One sequence from Mira Nair’s 2006 film, “The Namesake” features the public art project “Travelogues” by Elizabeth Diller and Ricardo Scofidio. Nair is mixing the storytelling of travelling in the film with the storytelling and animation of the artwork. Also a good film.
In a mindless moment, I was flipping channels and discovered the “Notila Fairytale” video by Venessa Carlton. According to my wife, who teaches primary school art, Ms. Carlton’s music is popular with suburban pre-teens. This may account for the fairytale website and video images. (Comparing the urban vision presented by Ms. Carlton with Madonna’s pre-teen videos “Into the Groove” and Desperately Seeking Susan might be interesting).
For the video, Ms. Carlton’s team invented a series of public art projects inspired by the Grimm Brothers and other fairytales. For the public artist and critic, the video is a catalogue of every type of urban public art invention being utilized today. What does it mean that this visually naive musician should instinctly grasp these prime artistic methods? Has public art achieved a generic public understanding like hip architecture?
Ms. Carlton is interested in capturing this neighborhood recently marketed as Nolita (North of Little Italy) in Manhattan. Her video team integrated people from the street. Like the best public art, the traveler does notice these people in a place and forms a mental concept. The people are events – not just images. Gang of ice cream eaters, a black guy and white guy in the same T-shirt, a sad performer and white-suited man on his way someplace where the suit is appropriate attire.
More public art must capture an event, generate an event or imagine one. Most public art will continue as
a.) better design (visual, spatial and ecological);
b.) 2-D & 3-D civic photographic albums and educational lessons and
c.) contemporary artwork on display,
but the event is always the final power of all physical stuff. The human made elements that we value come from association with past events and projected future ones. Diller & Scofidio in NYC and Buster Simpson in Seattle understand better than most.
People as texture of the place.
Old Trick: Contrast of material, color and delicacy
Trend: Giant animals in odd locations for spatial orientation in the city
Trend: Placemaking in the street
Trend: Graphic design
Trend: Narrative meaning added to architecture through design integration.
Trend: Suggestion of a past or future event / or / an event caught in time
Trend: Photo documentation of a place or city
Trend: Unusual use of pre-fabricated, street worthy items.
Trend: Mini-museum display of diversity of form of common objects
Nolita Fairytale by Venessa Carlton on Youtube
Better version at her website: Venessa Carlton
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