Sean Henry's Banality in the UK
UPDATE: Project Installed August 17, 2007
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No place can bat a thousand, but Newbiggin by the Sea in northeast England is really dipping low with the proposed "Couple" by artist Sean Henry. It's too bad after successes in the region with Anthony Gormley's Angel of the North in Gateshead, Juan Munoz' Conversation Piece in South Shields and Poetry by WN Herbert in Darlington West Park of Tees Valley.
Sean Henry seems to be competing with American J. Seward Johnson for artistic achievement in literal banality without the conceptual redemption of Jeff Koons or the intimate ugliness of Duane Hansen. Henry and Johnson sculpt human beings in a recognizable moment such as daydreaming on your back or stopped in thought. They are the "Lifetime" and "Hallmark" channels of public art, providing a non-poetic reminder of us. We just watch ourselves without a thought in our head. Time passes with a little smile and that apparently is better to some people than no smile at all.
My last statement is too harsh. Beyond the little smile, what people appreciate is that someone with power - museum, government, corporation - left the artworld and purchased something for THEM. Who doesn't like to be appreciated?
"Couple" is what it says: a middle class, middle age man and woman. The fifteen-foot tall bronze sculptures will face the sea and sunrise on a breakwater in the North Sea. At high tide, the couple will appear to be standing on water.

The people of Newbiggin and potential tourists will be reminded that they like to watch the sunrise on sea. That's it. Nothing more.
The sculpture does not capture the light or the sea. The sculpture does not enhance my knowledge of the place. The sculpture tells me nothing about the uniqueness of the people of Newbiggin.
The sculpture is human debris claiming more of the earth at a time when we need to claim less.
As a note on Seward Johnson. According to the Season of Sculpture in Sarasota website, a 25 foot tall bronze sculpture of the famous kissing couple at the end of WWII costs $1,140,000. Why is banality always so expensive?
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