New $2.25M art installation (Blue Ring 2.0) - Calgarypuck Forums - The Unofficial Calgary Flames Fan Community

Hack&Lube · 11-01-2023, 12:59 PM

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calga...gary-1.7015271

Okay, while this at least looks like art as compared to the blue ring, not a fan of the giant pipe sticking out of it. Is it supposed to look like a stream of water coming out of a faucet and splashing on the ground? It also looks like a giant trypophobia trigger with all the holes.

Couldn't we have spent the money on ACAD students designing something in CAD and and metal 3D printing/CNCing the thing?

Why are our public art funds always spent on art from abroad that seems middling and doesn't evoke imagination and wonder? (shakes fist at cloud).

Sliver · 11-01-2023, 01:00 PM

I'm impressed it's not rusty metal.

Titan2 · 11-01-2023, 01:02 PM

2 million people in Calgary/area and we couldn't find a local artist? I ####ing hate that.

Hack&Lube · 11-01-2023, 01:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sliver

I'm impressed it's not rusty metal.

If it was in rusty metal, it would evoke the runny effects of a gastro intestinal disturbance after a round of food poisoning as it gently splashes down in your porcelain bowl.

Toast_Man · 11-01-2023, 01:04 PM

Why can't we just pay these artists with exposure? How many Instagram followers does Calgary have?

Muta · 11-01-2023, 01:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Titan2

2 million people in Calgary/area and we couldn't find a local artist? I ####ing hate that.

Often times with public art, a call for bids is sent out, and anybody can bid on the project (there are trade agreements in place to allow this). If nobody local bids on the project, or the best and/or most cost-efficient bid comes from a non-local bidder, then that's the way it goes. This occurrence frequently gets forgotten/overlooked amongst the public art discussion.

Hack&Lube · 11-01-2023, 01:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Muta

Often times with public art, a call for bids is sent out, and anybody can bid on the project (there are trade agreements in place to allow this). If nobody local bids on the project, or the best and/or most cost-efficient bid comes from a non-local bidder, then that's the way it goes. This occurrence frequently gets forgotten/overlooked amongst the public art discussion.

This seems like a backward way to source public art for civic purposes. Why not often an incentive program or scholarships to local art institutions or schools and have them submit designs and pick from them? If you can spend $2.25M on one piece of uninspiring art, you could at least spend $225,000 on 10 different art projects from students and cycle through a new one every few months.

Titan2 · 11-01-2023, 01:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Muta

Often times with public art, a call for bids is sent out, and anybody can bid on the project (there are trade agreements in place to allow this). If nobody local bids on the project, or the best and/or most cost-efficient bid comes from a non-local bidder, then that's the way it goes. This occurrence frequently gets forgotten/overlooked amongst the public art discussion.

then put a thumb on the ####ing scale. $2.25 million is a stupid amount of money for a foreign artist. This is riling me up more than it should. I understand the treaty part and had not considered that. I am sure there are ways around it. Have a local organization 'donate' the statue to the City.

Whatevs. pisses me off.

Sliver · 11-01-2023, 01:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Toast_Man

Why can't we just pay these artists with exposure? How many Instagram followers does Calgary have?

That's ridiculous. People should be compensated for their work. I'd be embarrassed if that was our approach.

Titan2 · 11-01-2023, 01:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sliver

That's ridiculous. People should be compensated for their work. I'd be embarrassed if that was our approach.

Hi Sliver. I would like to purchase one of your doodads. Scootch in here for a selfie with me. I have over 75 followers.

Cool?

puffnstuff · 11-01-2023, 01:08 PM

Kind of has a 88 Olympics logo feel to it, except in blue not red

Sliver · 11-01-2023, 01:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Titan2

then put a thumb on the ####ing scale. $2.25 million is a stupid amount of money for a foreign artist. This is riling me up more than it should. I understand the treaty part and had not considered that. I am sure there are ways around it. Have a local organization 'donate' the statue to the City.

Whatevs. pisses me off.

I don't mind having non-locals. Let's just get the best stuff...who cares where the artists are from.

That said, $100 to anybody who cuts down that nasty steel girder mess with rocks on top by COP. I hate that thing more than I hate the blue ring.

Mazrim · 11-01-2023, 01:09 PM

This is way better looking than the blue ring.

Hack&Lube · 11-01-2023, 01:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Titan2

Hi Sliver. I would like to purchase one of your doodads. Scootch in here for a selfie with me. I have over 75 followers.

Cool?

Maybe he can slip you one of his lip balms for exposure.

puffnstuff · 11-01-2023, 01:11 PM

Cover the cost of all the blades I will need as well and I am on it

PepsiFree · 11-01-2023, 01:11 PM

It seems like it’ll look cool once installed, and Heavy does good work with installations.

I do not personally care where the artists are from, and I think comparing this to the blue ring is absurd.

I know Calgarians love complaining about public art, and to be fair we have a couple bad examples of it, but what do people actually like? What evokes “emotion and wonder”? A giant head? A chrome blob?

Titan2 · 11-01-2023, 01:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hack&Lube

Maybe he can slip you one of his lip balms for exposure.

Only if he applies it DIRECTLY!!

Hack&Lube · 11-01-2023, 01:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PepsiFree

It seems like it’ll look cool once installed, and Heavy does good work with installations.

I do not personally care where the artists are from, and I think comparing this to the blue ring is absurd.

I know Calgarians love complaining about public art, and to be fair we have a couple bad examples of it, but what do people actually like? What evokes “emotion and wonder”? A giant head? A chrome blob?

I like the giant head in front of The Bow. This one gives me nightmares as it looks like some kind of growing infection.

Bigtime · 11-01-2023, 01:14 PM

Dang it, that budget is 9% of another Peace bridge. Silly hall has its priorities wrong again!

Muta · 11-01-2023, 01:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Titan2

then put a thumb on the ####ing scale. $2.25 million is a stupid amount of money for a foreign artist. This is riling me up more than it should. I understand the treaty part and had not considered that. I am sure there are ways around it. Have a local organization 'donate' the statue to the City.

Whatevs. pisses me off.

Remember that the artist isn't getting $2.25M, they get only a small portion of that. Material, fabrication, delivery and installation of the piece often times is done locally (as was the case with the rock art by Canada Olympic Park), which employs locals and provides work.

I don't have a for-or-against position on the current municipal public art policy, and I don't work for the City; but I do think it's important for people to understand that there's more to the cost of art than just aligning '$2.25M' with a 'foreign artist'.