e e d o m , politics, social issues. For that, I w o u l d invite everyone.

Amy Gilman is an independent curator currently living in Cleveland and finishing her doctoral dissertation.

GILMAN:

The spaces themselves are symbolic?

TUNICK: Yes. A n d to fill those spaces up, I w o u l d n e e d to invite m a n y more.

I

REPORT

NEWS FROM THE HOMEFRONT Jack B e c k e r • • •

P u b l i c a r t w a s a h o t t o p i c i n t h e T w i n C i t i e s last s u m m e r . T h e Hiawatha Light Rail l i n e — M i n n e a p o l i s '

first—opened

in J u l y w i t h

several n o t e w o r t h y a r t p r o j e c t s . A m o n g t h e m is A n d r e w

Leicester's

W.xmaapaailJm

W'.vtU IL- '.'061!J^T^i,

m o n u m e n t a l tribute to the nearby historic S t o n e Arch Bridge, featuri n g a series o f r e m a r k a b l e b r i c k p a t t e r n m o s a i c s . T h e M i n n e s o t a L a n d s c a p e A r b o r e t u m ' s Totally Tcrrific Treehouses VanderVelt's steel d o u b l e h e l i x , Growth,

-

were tree-mendous. Jon

was o n e of the m o s t p o p u l a r

w o r k s i n t h e s h o w , a l l o w i n g kids o f all ages a c h a n c e t o c l i m b u p a n d a r o u n d t h e t r u n k o f a large o a k . T h e C i t y o f M i n n e a p o l i s ' p u b l i c art

i n g ball. C a n y o u h e l p us w i t h t h a t ? " O f c o u r s e t h e a n s w e r t o all t h r e e is yes. A n d o f f w e g o o n a n o t h e r p u b l i c art a d v e n t u r e .

O n e o f o u r largest e f f o r t s this y e a r is a p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h t h e M c K n i g h t F o u n d a t i o n : c r e a t i n g a c o m p r e h e n s i v e m a p o f art t h r o u g h o u t the T w i n Cities suburbs, outside the urban center. T h e map, and a b o o k o f case s t u d i e s e x a m i n i n g a d o z e n s e l e c t e d p r o j e c t s , w i l l b e p u b l i s h e d n e x t s p r i n g . M c K n i g h t has s e e n a g e o g r a p h i c g r o w t h in arts d e v e l o p m e n t c o i n c i d i n g w i t h t h e p o p u l a t i o n e x p l o s i o n in t h e s u r r o u n d i n g area. As a u d i e n c e s m i g r a t e , so d o artists a n d arts o r g a n i z a t i o n s . O u r initial s u r v e y r e v e a l e d a n u m b e r o f l i t t l e - k n o w n s c u l p p r o g r a m u n v e i l e d several n e i g h b o r h o o d projects, i n c l u d i n g A l d o

t u r e g a r d e n s , f o l k art m o n u m e n t s , o u t d o o r a m p h i t h e a t e r s , a n d a n n u a l

M o r o n i ' s s i d e w a l k series o f t w o d o z e n b r o n z e s o n p e d e s t a l s d e p i c t i n g

art festivals. O n e o f t h e s e h i d d e n g e m s is Melissa B e a n a n d M a r l a i n e

h i s t o r i c b u i l d i n g s in a n o l d r i v e r f r o n t n e i g h b o r h o o d , a n d M a r j o r i e

C o x ' s m o s a i c a n d w r o u g h t i r o n c o a t h o o k in t h e c h i l d r e n ' s area o f

P i t z ' s Merwyn,

t h e r e c e n d y r e m o d e l e d E d e n P r a i r i e Library.

a mythical creature rising f r o m the g r o u n d in the

S e w a r d n e i g h b o r h o o d . M a d e o f c o n c r e t e , this lovable m o n s t e r attracts kids f r o m n e a r b y a p a r t m e n t b u i l d i n g s a n d invites t h e m t o play.

W e r e c e n t l y c e l e b r a t e d o u r latest initiative to add

artist-designed

s e a t i n g a l o n g U n i v e r s i t y A v e n u e , w h e r e o u r o f f i c e is l o c a t e d . T h e first

H e r e at F O R E C A S T o u r p h o n e has b e e n r i n g i n g o f f t h e h o o k . M a n y

f o u r artists are J a n e F r e e s - K l u t h , A1 W a d z i n s k i , M a r c i a

callers are c o n f u s e d : " I s this Public Art ReviewVYes,

a n d Lisa Elias, p r e s e n t i n g a n e c l e c t i c m i x o f styles a n d f o r m s . T h e

w e d o that, b u t that's

McEachron,

n u m b e r s will g r o w n e x t year, as d e v e l o p e r s a n d site o w n e r s a l o n g t h e

n o t all; w e d o c o n s u l t i n g , o f f e r grants, a n d s p o n s o r special p r o j e c t s .

a v e n u e realize t h e p o t e n t i a l f o r i m p r o v i n g t h e i r c u r b a p p e a l . F r e e s W e g e t f r e q u e n t calls f o r help. Typically folks are l o o k i n g f o r artists for s o m e type of project. These range from the mainstream commissioning, s u c h as w o r k s f o r t h e new Science Center

of

K l u t h ' s Sibling

Rivalry

f e a t u r e s t w o t u b u l a r steel f i g u r e s in a t u g o f

w a r , s t r e t c h i n g a w i r e f r a m e seat b e t w e e n t h e m . D u r i n g t h e installat i o n , ironically, s h e l e a r n e d t h a t t h e site sits e x a c t l y m i d w a y b e t w e e n t h e d o w n t o w n s o f M i n n e a p o l i s a n d St. P a u l .

Iowa, in D e s M o i n e s , o r a p a r k in F e d e r i c k , M a r y -

In d o w n t o w n Minneapolis, we've started p r o g r a m m i n g vacant store-

land, t o t h e o b s c u r e — o r

f r o n t s , r e c a l l i n g t h e e a r l y days o f F O R E C A S T w h e n w e h a d t h a t

even bizarre. F r o m

"let's p u t o n a s h o w i n t h e b a r n ! " m e n t a l i t y . T h e first i n s t a l l a t i o n was

anti-smoking "Can

public

an

group: art

en-

c o u r a g e p e o p l e to

take

their

out-

smoking

d o o r s ? " From a housing advocacy artists of

group:

raise

affordable

"Can

awareness housing

issues?" F r o m a d o c t o r at the Mayo Clinic: " W e w a n t an artist t o create a giant snow polyp for o u r C o l o n C a n c e r Awareness W e e k , a n d at t h e e n d o f the

week

we

want

to

d e s t r o y it w i t h a w r e c k -

P u b l i c A r t R e v i e w . Fall.Winter.04

(opposite page clockwise) Andrew Leicester, light rail station, 2004. Photo

A n d c o m i n g u p o n N o v e m b e r 13, F O R E C A S T is h o s t i n g its s e c o n d

by David Allen

a n n u a l S t u d i o Party, a f u n event designed t o t h a n k o u r m a n y i n d i v i d -

Jon VanderVelt, Growth, Minnesota Landscape Arboretum, 2004.

ual d o n o r s . O u r hosts are s t u d i o m a t e s S t a n t o n Sears a n d A n d r e a

Photo courtesy of the artist

M y k l e b u s t . Friends are invited to eat, d r i n k , and play in t h e studio. If

Melissa Bean, children's coat rack, Eden Priarie Library, 2004.

y o u ' r e in t h e n e i g h b o r h o o d , stop by.

Photo by Jack Becker Marjorie Pitz, Merwin, Minneapolis, Minn., 2004. Photo by Sue Hartley

A Common

Thread, c u r a t e d by S u e J a h n . It f e a t u r e d w o r k s by artists

f r o m various b a c k g r o u n d s , f o r e i g n c o u n t r i e s , religions, sexual p r e f e r ences, and ages. I n c l u d e d was H e n d A l - M a n s o u r , w h o s e c o n t r i b u t i o n to this issue can b e f o u n d o n page 9.

O u r P u b l i c A r t Affairs p r o g r a m offers g r a n t s to M i n n e s o t a artists.

N o w f i f t e e n years o l d , t h e p r o g r a m has s u p p o r t e d h u n d r e d s o f a d v e n t e r o u s p r o j e c t s . A m o n g t h e t e n f u n d e d this year was T r o y Zaushny's unusual e f f o r t t o carve, i n k and pull w o o d c u t prints f r o m picnic tables in area parks. R a n d y W a l k e r s Woven Corn Crib stands in a large o p e n field by t h e St. Paul c a m p u s of t h e University of M i n nesota, o u t s i d e t h e G i b b s M u s e u m of P i o n e e r and D a k o t a h Life. T h e t w e n t y - f i v e - f o o t - h i g h crib is filled w i t h a d e n s e w e b o f c o l o r e d lines, c o m p l e t e l y t r a n s f o r m i n g this a b a n d o n e d utilitarian o b j e c t .

As w e go to press, F O R E C A S T is c o m p l e t i n g the Public Art Anthology,

Review

an o n l i n e resource f e a t u r i n g articles f r o m all 30 back issues

of PAR by d o z e n s of talented w r i t e r s w h o have graced o u r pages over the past fifteen years.Visit t h e A n t h o l o g y at w w w . p u b l i c a r t r e v i e w . o r g and d o w n l o a d any o r all of these articles free of charge. You can also use t h e n e w search f e a t u r e to find topics covered in back issues o f Public Art Review

(the p r i n t versions of w h i c h all are available f o r sale). T h e

site is m e a n t

to

e n c o u r a g e t h e spread of ideas, information

and

criticism

a b o u t c o n t e m p o r a r y p u b l i c art to a b r o a d a u d i e n c e , i n c l u d i n g teachers, students, researchers, design professionals, artists and others. Please log o n , a n d t h e n help us spread t h e w o r d .

Jane Frees-Kluth, Sibling Rivalry, 2004. Photo courtesy the artist Randy Walker, Woven Corn Crib. 2004. Photo courtesy FORECAST Jack Becker and Shelly Willis (FORECAST board president) at the 2003 Studio Party. Photo by Todd Childs

P u b l i c A r t R e v i e w . Fall. Winter. 04

INTERNATIONAL

KINETIC

ART

T h e 3RD ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL KINETIC ART COMPETITION, h o s t e d by t h e n o n p r o f i t K i n e t i c A r t O r g a n i z a t i o n ( K A O ) , r e c e n d y a n n o u n c e d its 2 0 0 4 winners. An international pool of judges, including R e i n Triefeldt, H a n n s - M a r t i n Wagner, C o r Wetting, and M o o s o n Kwauk, reviewed d o z e n s o f slides, D V D s , a n d videos.

T h e c o m p e t i t i o n is i n t e n d e d to p r o m o t e the o f t e n o v e r l o o k e d field o f kinetic art, in all its manifestations. C o m p e t i t i o n categories and criteria i n c l u d e E n g i n e e r i n g (innovative applications o f m e c h a n i c a l principals, d e g r e e o f complexity, quality of c o m p o n e n t s and finish), F u n k t i o n e t i c (novelty, beauty, creativity, and unpredictability),Water Sculptures ( n o v elty, creativity and beauty), and Public Art (instill joy, h o l d a t t e n t i o n , and suitability).

K A O f o u n d e r and President R a l f G s c h w e n d , w h o divides his h o m e life b e t w e e n Flordia a n d S w i t z e r l a n d , is an active s c u l p t o r w i t h a r e c e n t c o m m i s s i o n in St. Petersburg, Russia (pictured o n page 49).

T h e o r g a n i z a t i o n , w h i c h is b u i l d i n g r e c o g n i t i o n , recently a n n o u n c e d t h e a d d i t i o n o f t w o i n t e r n a t i o n a l l y r e n o w n artists t o its b o a r d o f directors:Takis a n d Y a a c o v A g a m .

K A O ' s w e b s i t e — w w w . k i n e t i c - a r t . o r g — i s b o t h practical and critical for the group's success. It is an effective m e a n s of sharing and n e t w o r k i n g a m o n g its m e m b e r s , w h o c o m e f r o m over forty countries. It houses a g r o w i n g archive of projects and serves as a m a r k e t i n g tool for the artists.

T h e organization has recently organized o r assisted w i t h a variety o f exhibitions; they are currently p r e p a r i n g a virtual e x h i b i t i o n o n D V D , to b e distributed free o f charge to galleries, m u s e u m s , a u c t i o n houses, and o t h e r venues. B e l o w is a selection o f w o r k s by K O A artists, i n c l u d i n g a f e w of t h e w i n n e r s f r o m this year's c o m p e t i t i o n .

Swiss artist C h a r l e s M o r g a n created t h e f r e e - s t a n d i n g m i x e d m e d i a s c u l p t u r e CENTURION (2002) for a busy o u t d o o r p u b l i c m a r k e t p l a c e . In a d d i t i o n t o its playful c o l o r s a n d m o v e m e n t s , t h e s c u l p t u r e features s o l a r - p o w e r e d lights, t h r e e w i n d mills, a n d a h o l l o w steel ball that rolls a r o u n d a c i r c u l a r steel rail, m a k i n g t w e l v e r e v o l u t i o n s p e r m i n u t e . Visible, yet o u t of reach, is a digital r e v o l u t i o n c o u n t e r ; t h e B u l g a r i a n s c u l p t o r T o d o r T o d o r o v c r e a t e d DOME OF BIRDS ( 2 0 0 0 ) , a

p u b l i c is led to b e l i e v e — p r e s u m a b l y t h r o u g h w o r d o f m o u t h — t h a t

w i n d d r i v e n k i n e t i c p r o j e c t m a d e of stainless steel. T h e w i n g s of t h e

as t h e ball t u r n s it c o m p r e s s e s t h e b i g s p r i n g inside t h e sculpture,

birds flap in t h e b r e e z e a n d t w o o f t h e birds fly u p a n d d o w n w h e n

taken f r o m a Swiss C e n t u r i o n T a n k , a n d after 9 9 9 . 9 9 9 r e v o l u t i o n s

t h e w i n d blows.

t h e m a i n s p r i n g is a r m e d , t h u s a c t i v a t i n g t h e s e e m i n g l y h a r m l e s s w e a p o n s . At this p o i n t , n o i n t r u d e r s are w e l c o m e at t h e m a r k e t p l a c e !

P u b l i c A r t R e v i e w . Fall. Winter. 04

INTERNATIONAL

KINETIC

ART

J e a n - P a u l R i c h o n , of France, created ESSENCIEL in 2 0 0 4 , f e a t u r i n g m o r e t h a n 1,000 large yellow petals o n fiberglass rods set u p in a t w e n t y f i v e - m e t e r - d i a m e t e r spiral. T h e installation creates a n a r r o w i n g p a t h for t h e public to walk inside and b e c o m e s u r r o u n d e d by t h e piece. At t h e c e n t e r is a small m o d e l representing the w h o l e project.

C o n c e p t u a l artist K o n s t a n t i n D i m o p o u l o s d e s c r i b e s his kinetic-

California artist Phil Evans's RAIN FEATHER (2003), m a d e o f stainless steel

sculpture PACIFIC GRASS (2001) in W e l l i n g t o n , N e w Z e a l a n d , as a cele-

a n d glass, oscillates w i t h t h e w i n d and t u r n s a s c u l p t u r e l o c a t e d inside

b r a t i o n o f m o v e m e n t . M o v i n g w i t h t h e grace o f u n d e r w a t e r grasses,

t h e building. It is located o n t o p of t h e public w a t e r intake s t r u c t u r e in

the w o r k c o n t i n u a l l y changes, i n f l u e n c e d and c h o r e o g r a p h e d by its

the Sacramento River.

e n v i r o n m e n t , t h e w i n d a n d t h e rain. T h e s c u l p t u r e was c o m m i s s i o n e d by t h e W e l l i n g t o n S c u l p t u r e Trust and M e r i d i a n Energy, a n d gifted by t h e m to t h e C i t y o f W e l l i n g t o n .

All photos courtesy the artists.

P u b l i c A r t R e v i e w . Fall. Winter. 04

RECENT

PROJECTS

In D e c e m b e r 1997, r e p r e s e n t a -

O r e n s a n z , w h o s e massive c o n -

fifty u n i f o r m e d figures c o n -

tives f r o m ten h u m a n rights

crete s c u l p t u r e is m a d e u p o f

n e c t e d f o u r o f t h e m a i n galleries

g r o u p s p r e s e n t e d to t h e legisla-

c u t - t h r o u g h giant letters f o r m -

of L o n d o n ' s Victoria and Albert

t u r e o f t h e city o f B u e n o s Aires

i n g t h e w o r d s " T h o u g h t is a r e v -

M u s e u m . T h e installation will b e

a p r o j e c t for t h e c o n s t r u c t i o n

o l u t i o n a r y action." D u t c h artist

o n display at t h e G w a n g j u I3ien-

of a c o m m e m o r a t i v e sculpture

Rini Hurkman's haunting

nale 2 0 0 4 in C h o l l a n a m - D o

p a r k t o pay h o m a g e t o t h e

tableau consists o f a giant p h o t o -

province, S o u t h Korea, f r o m

30,000 w h o were kidnapped

graphic image laminated

September to November. T h e

a n d m u r d e r e d by state t e r r o r -

b e t w e e n special glass panels. A

project was s p o n s o r e d by t h e

ism in t h e 1970s and early 80s.

life-size w o m a n sits in a chair

L o n d o n C o l l e g e of Fashion,

T h e PARQUE DE LA MEM0RIA was

w i t h t h e river flowing b e h i n d

Swarovski Crystals, Alma leather,

c r e a t e d as a t r i b u t e t o t h o s e t h e

her. F r o z e n in t i m e and g h o s t -

and S H O W s t u d i o . Lucy O r t a

d i c t a t o r s h i p t r i e d to erase, a n d

like, she is s u r r o u n d e d by c o l o r -

holds t h e inaugural R o o t s t e i n

to help future generations

ful b u n d l e s o f n o w useless

r e m e m b e r the horror c o m m i t -

clothes. T h e ripples o f t h e river

t e d . T h e Parque de la Memoria is

o n t h e p h o t o g r a p h are s u p e r i m -

l o c a t e d a l o n g t h e shores o f t h e

p o s e d o n t h e flow o f t h e R i o de

R i o d e la Plata, i n t o w h o s e

la Plata b e h i n d .

waters many of the victims w e r e d u m p e d . A l b e r t o Varas, an A r g e n t i n e landscape architect w i t h m a j o r w o r k s c o m p l e t e d in South America, w o n the c o m mission to design t h e park, w h i c h was p l a n n e d t o

incor-

T h e p a r k is a carefully d e s i g n e d

J o n a t h a n Borofsky's WALKING TO

H o p k i n s C h a i r of Fashion at t h e

THE SKY was o n display f r o m

L o n d o n C o l l e g e of Fashion.

S e p t e m b e r 14 to O c t o b e r 18,

[Photo by Paula Orell]

2 0 0 4 at N e w York City's R o c k e f e l l e r C e n t e r . T h e sculpture depicted p e o p l e scaling a

g a r d e n , w i t h p a t h w a y s criss-

100-foot-tall stainless steel pole,

crossing t h e closely c r o p p e d

tilted at a 7 5 - d e g r e e angle. T h e

grass. A w o r k in progress, it

w o r k was inspired by a story

o p e n e d t o t h e p u b l i c t w o years

Borofsky's f a t h e r told h i m as a

ago. O n l y t w o of t h e s c u l p -

child a b o u t a friendly giant that

t u r e s â&#x20AC;&#x201D; b y W i l l i a m T u c k e r and

lived in t h e sky. Its predecessors

Dennis O p p e n h e i m â&#x20AC;&#x201D; h a v e been

are Man Walking to the Sky,

installed so far, d u e t o B u e n o s

s h o w n at D o c u m e n t a I X in

An international competition

Aires' p o o r e c o n o m y . O p p e n -

Kassell, G e r m a n y , in 1992, and

resulted in s e v e n t e e n selected

h e i m ' s w o r k , MONUMENT TO ESCAPE,

Woman Walking to the Sky, w h i c h

proposals falling i n t o t w o b r o a d

consists of t h r e e o p e n boxes r e p -

Borofsky m a d e for Strasbourg,

categories: t h o s e f o c u s i n g o n

r e s e n t i n g p r i s o n cells, piled

France in 1994 (see article, p. 23).

" t h e message" and those focus-

t o g e t h e r . T h e artist has k e p t t h e

T h e exhibit was sponsored by

i n g o n " t h e place." A m o n g t h e

cells o p e n t o o n e side as a

N e w York City's Public A r t F u n d

p o r a t e site-specific sculptures by artists w o r l d w i d e .

most powerful message-

s y m b o l of h o p e t h r o u g h escape

a n d T i s h m a n Speyer Properties.

o r i e n t e d pieces is that of

and ultimately f r e e d o m .

[Photo by Tom Powel Imaging]

Argentine sculptor Marie

[Photo courtesy FrangoiseYohalem]

SCULPTURE IN THE GARDEN,the U n i v e r s i t y o f Leicester's t h i r d international sculpture exhibit i o n , ran July 3 - S e p t e m b e r 19 in t h e H a r o l d M a r t i n B o t a n i c G a r d e n . It f e a t u r e d t h e w o r k of t w e n t y - s i x artists, i n c l u d i n g T o n y L o n g , M a u r i c e Blik and m e m b e r s o f t h e R o y a l British S o c i e t y o f Sculptors. T h e e x h i b i t i o n catalog is available o n l i n e at w w w . l e . a c . u k / s c u l p t u r e s / botanicgarden.

[Photo of David Begbie's Twosome, made of bronze mesh, courtesy

C o m m i s s i o n e d by t h e Arts C o u n c i l o f E n g l a n d to celebrate A r c h i t e c t u r e W e e k 2 0 0 4 , Lucy O r t a created TRANSGRESSING FASHION #0204 ( N e x u s A r c h i t e c t u r e ) . T h e S u m m e r 2 0 0 4 installation of

P u b l i c A r t R e v i e w . Fall. Winter. 04

University of Leicester]

RECENT

PROJECTS

Creative T i m e and the Lower Manhattan Cultural Council.

This functional m e g a p h o n e entices passersby t o c l i m b its r a m p and v o i c e t h e i r t h o u g h t s , [Photo courtesy Creative Time]

Artist H a r a l d H a u g u e s a n d "freelance urbanist" Trenton O l d f i e l d , in c o l l a b o r a t i o n w i t h L o n d o n architects B e r n d T r u e m p l e r and Karsten

G r e g o r y M i g u e l G o m e z ' s THE

H u n e c k , invite visitors t o t h e i r

CHALLENGE OF SPACE (2004) is a

h o m e in East L o n d o n (and at

p e r m a n e n t installation o f m o r e

w w w . i - n - t - a - c - t . o r g ) . INTACT is a

t h a n 4 0 0 cast b r o n z e e l e m e n t s

recycled i n n e r - c i t y railway sig-

creating a world map with e q u a -

nal b o x that is m a d e to r e s e m b l e

tor, t h e t r a j e c t o r i e s o f an i d e a l -

a typical f r e e s t a n d i n g s u b u r b a n

ized space l a u n c h , a n d six

family h o m e , c o m p l e t e w i t h

historic equations p e r t i n e n t to

artificial g e r a n i u m s in t h e w i n -

space flight. T h e s e are affixed

d o w box, a balcony with artifi-

t o an e x t e r i o r wall at t h e

Swiss artist R a l f G s c h w e n d ' s

O u t s i d e Space p r o g r a m in M i n -

cial grass, and a B B Q set w i t h

Challenger Learning Center,

m o n u m e n t a l k i n t e i c sculpture

neapolis, M i n n . T h e exihibition

director's chair. A car b a t t e r y

Florida State a n d F l o r i d a A & M

MOVING ON UP was installed

was s p o n s o r e d by I n t e r m e d i a

provides light every n i g h t . By

Universities, in Tallahassee, Fla.

recently in St. Petersburg,

Arts and t h e J e r o m e F o u n d a t i o n .

t h e way, t h e h o u s e is inaccessi-

[Photo courtesy t h e artist]

Russia. R o t a t i n g slowly in t h e

Artists selected f o r o u t d o o r p r o j -

ble, m o u n t e d h i g h u p o n stilts,

w i n d , t h e g r a c e f u l , swirling

ects w e r e required to o p e r a t e

o u t o f reach. [Photo courtesy

piece is, a c c o r d i n g to t h e artist,

w i t h i n o n e mile o f I n t e r m e d i a

the artist]

" a b o u t the soaring celebration

Arts. N e i w o r k e d w i t h students

of life, possibility a n d t h e desire

in English literacy classes at t h e

to e x p l o r e n e w b o u n d a r i e s . "

Wellstone I n t e r n a t i o n a l S c h o o l

G s c h w e n d is president of

a n d t h e A B E / E L L p r o g r a m at

Kinetic Art Organization,

t h e L e h m a n n C e n t e r , located in

sponsor of the International

a f o r m e r g r e e t i n g card factory in

K i n e t i c A r t C o m p e t i t i o n (see

t h e L y n - L a k e area of S o u t h

article, p. 46).

M i n n e a p o l i s . T h e artist assisted

FRUITS OF LABOR, by C a l i f o r n i a artist R o b N e i l s o n , was installed

w i t h w r i t i n g sessions that

in 2 0 0 3 at t h e East Valley Solid

e x p l o r e d students' individual i m m i g r a t i o n experiences. T h e

FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION NATIONAL

Resources Management C o m -

project culminated with a video

MONUMENT was installed A u g u s t

plex in Los Angeles, Calif. T h e

p r o j e c t i o n o f students' texts and

17, 2 0 0 4 at N e w York City's

p e r m a n e n t o u t d o o r s c u l p t u r e was

images o n the building's f i f t h -

Foley S q u a r e in L o w e r M a n h a t -

c o m m i s s i o n e d by t h e Los Angeles

floor t o w e r d u r i n g t h e

tan and will b e o n display

D e p a r t m e n t of C u l t u r a l Affairs.

I n s i d e / O u t s i d e Space o p e n i n g in

through November 13.The

Fruits of Labor is a t r i b u t e to

May and again d u r i n g t h e first

w o r k , an e n o r m o u s red m e g a -

s o u t h e r n California's agricultural

w e e k in J u n e .

p h o n e , represents a c o l l a b o r a -

e c o n o m y and to t h e e n v i r o n -

[Photo by Rik Sferra]

t i o n by architect L a u r i e

mentalists' a d m o n i t i o n to t h i n k

Hawkinson, performer John

globally and act locally.

FOREIGN BORN by Barbra N e i was

M a l p e d e , a n d visual artist E r i k a

[Photo by Bradley Meinz]

part o f t h e 2 0 0 4 Art I n s i d e /

R o t h e n b e r g . It is p r e s e n t e d by

P u b l i c A r t R e v i e w . Fall. Winter. 04

RECENT

PROJECTS

OASIS is a 2 8 0 - f o o t - l o n g p l a t f o r m d e s i g n e d by St. Louis artist C a t h e r i n e W o o d s for t h e C l a y t o n , M i s s o u r i , M e t r o line. It was c o m m i s s i o n e d by A r t s in T r a n s i t / M e t r o of St. Louis and

T h e ANIMARIS RHINOCEROS TRANSPORT,

installed in May, 2 0 0 4 . It c o n -

c o n c e i v e d a n d d e s i g n e d by

sists o f p a i n t e d , s c r e e n e d , a n d

D u t c h artist T h e o J a n s e n , is a

e t c h e d floatglass panels p r o -

" t y p e o f a n i m a l " that walks in

d u c e d by Franz M a y e r o f

t h e w i n d . A c c o r d i n g to t h e

M u n i c h , and a l u m i n u m sculp-

artist's W e b site, " S i n c e t h e

tures in c o a t e d steel frames.

dinosaurs b e c a m e extinct n o t h -

[Photo courtesy Franz Mayer of

i n g else this size has r o a m e d t h e

Munich]

planet's surface." M a d e w i t h a movable steel i n n e r frame w i t h a

THE ILLUMINATED PAGE, by T u c s o n s c u l p t o r Barbara G r y g u t i s , was recently installed at t h e Santa Clara C e n t r a l Library, Santa Clara, Calif. Inspired by t h e delicate m o t i o n c r e a t e d f r o m t u r n i n g a b o o k page, t h e p r o j e c t — a s e q u e n c e of five gently c u r v e d sculptural a r c h e s — o f f e r s o p p o r tunities for discovery. Pedestrians a p p r o a c h i n g t h e library will r e c o g n i z e floating objects inside each arch, i n c l u d i n g b o o k s , quill pens, papers, a n d c o m p u t e r s , all cast in a l u m i n u m .

[Photo © Shannon Owen]

P u b l i c A r t R e v i e w . Fall. Winter. 04

T h e historic C i t y of Frederick,

S c u l p t o r J a c k i e Ferrara's 18 NICHES

M d . , n o w in t h e midst o f a

was c o m p l e t e d in T o r o n t o in

d o w n t o w n revival, is creating a

2 0 0 3 , consisting o f t h r e e 1 6 2 -

new, m i l e - l o n g park to cover a

f o o t - l o n g walls in t w o shades o f

c o n c r e t e culvert that was

b r i c k . T h e site is t w o a d j a c e n t

installed after the flood of 1976.

places—a c o u r t y a r d f o r a n e w

CARROLL CREEK PARK will feature

f o r t y - s t o r y residential b u i l d i n g

artist-designed benches, a d r i n k -

a n d a wall for t h e C N Tower,

i n g f o u n t a i n , b r i c k patterns and

h o m e o f T o r o n t o ' s i n d o o r sports

several b r i d g e railings. P r i o r t o

s t a d i u m . E v e r y f o u r t e e n feet,

c o v e r i n g t h e culvert surface w i t h

t o w e r - l i k e f o r m s fill niches in

dirt, however, t h e city invited res-

t h e walls, g e o m e t r i c images in

idents to paint t h e c o n c r e t e — a l l

black, c r e a m , o c h r e a n d red

6 0 , 0 0 0 square feet of it. In S e p -

bricks.

t e m b e r , h u n d e r e d s of participants

[Photo courtesy the artist]

c o n v e r g e d o n the site, brushes and rollers in h a n d , and m a d e their m a r k — s o m e m o r e c o m p l e x

( r i g h t ) In E n g l e w o o d , C o l o . ,

than others. T h e event, A Brush

L a w r e n c e A r g e n t installed VIRERE

with Frederick, h e l p e d to raise

(2003), o n e of f o u r gateway

awareness o f t h e s o o n - t o - b e -

projects a r o u n d t h e city. T h e s e

t r a n s f o r m e d space, a n d raise a d d i -

a l u m i n u m grass blades, u p to

tional m o n e y — t h r o u g h

t w e n t y feet tall, c o m p l e m e n t

v o l u n t a r y d o n a t i o n s — f o r the

n e w landscaping on the median

p l a n n e d public art projects.

a l o n g Broadway.

[Photo courtesy City of Frederick]

[Photo courtesy the artist]

polyester skin, t h e R h i n o stands 4.7 m e t e r s tall and weighs 2.8 tons, yet can b e set i n m o t i o n by o n e person (the w i n d does t h e rest). C o m m i s s i o n e d by t h e t o w n district G e u z e n v e l d / S l o t e r m e e r in collaboration w i t h Art A m s t e r d a m Funds, the animal was c o n s t r u c t e d by H e i j m e r i n k en W a g e m a k e r s p r o d u c t i o n c o m p a n y in N i e u w e g e i n . V i s i t w w w . s t r a n d b e e s t . c o m (Latin n a m e for b e a c h animal) for details.

[Photo by Loek van der Klis, © 2004]

A b l o o d - r e d iceberg, entitled ICE

was also c o m p l e t e d in 2 0 0 4 .

THE BRIDGE, at M i l l e n n i u m Place,

t o B e l e s c h e n k o , w h o was b o r n

CUBE, by r i s k - t a k i n g D a n i s h artist

F e a t u r i n g a 1 . 6 - k i l o m e t r e red

C o v e n t r y , is part o f a larger

in E n g l a n d o f U k r a n i a n parents,

M a r c o Evaristti was " l a u n c h e d "

c a r p e t rolled d o w n a C o p e n -

urban redevelopment scheme

t h e glass " e m p h a s i z e s its shape,

in late M a r c h in a f j o r d o f f t h e

h a g e n b o u l e v a r d , pedestrians

involving architects M a c C o r m a c

b u t I h o p e d t o o that it w o u l d

w e s t e r n coast o f G r e e n l a n d . T h e

w e r e invited t o walk t h e line for

J a m e i s o n & Prichard, t h e b r i d g e

give v o i c e t o t h e b r i d g e a n d let

p i e c e r e q u i r e d 7 8 0 gallons o f

their " f i f t e e n m i n u t e s of f a m e , "

designers, and glass f a b r i c a t o r

it sing like t h e r i n g o f glass."

red f o o d dye dilluted w i t h sea-

c o m p l e t e w i t h t h e artist taking

Franz M a y e r o f M u n i c h . F e a t u r -

C o m p l e t e d in 2 0 0 3 f o r

water, three fire hoses, t w o i c e -

pictures a n d asking t h e m s u p e r -

i n g over 8 0 0 fins w i t h subtly

ÂŁ 7 5 0 , 0 0 0 , t h e b r i d g e was s h o r t -

breakers, a n d a c r e w o f twenty.

ficial, tabloid-style questions.

gradated d o t p a t t e r n s by artist

listed f o r t h e prestigious a r c h i -

" W e all have a n e e d t o d e c o r a t e

[Photo by Lars Nyboell]

Alexander Beleschenko, the

tectural award, t h e Stirling

M o t h e r N a t u r e because it

b r i d g e appears to float; t h e glass

P r i z e â&#x20AC;&#x201D; a first f o r a p u b l i c art

b e l o n g s to all of us," said

seems to dematerialize it and

p r o j e c t . [Photo courtesy Franz

Evaristti, w h o s e Line of Fame

r e n d e r it weighdess. A c c o r d i n g

Mayer of Munich]

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

all. Winter. 04

NEWS BRIEFS

g r o u p of craftsmen w h o spent

Also f r o m T a i w a n , t h e s e c o n d

t h e i r military service in K i n m e n

TAIPEI CITY PUBLIC ART FESTIVAL is

years b e f o r e , n o t o n l y d o e s

u n d e r w a y in t h e city's oldest

Dragon i n t e g r a t e t h e f o r m e r w a r

q u a r t e r . T h e curatorial c o n c e p t

z o n e i n t o its natural e n v i r o n -

was d e r i v e d f r o m t h e n a m e of

m e n t b u t W a n g p u r i f i e s t h e site,

t h e d i s t r i c t — I ) a t o n g (literally,

p r o v i d i n g a Z e n - l i k e shelter for

" T h e Great Togetherness")—

m e d i t a t i o n and clarity. " T h e

w h i c h refers t o t h e u l t i m a t e

inspirations o f m y w o r k lie in

ideal o f traditional C o n f u c i a n

t h e o p p o s i n g yet f u s i n g r e l a t i o n -

philosophy, a Utopian state of

ships b e t w e e n individual, n a t u r e ,

affairs c h a r a c t e r i z e d by civility,

and c o m m u n i t i e s , and t h e

r e v e r e n c e for nature, a n d

longing for c o m m u n i o n and

h a r m o n i o u s h u m a n relations.

primitivism derived from

S t a r t i n g in O c t o b e r , a c o l o n i a l -

meditation. Often working with

era p o l i c e station will b e

natural materials such as rattan,

completely transformed—inside

b a m b o o , and w o o d , m y w o r k

a n d o u t — t h r o u g h t h e use o f art

searches for h a r m o n y after

installations. N u m e r o u s p u b l i c

c a t a s t r o p h e o r massive d e s t r u c -

art events will c o n t i n u e t h r o u g h

tion." [Photo courtesy BMoCA]

May, 2 0 0 5 , i n v o l v i n g m o r e t h a n 30 artists j o i n i n g w i t h

T h e b i g p u b l i c art story o f 2 0 0 4

t h r o u g h o u t the park. According

was t h e u n v e i l i n g o f C h i c a g o ' s

to Christo, " L u m i n o u s moving

$ 4 7 5 million MILLENNIUM PARK, a

f a b r i c will u n d e r l i n e t h e o r g a n i c

sparkling n e w p u b l i c space

design of t h e park, w h i l e

created on top of t w e n t y - t w o

r e c t a n g u l a r poles will b e a

acres o f u n d e r g r o u n d p a r k i n g .

r e m i n d e r of t h e g e o m e t r i c g r i d

Highlights include Juane

p a t t e r n o f t h e city blocks

Plensa's CROWN FOUNTAIN w i t h

a r o u n d t h e park."

g i a n t v i d e o portraits o f C h i c a g o residents spitting w a t e r like gargoyles every five m i n u t e s ,

A n e w exhibition of eighteen

Anish K a p o o r ' s silvery CLOUD

c o n t e m p o r a r y p u b l i c art p r o j -

GATE (referred t o as " t h e b e a n " ) ,

ects o n KINMEN ISLAND in Taiwan

a n d F r a n k G e h r y ' s impressive

opened September 1 1 and c o n -

P r i t z k e r Pavilion and s i n e w y

tinues t h r o u g h J a n u a r y 10,

f o o t b r i d g e . [Photo of grand open-

2 0 0 5 . C u r a t e d by artist C a i

ing event by Peter J. Schulz, courtesy

G u o - Q i a n g , k n o w n for his

the City of Chicago]

massive, explosive, p y r o t e c h n i c events, t h e installations c o m p r i s e the Bunker M u s e u m of C o n -

T h e big news story of 2 0 0 5 — a t

temporary Art ( B M o C A ) ,

least in t e r m s o f scale—is likely

utilizing t h e a b a n d o n e d military

t o b e C h r i s t o and J e a n n e -

b u n k e r s o n K i n m e n Island.

Claude's GATES PROJECT FOR

Wang Wen-Chili's contribution,

CENTRAL PARK in N Y C , s c h e d u l e d ,

DRAGON, e x t e n d s a b u n k e r by

w e a t h e r p e r m i t t i n g , to u n f u r l

b u i l d i n g a b a m b o o and rattan

F e b r u a r y 12 and r e m a i n o n

artillery s h e l l - s h a p e d t o w e r w i t h

v i e w f o r sixteen days. W i t h t h e

a network of hand-woven

h e l p of 7 0 0 unskilled w o r k e r s ,

s e r p e n t i n e t u n n e l s that sprawl

7,500 saffron-colored curtains

on the g r o u n d around the

s u s p e n d e d f r o m steel f r a m e s will

b u n k e r , i n v i t i n g e x p l o r a t i o n and

b e installed o v e r t h e p a t h w a y s

o f f e r i n g privacy. W o r k i n g w i t h a

P u b l i c A r t R e v i e w . Fall. Winter.04

NEWS

BRIEFS

c o m m u n i t y residents. A d d i -

O n July 16, 2 0 0 4 , AMERICANS FOR

U n i t e d States g o v e r n m e n t ' s

T h e p e r f o r m a n c e has b e e n

tional w o r k s will b e placed

THE ARTS presented t h e s e c o n d

c o m p l e x political relations w i t h

a d a p t e d f o r television, a n d an

a r o u n d t h e city, in an historic

annual Public A r t N e t w o r k

t h e M i d d l e East f r o m t h e e n d o f

e i g h t - p a r t series o f v i d e o s is

district, in a park situated in a

( P A N ) Award to J e n n y H o l z e r .

World War II t o t h e present, t h e

b e i n g d e v e l o p e d f o r use in schools.

w a s t e w a t e r t r e a t m e n t facility,

T h e P A N Award was created t o

U n i t e d States' c u r r e n t " w a r " o n

and a l o n g t h e D a n s h u i River,

recognize and h o n o r innovative

t e r r o r i s m , t h e c o n s e q u e n c e s of

t h e m o t h e r o f T a i p e i City. In

and creative c o n t r i b u t i o n s and

9 / 1 1 and e n s u i n g d e b a t e , t h e

April 2 0 0 5 , T a i p e i C i t y will

c o m m i t m e n t in t h e field of

t h e o r y and practice o f intelli-

T h e ST. 10UIS PUBLIC ART CONSORTIUM

host at) i n t e r n a t i o n a l s e m i n a r

p u b l i c art. Holzer's w o r k has

g e n c e and c o u n t e r - i n t e l l i g e n c e ,

has p u b l i s h e d a public art

e x p l o r i n g t h e possibilities for

b e e n s h o w n w o r l d w i d e in

and t h e p r o b l e m of a c h i e v i n g a

c u r r i c u l u m for use by teachers in

mutual interaction a m o n g p u b -

institutions such as t h e Venice

j u s t and w o r k a b l e b a l a n c e

t h e St. Louis area. T h e p r o j e c t

lic art, u r b a n d e v e l o p m e n t , cul-

Biennale, the Institute o f

b e t w e e n secrecy a n d t r a n s -

was a result o f collaboration

tural assets, and c o m m u n i t y

C o n t e m p o r a r y Art L o n d o n , and

parency. [Photo of Holzer's project

a m o n g ten arts organizations.

i m a g e - b u i l d i n g . T h e seminar

t h e C e n t r e P o m p i d o u in Paris.

for Schiphol Airport, Amsterdam,

Local art e d u c a t i o n specialists

will b e held at t h e B a o a n T e m -

H e r m o s t r e c e n t w o r k , Truth

courtesy the Archives, Sunrise Sys-

Barbara D e c k e r a n d J a n e

tems, Inc.]

ple, r e c i p i e n t o f U N E S C O ' s

Before Power, was displayed at t h e

Asia-Pacific H e r i t a g e Award for

K u n s t h a u s Bregenz in Austria.

Culture Heritage Conservation.

That exhibition explored the

Birdsall-Lander d e v e l o p e d t h e content. T h e curriculum includes slides, maps, posters,

F r o m April 2 8 t o M a y 2, 2 0 0 4 ,

t e a c h i n g suggestions, a n d

over 3 0 0 artists, activists, and

information about twenty art-

y o u t h f r o m across C a n a d a and

w o r k s in t h e St. Louis

a r o u n d t h e w o r l d g a t h e r e d in

m e t r o p o l i t a n area. T e a c h i n g

Vancouver, B.C., t o p a r t i c i p a t e

suggestions are w r i t t e n for

in THE EARTH SYMPOSIUM: BREAKING

m i d d l e school students a n d can

N E W GROUND, a c o n f e r e n c e o r g a n -

b e a d a p t e d f o r use w i t h

ized by D a n c e A r t s V a n c o u v e r ,

elementary, high s c h o o l , and

now renamed Judith Marcuse

adult students. Suggestions are

Projects. T h i s U N E S C O - d e s i g -

addressed t o several c o n t e n t

n a t e d event, p r o d u c e d in collab-

areas: social studies, language arts,

o r a t i o n w i t h S i m o n Fraser

science/math/technology, per-

University, e x p l o r e d h o w t h e

f o r m i n g arts, a n d visual arts. T h e

arts are b e i n g used in c o m m u n i -

c u r r i c u l u m is available o n l i n e at

ties a r o u n d t h e w o r l d as tools for

w w . c i . clay t o n . m o . u s / m a i n /

social c h a n g e , particularly i n

publicart.asp.

work with youth. Ninety-three w o r k s h o p s w e r e p r e s e n t e d by artists and activists r e p r e s e n t i n g

T h e N E W ENGLAND FOUNDATION FOR

t w e n t y - o n e c o u n t r i e s . The

THE ARTS ( N E F A ) has a w a r d e d

EARTH

$ 5 0 , 0 0 0 g r a n t s t o artists M a u r a

Project is o n g o i n g . For

m o r e i n f o r m a t i o n , visit

Bordes Cronin of N e w B e d -

www.earthproject.ca.

ford, Mass., a n d M a r k D a n n e n -

A n o t h e r p r o j e c t by J u d i t h M a r cuse Projects was FIRE . . . W H E R E THERE'S SMOKE, a p e r f o r m a n c e that p r e m i e r e d in 2 0 0 1 in V a n c o u ver's S c o t i a b a n k D a n c e C e n t r e and that was revived in 2 0 0 3 .

Two touring companies presented seventy-four p e r f o r m ances t o o v e r 2 0 , 0 0 0 p e o p l e . T h e p r o d u c t i o n used v i d e o , music, m o v e m e n t , and d i a l o g u e t o e x p l o r e t h e role o f v i o l e n c e among contemporary youth.

h a u e r o f Shitesbury, Mass., t o create site-specific a r t w o r k s in 2 0 0 4 - 0 5 . T h e awards are p a r t o f NEFA's Art and C o m m u n i t y Landscapes p r o g r a m , n o w in its s e c o n d cycle o f f u n d i n g . T h i s artist r e s i d e n c y p r o g r a m is a partnership a m o n g N E F A , the N a t i o n a l Park S e r v i c e ( N P S ) , and the National E n d o w m e n t f o r t h e Arts. P r o j e c t sites are identified t h r o u g h the N P S R i v e r s a n d Trails C o n s e r v a t i o n

P u b l i c A r t R e v i e w . Fall. Winter.04

NEWS

BRIEFS

DECORDOVA MUSEUM AND SCULPTURE

Assistance p r o g r a m , a n d selected artists w o r k closely

PARK in L i n c o l n , Mass., o p e n e d a

w i t h N P S staff, c o m m u n i t y

n e w V i s i t o r Station this s u m m e r

p a r t n e r s , a n d local citizens to

o n their 3 5 - a c r e c a m p u s . T h e

i m p l e m e n t p r o j e c t s that inspire

station, a s i x t y - f o o t crescent

c o m m u n i t y i n v o l v e m e n t in

s h e a t h e d in a l u m i n u m , features

p r o t e c t i n g and e n h a n c i n g

a glass i n t e r i o r space for an

rivers, trails, a n d g r e e n w a y s .

a t t e n d a n t , a n d constitutes an e n t r y pavilion that is part a r c h i tecture, part sculpture, part

T h e largest c o m m u n i t y arts

i n f r a s t r u c t u r e . It was d e s i g n e d

d e v e l o p m e n t in E u r o p e ,

by a r t i s t / a r c h i t e c t W e l l i n g t o n

d e s i g n e d by A l s o p Architects for

R e i t e r of N e w t o n - b a s e d U r b a n

t h e arts o r g a n i z a t i o n THE PUBLIC,

I n s t r u m e n t s , Inc.

will o p e n in West B r o m w i c h , E n g l a n d , in W i n t e r 2 0 0 5 . T h e a l u m i n u m - c l a d b u i l d i n g will have 9 , 0 0 0 square m e t e r s o f floor space spread over f o u r stories. It will h o u s e space f o r f a m i l y w o r k s h o p s , digital art projects, l i f e - l o n g l e a r n i n g classes, small-scale p u b l i s h i n g ventures, c o m m u n i t y w e b c a s t ing, c o n c e r t s , films, parties, a n d m e e t i n g s . T h e r e will also b e a cafe, restaurants, shops, c o n f e r e n c e facilities, a n d o f f i c e space f o r e m e r g i n g local b u s i nesses. T h e Public was f o u n d e d in 1974 by Sylvia K i n g . It has received £ 4 0 m i l l i o n t h r o u g h a partnership with the G o v e r n m e n t O f f i c e for t h e West M i d lands t h r o u g h t h e E u r o p e a n Regional Development Fund, S a n d w e l l C o u n c i l , Arts C o u n c i l

Unifying

Gift from the Cabinet of

OBITUARY

o n Global Peace D a y in t h e

for M u t u a l U n d e r s t a n d i n g and

m a i n gallery lobby of t h e G e n -

its fiscal agent, t h e U r b a n A r t s

eral Assembly. Finally, a global

Artist VIOLA FREY died July 26,

Institute at Mass C o l l e g e o f A r t ,

e x c h a n g e will e n a b l e p e o p l e

2 0 0 4 at t h e age of 70. Frey was

t h e artists e n g a g e d in an

around the world to respond to

k n o w n for h e r m o n u m e n t a l ,

e x c h a n g e w i t h artists of t h e

these events electronically. F o r

intensely c o l o r e d c e r a m i c s c u l p -

R e p u b l i c of M a c e d o n i a . B e g i n -

m o r e i n f o r m a t i o n o n t h e events,

tures. H e r w o r k is r e p r e s e n t e d

visit w w w . r i c h a r d k a m l e r . o r g .

in n u m e r o u s public collections,

n i n g in 2 0 0 3 , in S k o p j e and t h e

including the Hirshborn

lake t o w n o f O h r i d , t h e g r o u p

M u s e u m and Sculpture Garden,

e n g a g e d in art actions and p u b lic i n t e r v e n t i o n s in t h e spirit o f

T w o of t h e recipients o f

dada and fluxus, o v e r c o m i n g

2 0 0 3 / 2 0 0 4 FLINTRIDGE FOUNDATION

l a n g u a g e and cultural b a r r i e r s in

awards are C a l i f o r n i a artists w i t h

p u r s u i t o f n e w art practices.

a h i s t o r y of i n v o l v e m e n t in

A m o n g t h e m a n y records o f t h e

p u b l i c art. Carl C h e n g o f Los

e x c u r s i o n is U.S. artist J a n

Angeles and Lewis d e S o t o of

Gilbert's p h o t o g r a p h ,

San Francisco each received

Shadow

Portrait in River Dream, of

u n r e s t r i c t e d grants of $ 2 5 , 0 0 0 .

the American-Macedonian

C h e n g ' s sculptural installations

participants (above). F o r m o r e

a n d public art projects c o m b i n e

i n f o r m a t i o n , visit

t e c h n o l o g y w i t h natural ele-

www.space2.org.

England through the National

m e n t s , such as sand o r water. His n u m e r o u s public c o m m i s s i o n s

Lottery, N e w D e a l for C o m -

i n c l u d e a Los Angeles M T A

m u n i t i e s F u n d , and A d v a n t a g e

t h e Los A n g e l e s C o u n t y M u s e u m o f A r t , and t h e M e t r o politan M u s e u m of A r t . A n e x h i b i t i o n of h e r w o r k will b e g i n at t h e Frist C e n t e r f o r t h e Visual Arts in N a s h v i l l e , T e n n . , in 2 0 0 5 , and c o n t i n u e t o t h e Louise Wells C a m e r o n A r t M u s e u m in W i l m i n g t o n , N . C . , and N a n c y H o f f m a n Gallery in N e w York. Frey j o i n e d t h e faculty o f the C a l i f o r n i a C o l l e g e o f t h e Arts in 1965 a n d was a w a r d e d t h e status of professor e m e r i t u s in 1999. In 2 0 0 3 t h e

C o n c e i v e d by artist R i c h a r d

station, a p r o j e c t for N e w York

K a m l e r , SEEKING PEACE is a c o l l a b -

City's Pier 11, and a p h o t o m u r a l

o r a t i o n b e t w e e n artists a n d t h e

at H o u s t o n ' s H o b b y A i r p o r t .

U n i t e d N a t i o n s that will have

DeSoto's work incorporates

f o u r manifestations. O n t h e

technology—recorded sound,

night before the General Assem-

lighting, m o t o r s , v i d e o — a s well

bly c o n v e n e s in S e p t e m b e r ,

as s y m b o l i c objects and text. His

2 0 0 5 , a c h a n t f o r p e a c e will take

public art projects i n c l u d e t h e

place in t h e U n i t e d N a t i o n s

floor design for t h e i n t e r n a t i o n a l

Plaza. W h e n t h e G e n e r a l A s s e m -

t e r m i n a l at San Francisco I n t e r -

bly c o n v e n e s , t h e Peace Bell will

national A i r p o r t and a s u s p e n d e d

associate director of t h e Lighting

b e s t r u c k , a n d as t h e delegates

a l u m i n u m labyrinth for the

R e s e a r c h C e n t e r at Rensselaer

SPACE2, a collaborative t e a m o f

e n t e r t h e Assembly, each will b e

e n t r a n c e t o t h e University of

Polytechnic Institute in Troy,

artists d e d i c a t e d to cultural b o r -

a c c o m p a n i e d by an artist f r o m

Texas at San A n t o n i o .

N.Y., t h e world's largest c e n t e r

d e r crossings, initiated The

his o r h e r c o u n t r y . An e x h i b i t i o n

West M i d l a n d s . T h e n e w b u i l d i n g will p r o v i d e t h e f o c u s for a £ 3 5 0 - m i l l i o n regeneration of 54

f e a t u r i n g t h o s e artists will o p e n

Dr. Paftal. S p o n s o r e d by t h e Trust

t h e t o w n , already u n d e r way, i n c l u d i n g a n e w sports a c a d e m y a t t a c h e d t o t h e West B r o m w i c h Football C l u b , s h o p p i n g c e n t e r , c o m m u n i t y health center, library, a n d t r a n s p o r t a t i o n links.

college established t h e Viola Frey C h a i r in F i n e Arts.

Correction Russell P. Leslie's The Public Face of Light Art

{PAR

# 3 0 ) mistakenly o m i t t e d the author's bio: Russell P. Leslie is professor of architecutre and

for multidisciplinary research and e d u c a t i o n in lighting.

P u b l i c A r t R e v i e w . Fall. Winter.04

Evolving

REPORT

INDIGENOUS JAPAN Elizabeth N o r m a n • • •

Sokichi Sugimura is o n e of the most senior figures in public art

of O m o t e s a n o Avenue, w h i c h runs

in Japan. President of the Public Art F o r u m , f o u n d e d in 1994,

b e t w e e n the two railway stations.

he has p r o m o t e d public art study and research, through publi-

E n d i n g at t h e historic feature o f

cations and an annual public art s y m p o s i u m . M o r e recently,

the area, the Meiji Shrine, the tour

Mr. Sugimura has increasingly devoted his energies to the p r o -

will take in c o m m u n i t y shrines

m o t i o n of a public art specific to Japan, c o n c e r n e d with objects

and back streets d a t i n g f r o m t h e

that are traditional and historical, such as torii gates and j i z o

E d o Period, prefaced by a seminar, including presentations f r o m

statues."Thus, a m a j o r project for the F o r u m has been to raise

M o r i Developers explaining plans for the n e w development.

awareness a n d a p p r e c i a t i o n of o b j e c t s w i t h an i n d i g e n o u s m e a n i n g and significance.

T h e i n t e n t i o n o f t h e s e t o u r s is t o f o s t e r discussion

and

e x c h a n g e — M r . S u g i m u r a is always pleased t o have foreigners To this end, the Public Art F o r u m has organised many tours of

amongst the participants. W h a t these Public Art F o r u m events

various communities. T h e first location was Yokohama, held in

are trying to accomplish is o f e n o r m o u s significance f o r public

N o v e m b e r , 2 0 0 2 . In S e p t e m b e r 2003, t h e Tama R i v e r near

art in Japan. Large cities t h r o u g h o u t Japan are full o f public art

Komae, Tokyo was explored, leading participants to shrines, a

that is very Western in appearance and m e a n i n g . M r . S u g i m u r a

temple, a p o n d , and objects in the area, and m e e t i n g with a local

has seen a n e e d to establish c o n f i d e n c e in a public art that is

sake brewer. Most recently, artifacts and heritage were explored

n o t an i m p o r t e d art, b u t o n e w h i c h draws f r o m t h e social f a b -

o n a tour of Futtsu o n the Boso Peninsula, including a visit to

ric and consciousness o f t h e c o m m u n i t y . H i t h e r t o , J a p a n has

the h o m e , shop, and factory of a small-scale soy sauce producer

seemed n o t to have taken a strong e n o u g h a c c o u n t o f its o w n

c o n t i n u i n g to follow a traditional m e t h o d of manufacture.

cultural reading of w h a t is public and w h a t is art. If M r . S u g -

Later this year, a tour is being prepared of an area that is on the threshold of m a j o r development, on a scale large even for Japan.

imura can achieve this, h e may initiate n e w t h i n k i n g a b o u t public art in Japan.

T h e new Harajuku-Omotesando commercial development, w h e r e the F o r u m has its h o m e , will spread out from either side

Elizabeth N o r m a n is a g r a d u a t e s t u d e n t at t h e University of Leeds, England.

Photos of Sokichi Sugimura, and t o u r of shrine, c o u r t e s y Public A r t F o r u m

P u b l i c A r t R e v i e w . Fall.Winter.04

CONFERENCE

REPORT

NATIONAL CONFERENCE ON MURAL ART Robin Rice

• • • As p r a c t i c e d i n t h e U n i t e d States, o u t d o o r m u r a l p a i n t i n g , o r " m u r a l -

M u r a l - m a k i n g was t h e t e c h -

i s m " as it is n o w o f t e n c a l l e d , has e m b o d i e d a d y n a m i c i n t e r a c t i o n

nical track. S u e H e c k r o t t e , a

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

program officer of the Inde-

o t h e r art f o r m . A l t h o u g h the West Coast and C h i c a g o w e r e p r i m a r y

p e n d e n c e F o u n d a t i o n , led a

l o c a t i o n s o f t h e late t w e n t i e t h - c e n t u r y m u r a l m o v e m e n t , i n t h e last

panel on fundraising, while

t w e n t y years P h i l a d e l p h i a ' s M u r a l A r t s P r o g r a m ( M A P ) , led by J a n e

muralist D o n a l d G e n s l e r led

G o l d e n , has b e e n e x t r a o r d i n a r i l y p r o d u c t i v e . W i t h m o r e t h a n 2 , 3 0 0

o n e on "Messages

m u r a l s , Philly has a s t r o n g c l a i m t o b e t h e m u r a l capital o f t h e w o r l d .

Murals," w h i c h focused on

through

balancing community

and

T h e r e c e n t N a t i o n a l C o n f e r e n c e o n M u r a l A r t h o s t e d by M A P u n d e r -

f u n d e r needs. T h e c o m p o s i -

l i n e d t h e c u r r e n t t r a n s i t i o n a l state o f m u r a l p a i n t i n g . It is still possible

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

t o l o o k b a c k w i t h s o m e clarity t o t h e i n t e n s e l y political, grassroots,

the differing agendas

o f t e n m a v e r i c k murals of the 1970s w h i l e r e c o g n i z i n g that today

typically u n i t e t o p r o d u c e a

m u r a l s are largely a t o o l o f s t r u c t u r e d c h a n g e w i t h i n t h e established

mural: David

political a n d social u r b a n f a b r i c .

prolific Philadelphia muralist;

M u r a l historian J i m P r i g o f f i n i t i a t e d the substantive part of the c o n f e r e n c e w i t h a h i s t o r i c o v e r v i e w o f m u r a l s in t h e U n i t e d States. W e a v i n g t o g e t h e r d i f f e r i n g styles, a g e n d a s , a n d l o c a t i o n s , P r i g o f f d o c u m e n t e d links b e t w e e n graffiti a n d legal m u r a l s as well as h y b r i d s p r o d u c e d in

that

Jim Prigoff and Bill Rolston at t h e National C o n f e r e n c e on Mural Art. Photo

by Brian Campbell

McShane, a

representatives from t h e Philadelphia D e p a r t m e n t o f Public H e a l t h ; a n d the R e v e r e n d M a r t i n W r i g h t of Philadelphia's 46th Street Baptist C h u r c h . All s e e m e d t o a g r e e t h a t t h e c o m m u n i t y m u s t b e c o n s u l t e d b e f o r e an artist is hired a n d t h e n again b e f o r e a design is approved.

c o m m u n i t i e s t h a t e m b r a c e g r a f f i t i e l e m e n t s ( M A P in P h i l a d e l p h i a

O n t h e t e c h n i c a l s i d e . J o n P o u n d s , o f C h i c a g o P u b l i c A r t G r o u p , led a

d o e s n o t m a k e this t y p e o f m u r a l ) . P r i g o f f illustrated c r o s s - p o l l i n a t i o n

p a n e l o f muralists w h o use c e m e n t s c u l p t u r e , m o s a i c , w o o d , a n d m o r e

b e t w e e n billboards and m u r a l s — b o t h c o m m u n i t y murals and those

t o take m u r a l s b e y o n d walls. M e g Saligman's s h o r t c o u r s e in p a i n t i n g

c o m m i s s i o n e d b y c o m m e r c i a l e n t i t i e s . H e s h o w e d several

recent

o n p a r a c h u t e c l o t h gave p a r t i c i p a n t s a c h a n c e t o w o r k o n a real m u r a l .

m u r a l s t h a t m o v e b e y o n d t h e wall i n t o n o n r e c t i l i n e a r s i l h o u e t t e s a n d

J u d y B a c a , in a w o r k s h o p o n r e s t o r a t i o n a n d c o n s e r v a t i o n , p o i n t e d o u t

three-dimensional projections.

a " d a n g e r w i t h i n the preservation m o v e m e n t . " A c c o r d i n g to Baca,

R e c o u n t i n g colorful and amusing anecdotes of her interactions with y o u n g wall w r i t e r s , J a n e G o l d e n s p o k e p a s s i o n a t e l y a b o u t P h i l a d e l phia's p r o g r a m s f o r y o u t h , m u r a l s that f o s t e r h o p e in i n n e r - c i t y n e i g h -

" S o m e t i m e s insisting o n c o n s e r v a t i o n is w r o n g - h e a d e d " b e c a u s e it is so e x p e n s i v e . M o r e m u r a l s m i g h t b e saved w i t h r e p a i n t i n g r a t h e r t h a n museum-quality conservation.

b o r h o o d s , a n d a b o u t M A P ' s r e c e n t initiative i n v o l v i n g a d u l t p r i s o n e r s

In g e n e r a l , c o n t r o v e r s y w a s m i n i m a l . T h e w o r k s h o p "Is It A r t ? " (in

a n d c r i m e v i c t i m s . H e r b e l i e f , s h a r e d b y m a n y , t h a t " m u r a l s save lives"

w h i c h I p a r t i c i p a t e d ) p r o v o k e d active discussion, largely in r e s p o n s e t o

a n d t h e c h a r a c t e r i z a t i o n o f m u r a l s as a t o o l f o r social c h a n g e d i s t i n -

Philadelphia

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

t h e " h e g e m o n i s t i c d o m i n a n c e " o f pretty, m e s s a g e - b a s e d m u r a l s . S h e

t e c h n i c a l aspects o f m u r a l - m a k i n g .

likened Philadelphia murals to those she e n c o u n t e r e d w h e n w o r k i n g

Inquirer a r c h i t e c t u r e critic Inga S a f f r o n , w h o

questioned

as a j o u r n a l i s t in R u s s i a . " T o b e art, it m u s t c o n t a i n a frisson o f d i s c o m Practical a p p r o a c h e s to raising m o n e y and b u i l d i n g

cooperation

a m o n g g o v e r n m e n t , religious, e d u c a t i o n a l , a n d g r a n t i n g a g e n c i e s w e r e l e a d i n g t h e m e s . B r e a k - o u t sessions w e r e o r g a n i z e d a r o u n d several

f o r t o r n e w n e s s . [Philadelphia's] m u r a l s in p o o r n e i g h b o r h o o d s are a p o o r e x c u s e f o r w h a t s h o u l d b e d o n e in i m p r o v i n g s c h o o l s a n d b u i l d i n g p l a y g r o u n d s . " S h e n o t e d a d i s h e a r t e n i n g lack o f h u m o r in murals.

tracks: a d m i n i s t r a t i o n , c o m m u n i t y e n g a g e m e n t , and art e d u c a t i o n .

T h r o u g h o u t t h e c o n f e r e n c e , Philadelphia's " o u t d o o r m u s e u m " w a s o n Donald Gensler, Jane Golden, and University of Pennsylvania students, Seeds of the Future, 2003. Photo by by Jack Ramsdale

display. W a l k i n g a n d b u s t o u r s i n c l u d e d l o c a t i o n s in w h i c h m u r a l s are b u t o n e aspect o f an a m b i t i o u s art p r o g r a m . T h i s increasingly p o p u l a r a p p r o a c h d r a w s u p o n m u l t i p l e resources, b o t h artistic a n d f i n a n c i a l . For example, the McKinley Elementary School project, the subject of a p l e n a r y p r e s e n t a t i o n , i n c l u d e s interactive e d u c a t i o n a l s c u l p t u r e by J e n n i e S h a n k e r , l a n d s c a p i n g by t h e P h i l a d e l p h i a H o r t i c u l t u r e Society, a n d Shira Walinsky's m u r a l s w i t h c h a l k b o a r d areas a n d flip cards. S o m e o f t h e f u n d r a i s i n g w a s d o n e by t h e P h i l a d e l p h i a Eagles ( f o o t b a l l t e a m )

56

Youth Partnership.

I n a p r e s e n t a t i o n t h a t d i s t i n g u i s h e d itself f r o m t h e u p b e a t t o n e o f m o s t , Bill R o l s t o n , o f t h e U n i v e r s i t y o f Ulster, s p o k e o n m u r a l s in N o r t h I r e land. O f t e n m a d e by p a r a m i l i t a r y p e o p l e in a small, v i o l e n t c o u n t r y s e g r e g a t e d by r e l i g i o n , t h e s e walls w e r e m o s t l y " a n e x p r e s s i o n o f hate."

Said R o l s t o n , " S o m e p e o p l e w o u l d say t h e surest sign o f h e a l i n g in o u r c o m m u n i t y w o u l d b e n o m o r e murals." F e w o f t h e m u r a l s R o l s t o n s h o w e d r e m a i n t o d a y a n d f e w n e w o n e s are p a i n t e d . N e v e r t h e l e s s , t h e Irish m u r a l s w e r e indelible. C a n m u r a l s s p o n s o r e d by g o v e r n m e n t a n d c h a r i t a b l e a g e n c i e s , e m b o d y i n g messages suitable f o r small c h i l d r e n , m a t c h t h e m in visual a n d c o n c e p t u a l p o w e r ?

P u b l i c A r t R e v i e w . Fall.Winter.04

CONFERENCE

REPORT

O n t h e last e v e n i n g o f t h e t h r e e - a n d - a - h a l f - d a y e v e n t , t h e k e y n o t e s p e a k e r was J u d y Baca, f o u n d e r o f t h e Social a n d P u b l i c A r t R e s o u r c e C e n t e r ( S P A R C ) , w h o is b e s t - k n o w n f o r The Great Wall of Los

Angeles:

A Site of Public Memory, p a i n t e d by h u n d r e d s o f p e o p l e . Baca d e s c r i b e d m u r a l s as "little b e a c o n s o f light in a sea o f g r e a t darkness." S h e s p o k e o f y o u n g p e o p l e s h e h a d m e n t o r e d a n d o f h e r c u r r e n t p r o j e c t , The World Wall: A Vision of the Future Without

Fear. T h e large panels o n c a n -

vas are t o u r i n g t h e w o r l d . In e a c h c o u n t r y , a n e w p i e c e is a d d e d . Baca also d e s c r i b e d t h e I n t e r n e t as a way o f s h a r i n g m u r a l s a n d c r e a t i n g v i r tually universal trends.

M u r a l s are p e r h a p s t h e m o s t affordable a n d p o p u l i s t f o r m o f large-scale p u b l i c art. O v e r 2 0 0 p e o p l e , m a n y n e i g h b o r h o o d v o l u n t e e r leaders, p a r t i c i p a t e d i n t h e c o n f e r e n c e . F o r m o s t , its p r i m a r y v a l u e w a s t h e r a n g e o f practical e x e m p l a r s , f r o m f u n d r a i s i n g t o strategies f o r r e s t o r a t i o n . T h e c l o s i n g speaker, D r . G u a d a l u p e R i v e r a M a r i n , d a u g h t e r o f D i e g o Rivera and f o u n d e r of the D i e g o Rivera F o u n d a t i o n , told the g r o u p that h e r father's message was that art "is t h e w a y f o r p e a c e , love, a n d social j u s t i c e . " S h e a d d e d , " P e o p l e ask if I p a i n t . 1 s a y , ' N o . I l e a r n e d politics f r o m m y f a t h e r . ' " T h e c o n f e r e n c e featured speakers f r o m various nations, i n c l u d i n g the Robin Rice, an adjunct assistant professor at t h e University of t h e Arts, is

U K , G e r m a n y , t h e N e t h e r l a n d s , a n d t h e U n i t e d States. A m o n g t h e m

t h e c o - a u t h o r of Philadelphia Murals and the Stories They Tell and w r i t e s a b o u t

was Francesca F e r g u s o n , t h e recently a p p o i n t e d c u r a t o r f o r t h e G e r -

a r t for numerous publications.

m a n P a v i l i o n at this year's A r c h i t e c t u r a l B i e n n i a l in V e n i c e . F e r g u s o n p r o v i d e d an interesting insight i n t o h e r research for t h e f o r t h c o m i n g e x h i b i t i o n , w i t h m a n y e x a m p l e s o f t e m p o r a r y a n d s p e c u l a t i v e artist

URBAN LEGACIES

i n t e r v e n t i o n s in b u i l d i n g s a n d u r b a n spaces. S t e f a n R e t t i c h o f K A R O Architecten highlighted the effects of rapidly declining e m p l o y m e n t

Hannah •

•

Firth •

in t h e heavy industries o n t h e p o p u l a t i o n o f L e i p z i g in t h e late 1990s. T o g e t h e r w i t h o t h e r small, y o u n g a r c h i t e c t u r a l p r a c t i c e s , R e t tich f o r m e d the collective L21, m a p p i n g a b a n d o n e d and u n d e r u s e d spaces a n d b u i l d i n g s in t h e area a n d , t h r o u g h a n u m b e r o f i n f o r m a l activities, r a i s i n g p u b l i c a w a r e n e s s o f t h e city's d e t e r i o r a t i o n .

T h a t arts p r a c t i t i o n e r s c o n t i n u e t o p r o p o s e ideas w i t h t h e p o t e n t i a l to radically reshape a city was best d e m o n s t r a t e d by

Dutchman

J e r o e n v a n W e s t e n , w h o t r a i n e d as a p a i n t e r a n d o r i g i n a l l y p r o d u c e d artists' b o o k s a n d s o u n d s c a p e s b u t n o w w o r k s o n l a r g e - s c a l e l a n d s c a p i n g p r o j e c t s , f u n d a m e n t a l l y e t h i c a l in n a t u r e . ' H e p r o p o s e d t o t h e city of R o t t e r d a m the c o m p l e t e r e m o v a l o f t e n k i l o m e t r e s o f raised u r b a n m o t o r w a y , a f t e r initially h a v i n g b e e n c o m m i s s i o n e d t o r e s o l v e the design of a short section u n d e r the flyover a c c o m m o d a t i n g a rainwater sewer overflow a n d a bus s t a t i o n . T h i s c o m m i s s i o n led h i m t o investigate i n f o r m a l uses o f land sterilised by t h e r o a d a n d

to

develop a master plan for a n e w u r b a n district created by r e m o v i n g Artists c o n t i n u a l l y r e d e f i n e t h e p e r c e p t i o n o f w h a t is u r b a n b y i n j e c t -

t h e e n t i r e s t r e t c h o f m o t o r w a y . R e t a i n i n g as m u c h as p o s s i b l e o f t h e

i n g n e w c u l t u r a l a n d s o c i a l i d e a s . T h e y i n v i g o r a t e t h e p r o c e s s of

g r e e n a n d i n f o r m a l c h a r a c t e r o f t h e o r i g i n a l area, it w o u l d also a l l o w

r e g e n e r a t i o n and energise the search for n e w solutions to u r b a n

for prestigious developments and w o u l d generate sufficient funds

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

t h r o u g h investments to pay f o r a r e o r g a n i s a t i o n o f the

i n c r e a s i n g l y o n t h e revitalisation o f o u r p o s t i n d u s t r i a l cities, a n d t h e

infrastructure. T h e plan was seriously considered by the city and

c r e a t i v e a n d c u l t u r a l i n d u s t r i e s are a m a j o r f o r c e in e c o n o m i c revival.

c h a n g e d h o w t h e area w a s v i e w e d .

N o t s i n c e t h e R e n a i s s a n c e have t h e arts played s u c h a m a j o r r o l e in r e t h i n k i n g a n d r e s h a p i n g o u r u r b a n spaces.

Lively d e b a t e c h a r a c t e r i s e d t h e c o n f e r e n c e . P r o f e s s o r M o o r e ' s dismissal o f g e n u s loci in l a n d s c a p e design

transport

Katherine

practice—as

C B A T T h e Arts & R e g e n e r a t i o n Agency, o n e of the foremost p r o m o t -

restrictive and the cause of bland and u n i m a g i n a t i v e

ers o f this n o t i o n in t h e U n i t e d K i n g d o m , r e c e n t l y o r g a n i s e d t w o p a r -

trasted R u a i r i O ' B r i e n ' s (robarchitects) detailed e x p l o r a t i o n o f a

designs—con-

allel events. O n e was a t w o - d a y c o n f e r e n c e e n t i t l e d U r b a n Legacies.

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

T h e o t h e r was t h e s h o w Ain't

no Love in the Heart of the City, c u r a t e d by

c o n c r e t e slabs f o r t h e p o s t w a r p r e f a b r i c a t e d h o u s i n g still f o u n d

G o r d o n D a l t o n w i t h installations in C B A T s gallery a n d a variety o f

t h r o u g h o u t t h e city. R u b b l e left b e h i n d f o l l o w i n g t h e d e s t r u c t i v e air

n e g l e c t e d u r b a n spaces a r o u n d t h e city o f C a r d i f f , capital o f W a l e s .

raids w a s u s e d as a g g r e g a t e . 2

P u b l i c A r t R e v i e w . Fall.Winter.04

CONFERENCE

REPORT

Lucy Musgrave, codirector of die General Public Agency, described

K O L a b ( K e n d a l l G e e r s ) i n f i l t r a t e d t h e city's leisure activity t h r o u g h

several p u b l i c s e c t o r p r o j e c t s i n areas a f f e c t e d by t h e T h a m e s G a t e w a y

v a r i o u s m e a n s a n d l o c a t i o n s . G e e r s ' s black a n d w h i t e p o s t e r s reversed

i n i t i a t i v e . S h e a n d h e r b u s i n e s s p a r t n e r , artist C l a i r e

t h e w o r d " l i v e " t o c r e a t e t h e w o r d " e v i l " o n v a r i o u s sites e a r m a r k e d

Cumberlidge,

e n c o u r a g e c l i e n t s t o e n g a g e w i t h t h e " a m b i e n t p l a y f u l n e s s " o f sites,

f o r d e m o l i t i o n o r d e v e l o p m e n t . T h e p o s t e r s sat u n c o m f o r t a b l y a l o n g -

t a k i n g t h e i r c u e f r o m s i t u a t i o n i s t s s u c h as G u y - E r n e s t D e b o r d a n d

side c l u b a n d p u b p r o m o t i o n s like s o m e k i n d o f m y s t e r y m o r a l m e s -

J a n G e l . In t h e i r p r o p o s a l s , artists a n d a r c h i t e c t s j o i n f o r c e s t o e n g a g e

sage f o r passers b y — a n d a c o m m e n t 011 w h a t lay b e h i n d t h e b o a r d s .

w i t h c o m m u n i t i e s socially, n o t p u r e l y as d e s i g n e r s o f n e w spaces a n d buildings. T h i s a p p r o a c h f o u n d r e s o n a n c e in an earlier presentation

B o t h t h e t e m p o r a r y p r o j e c t s a n d t h e c o n f e r e n c e l i n k e d artists a n d

b y artist N i l s N o r m a n o n his s t u d y o f t h e a p p a r e n t l y ad h o c t r a n s f o r -

architects in a message that p r o m o t e d creative c o n s u l t a t i o n

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

contrasted

e m p h a s i s e d t h a t t i m e a n d s p a c e s h o u l d b e set aside in t h e p l a n n i n g

consequently

a n d d e v e l o p m e n t stages o f b u i l d i n g s a n d r e g e n e r a t i o n p r o j e c t s t o

a p p r o a c h e s in Britain w h e r e fear o f litigation a n d

involve artists f r o m t h e o u t s e t . T h e value o f this a p p r o a c h

r e s t r i c t i v e s u p e r v i s i o n stifled i m a g i n a t i v e p r o p o s a l s . '

and

was

d e m o n s t r a t e d in e v e r y p r e s e n t a t i o n o r p r o j e c t .

N o r m a n also w a s o n e o f t h e t h i r t e e n artists in Ain't Heart

of the City,

no Love in the

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

Hannah Firth is visual arts curator at Chapter A r t Centre in Cardiff, UK.

a l o n g s i d e t h e d e b a t e at t h e c o n f e r e n c e . T h e s e i n c l u d e d field s t u d i e s , t e m p o r a r y m o n u m e n t s , print and poster projects, and a proposal for a local radio station p r o g r a m m e d by t h e C a r d i f f c o m m u n i t y . S i m o n Pope's w a l l - m o u n t e d

digital print, m e a s u r i n g

a precise

square

m e t r e — t h e d i m e n s i o n u s e d b y d e v e l o p e r s t o sell o f f i c e s p a c e — c a p t u r e d t h e sky a b o v e a n u n d i s c l o s e d l o c a t i o n in C a r d i f f ' s bay d e v e l o p m e n t and b r o u g h t to m i n d h o w Native Americans were d u p e d by n e w c o m e r s t o h a n d o v e r t h e l a n d b e n e a t h t h e i r f e e t in e x c h a n g e f o r t h e vast e x p a n s e a b o v e it. P o p e felt s i m i l a r u n e a s e in r e v e a l i n g w h e r e p o s s i b l e p l o t s o f l a n d lay.

R i c h a r d H i g l e t t ' s p u b l i c l y sited p i e c e — a £ 1 0 0 c a r p e t o f s h i n y p e n n i e s — l a s t e d o n l y as l o n g as it t o o k t h e a r t i s t t o install it a n d h a s b e c o m e t h e s t u f f o f local l e g e n d . A d d r e s s i n g h e a d - o n t h e real v a l u e o f p u b l i c a r t , H i g l e t t ' s p i e c e q u i c k l y f o u n d its w a y t o t h e c h a n g e - f o r t o k e n s c o n v e r t e r at A S D A , w h e r e t h e l o c a l p u b l i c

symbolically

feasted o n the art.

Notes: 1. Breathing in;Time out, a C B A T Westen for Cardiff C o u n t y Council

3. N o r m a n , Nils. An Architecture of

and cosponsored byTesco Stores on

Play: A Survey of London's Adventure

the Lamby Way landfill, has recently

Playgrounds. London: Four Corners.

been completed in the last m o n t h and can be found at Pat Flynn, Untitled (Retail Park), 2003. Included in the Ain't No Love in the Heart of the City exhibition at CBAT Gallery. [Computer-generated image courtesy of CBATThe Arts & Regeneration Agency, UK]

S8

P u b l i c A r t R e v i e w . Fall.Winter.04

2. See www.betonzeitschiene.de.

commissioned project by van

www.breathing-in.org.

BOOK

REVIEW

THE UNBEARABLE LIGHTNESS OF SCULPTURE Mason Kiddle • • •

Colder: Gravity & Grace

t o t h e c o m m a n d s o f w i n d , fans, a n d air c o n d i t i o n i n g . M o b i l e s h a v e

Carmen Gimenez, editor

b e c o m e a staple o f o u r visual l a n d s c a p e , g r a c i n g c o r p o r a t e l o b b i e s ,

N e w York: P h a i d o n P r e s s , 2 0 0 4

enlivening s h o p p i n g mall atriums, a n d overseeing infants' cribs.

S o m e t i m e later, J e a n A r p cleverly l a b e l e d C a l d e r ' s h u g e , e a r t h - b o u n d

266 pages, $75.00 ( h a r d c o v e r )

s c u l p t u r e s "stabiles."

This elegant v o l u m e of coffee-table-book proportions makes a c o n v i n c i n g case t h a t A l e x a n d e r C a l d e r ( 1 8 9 8 - 1 9 7 6 ) w a s n o t o n l y t h e

T h e b o o k also reveals h o w C a l d e r i n s i g h t f u l l y a d d r e s s e d issues a f f e c t -

m o s t p o p u l a r o f t w e n t i e t h - c e n t u r y A m e r i c a n s c u l p t o r s b u t also o n e

i n g p u b l i c a r t . H e c o m p l a i n e d t h a t it w a s t h e a r c h i t e c t w h o d e t e r -

t h e era's m o s t s i g n i f i c a n t . F o r t h o s e a r g u i n g o t h e r w i s e — c i t i n g

the

m i n e d t h e p o s i t i o n i n g o f his m o n u m e n t a l o u t d o o r s c u l p t u r e s . " M y

c o m m e r c i a l i z a t i o n o f his ideas a n d f o r m s , a n d i d e n t i f y i n g m o r e c e r e -

o p i n i o n is n e v e r a s k e d b e f o r e t h e i n t e g r a t i o n o f a s c u l p t u r e i n t o its

bral artists s u c h as D a v i d S m i t h , D o n a l d J u d d , o r R i c h a r d S e r r a as

urban e n v i r o n m e n t . T h e architects build, then they c h o o s e the w o r k

warranting that

a f t e r w a r d s . T h e y w o r k b a c k w a r d s , " c l a i m e d C a l d e r . H e also n o t e d

mantle—the

book

deftly establishes a

context

t h r o u g h text and i m a g e for the i m p o r t a n c e o f Calder's ideas and

France's o n e p e r c e n t law for art for e d u c a t i o n a l buildings, b u t c o m -

w o r k — a n d t h e n p r o v e s it. H a s C a l d e r ' s w o r k b e e n so o v e r p r o d u c e d

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

t h a t t h o s e o u t s i d e o f t h e a r t w o r l d h a v e n o idea o f its s o u r c e ? Yes. ( C a l d e r h i m s e l f c l a i m e d t h a t his i m i t a t o r s n a u s e a t e d h i m . ) D o e s t h a t t a k e a w a y f r o m t h e ideas, t h e s i g n i f i c a n c e , a n d t h e v o l u m i n o u s p r o -

B e a u t i f u l l y p r o d u c e d , Gravity

& Grace f e a t u r e s s i x t y - n i n e c o l o r p h o t o -

g r a p h s o f C a l d e r ' s w o r k , p r o v i d i n g an i n - d e p t h l o o k i n t o t h e versatility o f this a r t i s t - e n g i n e e r . P e r h a p s m o r e r e v e a l i n g are t h e b l a c k - a n d - w h i t e

d u c t i v i t y o f t h e m a n ? T h e b o o k a n s w e r s decisively n o .

i m a g e s o f C a l d e r in his Parisian [ p i c t u r e d ] a n d R o x b u r y , C o n n . , s t u on

dios; l e a n i n g o v e r t h e b a l c o n y at his 1 9 6 4 G u g g e n h e i m r e t r o s p e c t i v e ;

Calder's s c u l p t u r e s — h i s m o b i l e s a n d stabiles, w h i c h r a n g e f r o m

w a l k i n g a m o n g his m o n u m e n t a l stabiles in S a c h e , F r a n c e ; p e r f o r m i n g

diminutive pedestal pieces to architectural w o r k s that r o a m t h r o u g h

his C i r c u s ; a n d p o s i n g w i t h his w i f e , L o u i s e , a n d f a m i l y — a l l t a k e n b y

large t r a c k s o f space. H i s w o r k as a p a i n t e r ; p r i n t m a k e r ; s c e n o g r a p h e r ;

s u c h e m i n e n t p h o t o g r a p h e r s as A n d r e K e r t e s z , M a n R a y , H e r b e r t M a t -

a n d d e s i g n e r o f j e w e l s , toys, r u g s , a n d u t e n s i l s is a c k n o w l e d g e d

ter, U g o M u l a s , a n d G o r d o n Parks. H e r e w e g e t a sense o f C a l d e r t h e

The

elegant, silver-jacketed

publication

focuses exclusively

but

b y - p a s s e d . P a r t artist, p a r t e n g i n e e r , p a r t h u m o r i s t , p a r t f a m i l y m a n ,

m a n — h i s b u l k y f o r m , e x p a n s i v e ways, a n d sense o f h u m o r — a n d h o w

C a l d e r , w h o lived b o t h in t h e U n i t e d Sates a n d F r a n c e , a t t r a c t e d n o t

a y o u n g m a n seamlessly ages i n t o an o l d o n e .

o n l y i n t e l l e c t u a l s t o his ideas a n d m e t h o d s b u t also t h e c o m m o n p e r s o n , l a r g e l y b e c a u s e o f his g r e a t e n t h u s i a s m f o r all o f life a n d t h e e n g a g i n g q u a l i t y o f his w o r k . " S a n d y e n j o y e d l i v i n g 2 4 h o u r s a day.

H e was alert to e v e r y t h i n g h a p p e n i n g a r o u n d h i m , " c o m m e n t e d a r c h i t e c t J o s e p Lluis S e r t . T h e b o o k also h i g h l i g h t s

unanticipated

i n f o r m a t i o n : H i s p a r e n t s w e r e b o t h artists, h e h a d a f r u i t f u l r e l a t i o n s h i p w i t h Picasso, a n d h e w a s d e e p l y i n f l u e n c e d by a 1 9 3 0 visit t o t h e studio of Piet M o n d r i a n . H e t r a n s f o r m e d certain of M o n d r i a n s ' s ideas a n d c o l o r sense i n t o his o w n , c r e a t i n g l a r g e - s c a l e s c u l p t u r e t h a t w o u l d i n t u r n i n f l u e n c e R i c h a r d Serra's artistic p r a c t i c e .

C a r m e n Gimenez, editor of the b o o k and curator of t w e n t i e t h - c e n t u r y art at t h e G u g g e n h e i m M u s e u m i n N e w Y o r k , a l o n g w i t h F r a n c i s c o C a l v o S e r r a l l e r , p r o f e s s o r o f a r t h i s t o r y at t h e

Universidad

C o m p l u t e n s e , M a d r i d , w r o t e t h e b o o k ' s essays. In h e r i n t r o d u c t i o n .

G i m e n e z i m p l i e s t h a t t h e b o o k w a s first p u b l i s h e d in c o n j u n c t i o n w i t h a C a l d e r e x h i b i t i o n t h a t s h e c u r a t e d in S p a i n i n 2 0 0 3 , b u t p r e cisely w h e r e a n d w h e n t h e s h o w o c c u r r e d is n e v e r i d e n t i f i e d in t h e P h a i d o n Press e d i t i o n . H o w e v e r s i g n i f i c a n t , this o m i s s i o n is o v e r s h a d o w e d b y t h e t w o i n f o r m a t i v e essays a n d a t r u l y e n g a g i n g s e c t i o n o f Calder's

writings

and

quotations;

autobiographical

selections;

As c r e a t o r o f t h e " m o b i l e , " so c h r i s t e n e d b y M a r c e l D u c h a m p , C a l d e r

extended interviews; and w r i t i n g about Calder by o t h e r authors such

s i n g l e - h a n d e d l y recast t h e possibilities o f w h a t a s c u l p t u r e c o u l d b e .

as D u c h a m p . S e r t , a n d J e a n - P a u l Sartre. A c h r o n o l o g y , b i b l i o g r a p h y ,

S u s p e n d e d f r o m t h e c e i l i n g , a m o b i l e is released f r o m its c o n f i n i n g

and exhibition history round o u t the b o o k , m a k i n g for a broad but

b a s e — a n d e v e n g r a v i t y — s o t h a t its m u l t i p l e e l e m e n t s b o b a n d d a r t

d e t a i l e d v i e w o f C a l d e r ' s e x p a n s i v e a n d u n o r t h o d o x life.

T h i s is a n i m p o r t a n t b o o k n o t o n l y as a n i n t r o d u c t i o n t o t h e a r t i s t b u t also as a r e f e r e n c e f o r t h e f l o u r i s h i n g p e r s o n a l i t y o f t h e e a r l y t w e n t i e t h - c e n t u r y a r t w o r l d . O n e gets a s e n s e o f C a l d e r ' s a e s t h e t i c t r a j e c t o r y a n d t h e innovative times in F r a n c e a n d the U n i t e d States t h a t p r o p e l l e d h i m as a n artist f r o m t h e late 1 9 2 0 s t h r o u g h t h e 1 9 7 0 s .

G i m e n e z a p p r o p r i a t e d t h e b o o k ' s title f r o m a p o s t h u m o u s l y lished a n t h o l o g y by t h e F r e n c h t h i n k e r S i m o n e Weil, w h o

pubwas

o b s e s s e d b y t h e s e n s e in w h i c h t h e l a w o f g r a v i t y is n e g a t e d d u r i n g a m y s t i c a l " t r a n s p o r t " o r state o f l e v i t a t i o n . W i t h his m o b i l e s , C a l d e r brought

ideas of t r a n s p a r e n c y

and

weightlessness

m e t a p h o r i c a l l y l e v i t a t i n g t h e o b j e c t . Calder: Gravity

to

sculpture,

& Grace b e l o n g s

o n t h e l i b r a r y s h e l f o f a n y o n e w h o is i n t e r e s t e d i n t w e n t i e t h - c e n t u r y art, p a r t i c u l a r l y s c u l p t u r e .

Photo courtesy Phaidon Press Mason Riddle is director of the Goldstein Museum of Design at the University of Minnesota, and former senior program officer for Minnesota's Percent for A r t in Public Places. She writes on art, architecture, and design.

P u b l i c A r t R e v i e w . Fall. Winter. 04

BOOK

REVIEW

URBAN PLURALS C l a i r e Sykes

PLOP: Recent Projects of the Public Art Fund

translucent replica atop a f o r m e r industrial building in S o H o . Martin

Tom Eccles.Anne W e h r , Jeff K a s t n e r

C r e e d ' s Everything

is going to be alright (1999), t h e f o r t y - f o o t - l o n g

F o r e w o r d by Susan K. F r e e d m a n , p r e s i d e n t , Public A r t Fund

n e o n title lit u p in T i m e s Square (postponed by high-level security

L o n d o n and N e w York: Merrell Publishers Limited, 2 0 0 4

until J a n u a r y 4, 2000), spoke t o Y 2 K fears and a city saturated with

2 5 6 pages; $ 4 9 . 9 5 ( p a p e r b a c k )

illuminated signage. Like the s u m m e r - l o n g Lower M a n h a t t a n tours of t h e m u n d a n e , w i t h C h r i s t i n e Hill's Tourguide? (1999), these u r b a n artifact knockoffs blended i n t o daily N e w York life.

T h e n c a m e Puppy (2000). In R o c k e f e l l e r C e n t e r , 7 0 , 0 0 0

flowering

plants t o o k shape in Jeff Koons's f o r t y - t h r e e - f o o t - t a l l West Highland terrier. It shared counter-spectacle space, suggests D a n C a m e r o n , senior c u r a t o r at t h e city's N e w M u s e u m of C o n t e m p o r a r y Art, with Pipilotti Rist's Open

My

Glade

(2000). H e r v i d e o

presentation,

screened f r o m T i m e s Square's N B C Astrovision, "represents. . . the chance," writes C a m e r o n , " t o make a convincing a r g u m e n t that visual art does not take a back seat to any o t h e r f o r m of creative activity today, be it a fashion show, movie premiere, or rock concert."

Certainly, these recently c o m m i s s i o n e d , collaborative projects "have allowed us to change, if temporarily, t h e physical and social e n v i r o n m e n t of N e w York," says PAF president Susan K. Freedman in the book's f o r e w o r d . Let's also h o p e that PLOP

allows people to see in

n e w ways n o t only t h e city of N e w York but their o w n perceptions of w h a t it means to look.

Claire Sykes is a freelance writer in Portland, Oregon. Her articles on the O n sidewalks and rooftops, in plazas and parks, the last thirty years

arts appear in Art on Paper, Glass, and The Wire, among others.

have seen m o r e and m o r e public art in N e w York City, thanks to the N a t i o n a l E n d o w m e n t for the Arts, t h e percent-for-arts p r o g r a m , and the Public Art F u n d ( P A F ) . T h e city's privately f u n d e d , n o t - f o r - p r o f i t

REALITY ART

PAF ( f o u n d e d in 1977 by D o r i s C . Freedman) celebrates artists' c o n tributions in PLOP:

Recent Projects of the Public Art Fund. W i t h 500

full-color images, the b o o k d o c u m e n t s f o r t y - n i n e mostly t e m p o r a r y

Kristen R h o d e s • • •

works f r o m the past decade.

T h e title reclaims t h e d e r o g a t o r y t e r m , c o i n e d by architect James

Conversation Pieces:

W i n e s , for m i d - t w e n t i e t h - c e n t u r y m o d e r n i s t sculpture p l o p p e d d o w n

Community and Communication in Modern Art

in front of c o r p o r a t e and g o v e r n m e n t a l buildings with little regard for

G r a n t H. K e s t e r

its relationship to its i m m e d i a t e surroundings or the public's chagrin.

University of California Press, 2 0 0 4

N o n e of the PAF's m o s t recent projects are site-specific either. N o r

2 5 6 pages; $ 6 5 . 0 0 (hardcover), $ 2 4 . 9 5 (paperback)

are they even N Y C - s p e c i f i c , but they are, as T o m Eccles, director and G r a n t Kester sets o u t to d e f i n e and legitimize t h e "dialogical aes-

curator of the PAF, says in the b o o k , "distinctly urban."

thetic" in his n e w b o o k Conversation Pieces: Community

60

and

Communi-

Serving as p r o d u c e r and w o r k i n g in partnership with established and

cation in Modern Art. H e admits that his o w n t e r m i n o l o g y adds to an

e m e r g i n g artists (many f r o m elsewhere), t h e PAF has integrated p u b -

already c r o w d e d field of t e r m s — " n e w genre public art," "littoral,"

lic art f u r t h e r into the city.Take t h e Williamsburg Bridge's pedestrian

" c o m m u n i t y - b a s e d a r t " — b u t says h e wants to offer " o n e possible

entrance, w h e r e over 11,000 t w e n t y - t w o - k a r a t gold-leaf squares cover

theoretical f r a m e w o r k " for this type of work. H e examines artists such

t h e t h i r t y - f i v e steps in C h r i s Doyle's Commutable

as S u z a n n e Lacy, S t e p h e n Willats, W o c h e n Klauser, and H e l e n and

(1996). In Clara

Williams's The Price (Giving in Gets You Nowhere) (2003), w o o d e n m a r -

N e w t o n Harrison as practitioners of this collaborative, conversational

ionettes p e r f o r m e d a loose e n a c t m e n t of A r t h u r Miller's The Price in

practice. W h i l e giving an impressive and c o m p a c t history of the artis-

third-floor w i n d o w s of a dilapidated building in B r o o k l y n .

tic theories that have evolved into the general view of artists and audi-

W h i l e s o m e works were conspicuous, others appeared to c o m e o u t of n o w h e r e . In M a d i s o n Square Park, spectral faces materialized o n t o tree trunks, nearby buildings, and smoke. R e c o r d e d s o u n d a c c o m p a nied the projections d u r i n g the thirteen-day n o c t u r n a l installation by Tony Oursler, c o - c o m m i s s i o n e d with Artangel of L o n d o n , called The Influence Machine (2000) (pictured above).

ences today, Kester uses s o m e of those very theories in defense of this dialogical a e s t h e t i c — a n d also challenges o t h e r l o n g - h e l d ideals.

T h o u g h he draws parallels b e t w e e n this practice and the traditions of avant-garde and conceptual art, by the end of the b o o k h e asks why o n e should b o t h e r trying to define this type of w o r k as art at all, since the "establishment" often views it with indifference and disdain.

Kester asks m a n y questions and makes s o m e questionable assumpwhen

tions, but the most c o m p e l l i n g ideas deal with differences b e t w e e n

passersby noticed R a c h e l Whiteread's Water Tower (1998), a cast resin

h o w the " a u d i e n c e " was traditionally seen t h r o u g h o u t t h e history of

S u r p r i s e was also e v o k e d by i m i t a t i o n o f t h e o r d i n a r y ,

P u b l i c A r t R e v i e w .Fall.Winter. 04

BOOK

REVIEW

(left) WolchenKlauser, Intervention to Improve the Conduct of Public Debate, 2000, at Institut fur Moderne Kunst, Nurenberg, Germany.

: i f c j

(below) Wochen Klauser, Inervention to Aid Drug-addicted Women, 1994, Zurich, Switzerland. Photos courtesy WochenKlauser K e s t e r s b o o k , w i t h its faults, is a m u c h - n e e d e d d i s c u s s i o n r e g a r d i n g a p r a c t i c e t h a t is t o o o f t e n i g n o r e d . W e n e e d a d i a l o g u e a b o u t

what

c o m m u n i t y art is a n d c o u l d b e — n o t a d e f e n s i v e , i s o l a t i o n i s t a t t i t u d e b u t o n e t h a t involves all sides o f t h e issue. W e n e e d m o r e d i s c u s s i o n s like K e s t e r s t h a t q u e s t i o n t h e t r a d i t i o n a l roles o f artists a n d a u d i e n c e s .

T h e d i a l o g i c a l a e s t h e t i c is a l e g i t i m a t e p r a c t i c e , as K e s t e r s h o w s , b u t

ji

t h e p r o c e s s as well as t h e p r o d u c t n e e d s t o b e c r i t i q u e d . T h e a c a d e m i c a r g u m e n t o f w h e t h e r it is o r isn't a r t b e c o m e s i r r e l e v a n t . W h a t s e e m s m o r e i m p o r t a n t is w h e t h e r t h e artists are p o s i n g t h e r i g h t q u e s t i o n s .

In t h e s e " w i t h us o r against u s " t i m e s , w e n e e d a r t t o s h o w us d i f f e r e n t possibilities o f i n t e r a c t i n g w i t h o n e a n o t h e r , n o t j u s t a p e d e s t a l o n w h i c h t o p l a c e a n d g i v e v o i c e t o v a r i o u s s e g m e n t e d social g r o u p s .

art a n d h o w t h e dialogical artist c o m m u n i c a t e s w i t h t h e v i e w e r ; p r o b l e m s in d e f i n i n g " c o m m u n i t y a r t " ; a n d h o w , w i t h i n t h e c o n t e x t

Kristen Rhodes is a freelance writer who previously contributed t o Public

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

Art Review in the Spring/Summer 2003 issue. She also worked as a commu-

W h e t h e r o n e a g r e e s w i t h his e x a m p l e s o f " s u c c e s s f u l " p r o j e c t s w i t h i n

nity coordinator on Navigating Home (2003), a project led by Suzanne Lacy

t h i s field, t h e q u e s t i o n s r a i s e d b y t h e b o o k a r e s o m e o f t h e m o s t

and curated by Mary Jane Jacob.

i n t r i g u i n g b e i n g a s k e d t o d a y in a n y area o f a r t . K e s t e r is d e f e n s i v e o f t h e sanctity o f this w o r k a n d by t h e e n d of t h e b o o k

questions

w h e t h e r a n y a r t c r i t i c i s m is n e c e s s a r y o r e v e n u s e f u l , a r g u i n g i n s t e a d f o r a n h i s t o r i c a l a c c o u n t i n g o f t h e s e p r o j e c t s . T h i s is w h e r e h e falters.

A d m i t t e d l y , a b e t t e r i n f o r m e d c r i t i c is called for, b u t is t h e r e n o d i a l o g u e allowed w i t h t h e dialogical w o r k ? Kester attempts to c o u n t e r

SWWhW

c r i t i c i s m o f this w o r k by a r t h i s t o r i a n M i w o n K w o n , b u t n o t all t h a t impressively. O n e f i n d s o n e s e l f a g r e e i n g m o r e w i t h K w o n ' s a s s e r t i o n t h a t t h e p r e d i c t a b l e a n d f o r m u l a i c n a t u r e o f t h e s e p r o j e c t s leads t o little e n l i g h t e n m e n t o n e i t h e r side. E v e n K e s t e r a g r e e s t h a t success c a n spoil t h e s e artists as t h e y are w i t h little

first-hand

flown

in t o v a r i o u s c o m m u n i t i e s

k n o w l e d g e o f t h e local issues. I n a 1 9 9 8 s p e e c h

to the A m e r i c a n P h o t o g r a p h y Institute that Kester quotes f r o m , K w o n argued, " T h i s m o d e of identifying c o m m u n i t i e s in advance ot p o t e n t i a l c o l l a b o r a t i o n s has facilitated a n d p o p u l a r i z e d a n e w l y b u r e a u c r a t i z e d a n d f o r m u l a i c v e r s i o n o f c o m m u n i t y - b a s e d art, w h e r e a n artist p l u s a c o m m u n i t y p l u s a social issue e q u a l s p u b l i c art." K w o n a d v o c a t e d instead that artists " i m a g i n e b e y o n d a n d t h r o u g h

the

impossibility of c o m m u n i t y . . . . S u c h an a c k n o w l e d g e m e n t o f b e i n g u n u n i f i e d , t o b e full o f c o n f l i c t a n d c o n t r a d i c t i o n , is t o h a v e e f f e c t i v ity i n r e a l i g n i n g w h a t c o m m u n i t y - b a s e d a r t c a n b e . " W i t h his b o o k , K e s t e r is e f f e c t i v e i n c r e a t i n g a d i a l o g u e a b o u t t h e c e n t r a l p r o b l e m s p o s e d b y this field, b u t n o t i n d e f i n i n g a basis by w h i c h artists a n d p r o j e c t s are " s u c c e s s f u l . " H i s r e q u i r e m e n t o f o p e n -

61

ness a n d s e l f l e s s n e s s — o n t h e p a r t o f t h e artists, c o l l a b o r a t o r s , a n d a u d i e n c e s a l i k e — i s a p i p e d r e a m ( e v e n if a g o o d o n e ) . O n e c a n easily c l a i m t h a t e v e r y o n e is w o r k i n g w i t h p u r e a n d g o o d i n t e n t i o n s , b u t talk is c h e a p . T h e m u l t i t u d e o f v a r i a b l e s i n t h e s e l a r g e - s c a l e p r o j ects—from f u n d i n g to academic/historical/artistic ambitions to the s o m e t i m e s exhibitionist personalities of the " p e r f o r m e r s " — c r e a t e i n e v i t a b l e s e l f - i n t e r e s t . O n e is s i m p l y n a i v e t o t h i n k o t h e r w i s e . T h e result is a c o l l i s i o n o f c u r a t o r s a n d artists w i t h r e p u t a t i o n s o n t h e line, d e m o g r a p h i c a l l y p r e d e t e r m i n e d " c o l l a b o r a t o r s " w i t h t h e i r o w n issues t o sell, a n d a u d i e n c e m e m b e r s w h o s h o w u p w i t h t h e i r o w n biases.

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FROM

THE ARCHIVES

EVERYBODY'S ART Patricia C . Phillips • • •

ACTIVATING CULTURE

Editor's note: In celebration of the new online Public A r t R e v i e w A n t h o l o g y , we arc pleased to offer up an excerpt from one of Patricia Phillips's contributions, published

ten years ago in this journal.

the A n t h o l o g y at iviviv.publicartreview.org,

We encourage you to visit

and share the downloadable

texts

In 1983, S c u l p t u r e C h i c a g o was f o r m e d to b r i n g t h e practice an p r o d u c t i o n o f art n o r m a l l y e n c o u n t e r e d in t h e haven o f t h e m u s e u i o r gallery i n t o t h e streets. T h e o r g a n i z a t i o n b e g a n by s p o n s o r i n

with your friends and associates.

b i e n n i a l j u r i e d e x h i b i t i o n s for e m e r g i n g artists to create t h e i r wor tor p u b l i c v i e w . A s s e m b l e d at a single o u t d o o r s i t e , " P u b l i c V i e w " w. a f o c u s e d , centralized i n i t i a t i v e — n o t so dramatically d i f f e r e n t froi, t h e c o n d i t i o n s o f t h e gallery o r m u s e u m . In t h e late 1980s m o r e rec L o n g - t e r m s u p p o r t f o r t e m p o r a r y a r t m a y s o u n d like an o x y -

o g n i z e d artists i n c l u d i n g V i t o A c c o n c i , J u d i t h S h e a , a n d R i c h a r d

m o r o n , b u t o r g a n i z a t i o n s a r o u n d t h e n a t i o n are e n g a g e d in this

Serra w e r e i n v i t e d t o C h i c a g o t o c r e a t e w o r k s o n t h e E q u i t a b l e

v e r y e n d e a v o r . In C h i c a g o , N e w Y o r k , M i n n e s o t a , a n d

Plaza, a busy c e n t e r - c i t y site. W i t h t h e e x c e p t i o n o f Acconci's Floor

Northern

C a l i f o r n i a , g r o u p s have b e e n p r o v i d i n g a f r a m e w o r k f o r this e s s e n -

Clock (a w r y l o o k at t i m e and space as t h e r o t a t i n g h a n d s of a clock

tial, yet e p h e m e r a l art f o r m .

periodically swept participants o f f t h e plaza b e n c h e s ) , w h i c h was resited at a n o t h e r plaza, all of S c u l p t u r e C h i c a g o ' s s u m m e r projects

T h e m y r i a d o r g a n i z a t i o n s t h a t h a v e e m e r g e d in t h e past t w e n t y

were temporary.

years t o s u p p o r t a n d s t i m u l a t e p u b l i c art g e n e r a l l y fall i n t o t w o c a t egories, b o t h indispensable to each other. T h r o u g h o u t the nation

A d e c a d e after its t h o u g h t f u l , if cautious, b e g i n n i n g s , t h e organization

t h e r e are city, state, a n d f e d e r a l p e r c e n t - f o r - a r t i n i t i a t i v e s w h i c h

radically d e p a r t e d f r o m its p r e v i o u s c o n c e p t i o n a n d p r a c t i c e of

d e s i g n a t e a p a r t o f a c o n s t r u c t i o n b u d g e t for t h e a c q u i s i t i o n o r p r o -

e p h e m e r a l p u b l i c art. I n d e p e n d e n t c u r a t o r M a r y J a n e J a c o b , e x p a n d -

d u c t i o n o f p u b l i c art. T h e r e also are m a n y o t h e r a g e n c i e s , w o r k i n g

i n g o n t h e i n n o v a t i o n s she b e g a n in C h a r l e s t o n , S.C. w i t h Places with

m o r e a u t o n o m o u s l y , t h a t have e n a b l e d t h e successful d i s t r i b u t i o n of

a Past: New Site-Specific Art in Charleston (1991), c o n s t r u c t e d a d e c e n -

p e r m a n e n t p u b l i c art. T h e o t h e r g r o u p o f o r g a n i z a t i o n s , f r e q u e n t l y

tralized, p r o c e s s - o r i e n t e d t e m p o r a r y p u b l i c art p r o g r a m called Cul-

r e c e i v i n g b o t h p u b l i c a n d p r i v a t e f u n d i n g , has a c c e p t e d an a l t e r n a -

ture in Action. E i g h t artists a n d artist teams d e v e l o p e d projects based

tive role in c o n t e m p o r a r y p u b l i c a r t . T h e s e vital, agile o r g a n i z a t i o n s

o n a p a r t i c u l a r c o n c e p t i o n o f c o m m u n i t y . W h e t h e r c o m m u n i t y was

p r o v i d e o p p o r t u n i t i e s f o r artists t o c r e a t e t e m p o r a r y w o r k in cities,

i d e n t i f i e d as t h e w o m e n of t h e city, p e o p l e w i t h A I D S , residents of a

c o m m u n i t i e s , a n d o t h e r u r b a n spaces. W h i l e t h e l a n d s c a p e o f p e r -

h o u s i n g p r o j e c t , e m p l o y e e s at a factory, o r teenagers in a particular

m a n e n t w o r k s p r o v i d e s p e o p l e w i t h a r e p o s i t o r y o f visions r e f l e c t -

n e i g h b o r h o o d , m a n y Culture in Action artists w o r k e d in c o n t e x t s far

ing the

f r o m t h e city c e n t e r , p r o d u c i n g w o r k that was possibly consumable,

changing

conditions

of public

life, t e m p o r a r y

work

f u n c t i o n s in a field o f s p e c u l a t i o n t h a t m a y i d e n t i f y h o w t h e u n p r e d i c t a b l e b r a n c h e s o f reality m i g h t g r o w .

alterable, e d u c a t i o n a l , or " e v e n t f u l . " Critics, artist, curators, and arts administrators have b e e n discussing—

O v e r t h e years, I have b e e n an e n t h u s i a s t i c a d v o c a t e f o r t e m p o r a r y

e v e n a r g u i n g a b o u t — C u l t u r e in Action

p r o j e c t s b e c a u s e t h e lessons p r o v i d e d a n d t h e issues raised are v a l u -

b e f o r e t h e e p h e m e r a l p r o j e c t s c o n c l u d e d o r d i s a p p e a r e d , skeptics

able f o r artists a n d arts a g e n c i e s , n o t t o m e n t i o n t h e c o m m u n i t i e s

w e r e asking, " W h e r e ' s t h e a r t ? " T h e c o m p l e x n a t u r e o f its realization

a n d c o n s t i t u e n c i e s that m a y serve as t h e site, s u b j e c t , a n d a u d i e n c e

has o n l y f a n n e d t h e flames of controversy.

o f t h e a r t . W h i l e all arts o r g a n i z a t i o n s are always at r i s k — v i g i l a n c e , v i s i o n , a n d p e r s e v e r a n c e are t h e n a m e o f t h e g a m e — t h e a g e n c i e s t h a t e n c o u r a g e e p h e m e r a l w o r k always s e e m a little m o r e f r a g i l e — p e r h a p s m o r e v u l n e r a b l e w h e n arts f u n d i n g is o n t h e d e c l i n e . A f t e r all, skeptics m a y ask w h y t h e m o n e y used t o s u p p o r t a p r o g r a m o r

s i n c e its i n c e p t i o n . Even

T h i s radical p r o j e c t left f e w a s s u m p t i o n s a b o u t p u b l i c art, p e r c e p t i o n , d i s t r i b u t i o n , a n d t h e roles o f artists — a n d c u r a t o r s — u n c h a l l e n g e d .

W h e t h e r it can serve as a b l u e p r i n t for o t h e r cities and c o m m u n i t i e s r e m a i n s t o b e seen. C a n such p o w e r f u l , o f t e n u n r u l y ideas flourish at o t h e r sites w i t h o u t t h e vision and tenacity of t h e o r i g i n a t o r ?

p r o j e c t t h a t is w i l l f u l l y s h o r t - l i v e d c a n n o t b e used t o p r o d u c e a lasti n g p r o j e c t — i s n ' t this a m o r e s o u n d i n v e s t m e n t ? A n d p h i l o s o p h i -

S c u l p t u r e C h i c a g o ' s Culture in Action did c o n f i r m t h e response t e m -

cally, isn't p e r m a n e n t w o r k a m o r e essential e n g a g e m e n t o f a site

p o r a r y p u b l i c w o r k can g e n e r a t e in c o m m u n i t i e s , cities, a n d t h e art

and c o m m i t m e n t to a c o m m u n i t y ?

w o r l d . T h e p r o j e c t raised significant q u e s t i o n s a n d issues that have ree n e r g i z e d a dialog o n p u b l i c art that had b e c o m e laggard and listless.

T h e r e is a place and a n e e d for b o t h e n d u r i n g and e p h e m e r a l public art so that stability and speculation, practice and theory, e n d u r i n g values a n d m o r e t o p i c a l issues c a n e n s u r e t h a t p u b l i c art d o e s n o t b e c o m e t o o p l a t i t u d i n o u s o r inscrutable to t h e a u d i e n c e s it o n c e set

W h i l e t h e best p e r m a n e n t w o r k stimulates discourse a b o u t t h e past and present of cities, t e m p o r a r y w o r k e n c o u r a g e s and e m p o w e r s us t o i m a g i n e h o w t h e f u t u r e can develop, o u r roles in its f o r m a t i o n , and t h e k i n d of p a r t n e r s h i p it will have w i t h t h e past.

o u t t o r e a c h . T h e p o i n t is n o t to i d e n t i f y and consolidate a " p u b l i c art a u d i e n c e " as if it w e r e o n e step r e m o v e d f r o m a m u s e u m a u d i e n c e , b u t t o e n c o u r a g e a r a n g e o f public art practices that e n g a g e different a u d i e n c e s — f o r different durations and situations. T h e relation of

I N S T I T U T I O N A L FLEXIBILITY

" p u b l i c " a n d " a u d i e n c e " r e m a i n s a p u z z l i n g q u e s t i o n ; by l o o k i n g

T w o o r g a n i z a t i o n s in N e w York C i t y have d e v o t e d l y e n a b l e d artists

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

to m a k e t e m p o r a r y w o r k in t h e city w h i l e c o n t i n u a l l y a d j u s t i n g their

and

e p h e m e r a l projects, w e m a y b e g i n t o u n d e r s t a n d h o w a n e w c o n c e p -

objectives and a g e n d a s . T h e Public A r t F u n d officially began in 1977,

tion of a u d i e n c e f u n c t i o n s as the critical idea o f public art in the late

an o f f s p r i n g of cultural o r g a n i z a t i o n s that e m e r g e d in t h e early 1970s

t w e n t i e t h century.

to b r i n g art i n t o t h e u r b a n e n v i r o n m e n t . T h e F u n d s e c u r e d many sites f o r t e m p o r a r y projects, p r i m a r i l y sculptures and murals. T h e s e activities have c o n t i n u e d for almost t w o decades: In fall 1993 a p r o -

P u b l i c A r t R e v i e w . fall.Winter.04

FROM

THE

ARCHIVES

INTERACTIVE O P P O R T U N I T I E S

cession of F e r n a n d o Botero's gargantuan b r o n z e sculptures were installed a l o n g Park A v e n u e f r o m 5 4 t h t o 6 1 s t streets. A n d a plaza t h a t marks the s o u t h e r n edge o f Central Park ( n o w n a m e d D o r i s

C.

F r e e d m a n Plaza i n m e m o r y o f t h e v i s i o n a r y f o u n d e r o f t h e P u b l i c A r t F u n d ) has h o s t e d p r o j e c t s by J e n n y H o l z e r , A l a n S o n f i s t , M a r k di S u v e r o , A l i c e A y c o c k , a n d m a n y o t h e r s o v e r t h e years.

W h i l e t h e P u b l i c A r t F u n d a n d C r e a t i v e T i m e h a v e set t h e i r sights o n t h e city, o t h e r o r g a n i z a t i o n s s u p p o r t t e m p o r a r y p r o j e c t s in a r e g i o n a l c o n t e x t . B a s e d in S t . P a u l , M i n n . , F o r e c a s t P u b l i c A r t w o r k s

was

f o u n d e d f i f t e e n y e a r s a g o . Its t w o m a j o r p r o g r a m s a r e " P u b l i c A r t A f f a i r s " a n d this p u b l i c a t i o n , t h e s e m i a n n u a l Public Art

Review.

The

B u t t h e P u b l i c A r t F u n d has c o n t i n u e d t o b r o a d e n its a g e n d a . In an

f o r m e r p r o v i d e s f u n d i n g f o r M i n n e s o t a artists t o c r e a t e p u b l i c e v e n t s ,

a p p r o p r i a t i o n i s t initiative in t h e 1980s, t h e P u b l i c A r t F u n d n e g o t i -

p e r f o r m a n c e s , or installations t h r o u g h o u t t h e state. A c c e p t i n g t h e

ated with Spectracolor

for

c o m p l e x p r o c e s s e s i n v o l v e d in t h e p r o d u c t i o n o f p u b l i c a r t , t h e

c h a n g i n g r o s t e r o f artists t o d e s i g n t w e n t y - s e c o n d s p o t s f o r its h u g e

grants can b e used to s u p p o r t research a n d d e v e l o p m e n t o r to realize

sign in T i m e s S q u a r e . O v e r six years, m a n y artists c r e a t e d " M e s s a g e s

a particular, t e m p o r a r y project. At a t i m e o f such critical a n d p r o -

t o t h e P u b l i c " a b o u t political a n d social e v e n t s . T h e s e artist i n t e r l u d e s

g r a m m a t i c c h a n g e in p u b l i c art, t h e availability o f m o n e y t o c o n d u c t

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

r e s e a r c h is i m p o r t a n t — b u t all t o o rare. L i k e t h e a n n u a l H i r s c h F a r m

Signboard

to provide o p p o r t u n i t i e s

every o t h e r imaginable "Big A p p l e " e n t i c e m e n t . T h e project p r o -

P r o j e c t , an i n t e r d i s c i p l i n a r y f o r u m d e a l i n g w i t h p u b l i c a r t a n d c o m -

v i d e d a rare o p p o r t u n i t y t o c o n s i d e r t h e k i n s h i p o f a d v e r t i s i n g a n d

m u n i t i e s b a s e d in H i l l s b o r o , W i s . , a n d f u n d e d b y H o w a r d H i r s c h a n d

activism.

o r g a n i z e d each year by M i t c h e l l Kane, Forecast's " R & D

Stipends"

p r o v i d e i n v a l u a b l e o p p o r t u n i t i e s f o r artists t o s p e c u l a t e a n d e x p e r i O n e o f t h e m o s t r e c e n t p r o j e c t s has c o m m i s s i o n e d five artists t o

m e n t . R e c e n t " R & D " r e c i p i e n t s will u s e t h e i r a w a r d s in a v a r i e t y o f

d e v e l o p g a r d e n p r o p o s a l s f o r s e l e c t e d c i t y sites. Urban Paradise:

Gar-

w a y s . A l b e r t o J u s t i n i a n o will w o r k o n a n i n t e r a c t i v e play t h a t c o n -

dens in the City b e g i n s this s p r i n g w i t h a n e x h i b i t i o n o f p r o p o s a l s at

cerns the alarming d r o p - o u t rate a m o n g Hispanic high school stu-

t h e P a i n e W e b b e r Gallery, w i t h t h e e x p e c t a t i o n t h a t s o m e o f t h e g a r -

dents. Erik

d e n s will b e r e a l i z e d . W h e t h e r t h e m u t a b l e c h a r a c t e r o f a n u r b a n g a r -

M i n n e s o t a sites. N e g o t i a t i n g t h e n a t u r a l a n d h u m a n h i s t o r i e s

den—its inherent theatricality—constitutes a t e m p o r a r y project that

C e d a r L a k e a n d B l u f f C r e e k in M i n n e a p o l i s , his r e s e a r c h m a y p r o -

is r e i n v e n t e d e a c h s p r i n g , t h e P u b l i c A r t F u n d has n e v e r strayed f a r

vide data for n e w f o r m s of interpretive p a t h s . . . .

Roth

will p r e p a r e an ecological

inventory

of

two of

f r o m its f o u n d i n g p r e m i s e s — a m i s s i o n t h a t e n a b l e s a r t t o b e a Temporary public w o r k remains a promising laboratory to orches-

d y n a m i c a g e n t in t h e city.

trate t h e controls a n d variables that, every n o w a n d t h e n , lead to n e w In its t w e n t i e t h year, C r e a t i v e T i m e is a b r i l l i a n t , m a v e r i c k o r g a n i z a tion w i t h staying power. S p o n s o r i n g a d a u n t i n g range of annual p r o j ects ( m a n y o f w h i c h a d d r e s s r i s k y a n d d i s t u r b i n g s u b j e c t s ) , it has b a l a n c e d t h e r h y t h m o f a n n u a l p r o g r a m s — l i k e " A r t in t h e A n c h o r a g e " w h i c h invites c o l l a b o r a t i v e g r o u p s o f artists t o p r o d u c e e n v i r o n m e n t a l a n d / o r p e r f o r m a n c e w o r k s in t h e dark, d a n k vaults o f t h e B r o o k l y n B r i d g e — w i t h special, o f t e n timely, e v e n t s . W h e t h e r s p o n s o r i n g a p u b l i c p o e m by K a r e n F i n l e y o n t h e L o w e r East Side, a n

f i n d i n g s . O f c o u r s e , t h e r e n e e d t o b e c r i t i c s , t h e o r i s t s , arts o r g a n i z e r s a n d a d m i n i s t r a t o r s , c u r a t o r s , a n d artists w h o will c r e a t i v e l y a n d c o n s c i o u s l y i n t e r p r e t t h e s i g n i f i c a n t results o f e p h e m e r a l w o r k . W i t h o u t t h e s e a n d m a n y o t h e r initiatives a n d o r g a n i z a t i o n s p u b l i c a r t c o u l d easily b e c o m e t o o m u c h a b o u t t h e

fine-tuning

of t h e o r i e s , a s s u m p -

t i o n s , a n d p r o c e d u r e s . T h e o r g a n i z a t i o n s t h a t e n a b l e artists t o w o r k w i t h i n t h e f r e e d o m and limitations o f a short-lived situation are an essentia] f o r m o f l o n g - t e r m r e s e a r c h .

e v o l v i n g , a m b i t i o u s i n s t a l l a t i o n b y M a r t h a F l e m i n g a n d L y n e La P o i n t e i n t h e B a t t e r y M a r i t i m e B u i l d i n g , o r a r e c e n t series o f p e r f o r m a n c e s b y w o m e n a b o u t h e a l t h c a r e called " B o d y Politics," C r e ative T i m e has sustained o n e o f t h e m o s t s p i r i t e d , e x p e r i m e n t a l

Patricia C. Phillips is a professor of art at the State University of New York, New Paltz and editor-in-chief of Art Journal.

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

I n s p i t e o f t h e p l a n n i n g a n d r e s o u r c e s r e q u i r e d t o o r c h e s t r a t e so m a n y d i f f e r e n t p r o j e c t s , t h e o r g a n i z a t i o n ' s w o r k is c h a r a c t e r i z e d by e n e r g y , u r g e n c y , a n d v i s i o n . A r t f u n c t i o n s as a n i n s t r u m e n t t o s t u d y the structures a n d circulation o f t h e civic body. I n s u m m e r C r e a t i v e T i m e o r g a n i z e d t h e 42nd

Street Art

1993,

Project, w h i c h b r o u g h t

artists t o o n e o f t h e m o s t t a w d r y s e c t i o n s o f t h e s t r e e t

(between

E i g h t h A v e n u e a n d T i m e s S q u a r e ) t o install e p h e m e r a l p r o j e c t s . J e n n y H o l z e r used the d o r m a n t surfaces of old theater m a r q u e e s to present d i s q u i e t i n g a p h o r i s m s f r o m h e r Truisms a n d Survival

series. Liz D i l l e r

a n d R i c S c o f i d i o ' s Soft Sell p r o j e c t e d h u g e , r e d lips t h r o u g h t h e d o o r s o f t h e R i a l t o T h e a t e r . T h e s o u n d s o f s e d u c t i v e p h r a s e s at this s e a l e d e n t r a n c e o f f e r e d f r u s t r a t i n g r e f r a i n s o f u n s a t i s f i e d arousal. O t h e r artist u s e d a b a n d o n e d s t o r e f r o n t s , s e c u r i t y gates, a n d t h e s i d e w a l k s . W i t h remarkable resonance, these t e m p o r a r y projects recalled the history o f this a n x i o u s u r b a n site.

P u b l i c A r t R e v i e w . fall.Winter.04

1

" A b o o k of g r e a t i n s i g h t , c o m p a s s i o n , a n d civic courage.

- H E N R Y A . GIROUX,

a u t h o r of The Abandoned

Generation

C O N V E R S A T I O N PIECES

T h e San Jose Public Art Program is delighted to announce that Barbara Goldstein accepted the Program Director position. Goldstein recently left her position in Seattle after 11 years of leading their pioneer program.

C o m m u n i t y a n d C o m m u n i c a t i o n in M o d e r n A r t Grant H. Kester

"Without being authoritarian or h e a v y - h a n d e d , t h e b o o k is

In taking on the role in San Jose, Goldstein will oversee management of over 40 public art projects with total allocations of over $15 million including an exciting program associated with the multi-billion dollar improvements to the San Jose Airport.

definitive, exhaustively researched, and comprehens i v e . It is l i k e l y t o r e m a i n t h e p r e m i e r r e s o u r c e of i n f o r m a tion on c o m m u n i t y - b a s e d dial o g i c a l a r t for y e a r s t o c o m e a n d will be required reading."

Goldstein comes to San Jose with over 20 years of experience from a background in architecture, art and publishing. Before working in Seattle, she established the public art program for the City of Los Angeles and was the director of design review and cultural planning for the City.

—NORMAN BRYSON,

CONVERSATION

P r o f e s s o r o f A r t H i s t o r y , University o f C a l i f o r n i a , San D i e g o , a n d S e n i o r Researcher, I a n v a n Eyck A c a d e m y , M a a s tricht, the Netherlands

PIECES

COMMUNITY * COMMUNICATION IN MODERN ART

GRANT H. KESTER

$ 2 4 . 9 5 PAPERBACK, $ 6 5 . 0 0 AT B O O K S T O R E S O R O R D E R ( 8 0 0 )

HARDCOVER

822-6657

•

Visit our Website: SanJoseCulture.org/Pub_Art

WWW.UCPRESS.EDU

U N I V E R S I T Y OF CALIFORNIA PRESS

NEW:

Downloadable

CITY OF

SAN JOSE CAPITAL OF SILICON VALLEY

Public Art

Review

Anthology

— on the

Web!

FREE PUBLIC ART! w

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BICYCLE

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RACKS,

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BUS

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Design

National Traveling Exhibit and Publication of essays and CD of images in 22 categories of Surface Transportation Project Design influenced by artists. '

<

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Should Deadline your project be included this best 21, of2004 the best? for CD images extended in to November

:r

i

)

i

Visit www.craftcreativitydesign.org for submission form, or call 828/890-2050 for more information.

The Center for Craft, Creativity Design - A regional center of The University of North Carolina A V M a n s

' N O i s a a

P u b l i c A r t R e v i e w . Fall. Winter.04

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brecknockconsulting

AUSTRALIA The Seattle Monorail Public Art Program

PUBLIC ART SERVICES Australia's specialist consulting team delivering quality services across the nation and the region to government and private sector clients

Seeking; a r t i s t s to create a civic sculptural presence throughout the 14-mile elevated Green Line, due to open in 2009.

POLICY RESEARCH, REVIEW & DEVELOPMENT OF POLICY FOR CITIES AND STATES

Focus on integrated, innovative and s u s t a i n a b l e works of art.

PLANNING SITE ANALYSIS, CURATING & MASTER P L A N N I N G OF I N T E G R A T E D A R T P R O J E C T S

PROJECT

MANAGEMENT

PUBLIC ART COMMISSIONS FOR ARCHITECTURAL, LANDSCAPE & URBAN DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS

SEATTLE M O N O R A I L P R O J E C T ' www.elevated.org Contact: Rebecca B a n y a s , Public Art

www.brecknockconsulting.com.au

PUBLIC ART

rebecca@elevated.org

(206)

Manager

6S4-142S

Vii

J

NETWORK

www.AmericansForTheArts.org/PAN

AMERICANS '-""â&#x20AC;¢ARTS

NEW RESOURCES!

J 2005-2006 Public Art Program Directory 2004 Year In Review Slide Set and CD L

Curated by Glenn Harper, editor of Sculpture Magazine, and artist Ellen Driscoll. Each contains an annotated slide script and 140 images of 46 of the year's most innovative and exciting public art projects.

Slide Set: $140 Americans for the Arts members $165 nonmembers Item # 100079 CD Rom: $125 Americans for the Arts members $150 nonmembers Item # 100080

The only comprehensive directory of public art programs in the United States. An ideal resource for artists seeking commission opportunities, public art administrators, consultants, and communities planning public art programs and projects. Contains contact information and program details for 350 programs nationwide.

67

$25 Americans for the Arts members $30 nonmembers Item # 100081

To o r d e r : w w w . A m e r i c a n s F o r T h e A r t s . o r g o r call 8 0 0 . 3 2 1 . 4 5 1 0

P u b l i c A r t R e v i e w . Fall Winter. 04

Installation • Specialty Fabrication r * * Packing/Crating / . y Shipments Framing

Fran^oise Y o h a l e m PUBLIC ART CONSULTANT Monthly East Coast Shuttle Conservation of all Media H J Climate Controlled Storage C/J Domestic/International ^^^ Pedestal/Mountmaking

2921 Como Ave. SE Minneapolis, MN 55414 museumservices@visi.com www.museumservices.org ph.612.378.1189 fx.612- 378-0831

T E L :

3 0 I - 8 I 6 - 0 5 I 8

Francyo@earthlink.net

MUSEUM

SERVICES

FORECAST Public

Art

Scrviccs

C o n s u l t i n g , Project D e v e l o p m e n t , Evaluation • Full S p e c t r u m of C a p a b i l i t i e s • 25 Years E x p e r i e n c e 68

Contact Jack Becker, Director T 651 641 1128 E f o r e c a s t S v i s i . c o m

2324 University Avenue West S u i t e 102 S a i n t P a u l , M i n n e s o t a 55114 www.forecastart.org

F o r e c a s t is a M i n n e s o t a n o n - p r o f i t o r g a n i z a t i o n

P u b l i c A r t R e v i e w . Fall. Winter. 04

HELP RECREATE A DENVER LANDMARK T w e n t y f i v e y e a r s a g o , S k y l i n e P a r k b e c a m e a s i g n a t u r e l a n d m a r k f o r t h e C i t y o f D e n v e r . In 2 0 0 4 , t h e n e w l y r e f u r b i s h e d p a r k in t h e h e a r t o f t h e c i t y t o o k its p l a c e a m o n g Denver's great u r b a n spaces.

D e n v e r ' s P u b l i c A r t P r o g r a m is p r o u d t o a n n o u n c e P u b l i c A r t o p p o r t u n i t i e s i n c o n j u n c t i o n w i t h t h e r e n o v a t i o n o f S k y l i n e P a r k . T h e d e a d l i n e f o r s u b m i s s i o n s is N o v e m b e r 1 9 , 2 0 0 4

T O RECEIVE PUBLIC ART OPPORTUNITIES I N F O R M A T I O N :

Please contact Denver Office of Cultural Affairs Public A r t P r o g r a m 1380 L a w r e n c e S t r e e t , Suite 790 Denver C O 80204 303.640.6950 mary.valdez@ci.denver.co.us www.denvergov.org/publicart

I W a s D r e a m i n g of Spirit A n i m a l s by Cappy Thompson A 90' x 33' art glass window fully integrated with the tempered insulated curtain wall system.

Hand painted with fired glass frits and laminated handblown glass.

T r a v e l i n g Light by Linda Beaumont A 350 foot floor to ceiling architectural art glass interior partition wall. Fully tempered and laminated. All glass silkscreened, hand painted, and fired with silverstain and glass frits.

www.derix.com Derix Art Glass C o n s u l t a n t s 366 40th St. Suite C Oakland, CA 94609 Tel+Fax: 510.428.9978 E-Mail: derixcon@msn.com

Derix Glasstudios Platter Strasse 94 D-65232 Taunusstein Germany

FORECAST 2324 University Avenue W e s t

Two public art installations in the New Terminal Expansion at Seattle-Tacoma Int'l Airport, June, 2004.

Public Art project management by 4Culture, Seattle, WA

D e r i x A r t Glass C o n s u l t a n t s d e v e l o p s public a r t projects w i t h artists and

public

art

programs

throughout

the

US

and Asia.

G l a s s t u d i o s is a f i n e a r t f a b r i c a t i o n f a c i l i t y e s t a b l i s h e d in

For a d d i t i o n a l i n f o r m a t i o n or t o discuss p r o p o s a l s , p l e a s e c o n t a c t us.

NONPROFIT O R G .

us

POSTAGE P A I D

Suite I 02

MINNEAPOLIS

Saint Paul, Minnesota

Perw,t Num8ER

551 14

Derix 1866.

MN