Saturday, October 29, 2005
Politics and Art
Politics and Art
Do you remember the controversy last year when the previous
Costa Mesa City Council, at a time of great fiscal uncertainty,
decided to forgive more than $660,000 in fees due by the
developers of the new concert hall at the Performing Arts
Center? The inducement at the time - the carrot dangled in front
of the noses of the council by the Segerstrom's silver-tongued
spokesman, Paul Freeman - was the possibility that the council
just might get it's name on a wall honoring the big donors when
the hall is completed. No guarantees were made, though. So, the
council - giddy at the prospect - released the developer from
his contractual obligation and took a pass on cash that
represented nearly 15% of the projected budget shortfall at the
time. Of course, the tax payers of this city had to find that
money somewhere so it could be passed on to the county - the
ultimate recipient.
At the time I speculated in a commentary published in the Daily Pilot that those dollars might enable the developers to install more gold-plated bathroom fixtures or commission a nice, new piece of art.
Well, this week I read that Henry Segerstrom has, indeed, commissioned controversial sculptor Richard Serra to craft a few hunks of steel into a 60 foot high creation to become the centerpiece of the arts plaza. Apparently those art lovers among us will be able to creep through this collection of rusty scrap metal and be awed by it's beauty.
I also read that some of Serra's most famous works are referred to as "Torqued Ellipses". That seems ironically appropriate, because that's how I feel about his selection - torqued. Serra has recently made a couple strong anti-war statements with some of his works, using images of our president in quite negative terms. I'm going to have a hard time feeling very positive about the artist and his benefactor when I view the completed work. Yeah, yeah, I understand about freedom of expression. I just don't like the guy's politics and sure don't want to see a rusty, sagging 60 foot tall reminder of his views in a place of honor in our city forever. Sorry, Henry... that's just the way it is.
10:07 pm pdt
At the time I speculated in a commentary published in the Daily Pilot that those dollars might enable the developers to install more gold-plated bathroom fixtures or commission a nice, new piece of art.
Well, this week I read that Henry Segerstrom has, indeed, commissioned controversial sculptor Richard Serra to craft a few hunks of steel into a 60 foot high creation to become the centerpiece of the arts plaza. Apparently those art lovers among us will be able to creep through this collection of rusty scrap metal and be awed by it's beauty.
I also read that some of Serra's most famous works are referred to as "Torqued Ellipses". That seems ironically appropriate, because that's how I feel about his selection - torqued. Serra has recently made a couple strong anti-war statements with some of his works, using images of our president in quite negative terms. I'm going to have a hard time feeling very positive about the artist and his benefactor when I view the completed work. Yeah, yeah, I understand about freedom of expression. I just don't like the guy's politics and sure don't want to see a rusty, sagging 60 foot tall reminder of his views in a place of honor in our city forever. Sorry, Henry... that's just the way it is.
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