TV and Public Art: A Repetitive Mantra
As a new item, I will add video from various sources on public art and public space. The first is a 100% repetitive report from the local FOX evening news in Tampa, Florida. If you have seen one, you have seen them all. The story starts with the "CONTROVERSY" at the public building.
1. Government spends too much on art
2. Something is strange about the artwork
3. Interview someone that likes it
4. Interview someone that thinks it's a waste of tax payers dollars.
5. Interview someone from government that says it's a response to the community by a very talented artist
6. Repeat the cost. Repeat the cost.
7. Fade out with "local politicians want to examine reducing or eliminating the excessive amount of money on art"
In this video, the artist Audrey Flack is presented as a professional.

Below is the text story from FOX. This link is to the full FOX video.
TAMPA - Beauty may be in the eye of the beholder, but it looks a little different when it's paid for with tax dollars.Just ask some angry Hillsborough County citizens. They're upset about a controversial new statue in front of the Tampa's Edgecomb Courthouse.
'Lady Justice' is 15 feet high, weighing 3,000 pounds--and it cost $400,000 to build.
She's just been put up in front of the courthouse, and she's already got people talking.
"I think it's a great piece of art," said Deputy Ricardo Alves of the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office. "It reminds me of the Statue of Liberty almost."
The brand-new statue is green bronze with real gold leaf. She's blindfolded--to show blind justice.
The artist who created her says she's supposed to soothe the people going to court.
"People are going to come to the courthouse probably in deep angst," said Audrey Flack, who is responsible for the creation. "You know, 'Am I going to get put in jail? Am I going to lose my house?' People are going to talk to this, I believe."
But some disagree. In fact, some people are irate over what 'Lady Justice' cost the county.
"I'm a taxpayer so I think they could have used that money more wisely-- on the schools, on roads, on anything other than a statue," said David Finch, a resident of Hillsborough County.
County taxes and court fees paid for the statue, and it is to date the most expensive piece of public art the county has ever purchased.
"It is expensive, but on the other hand, great art is expensive," said Bill Iverson, Hillsborough County's public art manager.
Administrators say they had no choice about how much to spend. A county law says one percent of the total cost of a public project like the Edgecomb Courthouse must go to public art.
The county's public art commission chose Flack as the artist, and they say they're glad the statue I generating conversation--and controversy.
"We consider ourselves a museum without walls," said Iverson. "A place where people can come experience great art without having to pay an admission fee."
Flack says she believes 'Lady Justice' will bring life and money back to downtown Tampa.
"Look, would you go traveling to an industrial city, or would you go to Florence? You're going go to Florence to see Michelangelo's David," she said.
County commissioners have already asked a team to work on changes to the current ordinance that puts money toward public art. They want to reduce the amount of funding that must accompany public construction.
Categories:
Blogroll
Aesthetic Grounds YouTube Site
Selected Videos on Public Art and Public Space
Best of Public Art Websites
1. Muncipal Website: Indianapolis, USA
2. Administration and Case Studies: Public Art Online, UK
3. Photos of USA Projects: Public Art Network, USA
4. Policy for Art in Buildings: Queensland, Australia
5. Sample Contracts, Call to Artists and Other Documents: PAN, USA
6. Sample MP3 Walking Tours: Lower Manhattan Cultural Council, USA
7. Socio-Political Critique through Public Art: Transform, Europe
8. Artist: Pete Codling, UK
9. Artist Registry: 4Culture, USA
10. Community and Public Art: Community Arts
11. Urban Inventions: Wooster Collective
12. Publishing: Black Dog
Best of Public Space Websites
1. Essays: Jane Holtz Kay
2. Functional Criticism: Project for Public Spaces
3. USA Case Studies: Bruner Foundation
4. Lots of Ideas from DC: Richard Layman
Best of Architecture Websites
1. Essays: Hugh Pearman, UK
2. Selected Architecture Images: Eyecandy
3. Essays: James Russell, USA
AJ Blogs
AJBlogCentral | rssspecial
the blog of the National Performing Arts Convention
Terry Teachout on the arts in New York City
Andrew Taylor on the business of arts & culture
rock culture approximately
Rebuilding Gulf Culture after Katrina
Douglas McLennan's blog
Art from the American Outback
No genre is the new genre
John Rockwell on the arts
Jan Herman - arts, media & culture with 'tude
dance
Apollinaire Scherr talks about dance
Tobi Tobias on dance et al...
media
Jeff Weinstein's Cultural Mixology
Martha Bayles on Film...
music
Greg Sandow performs a book-in-progress
Howard Mandel's freelance Urban Improvisation
Focus on New Orleans. Jazz and Other Sounds
Exploring Orchestras w/ Henry Fogel
Kyle Gann on music after the fact
Doug Ramsey on Jazz and other matters...
Greg Sandow on the future of Classical Music
Norman Lebrecht on Shifting Sound Worlds
publishing
Jerome Weeks on Books
Scott McLemee on books, ideas & trash-culture ephemera
theatre
Chloe Veltman on how culture will save the world
Elizabeth Zimmer on time-based art forms
visual
Public Art, Public Space
John Perreault's art diary
Lee Rosenbaum's Cultural Commentary
Tyler Green's modern & contemporary art blog

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