16 April

This Thing Called Art

The above photo was taken by photographer, Heather Thamm while I was working on some pieces for my upcoming show at Half Moon Creek Gallery. Cool huh?!


Who says I don’t understand the “art of compromise?!” There have been some ongoing issues with the final location of my proposed 1% Public Art Sculpture “Bicycle Bloom.” My proposed sculpture was one of 5 new Public Artworks scheduled to be installed this Spring as part of the Mt. View renewal and beautification project along Mt. View Drive and the new Bragaw overpass. There have been several new businesses and capital improvements taking part in the revitalization –including a new Jr. High School and Credit Union One building. On Wednesday, a site meeting was called for all the core-interested parties to discuss and hopefully resolve the current “issues” with regard to the final placement of my sculpture (there are no site issues with the other 4 sculptures). Though there have already been several meetings and plans drawn up with the landscape engineers and architects, the public art engineer as well as approvals from the Mt. View Road Improvement Public Art Selection Committee, there is still not a final go-ahead for my sculpture –which I need before ANY fabrication can begin. I didn’t select the site for “Bicycle Bloom,” the 6 member Public Art committee decided the appropriate locations for each work. A short

story long is that the architects for the newly constructed “financial institution” feel the already committee approved public art sculpture “Bicycle Bloom” will impede the view of not only the front of their new building but also obstruct window views from within the lobby –though the sculpture is over 20’ tall…

Our site meeting took place during a freak, Springtime snow storm in which Anchorage saw at least 8” of sloppy, wet snowfall! At the meeting on the very busy corner of Mt. View Drive and Bragaw was the Mt. View Drive Road Improvement Coordinator, the “financial institution” representative, a representative from the architectural firm, the Curator of Public Art and myself –the artist. With her arms crossed and not once making eye contact with me, the financial representative who was clearly against placing the sculpture anywhere near their new building bluntly asked “so how tall is THIS THING anyway?!” Just about that time a HUGE semi sped by trying to make the intersection light and completely doused all of us in dirty, slushy ice water -I am not kidding!! With my stomach already in a nervous knot, now soaked, armed with my engineer renderings, site drawings and architectural plans I shared my creative vision as was proposed to the committee last Fall. After a bit of posturing and everyone trying to “best guess” under all of the snow, where the planter and walkways would be placed I listened to their concerns. I offered to have my sculpture arch to the right instead of the left and asked what if it could be taken out of the large Public Works planter and “scooched” (technical engineering term) a bit to the right of their storefront windows down the walkway a bit. It

seemed to work and everyone shook off the slush, nodded their heads in silent agreement and thought that would work just fine. There was some final “have your people call and e-mail my people” as we all retreated to the warmth of our cars. As soon as the confrontation had begun it was over with and appears at least for now, a clear resolution to issues that have been going on for weeks.

During the meeting the only vision I had was when Gus’ adversaries meet, at least they show up with MMA body guards, thick-necked guys in suits and swords drawn! That would have been much more dramatic at the corner of Mt. View and Bragaw –don’t you think?!

9 comments:

Christine B. said...

Sorry to hear CU1 was being bratty, at least they got doused (too bad you did, too). Hope the dousing wasn't a metaphor for the entire experience. You think they'd want to draw attention to themselves with art parked in front of their building..... I have money there, perhaps I should ring them and complain?

Christine in Anchorage

ang design said...

way cool pic cindy love it!! and what a palava!!! Its just something else when the big heads get together eh?!!glad you survived..

Anonymous said...

what a glamorous welding picture! the story about the "how tall is THIS THING anyway" is sad, funny and unfortunately not uncommon. some people just can't come out of their comfort zone. makes me wonder what the precious view is that can't accommodate a piece of sculpture?

Tracey Broome said...

Boy, some people! (she said in a huffy tone!) I used to go through this all the time when I designed showrooms for the furniture industry. Non visual people do not know how to communicate with visual people, simple as that. Wouldn't "the view" be of a beautiful piece of art? What could be better! Good luck....

cindy shake said...

Hi All, thanks for the comments -I suppose I'm just not used to the whole committee thing -working independently has it's benefits -ha! The whole scene was actually funnier than it was intense. Luckily the architect and I were wearing our Extra-toughs rubber boots and rain gear :o) I think we all wanted a positive outcome and I'm just glad with a little listening and communication it will all work out -hopefully...

Orion Designs said...

I'm glad I read your comment that the scene was funnier than it was intense. I was getting a bit angry reading your post. BTW, the sculpture looks amazing!

cindy shake said...

Well at least to me it was Vicki -haha! The whole truck splashing thing made me spin around to see if we were on Candid Camera or America's Funniest Home Videos!!

Linda Starr said...

What an awful time you have been going through with all the postering of where your sculpture would go, so glad it was all solved in the end. I'd think as others said they'd be happy to have such a wonderful piece of art as focal point to their building. just how big is that thing had me laughing out loud. I can't wait to see it in place, I'll bet you can't either. - love the photo of Gus with his adversaries.

cookingwithgas said...

Yep- bring on the big guns!
The masses- what are you going to do with the way people think????
Good going on your part standing your (wet) ground!
Good luck it will all get done and then they will all talk about how wonderful it is!