NORFOLK
With little debate and even less input from the public, the City Council unanimously agreed four years ago to set aside for public art 1 percent of all publicly financed projects costing more than $500,000.
Since then, an arts commission was created to select art and decide where it will go. Contracts have been agreed to for displays at places such as Town Point Park.
Before a dime can legally be spent, the council must formally approve the program and, finally, hear from the public. That vote will come tonight, when the council meets at 7.
Mayor Paul Fraim has pushed the initiative for more than a decade, saying it will result in a more attractive city. No other city in South Hampton Roads has a mandatory set-aside program for public art.
"In a city as diverse as Norfolk, one common ground we have is beauty," Fraim said. "Public art can bring people together. I see it as a unifying theme for the city."
Vice Mayor Anthony L. Burfoot agreed, but said the issue can get thorny when it comes to judging what art is appropriate. The commission has not adequately listened to viewpoints on some of the projects in his ward, he said.
"From my perspective, I don't believe we should have the art commission dictating to a community when you have nobody from that community on the commission," he said.
Fraim said that's why the commission was formed - to keep politics out of the process. The council will discuss the issue tonight at its informal session, which begins at 5:30 p.m.
Harry Minium, (757) 446-2371, harry.minium@pilotonline.com
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Public Art has a long tradition...
... of reflecting the character of a city, dating back to times when city-states competed with one another for prestige in the scale, quality, and number of public art projects they could fund. At its best, it is a wonderful expression of a city's pride and unique qualities. At its worst, however, it can become a platform for propaganda, or even a means of advancing an individual administrator's agenda in the form of "conceptual" art. We need to be careful that whoever is doling out the dollars for public art seeks to express, rather than attempts to shape, the character of the city.
I believe it's important for a city's public art to reflect not only the character of the city, as determined by the city's residents, but also the creative force within the city, as reflected by the city's own artists. If city money will be used to fund public art, then the work should go to the best among our local artists, not simply imported styles from other cities.
Also, I believe the previous poster has confused the artist Grandma Moses, who was white, with Harriet Tubman, also referred to as "Grandma Moses". I'm not aware of any church activities that sought to destroy her work.
an appreciation for art
Call me crazy, but I started dealing in art when I was 14, with no training, and now I'm "old". For most of my life I have found people simply don't understand or appreciate art. Most people look at a work and find it ridiculas, ugly or just vulgar, and have no understanding of what they are looking at.
Art Funding
No, No , No....tax money should never be used to fund art programs. If there's people who love it so much, let them fund it from private sources. No, don't fund art programs with tax money. Never! There is too much going unfunded now that need the money.
Thus is the problem with the ward system -
mine mine mine - Art is not political - and should nefver be controled by politics or restraints from anyone - what is appropriate is not to be determined by society - The art created by Grandma Moses was ridiculed and destroyed simply because she was black. who made that determination, the church! So trust me when i say a burfoot best leave it to the masses - go visit the ODU Gallery on Monarch Way and decide which piece of self taught art you will condem - Kurt Vonegutt was recently quoted, i couldn't believe my eys either but it's a local publication "the practice of making art isn't to make a living. It's to make your soul grow." a great reminder of the sincerest reason for art. I cannot attend the council meeting - i am involved with a big project that will benefit the city and all our citizens, if you go, let them know that they cannot control ART.