“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]
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.
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