Agent Will

I’m one who rather likes my gorgeous skylines broken up with works of art. Forget about the fact that I often have no idea what they’re trying to say. Isn’t that reason enough to keep them? The promotion of thought like a shock to your system as your routine is broken up with something unexpected? Forget about whether you actually like the piece or not. Most do not when they first view something so jarringly unnatural until it becomes familiar. Know that we are truly blessed in this city, one that lacks so much in the way of public art and performance, to have these works on display (and the other, more commercial works such as the Spirit Bears, Orcas, and soon Eagles).

From Canada.com

Sculpture issue to come before park board

Process begins to deal with controversial works left over from Biennale

Frances Bula, Vancouver Sun

Published: Wednesday, May 14, 2008

People who love sculpture in public places, including controversial pieces, are gearing to present their opinions to the park board next week as part of the debate over the upside-down church.

That sculpture — entitled Device to Root Out Evil — now has its steeple digging into the ground of a park at the foot of Bute Street.

“I would like to see sculpture be prevalent in this city, within a policy that recognizes that you can’t like everything,” says Chris Tyrrell, an arts advocate who produces the visual-arts newsletter for Opus Framing.

Sculpture is desperately needed in this city, he believes.

“When you look around this city, everything is super-bland. The sculptures at least represent some kind of diversity.”

Tyrrell was one of many who were distressed last month when it appeared the park board was removing Device because of public opposition.

Some people objected to the sculpture either because they didn’t like its message or because they thought it took up too much room in the pocket park where it sits.

However, the reasons for the removal are much more complicated than that.

As it turned out, the park board’s contract with the Vancouver Biennale Foundation stipulated that all 18 sculptures from their 2005-07 show were supposed to come down after 18 months. Device also blocks a view corridor. It’s owned now by a foundation that has had offers to display it in other cities. While some groups are said to be lobbying to have it moved to other parks, it’s not clear whether the foundation will agree or who will pay for the relocation.

In the meantime, the clash between those who loved the piece and those who hated it was enough to prompt the park board to hold a public consultation about keeping art works on display longer than 18 months.

The foundation has also been able to buy some of the sculptures, so the board needs a process to figure out whether and where to place them permanently.

There’s a public meeting Tuesday to hear from all the camps, and the park board is accepting opinions in writing until May 30.

One piece that will stay is the grouping of three metal chairs at Sunset Beach, by Michel Goulet called Echoes.

Board commissioner Spencer Herbert said the issue of sculpture in parks evokes strong emotions in people, sometimes completely contradictory ones

“The red Jaguar that was at the entrance to Stanley Park, when it first went up, I got e-mails saying ‘I hate it.’ Then, a year later, the same people, who identified themselves as having been opposed and were a little embarrassed about it, wrote to say ‘I love the piece and I want it to stay.’ ”

The issue is one that not every city has to deal with. Vancouver has sculpture in its parks because the Buschlen-Mowatt Galleries worked out an agreement with the board in 1998 to erect outdoor sculpture installations temporarily. After three shows in the next six years, the Vancouver Sculpture Biennale was created to put on events every two years.

“It’s really made us an international home for sculptural arts,” said Herbert. “It’s been interesting to hear how it’s affected parks. I’ve heard it has brought people into the parks who wouldn’t be there otherwise. Many other cities wish they had a partnership like this.”

Count me in as one of those who initially did not like the red Jaguar (I thought it looked like left over girders from a crane used to build one of numerous condos) but came to really appreciate its form and placement with such wondrous natural beauty behind it.  Let me cast my vote, right here and now, to save the sculptures and push for more works of art to be displayed in the city.