‘Complexus’
A few more bake sales and it’s ours…
The public art committee will fund the piece and donate it to the public art collection.
Located on the corner of Gulfstream and US 41, ‘Complexus’ offers drivers some visual stimulation while the minutes at the traffic light tic away. Appreciate it now because when the traffic circles go in, we’ll all be whizzing through this area and ‘Complexus’ will be a blur. Right now it’s a little something to draw your attention away from that guy hanging out on the median with the ‘God bless you’ sign. This alone is worth the $850,000 price tag.
A somewhat large structure that shouldn’t offend anyone and it’s site will not “clutter up” the view of the bayfront parking (unlike ‘Surrender’). The artist, John Henry was the curator for this past Season of Sculpture. As sculpture was being installed along the bayfront, Henry stated that fewer artists are making personal statements with their art. “We’re seeing fewer pieces that make any statement — period”.
I agree and like I said… “Complexus’ should be safe.
Unconditional Surrender?
Remember this…
‘Unconditional Surrender has been a part of Sarasota’s bay frornt. It has brought smiles to millions who have stopped to pose beneath the gigantic couple.
Now our bay front has become a crime scene
“V” is for Vendetta
When I heard the news, images of the individuals that have the want and determination to carry out such an attack filled my mind. Knowing there are those with such contempt for the statue, they would love to see it disappear permanently… at any cost. Could this be a rogue attack by those who subscribe to the “Against her will” theory? We’ll probably never know.
On that day in question, Kathleen Callender barrels a Mercedes over the median, crossing two lanes of south bound traffic and embeds it right into the sailors leg. I repeat… the sailors leg. Nothing less than a Mercedes would do to carry out the plan (when Dustin Schuler installed ‘Dance’ back in 2007 for the Season of Sculpture, he didn’t even use Mercedes).
Yes, the older I get and the more I see, I am beginning to believe in conspiracy theories. So, to those who think ‘Surrender’ is an attack on women and you who think the statue is an inappropriate representation of art, grab the kiddies and head down to the bay front to view…
Splendor in the grass
Palm Avenue parking garage
Palm Ave parking garage part II
“The whole thing is an abomination and now you want to put lipstick on a pig?!!”
~Joe Barbetta~
As for the $25,000 the city will “piss away” to artists who will paint the inside of the garage? Well, people “don’t give a **** about murals.
Unlike Commissioner Barbetta, I do believe people care about murals and since the “abomination” has been open for over a year now I had to see for myself what lipstick on a pig looked like, so early one morning I parked on a side street (I’m cheap and refuse to pay to park) and headed over to the garage. It has art now so the proper terminology is “car park”.
As I walked the perimeter I thought, “this might be a nice place for some shops”. At this particular time the space below the garage sits vacant and the storefronts are being utilized as a billboard for the Asolo. I looked up and noticed a lone shoe had found its final resting place on top of the see-through overhangs. A vision of grungy sneakers tossed over electrical wires flashed in my mind. Sorry to say, the garage has not reached its full potential.
As far as the murals, I had no idea what to expect and as I turned to go up a flight of stairs I was startled until I realized it was on of the murals. The first level is a tribute to dance with artwork by Eduardo Kobra. This is the image that startled me and this lonely ballerina is my favorite. Her soft form plays well off the cold cement and aluminum. So simple but I can’t stop looking at her.
“The problem with the mall garage is that everything looks the same. They try to differentiate between levels. They put up different colors, different numbers, different letters. What they need to do is name the levels, like, ‘Your mother’s a whore.’
You would remember that.”
~Jerry Seinfeld~
We haven’t gone as far as Jerry would have us but we do have color. Color done by some wonderful artists who participated in the 2011 Sarasota Chalk Festival. On the first level you will see…
Dance: Artist Eduardo Kobra.
2nd level: Movie: Artist MTO.
3rd level: Music: Artist Chor Boogie.
4th level: Opera: Artist Monica Spain & Marco Bell.
5th level: Theatre: ArtistSkip Dryda.
Is the inside of a parking garage an appropriate space for public art? I like it but you should take the time to see for yourself.
“Under Azure Skies”
From the shadow of the Alps all the way to our bayfront…
The 2011 Season of Sculpture is here.
“Art should stand on its own. Art should be its own statement —
especially if it’s sculpture.”
Henry, curator of the seasons display, states that fewer artists are making personal statements. “We’re seeing fewer pieces that make any statement — period”. I would agree.
Seasons past:
Mention ‘Unconditional Surrender’ to some and witness for yourself how veins will bulge from the neck as fists start to clench. Didn’t you fall in love with that big huge molar? What about the car wreck? The artist should have piled up a few Jags or a Mercedes (this is Sarasota).
Yes, this years show steers clear of any controversy. It’s hard to be offended by a hunk of steel or concrete.
What’s all this saying about public art? Do you have to be so afraid of offending someone, that you end up saying nothing?
Be careful:
I was halfway through viewing the sculptures and I tripped over something. Even the nameplates are unobtrusive and barely there. I really wasn’t sure that I hadn’t tripped over a random piece of trash so I bent over to make sure it was indeed a nameplate. You won’t find any explanation of what the artists was trying to convey, just a small piece of scrap with the facts. Name, artist, and who put up the $$$.
As John Henry states… art should stand on its own. No explanation needed.
If you are into searching games, finding the nameplates should just add to the enjoyment of your walk.
Sarasota Season of Sculpture
Is it everything you expected???
You can view more of John Henry’s sculpture [here]
This ain’t Berlin
While visiting Sarasota for the 2011 Chalk Festival, Berlin artist MTO spray-painted a mural on a local building. The giant hands with “fast life” tattooed across the fingers have raised eyebrows and ruffled feathers. Tube Dude owner, Scott Gerber, stated if there were complaints he would remove the mural . There were complaints and he was asked to do just that.
While “Fast Life” doesn’t depict violence, critics say it is glorifying a lifestyle that destroys. The location of the mural is also being questioned. Is it appropriate to display this piece right on the “edge of the hood”? Does it create civic pride?
I live in the neighborhood and I look at the mural everyday on my way to and from work. I don’t feel it casts an unsavory shadow on my neighborhood as the dealers, pan-handlers and prostitutes accomplish that.
Publicity stunt, statement, whatever it is, ‘Fast-life’ and the controversy surrounding is serving Tube Dude well.
The public art controversy
Sarasota is full of art and artists. Tour the city and view the many nondescript forms of steel and stone adorning our medians, public buildings and even our parking garages. They make no statement and are safe. They elicit nothing more than a passing glance (I do exclude “Surrender” from this category).
“Fast Life” has succeeded where the majority of public art fails. It hit emotions and started a conversation. With no laws being broken, demanding the mural be removed for no other reason than “I don’t like it” or possibly, we won’t give you the money… is censorship. The whole thing has me wondering where this fits into the idea of freedom we are so proud of?
“Public art is an antidote for the hatred and disconnectedness in society. It is a creative, participatory,
critical, and analytical process. We must tell our stories, and encourage others of all ages to tell their
stories in any language they speak…We must teach ourselves and others to listen and to hear our stories
because it is in the very specificity of the human experience that we learn compassion”
~Judy Baca~
Public Art Controversy: Cultural Expression and Civic Debate By Erika Doss: Surveying several recent public art controversies, this Monograph is intended as a guide for arts professionals, civic leaders, and educators. Discussing both the expansive terrain of public art and its lightning rod tendency to spark debate, it considers how public art controversy can be used as a tool that enhances community awareness and civic life.
Censorship of art: “Fast Life” by Denise Kowal Founder of the Sarasota Chalk Festival: On the heels of successfully bringing the most important contemporary pavement art festival in the world to the Sarasota community, the Sarasota Chalk Festival was accused of creating a socially unacceptable work of art called “Fast Life.” Without any intent to do so, “Fast Life” is well on its way to becoming a valuable study of image and cultural stereotypes, which can either inhibit us or allow us to develop as a community and society.
Unconditional Surrender
Sarasota. I love it, I hate it.
The same can be said for the giant sculpture that stands along our bay front. ‘Unconditional Surrender’
This smooching couple became a major source of contention when it became a possibility that it might be greeting visitors as they make their way into the heart of Sarasota on a permanent basis.
It may be OK to bring in a big molar or a car wreck as a feature during the ‘Season of Sculpture‘. They are here for a while and then their gone. But now some guy offers to buy ‘Surrender’ on the condition it stays where it’s at. Right in view of the million dollar yachts, Marina Jacks and all those high price condos, oh my!
Sarasota has an image to uphold and it doesn’t include “kitsch”. Pretentious and in bad taste (I had to look it up). The art committees say it doesn’t meet the standards of public art because it’s “ornamental and decorative“? I try to wrap my mind around what these committees are saying but I usually end up confused.
My first reaction to ‘Surrender’… What the hell!!! I was a hater. Then a friend was talking about how much he liked it. I wanted to interrupt and point out the gigantic size and the color was all wrong but I listened. After that conversation I would sit at the intersection during red lights and I watched (for the first time) all the people gathering underneath to take a picture. Couples actually mimicking the pose? That’s when my opinion of ‘Surrender’ changed. I saw how many people were enjoying the statue. So they go home with a piece of Sarasota and I’ll bet the snapshot of ‘Surrender’ gets pulled out a lot more than the pretty sunset or the pelican shots.
While one person sees the woman being forcefully embraced, others have gathered for protests and ceremonies.
For me ‘Surrender’ marks a turning point. I put aside my dis-like for a moment to see another point of view and it opened up a whole new way of seeing.
Now, in my opinion, that’s what art is all about! Kitschy or not.
Palm Avenue parking garage
The new Palm Avenue parking garage
Designed by Jonathan Parks Architects, built by Suffolk Construction, the expectations are high for this $12 million investment. Below the 743-space garage lies 12,000 square feet just waiting to be filled with restaurants and shops. If the Palm Ave garage isn’t enough to solve Sarasota’s parking conundrum, a second garage has been slated just a few blocks away! Foresight or frivolity? It’s your call. If the $600,000 sunshades aren’t enough to make a person want to park their car, bike or motorcycle in the garage, the $25,000 public art project will at least be worth a look.
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