Public "Art"

[Roughneck]

Originally Posted by Muta

Remember the public backlash on the Peace Bridge and how it was the worst thing in the world, ever? Now people take pictures in front of it or get married on it.

There was no shortage of public backlash about the fish as well.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by Roughneck

There was no shortage of public backlash about the fish as well.

Really? Why?

[Roughneck]

Originally Posted by Locke

Really? Why?

'We paid how much for some fish?!' would sum it up.

[ken0042]

Public art should not look like something I could have done; especially at a cost approaching 100s of thousands to the low millions. The Blue Circle and Bowfort Towers are examples of this. They look incredibly amateur, yet cost a boatload of money. They should also not need somebody to explain that they are "art."

In contrast, there are murals done on the walls of the overpass at Glenmore and Ogden as go you up Ogden Rd. Nicely done, and no way I could have done something like that. They are something that makes the road seem a little nicer.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by Roughneck

'We paid how much for some fish?!' would sum it up.

I think they look cool, albeit concrete engraving aint cheap.

At least you can see them as you drive through the Glenmore underpass, unlike that Bowfort nonsense that just looks like garbage while you pass them by on the highway.

I think there needs to be a better effort made in terms of placing the art.

For instance, the Bowfort towers are a good example, people might enjoy them more if they could get up close and look at them and maybe read a plaque regarding the artist's inspiration as opposed to just whizzing by some crap on the side of the highway.

The Blue Ring might be more appreciated if it illuminated something or was in a more artistic spot like maybe a park or a landfill. Otherwise its just a big blue ring that means nothing to anyone.

Context is whats needed most I think.

[Muta]

Originally Posted by ken0042

Public art should not look like something I could have done; especially at a cost approaching 100s of thousands to the low millions. The Blue Circle and Bowfort Towers are examples of this. They look incredibly amateur, yet cost a boatload of money. They should also not need somebody to explain that they are "art."

In contrast, there are murals done on the walls of the overpass at Glenmore and Ogden as go you up Ogden Rd. Nicely done, and no way I could have done something like that. They are something that makes the road seem a little nicer.

Art can't be simple, or minimal?

[ken0042]

I would say the fish at Glenmore and Elbow are simple and minimal, but are 100 times better than the blue ring or Bowfort. (And similar costs.)

[Shazam]

The formalized art program wasn't a thing when the fish were put in. IIRC, the Glemore Trail project finished under budget and they commissioned someone to do some sort of art with the leftover money.

The problem now is that everybody knows how much 1% of a project is, so of course every proposal comes in at that price.

I don't ever recall a large backlash against the fish. In fact it was so well received that it was a large reason for the formalized budget allocation.

I wish I could find that patronizing article that was in the CH a few years ago from one of the art committee members.

[getbak]

Originally Posted by psyang

It's called "Metalmorphosis" by David Cerny. According to this site it cost about 30 million Czech crowns, which is about 1.75 million CAD.

That's a similar but different sculpture by the same artist in Prague. Metalmorphosis is in Charlotte, NC.

The one in Prague is larger than the one in Charlotte, but doesn't have a fountain.


If something like that cost the equivalent of $1.75 million Canadian to build in Prague, the cost to build something similar in Canada would likely easily surpass $2 million. That also doesn't include the ongoing operation and maintenance costs of a kinetic sculpture.

[Muta]

I would say art could look a lot more simple and minimal / abstract than the fish on Glenmore Trail, with just as much meaning. I think that particular piece on Glenmore is quite literal and easy to interpret - doesn't mean that's the only way to interpret art.

[Shazam]

Originally Posted by Muta

I would say art could look a lot more simple and minimal / abstract than the fish on Glenmore Trail, with just as much meaning. I think that particular piece on Glenmore is quite literal and easy to interpret - doesn't mean that's the only way to interpret art.

What is it that you interpret when you see Rocks on Steel Stilts, or Dickbutt Mirrored Selfie?

[Wormius]

You can dissect any work like that if you want. The Sydney Opera house is just a bunch of arcs. What’s so great about that?

[Shazam]

Well, I'd like to know his interpretation, we've provided ours.

[Misterpants]

The whole program seems like it is someones PITA and they just take the money and say do whatever, as long as I don't have to think about it. Art that is more about the artists description of what it is than the actual art itself shouldn't be millions of dollars. I remember when the federal government bought that million dollar painting of a stripe. Gad, some dude talked the talk into a huge payday.

[Jiri Hrdina]

Art is subjective and I don’t think the conversation about the public art program should centre on those subjective view points.
Rather it should be more about the core elements of how the program works

• The funding model
• How artists are selected
• Are any guardrails or guidance provided to the artist when they start the work? If so – how is that provided and by who?
• Where is the art placed? I think one of the main problems with the blue ring is not the ring itself, but the fact it is in the middle of nowhere. The art shouldn’t necessarily have to be placed right by the where the infrastructure project was completed (my opinion)

For me these are the key questions, otherwise we are simply debating what is good art and what is bad art. And if the only art created is one appeals to the masses, then it will end up being quite boring overall.

[TheIronMaiden]

It has probably been posted before but this link goes well with Jiri Hrdina's point.

http://www.calgary.ca/CSPS/Recreatio...t-Process.aspx

[Lubicon]

Not only Glenmore, but the Crowchild interchanges at Shaganappi, Sarcee, and Nose Hill are all graced with unique artworks that add a nice touch to an otherwise bleak concrete structure. What I find odd is that the interchanges at 50th Ave and Flanders Ave were not done like this, and they were constructed at a similar time or even later.

[Shazam]

Originally Posted by Jiri Hrdina

Art is subjective and I don’t think the conversation about the public art program should centre on those subjective view points.
Rather it should be more about the core elements of how the program works

• The funding model
• How artists are selected
• Are any guardrails or guidance provided to the artist when they start the work? If so – how is that provided and by who?
• Where is the art placed? I think one of the main problems with the blue ring is not the ring itself, but the fact it is in the middle of nowhere. The art shouldn’t necessarily have to be placed right by the where the infrastructure project was completed (my opinion)

For me these are the key questions, otherwise we are simply debating what is good art and what is bad art. And if the only art created is one appeals to the masses, then it will end up being quite boring overall.

It is entirely possible to choose art that appeals to the masses and is not boring. The two are not mutually exclusive. Does a popular movie mean it's boring? People like the Mona Lisa, is it boring?

[nik-]

I bet you take away the cultural memory of the Mona Lisa and showed it to people, a shocking number of people would dislike it.

Some will just dislike everything.

[redforever]

IMHO Calgary tries too hard with its art program. It seems like they want projects that go along with Calgary being a great place to live.

But they keep choosing so many projects like the Blue Ring that just look tacky and cheap while costing a pile of money. Too many projects end up validating Calgary's old image of just being a cowtown.