Public Art Defense
A few years back I had a bank lady ask me if I minded telling her where the checks I infrequently deposited came from, inasmuch as they were fairly large sums and came from various government agencies. I told her I was a glass artist and these were 1% for Art project payments. The next time I cashed a check she informed me that — and she hoped I didn’t mind her frankness — well, she didn’t much care for the fact I made money that her taxes paid for. Waste of her hard earned money, she said.
I can only imagine how she might feel this year when the new Stanwoodopolis High School goes on-line, probably totally hacked off about whatever art project their committee will choose from the WA State Arts Commission roster, an absolute waste of her tax dollars. My bet is she voted against building a new school, the old one was good enough, just drag in some more trailers when needed.
But as I told her, I don’t think 1% for Art is a waste of money. Oh sure, we could build a cement block Soviet-style school, maybe skip carpeting and ballfields, cut out the performing arts addition, keep costs to a bare minimum and call it good enuff. Nevertheless, we’re the richest country in the world, maybe ought to build architecture that reflects our values and no, a warehouse for education isn’t what I think of as our values. Maybe our public buildings should inspire us, maybe reflect our best aspirations.
Art and architecture to some may seem more frivolity than necessity, but I beg to differ. Great civilizations are judged on their aesthetics more than just their wealth or the power of their military. We remember their sculpture, their music, their writing, their philosophies and yeah, their architecture. And the reason for that is that these represent their values and aspirations in a manner that is both aesthetic and ennobling. Good art tells us who we are as a community and as a society.
Great art and architecture does something more. They contribute to the creation of a public place in the true democratic sense, they give dignity to our workplaces, to our schools and our courthouses with the hope that we might, through the sheer power of a collective aesthetic, inspire in ourselves and our children a vision of possibilities and dreams and higher aspirations. Myself, I don’t consider that a waste of money. Course, I might be slightly prejudiced….
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Tags: 1% for Art, Cheap Public Buildings, No More Frills for Government Buildings
It would be an interesting experiment, a tour of Eisenhower High School with visitors free to roam the grounds and then ask, what part of the property first comes to mind, what did you see that stands out? Probably not the brick, the metal siding, the concrete courtyard, although I think I would enjoy sitting out there on a sunny day. It’s probably not what encloses the building or covers the structure or fills the rooms and hallways inside. I’ll bet it’s the stained glass mural that’s most memorable. It’s impressive.
We have the 1% For Art and we have the 1% for money One beautifies our world with their creativity and our tax dollars, the other plunders the earth and avoids contributing tax dollars whenever they can get away with it. Who’s stealing from the middle class?
Beautiful entryway Skeeter, a bright, colorful, and inspiring start to the school day.
Muchas gracias, amigo. This project has been sitting in my studio for 7 plus years, mostly fighting with the architect. Then that big blue tilted wall in the photos, once iridescent until they heated to 350 degrees behind them, warped and probably melted caulk. Drip drip drip, then the black mold. The school figured (wrongly at first) the windows were leaking so they took out every one in the entire school, then discovered no, it was that big blue wall. They now have 5 million dollar lawsuits in the circular firing squad and I’m probably thankful my glass wasn’t installed before the toxic mold got a good run at the ventilation systems. When I had my electrical panel box fire, I had those crates of Yakima glass preventing me from prybarring off the old barnwood where the smoke was coming out. When the volunteer fire department arrived, we managed to move them and tear off the walls and put out the smoldering fire. Long strange trip, glad it’s in the rearview.