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Public art provokes reaction
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By The News Tribune
If a teen spray paints an image on a public building during the dark of night, we call it vandalism. But if a professional artist paints a mural on government property under the watchful eye of an audience, we call it public art.
Art Inside the Park, an annual showcase of public art, recently was held along city streets on the East Side. As part of the display, professional artists painted portions of the walls bordering the former Missouri State Penitentiary.
Members of the Prison Redevelopment Commission, a statewide panel overseeing redevelopment of the former prison property, assailed the murals during a meeting Wednesday and voted to have the permanent paint removed from the aging limestone walls. The commission intends to preserve those walls to reflect the historic significance of the prison.
In fairness to the organizers of Art Inside the Park, they asked and were granted permission to paint on the walls by the owner, Missouri government represented by the Office of Administration (OA).
If the commission was unaware of the planned use of the walls, the fault is OA's failure to inform the redevelopment panel of this development.
Redevelopment Commissioner Gene Bushmann on Wednesday said the murals “trivialized the historic nature of the walls” and compared the paintings to “graffiti.”
A purpose of public art is to provoke thought and discussion.
A co-curator of the of the event encouraged appreciation of the artistic form of expression commemorating the prison site.
And the contrast could be made that the artworks represent free expression on physical boundaries that previously constricted freedom.
We wonder, however, whether permanent paint was necessary.
Previous Art Inside the Park works have been temporary and were dismantled after the event. Could a washable paint have been used or some type of appropriate canvas draped over the walls?
Art Inside the Park has been held at other sites - Memorial Park and the Capitol grounds - during its five-year existence.
The event is not inexpensive to stage. Public and private money and in-kind contributions are raised.
The question these benefactors now need to consider is: Has this annual expression of public art worn out its welcome in Jefferson City?
Art Inside the Park, an annual showcase of public art, recently was held along city streets on the East Side. As part of the display, professional artists painted portions of the walls bordering the former Missouri State Penitentiary.
Members of the Prison Redevelopment Commission, a statewide panel overseeing redevelopment of the former prison property, assailed the murals during a meeting Wednesday and voted to have the permanent paint removed from the aging limestone walls. The commission intends to preserve those walls to reflect the historic significance of the prison.
In fairness to the organizers of Art Inside the Park, they asked and were granted permission to paint on the walls by the owner, Missouri government represented by the Office of Administration (OA).
If the commission was unaware of the planned use of the walls, the fault is OA's failure to inform the redevelopment panel of this development.
Redevelopment Commissioner Gene Bushmann on Wednesday said the murals “trivialized the historic nature of the walls” and compared the paintings to “graffiti.”
A purpose of public art is to provoke thought and discussion.
A co-curator of the of the event encouraged appreciation of the artistic form of expression commemorating the prison site.
And the contrast could be made that the artworks represent free expression on physical boundaries that previously constricted freedom.
We wonder, however, whether permanent paint was necessary.
Previous Art Inside the Park works have been temporary and were dismantled after the event. Could a washable paint have been used or some type of appropriate canvas draped over the walls?
Art Inside the Park has been held at other sites - Memorial Park and the Capitol grounds - during its five-year existence.
The event is not inexpensive to stage. Public and private money and in-kind contributions are raised.
The question these benefactors now need to consider is: Has this annual expression of public art worn out its welcome in Jefferson City?
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ODF wrote on Sep 8, 2008 12:50 PM: